The most valuable asset anyone has is time, but you also need the energy to use that time. Today’s guest learned this after feeling burnt out after years of working at a chocolate production business in Belgium. Natalya Berdikyan is an energy coach, teaching people how to properly take advantage of their energy and put it to their best use. She is also the founder of Life By Design Academy. Listen as she joins host Dan Ryan to share her thoughts on #hospitality today!Takeaways:  Everyone likes the feeling of home away from home, and that is a key part of providing a great hospitality experience.Energy attracts both the positive and negative feelings of the place and people around you. You need to be aware of yourself, where you are and the other people you are with. These all play a big role in the energy you are feeling. Taking a step back and taking a deep breath can help clear your mind if you are feeling out of sorts. Don’t take anything personally, don’t judge yourself and don’t judge others. These are tips that will help you keep your energy in a positive direction. To get ourselves out of a low energy situation we need to understand why we are in that kind of situation in the first place. Quote of the Show: 3:18 “We are all being served one way or another from which gives me, gets me to that definition. Feeling comfortable being supported, being heard and being understood, whether it is at the hotel or the restaurant at the hospital, at the airport, at the airplane, it's making people feel comfortable.And then we have a beautiful phrase, feeling home away from home. That's great. What if you're on the way and you are feeling in the space of comfort and of being like you not being stressed and frustrated that you're on the way somewhere. I would also find as the hospitality part.”Links: Twitter: @NatBerdikyanLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/natalyaberdikyanWebsite: lifebydesign-academy.comShout Outs: 13:36 Pick You Ups19:54 Bruce Schneider19:56 Energy Leadership Methodology Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/Youtube : https://youtu.be/28i2ualQLdo

The hospitality industry is incredibly diverse as a whole, but not when it comes to the higher up positions. That’s what today’s guest wants to change for the better. Damon Lawrence, the Co-Founder of Homage Hospitality, is working with Howard University to create an outstanding hospitality program at his alma mater, Howard University.  Listen to this week’s episode as he shares #hospitality insights with Dan Ryan today!Takeaways: There is a labor shortage in the hospitality industry because it’s not an employee centric industry. Employees work long hours and went from seeing no one in a pandemic to being face to face with guests again.Hospitality is a feeling you give to your guests. Whether they are in your hotel, restaurant or even your home, it is all about how you treat the guests and put them in a position to succeed.It’s important to have conversations regarding race in the country. To make a positive change in the world, it starts with what might be an uncomfortable conversation for most. There needs to be more African American hotel owners and developers. To help achieve this, Damon is working on building up the hospitality program at Howard University.The hospitality industry is very diverse as a whole, but most of the diversity is sitting at the very bottom. The low entry, hourly jobs are the most diverse, and the further you go up the more the diversity dwindles.If people listen, take notice, and then take action that could cure a lot of ills in the hospitality industry. This could also benefit society at large. Quote of the Show: 7:58 “Hospitality really is a feeling. What I've always noticed,whether it's traveling or I'll be working in this space, is how do you make somebody feel when they enter into your space or a space that you have dominion over?Just because you are a hospitality brand doesn't mean that you wouldn't exude or create a hospitable experience. So hospitality really is how you make people feel. Whether they're dining at your restaurant or dining at your home. Like I said before, understanding what everyone goes through and making sure that you can put people in the best position to succeed, creates that hospitality experience that you want to provide to your consumers.”  Links: Damon’s Profile:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/hauspitality/Company website: https://www.anewkindofhospitality.comTwitter: @hauspitalityShout Outs: 1:11 Thompson Hotel1:34 Jason Pomerantz1:35 Stephen Brandman1:57 St. Regis1:59 Ritz Carlton2:00 Four Seasons3:33 Craigslist10:33 Howard University10:49 University of Louisiana, Lafayette11:33 Mardi Gras12:20 Halle Berry12:22 Paula Patton19:27 Independent Lodging Congress20:14 Arne Sorenson foundation20:17 Marriott foundation23:28 ALIS Conference25:21 Determine by Design25: 24 Kia Weatherspoon36:00 LGBTQ51:39 HDAC (Hospitality Diversity Action Council)52:58 Bashar Wali53:00 Nina Grondin53:03 Aaron Anderson53:07 Stacy ShoemakerWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sPodbean:  https://www.defininghospitality.live/Youtube : https://youtu.be/k_ETfrerldA

Jason Caldwell is the definition of an adventurer. He’s rowed across the Atlantic ocean twice, setting a world record on one run, and the Pacific Ocean setting a world record for the fastest time as well. He's trekked through the oldest desert in the world. Caldwell, CEO and Founder of Latitude 35 Leadership and author of “What IF”, joins host Dan Ryan to talk about his experiences with cross ocean rowing and how that has influenced his view on leadership and hospitality. Takeaways:  Hospitality isn’t always about the place you are staying or eating. It’s about creating a positive feeling for your guest or those who are around you, making them feel comfortable.Ocean rowing requires four people in a 30 ft fiberglass rowboat. On the trip where Jason broke the world record across the Atlantic, two of the four teammates had to leave the race only 600 miles in, with 2,400 miles left to go.Jason created a comfortable environment in an uncomfortable rowboat situation by playing to his co-passengers' strengths.Having quick, daily meetings with your team helps your team to feel connected to the leader and also feel valued. There is a difference between being a leader and being a captain. A leader works with the team, while a captain is the one to give the orders to a team. When leading a team, you don’t want your co-workers or teammates to dread working for you, you want them to feel grateful to working alongside you.Quote of the Show: 3:30 “When I think of hospitality, I'm thinking from my experiences at hotels, at restaurants and that stuff. I'm always the person who's being catered to. For me, the definition of hospitality is really ways that I can create a level of comfort, whether that's a physical comfort, mental comfort, or an emotional comfort for people in my world. My people are my teammates and as leaders of these teams that row across oceans and do all these extremely dangerous and endurance driven things and incredibly difficult, I have kind of the burden, but also the opportunity and privilege to find different ways that I can create that comfort.”  Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-caldwell-44121119Website: https://lat35.coBook Links: https://www.amazon.com/What-IF-Jason-Thomas-Caldwell/dp/1543461123https://www.amazon.com/Navigating-Impossible-Extraordinary-Shatter-Expectations/dp/1523086718Instagram: @Jason_t_caldwellShout Outs:1:13 Hospitality Design Summit in Lake Tahoe23:57 Verne Harnish24:01 Rockefeller Habits, book by Verne Harnish30:55 Sonoma State31:05 Vesper Boat House31:32 Yale31:32 Princeton31:34 Dartmouth42:41 JFK52:07 Herman Melvile52:09 Moby DickWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Youtube : https://youtu.be/rXTNNR9-BJE

Stacy Shoemaker Rauen advocates that great hospitality isn’t just about great design, it’s also a necessity for our overall well-being. By designing buildings in certain ways, this can help lead us to make healthier and more productive changes in our lives. Rauen is the Editor in Chief of Hospitality Design Magazine, as well as the Senior Vice President at Design Group at Emerald. Listen as she sits down with host Dan Ryan to share her thoughts on #hospitality today!Takeaways:  In hospitality, you want to be the glue that holds people together, but not the force that binds it. The root of hospitality is inviting people into your home or your kitchen, so the best hospitality is making your guest feel like it is an extension of your home.Sleep and taking care of our health are very important and these goals can be achieved in new and different ways through unique hotels and building environments that place an emphasis on these matters.The hospitality industry is having an incredible impact on plenty of other industries for the better, and it is now an industry that is having a great moment.Stacy helped bring more diverse voices and writing to Hospitality Design magazine in an effort to showcase the diversity in our world. One small action can have a massive ripple effect. The start to a positive change begins with a small start and a small idea. You don’t have to take on everything, you just have to take on one thing.Quote of the Show: 9:36 “For me, hospitality is going back to what hospitality started as, right? It’s hotels used to be owned by individual people and it was an extension of their home. It was inviting you in. Restaurants were run by usually a family, or one individual, and it was opening up their kitchen to people.So to me, the best hospitality, and obviously it has evolved and changed in so many ways. But I think when you go back to the true definition of what hospitality is, and that is an extension of somebody's home, that you are inviting them in to experience something that is different or greater than what they've experienced elsewhere.”Links: Twitter: @StacyRauenInstagram: @StacyRauenLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacy-shoemaker-rauen-766b253/Website: https://www.emeraldx.comPodcast: https://hospitalitydesign.com/people/podcasts/bonus-episode-stacy-shoemaker-rauen-hospitality-design/ Shout Outs: 1:32 Jason Goldberg2:32 Michael Adams3:42 Hospitality Design Podcast 8:44 HD Expo8:56 Rachel Long11:28 BDNY13:25 The Well13:37 A bearish16:03 Equinox16:25 Six Senses16:27 Jacobs CEO17:53 One Medical18:29 BHDM18:50 Rockwell19:13 Lionel from iCrave19:16 Sloan Kettering19:50 Susan Healey 23:19 HDAC23:46 George Floyd23:47 Black Lives Matter25:05 Couture27:16 NEWH28:13 Curioso29:41 Bashar Wali29:43 Damon Lawrence29:44 Nina Grondin29:45 Aaron Anderson33:04 Cheryl Doris33:31 Melville Wilson36:49 Marie Brenner36:58 TIME magazine Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Youtube : https://youtu.be/swjQ9VqykIYGoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/hdac-booth-at-hd-expo?member=12590963

Being a hotelier wasn’t always the goal for Brigette Breitenbach. Back in 2006, one of her clients came to her and asked if she could do some branding for a new hotel that was being opened, and she never looked back. Brigette, now the owner and founder of B&Co as well as an owner of the Iron Horse Hotel in Milwaukee, joins host Dan Ryan to talk about what hospitality means to her. Takeaways:  Hospitality isn’t a service, it is to meaningfully care for the guests. It’s all about trying to make the guest feel cared for.It’s important to know what your guests want. Understanding their wants and needs can help to establish your brand. The market and the guests will tell you what they want.The younger generation spends more money on travel and experiences more so than previous generations.Hotels are like a book, you need to have a compelling story, but every chapter also needs to make sense.The best hotels are the ones that offer a variety of different experiences within one space. If you are struggling with something, it’s always better to say that. If you’re willing to do that, it can help with client relationships and staff relationships.Sometimes we are defined by the business we don’t take. Sometimes saying no to business can help make sure your staff isn’t overwhelmed.Quote of the Show: 2:24:  “All of our projects start with a discovery phase and we tell all of our clients that with the exception of a few markets, we don't know their market. We don't know the city that they're from. We don't know the local community.And so we start to dig in and we almost come at every project with the perspective of being the guest. And so we try to dig in and we understand kind of what's happening in that market. What's new and exciting. And then we really drill down to, okay, who do you think your target audience is? Who are you building this property for?Or rebranding it for? Because until you define their passions, interests and values really don't know what you're going for. And so to understand that market and guest exploration piece of the puzzle,  you're never going to get to the foundational brand. So it really starts with who are you trying to please.”Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brigettebreitenbach/Website: https://bcobranding.comShout Outs:0:25 Independent Lodging Congress10:52 The Iron Horse Hotel10:58 Lehman Brothers11:11 Hilltop29:53 Bashar Wali30:22 Andrew Friendly 31:57 Jason Caldwell32:10 David RockwellWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Youtube : https://youtu.be/veOjMFAHF6I

Creating a welcoming environment in a hotel or bar is a purposeful endeavor. Nina Grondin, Founder and Partner of Curioso, has created a collective where people such as architects, artists, interior designs and more work together to create meaningful experiences through design. Listen to this week’s episode as she shares #hospitality insights with Dan Ryan today!Takeaways: Hospitality isn’t confined to just hotels and bars. It covers a wide range of topics. The basis of hospitality is one person attending to the needs of another. As humans we crave love and attention. It’s important in hospitality to feed those human needs and make sure the guest feels comfortable and seen.In hospitality, you are offering a service but more importantly you are anticipating someone’s needs. This creates deep connections with the guests.It’s important to listen to the community where you plan to put hotels or a hospitality business. Those in the community can tell you what they want and what they think would fit in.To create change, it’s important to start with having a conversation about how to be more inclusive. This applies to more than just hospitality, but all industries. Don’t lose sight of what drives you and gets you motivated throughout the day. We all get so busy in our daily lives but it’s important to keep your motivation and your passion alive.  Quote of the Show: 1:50 “When I think about hospitality, it's really one person attending to the needs of another person, but doing it with thoughtful intention and doing it in a way that makes them feel welcome. It makes them feel appreciated. It makes them feel seen. And it's really about that human connection. And so it's not really defined or confined to hotels and restaurants and bars, but really at any place where humans reside. And I think that ability to really make one another feel good and feel appreciated, that's what hospitality is all about.”Links: Nina’s Profile:  linkedin.com/in/nina-grondin-0ab5901Company website: curioso.usInstagram: @imissedShout Outs: 14:42 Instagram17:48 El Paso, TX18:54 Beto O'Rourke20:37 Detroit, MI23:20 HDAC: Hospitality Diversity Action Council23:41 Stacy Shoemaker23:49 George Floyd24:07 Bershard27:10 Hoffman Institute 27:37 HD Expo27:48 Carlos Herrera28:23 Damon Lawrence28:30 Erin Anderson28:55 LGBTQ29:48 Independent Lodging Congress31:58 Marquise Stillwell36:13 Holiday Inns36:15 Hampton Hotels43:24 Dan PierceWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1s

Dr. Chloe Carmichael is a world renowned psychologist, entrepreneur, and public speaker. She is also the author of “Nervous Energy - Harness the Power of Your Anxiety”, teaching people how to manage their anxiety. She’s here to give a unique perspective on the overlap between hospitality and psychology. Listen to this week’s episode as she shares #hospitality insights with Dan Ryan today!Takeaways: There is an overlap when it comes to hospitality and psychology. There is a level of empathy that needs to be reached in each one.Reflective listening is when you are hearing someone talk to you but then you're able to feed it back to them in a concise manner.There is a healthy function to anxiety, so it’s not healthy to want to get rid of it. The best way is to manage it and focus it in a constructive way.Mental Shortlist Technique is when you are hyper focused on something coming up, so to make sure you don’t lose focus of everything else you make a short list of other things to keep you focused.Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. It can be nerve wracking but in the long run it will be extremely beneficial and rewarding. Taking care of yourself mentally is extremely important. Often we get so busy in our daily lives that we don’t take time to focus, breathe, and relax and ease our busy minds. Quote of the Show:2:10 “When I even saw the title of your podcast, Defining hospitality, I got really curious about the etymology or the Greek roots of that word. So I was just looking it up and noticing that the Greek word in ‘hospa’ is going to be traced to caring for people. Not only as a host, but that it also pertains as a guest. And I thought it was interesting to see it was the same route that we applied to hospital.So I personally have almost had that emergency room feeling like, get me to a fine dining experience or a great hotel. I need that, my soul needs to be taken care of. Because actually also in psychology, the Greek word, ‘psyche’ traces to spirit. So I do think that there's so much overlap with psychology and hospitality, that level of empathy that we need to bring to people. Links: Chloe’s Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/chloecarmichaelCompany website: drchloe.comTwitter: @DrChloe_Book: https://www.amazon.com/Nervous-Energy-Harness-Power-Anxiety/dp/1250241219Shout Outs: 0:14 Deepak Chopra0:57 Entrepreneur Organization20:26 Zone of Control technique33:42 Baker McKenzie law firm34:15 Corporate Counseling Associates36:42 Flatiron District50:31 YPO eventWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sYouTube: https://youtu.be/dA03rKxaPIU

Kraig Kalashian is the owner of KKAD, Pocono Modern, and Westmore Hotels and  Restaurants, which includes Pren Kitchen. After spending years playing in a band, Kraig realized he has a passion for solving problems and he discovered the best way to do that is through architecture, food and music. He’s here to give a unique perspective on hospitality through a different lens. Listen to this week’s episode as he shares #hospitality insights with Dan Ryan today!Takeaways: Architecture isn’t about how to make money, but rather how to solve problems. It’s all about finding ways to fit everything you can imagine into a given space. Hospitality is a feeling you get when you are taken care of. It’s knowing that somebody is devoting 100% of their time and attention to you and making sure all your needs are met. Today, travel and dining out are not the luxuries they were once considered to be, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need to do it well.Kaizen is the Japanese word for making small, incremental improvements over a period of time. Acknowledging that a mistake has been made is something that is very important when it comes to life and business.It’s important to listen to the staff and hear what their opinions are. They might have a great idea on where to better locate certain things to make their life easier (ie, making sure each floor has a linen closet).The Einstein approach is working on ideas for a long period of time, but sometimes the answer to each one arrives at the same time, making it seem like it was all done at once.Everybody gets the same 168 hours during the week. After sleeping and working, we are left with 50 hours of freetime. How you carve out that freetime is up to you, but you can use it to master your craft. The backbone of hospitality is inclusivity. People from all walks of life are part of hospitality so finding ways to include them and making them feel wanted is the essence of the industry. Quote of the Show: 3:37 “Hospitality is a feeling, it's the feeling like somebody is taking care of you. It's the feeling like somebody sees who you are and what you need and, and gives you that. For me, the best way that I could define it is just this feeling I used to get from going to my grandmother's house when I was a kid. So if you asked what's hospitality, I would say it's, it's the way my grandmother treated me. Like when I was a kid, like when I would go to my grandmother's house, like she would just basically give me a hundred percent of her time and attention while I was there. She would always have things that were special for me.It was really like this feeling of being treated in the best way, like you would imagine royalty gets treated and somebody stopping, whatever they're doing to just make you feel at home or accommodated or, you know, just pay attention to what you need. And so I think that for me, the idea of hospitality is just thinking about other people and how to, and how to make them feel seen and how to make them feel taken care of.”Links: Kraig’s Profile: linkedin.com/in/kraig-kalashian-ra-ncarb-leed-ap-916b388Company website: poconomodern.com Personal website: kalashian.com Shout Outs: 5:56 Dominique Ansel, creator of the Cronut10:25 Independent Lodging Congress event in Brooklyn 10:29 David Rockwell12:46 Danny Meyer20:20 W Hotels22:03 Blackberry Farm24:46 John George25:54 Hygge, Scandinavian Design 36:13 Libby Patrick40:26 Amman40:27 Four Season40:29 Mandarin Oriential 49:13 Joe Rogan49:14 Marc Maron50:47 Game of Thrones51:20 Target 51:26 Starbucks58:54 DoubleTree HiltonWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sYouTube: https://youtu.be/BDd0WGhX8xY

Arnie Malham is the founder of a number of different companies and organizations, including BetterBookClub.com. He’s also the author of “Worth Doing Wrong,” where he discusses how to build a sustainable business model through company culture. Listen to this week’s episode as he shares #hospitality insights with Dan Ryan today!Takeaways: At work, your team will never treat clients better than how the boss treats the team. That is one of the many forms of hospitality. If you put people in a position and don’t pay them well and they don’t believe in the team then there is a discomfort that grows. Core values start with a team leader. It’s easy for a leader to praise certain values but it’s important that the leader also is willing to help with even the little things and show they are invested and they care.Embrace growth, always be confident, be optimistic, and prepare. These are 4 core values to have going through life. It’s the little things that can make a difference for a guest. Things like certain types of bedsheets and toilet paper can make them feel important and known. As a team, don’t say no to any idea. It’s ok to be wrong, but saying no creates a roadblock and might discourage people from sharing anymore of their ideas.Quote of the Show:6:26 I'm a believer in that the core values and culture start with the leader. And in fact, they start and end with a leader, that leader. The leader of an organization, a team that is the number one thing that sets the tone for culture and core values.And then what that leader does versus what that leader says. It's easy to go down a list and determine if those two things match up. I'll quote Jack Daly again. I'm pretty sure he said, ‘I can tell you your values based on your calendar. I can look at your calendar and tell you your values, because it doesn't matter what you say, the question is, are you doing the things that match your values, that match your priorities?’It's little things. It's where the leader parks, it's where the leaders are willing to participate in and the cleanliness of the environment. It's what he or she accepts and praises, but almost more importantly, what he or she tolerates. What a leader tolerates in their business, in themselves, in their direct reports and in the entire team, I think has as much to do with setting the tone of a culture than anything else.” Links: Arnie’s Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arniemalham/Company website:  https://www.worthdoingwrong.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/amalhamBook: https://www.amazon.com/Worth-Doing-Wrong-Quest-Culture/dp/159932587XShout Outs:  0:18 MIT Entrepreneurial Masters Program3:54 Jack Daley19:13 Andrew Scarlett22:50 Andrew Benioff22:52 Independent Lodging Congress22:57 Nico22:59 Pan Pacific in Seattle34:34 Loren Brill 34:35 Sweet Loren’s43:22 John DiJulius46:05 Verne Harnish58:28 Hilton HotelsWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1mEu_pueA8

When it comes to life changing events, there is nothing quite like travel. Joseph Diaz is the co-founder of AFAR Media, and he has taken it upon himself to use travel as a way to enrich the lives of the younger generation that doesn’t have the same opportunities. There’s a lot to be said about going to a completely new place and truly immersing yourself in the culture, and seeing what you can do to contribute to the community.  Listen to this week’s episode as he shares #hospitality insights with Dan Ryan today!Takeaways: The hospitality world has been flipped upside down. In 2019 it was very guest centric, but today it is a two way street. It is a concept that embraces the idea of mutual benefit, and what the guest can bring to the community.A form of hospitality where you put the guest on a pedestal is limiting and creates a fear of messing up. But what the guest truly craves is connection to the place they are visiting.Travel is the best form of education. Getting young people to travel and explore the world will provide them opportunities they might not have ever had and can change their world.You need to create a message to attract people to come visit your town or location not just during tourist season, but at all times of the year.How do we continue to stay open to new experiences? The good, the bad, the ugly? We have natural tendencies to run away from things we don’t like, but those experiences are just as important.The generation coming up is more in tune with their values and more open to travel and exploring other communities.Quote of the Show: 1:34 “A 2019 definition of hospitality would be one that is extremely guest centric, where it's focused on the desk, doing everything to make the guests feel welcome, feel at home. You know, there's tons of  definitions that are similar to that in our world. And the way that we're thinking about things today, hospitality for us is a two-way street.It is a concept that really embraces the idea of mutual benefit and what the guests can also contribute to the equation. You know, I think JFK, his famous ‘ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.’ Similarly ask, ‘not what your travels can do for you; ask what your travels can do for the communities where you're traveling and the planet in which we are living.’” Links: Joseph’s Profile: https://linkedin.com/in/josephdiazCompany website: www.afar.comTwitter: @JoeDiazAFARShout Outs: 0:26 Independent Lodging Congress5:09 White Lotus9:01 “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey9:45 Laura Redmond9:49 Ben Pundole 13:42 Teach for America14:13 Rosa Linda Elementary School in South Phoenix, AZ16:10 JFK 16:16 Peace Corps26:08 Reykjavik26:09 Venice30:20 Asheville, North Carolina31:45 Vanuatu36:51: Airbnb1;04:44 Amika Moran1;07:08 Staples Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sPodbean:  https://www.defininghospitality.live/YouTube: https://youtu.be/Bl5TRqnVWiw

Today’s guest has a unique business and with that brings his positive attitude about life and hospitality to everything he does. Dan is joined by Michael Bedner, a partner at SOLi, and part of Hirsch/Bedner Associates. Listen to this week’s episode as he shares #hospitality insights with Dan Ryan today!Takeaways: In the hospitality industry, there are three major rules to live by. One, always do your best job. Two, you better enjoy what you do. And three, you must grow and learn from any mistakes. The best way to describe hospitality is that it is ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen.Hospitality is all about making guests feel comfortable and at ease. The replacement of not having people at check in desks has turned it from a place of human gathering to a place where iPhones gather, it’s not as magical as it used to be.Comfort is not just your surroundings, it’s also how you are perceived. You want to make people feel glad they are at the place they chose to be, making sure they don’t feel like a burden. California has 1600 different building area codes, which makes it incredibly difficult to bring in new and innovative projects to the area. Michael is hopeful that in the future there will be enough people that are willing to try new and innovative ideas and change the way that the hospitality industry functions. Quote of the Show: 7:49 “The most important element of hospitality is making someone feel totally comfortable at ease and enjoy the experience. You could do that in an empty room with nothing around. If the service is wonderful and we have a view. Or 98% of the time, you don't always have that amazing view. So you have to provide the atmosphere where you feel where you have, as Howard would say a sense of place.”Links: Michael’s Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-bedner-ab3b23176/Company website: https://www.soli.spaceShout Outs: 5:08 Howard Hirsch5:32 Beverly Rodale Hotel6:39 Porsche6:40 Ritz-Carlton34:18 Tesla41:20 Buckminster Fuller49:30 UC San Diego 51:44 Disneyland  Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sPodbean:  https://www.defininghospitality.live/

Today’s guest spent time working in Japan and brings his cultured view to hospitality. Andrew Benioff is the Founder and Managing Partner of the Llenrock Group. He’s also the Founder of the Philadelphia Real Estate Council and the Independent Lodging Congress. Listen to this week’s episode as he shares #hospitality insights with Dan Ryan today!Takeaways: Service is the act of serving, but hospitality is the feeling an empathic employee gives to a customer. It’s difficult to have good hospitality without great service.Japanese culture is a mentality. A big part of it is the wellbeing of a group of people over an individual. In Japan, perfection is expected in your work. While it can be demanding, it brings out the best work in the person and allows them to achieve the highest goals they have.While perfection is expected in Japan, it’s not always a good thing. It’s ok to fail at something that is a new attempt. Failure can be a great teaching moment.Try to be flexible in your thinking. A new approach to a process might be an idea that can turn out to be helpful. Two things that hotels absolutely need to have: a shower with great water pressure and a comfortable bed. If a hotel has those two features all other issues are forgotten.Be patient and have an open mind. Try not to think that things need to go a certain way, it’s almost more important to know what you don’t want rather than to know what you want to do. Quote of the Show: 48:32 “The longer I've done ILC (Independent Lodging Congress), the more I've become interested in indie hospitality in indie hotels. I think that the indie space is fascinating for so many reasons in that it takes so much more attention to detail to work on one of those projects. And it also takes so much more of a connection to the community and the area that the project is in. And so I'm working on a number of different projects that are all indie focused, and I love them because each one of them is so distinct and different. And I love that focus of really digging into the community.”Links: Andrew’s Profile: linkedin.com/in/llenrockgroupbenioffCompany website: https://precouncil.orgTwitter: https://twitter.com/indiecongress?lang=enShout Outs:  3:06 Danny Meyer 4:12 Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company 6:00 Four Seasons  6:10 Rosewood 8:23 The Rock House in the Bahamas 12:38 Team Building ILC 16:18 McDonald’s 19:46 Jiro Dreams of Sushi documentary  24:07 Penn Pacific in San Francisco 24:08 Nico in San Francisco 24:10 Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco 44:44 The Birth of Sake 49:44 Fairfield Inn 49:45 Hampton Inn 50:15 Hortz Schulze, founder of Ritz-Carlton 51:45 Michael BednerWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sPodbean:  https://www.defininghospitality.live/

How do you feel when you first step into a hotel or a restaurant? The excitement in the air, the feeling that you have found some place that is truly unique is part of the allure of the hospitality industry.Dan is joined by a renowned designer, innovative thinker and creative Entrepreneur, Marquise Stillwell. Marquise is also the founder of Deem Journal, ArtMatr, Openbox, Opendox, and Urban Ocean Lab. Listen to this week’s episode as he shares #hospitality insights with Dan Ryan today!  Takeaways: Hospitalities, especially hotels, are like tiny little cities. They are open 24 hours, they never stop and there are 24 hours of activity going on. Hotels serve the purpose to be surprised, meaning each time you walk in, you should feel it is a unique experience.  This is also known as Creating the Conditions to be Surprised.Sometimes luck plays a big role. The proximity of luck is when you go out to a restaurant or a hotel and you begin to talk to someone near you, that person could be your next connection.Restaurants and hotels that reflect the community are the ones of the future. When you meet people who are in close proximity to you (ie a hotel) that is called Density of Network.The younger generation is going to get tired quickly of the rapid change in employment and treating employees like they are on a conveyor belt. Quote of the Show:24:31 “Hospitality right now is in a place where we need to rethink our model. Restaurants were already struggling. We need to rethink that model, we need to make it more human and people centered. We need to make sure people can afford to  live and work off their salary. We need to do the same thing in hotels. We need to make sure the front staff is just as respected as the office staff and that they have a livable wage. That’s a larger conversation but it goes to every aspect of what it means to serve. If you're in the service industry, and you’re providing food and you’re serving food and you can’t even afford the food you’re serving, that’s a problem.”  Links: Marquise’s Profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/quise/Websiteshttps://www.opnbx.com/team/marquise-stillwell Twitterhttps://twitter.com/quise7?lang=en Shout Outs: 3:54 Ramada Inn and Hotel12:38 Ramada Inn University and Hotel in Columbus, Ohio31:15 Westin Hotels31:30 Equinox Hotels32:38 Scent Dawn and Samantha Goldworm49:19 Hoffman Process  Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1s

The hospitality industry has roots in all sorts of other lines of work, even in journalism. Dan is joined by the author of the Moon Boston Travel guide and world traveler, Cameron Sperance! Cameron is also a hospitality beat reporter at Skift. Listen to this week’s episode as he shares #hospitality insights with Dan Ryan today! Takeaways: Hospitality boils down to providing that home away from home experience. It’s all about providing caring service with a smile and making a pleasant stay for the guests. You can tell if people are being treated well at the hotel they work at by the way they treat their guests, and a positive attitude creates a better experience.In Cameron’s experience reporting about hospitality, you have to build genuine connections with people.During the pandemic, many industries have tried to replicate how the hospitality industry makes their guests feel, showing that hospitality has its roots in many industries.The concept of doing some self isolation and meditation has taken off in recent years, and it’s a great way to recharge with a busy life. There is a lot of tension around who will stick in the hospitality industry in terms of the labor level employees, the ones who work long hours and demanding schedules. A struggle some hotels face is finding the balance between being exclusive while also being fair to your clients and guests.  Quote of the Show:28:33 “There was always a hospitality element to how we work that I think that's why it made it so successful and popular,  pre pandemic.And I mean, it just kind of runs the gamut. There's so many different, Industries out there that are trying to get a little bit more hospitable that I think this has been a wake-up call of just like how the tentacles of hospitality span out into so many different industries.”  Links: Cameron’s Profile - linkedin.com/in/cameron-sperance-988505aCompany website: skift.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/cameronsperanceBook: https://www.amazon.com/Boston-Travel-Guide-Cameron-Sperance/dp/1631218859 Shout Outs:  2:41 Boston Bureau 2:51 Ghelfi and Laura Posa3:04 Skift4:16 Alice conference 8:01 Daily Planet from Superman8:01 J. Jonah Jameson from Spider-Man8:41 Boston Herald11:14 Wall Street Journal11:15 The Real Deal11:16 The New York Times12:01 Boston University School of Hospitality12:02 Pinnacle Advisory17:20 Hilton17:21 Marriott21:18 Soho House21:19 Rosewood in Hong Kong32:54 Walden Pond33:04 Henry David Thoreau32:20 Parker Torres35:39 The Lorraine Motel 37:06 Dubrovnik, Croatia37:30 Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones41:46 Russian River52:16 SoulCycle52:22 Equinox56:46 Michael  Lastoria  Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sPodbean:  https://www.defininghospitality.live/

When you design your space, are you thinking about the next generation? In this week’s episode, Dan Ryan is joined by Glen Coben, President of Glen & Company, and his daughter Maya Coben of Rialto Capital for our first ever double guest episode! Listen in as they share their combined, multi-generational perspective on the future of hospitality, nurturing growth, developing intuition, and more great insights! Check out some takeaways from this episode below:Hospitality is about creating a community. We can build community by having empathy and listening to others, and pivoting to whatever the guest needs to feel like they’re most important.Work for the people instead of yourself. Identify the unique aspects of your client’s vision by approaching them with empathy and understanding.When you design a space, it’s not just for the current generation. You’re designing for the next generation as well. “The best way to stay relevant is to make sure that your 12-year-old child is teaching you” - Glen Coben Nurture growth within your own company by giving people opportunities to learn and develop. The mutual desire for success can lead to more than just satisfied clients. Negative feedback can be an opportunity to delight a client on the next revision, but success doesn’t have to be based on fear and intimidation. Hospitality and empathy drive successful students and future industry leaders. Glen’s most important question when taking on new clients; Who is going to be making the decisions? The best answers to that question are the honest answers. If the whole family is going to review and approve a presentation, they should be in the room so they have all the information. Intuition is built not just by listening and learning, but by asking questions. Be a sponge.Don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know the answer.” Asking for more information is a sign of strength, not weakness. Be okay with feeling that nervous energy, because it’s a sign that growth is coming!One positive change from the pandemic: taking non local projects becomes easier. Collaboration tools will always be better in person, but our ability to adapt to remote working enables us to think more globally about new opportunities.  Quote of the Show:22:46 - You remember those days when we were talking about “how do you design for the millennial?” That bothered me because the millennial is going to no longer want that cool hip thing. So we have to figure out a way to strike a balance through our design skills, that there are Instagram moments, there is technology, but there's also, we're designing across a broader spectrum. - Glen Coben53:07 -  I think that asking questions is the most important thing. And whenever I ask at the end of an interview, or just any conversation I have with anyone, a mentor, a friend, what advice do you have for me? Ask questions, be a sponge. Those are the two main things that I've heard time and time again. How can you learn as much as humanly possible in your career and through each experience that you're a part of? - Maya Coben  Links: Guest’s infoLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glen-coben-bb298a1/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/maya-coben/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GlenCobenCompany website: https://glenandcompany.com/Architect's Cookbook: A Culinary Journey Through Design Shout Outs: 4:20 - Danney Meyer of Union Square Hospitality Group - “Hospitality is a Team Sport”7:19 - Stacey Shoemaker’s HD Summit 8:50 - The Architect’s Cookbook, Max & The Magic Mushroom10:10 - Grey Kunz 11:53 - The French Laundry 16:13 - Gabriel Kreuther35:36 - William Grimes of the New York Times, Moda59:59 - Nervous Energy by Dr. Chloe Carmichael   Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sPodbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/Youtube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBOU_S-CF0Y

For the last year and a half, people have holed up in their rooms, unable to go anywhere. Now more than ever is when people are craving the need to explore, travel and interact with other people. Dan is joined by thought leader in the industry, SVP and global director of Wimberly Interiors, Margaret McMahon! Margaret has seen the world and is a travel enthusiast, and she’s here to share why she thinks travel can really lift someone’s spirits. Listen to this week’s episode as she shares #hospitality insights with Dan Ryan today!  Takeaways: You can go and get anything you set your mind to. Using phrases like “call me back if you want” won’t do you any favors. Visualisations of what you want to achieve are incredibly important. Creating a vision board can often help you focus your goals and terms and make them achievable. Travel is incredibly important. It doesn’t matter whether you are down the street or going across to another country, seeing the beauty in this world is something that can provide a whole new outlook on life. Hospitality is all about service and whatever that means. It’s not just delivering room service but it’s a service that is provided to give an experience. You have to be able to read a room and understand what is appropriate and what isn’t. Not only do other cultures view actions in a certain way, but even other co-workers might not think like you do.We all have to want each other to succeed. In this day and age, everything is extremely competitive but we still need to be human and hope for the best for everyone, including the competition. Residential projects have skyrocketed lately. With people moving away from the cities, the need for residential projects and houses has really exploded since the start of the pandemic. Margaret’s advice to her younger self: Lighten up. We all do a million different things each day but we should try to lighten up. Quote of the Show:11:05 “Whether you're driving down the road to a Holiday Inn Express, or you’re hopping on a plane, or you’re taking a road trip or you’re glamping, whatever it is, I think that brings joy to everyone. I bet that if you were to survey people that have been holed up in their houses for a year and half, everyone is really craving not only travel but interaction. I think that what’s really about is all us giving service to create a memorable experience and bring joy to people. I know that sounds super lofty, you’re not finding the cure for cancer, you’re not splitting the atom or anything like that. Whether you're staying in an AirBnB, whether you’re staying in a pension, whether you’re staying in a tent, traveling our planet to be able to see it is a really beautiful thing.”Links: Margaret’s Profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-mcmahon-02403b12/Company website: https://www.watg.com/wimberly/Shout Outs:  3:33 The Power of Intention by Wayne Dyer 5:38 Slaughterhouse 5  by Kurt Vonnegut 6:10 Rodney Dangerfield’s film, “Back to School” 7:26 Margo House 8:43 Charian Cerilo  8:54 Hotelier of the year award 9:13 Four Seasons 9:14 Ian Schrager 9:20 Forbes Travel 11:05 Holiday Inn Express 12:27 AirBnB 17:06 Pan-Am 23:03 Wimberly Interiors 25:11 Trishia Wilson 25:52 Entenmann’s Donuts 32:30 Soho House 39:34 Starbucks 42:35 Boca Raton Resort 44:34 Laws of Attraction book 55:52 Dr. Faucci 1;01:11 Balthazar Restaurant 1;02:03 Bill Murray in StripesWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sPodbean:  https://www.defininghospitality.live/Youtube : https://youtu.be/0kjGr4s7uUM

Having a positive outlook on life is the key to success. Dan is joined by industry thought leader, former adjunct at NYU and host of the “No Vacancy” podcast, Glenn Haussman. Glenn is also the board member at the Long Island Hospitality Association and the president of Rouse Media.  Listen to this week’s episode as he shares #hospitality insights with Dan Ryan today! Takeaways: The true spirit of hospitality is the notion of giving without expecting anything in return. If you show interest in what people are saying, are genuine and positive, people will feel comfortable with you and that can create great connections. As times change, it’s always good to try and adapt to what the new times bring.Always push harder than the next person, the hard work will pay off in the long run.All the old rules that hospitality used to follow are out the window and now is the time to challenge yourself and try new business strategies.You can use technology to understand your guests. Find out what your guests like and try to connect with them on that level.Mass customization is the notion of creating individualized experiences for the masses of people. Don’t let the fear of rejection hold you back. The only thing holding you back is yourself and how you feel about yourself.  Quote of the Show: 7:34 “Back in the 1990’s as I was starting my career in hospitality, my buddy happened to be an extremely successful video editor. He was like the guy cutting every single hip hop video you would see on MTV, BET and those networks. I went with him to go run the business side of it for him as I was building my writing career.  Every single person I met in that Hollywood music universe, and I met a lot of people, 99% of them were not people I want to have anything to do within my life. Nasty, negative, not the right type of human beings.  In hospitality, it’s completely flipped on its head. Nearly everybody is universally amazing, open and terrific.”Links: Glenn’s Profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/glennhaussman/Twitter: https://twitter.com/TravelingGlenn?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5EauthorPodcast: https://novacancy.libsyn.comBook: https://www.amazon.com/Adapters-Hospitality-industry-adapting-innovating/dp/1662905408Shout Outs:  0:30 NYU 1:01 BDNY Trade Show 5:56 No Vacancy live podcast 7:44 MTV, BET 27:54 The Adapters book 28:12  Seán Worker 29:14 The Adaptors.net 32:12 Phish 41:08 Hunter Conference  44:44 Jon Stewart, Remote Control TV show 44:56 Jimmy Kimmel, Win Ben Stein's Money TV show 47:19 The Big Cypress Indian Reservation, FloridaWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sPodbean:  https://www.defininghospitality.live/YouTube: https://youtu.be/C1oO0ydL8l8

How do you stay positive when you’re emotionally drained?Sarah Dandashy of AskAConcierge likes to remember that every guest interaction is a chance to be a part of someone’s positive memory. Listen to this week’s episode as she shares #hospitality insights with Dan Ryan today! Check out some takeaways from this episode below:Though she first found success on Instagram, Sarah finds LinkedIn is a powerful way to grow her network. It’s not just a great way to connect with others in #hospitality and #travel, it’s a platform that values substance. The concierge is the original influencer. They take their first hand experiences in travel and introduce others to new opportunities.“Sometimes thoughtful things don’t cost that much. It could be a handwritten note or a cocktail.” - Sarah Dandashy. It’s the time invested that’s meaningful to your customer. Anticipation is a powerful tool for great guest experiences, but presentation matters. Too much personalization can be creepy, so aim for thoughtfulness. The most impactful ways to provide hospitality are often simple. Most of the time, people just want to feel listened to. “If you change your mindset and just get creative about it, it’s amazing what you can do.” - Sarah DandashyRecommendations are better when you take the time to understand the guest. Talk with them to find out more about their desired experience. We need to take care of the frontlines of our industry. If you want people to treat this as a profession, you need to treat them like professionals.“if we just always keep our mind open and we just have these real conversations with our colleagues in whatever field they're in, it's amazing what we can learn from each other.” - Sarah DandashySarah’s advice to her younger self: always remember you get to be a part of somebody’s positive memory Quote of the Show:13:15 - “But it was this intersection between human connection and thoughtful experience because really when you, when you look at it, hospitality, it is all about the human connection. Yes. There might be a digital aspect, but it's all about connecting on that human level. That's where hospitality comes from, you know, way back when, where people inviting people to their homes, like they're breaking bread over, over a meal, that's all hospitality and that's a human connection.And then the thoughtful experiences. Are what make it unique and make it special? You know, it's more than just inviting somebody into your home or having somebody over for dinner. It's having those conversations and, and it is finding those thoughtful experiences, whether it's playing on something like, oh, I know . That you really love XYZ and tying that into it.So all of that kind of ties in into really what I think makes hospitality that. The good stuff that we love.” - Sarah DandashyLinks: Sarah’s Profile - linkedin.com/in/sarahdandashyWebsiteswww.askaconcierge.tv  (Company Website) www.sarahdandashy.com (Personal Website) TwitterSarahdandashy AskAConcierge  Shout Outs: 18:14 - Le Clefs d’Or Concierge13:58 - Ritz Carlton in Berlin43:19 - Christian Giordano (from Defining Hospitality Episode 7)   Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sPodbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrpt8C461L_9n_6vezzZtkQ

How do you handle unhappy clients? Christian Giordano, President and co-owner of Mancini Duffy, approaches any situation by thinking about what he can do to improve it. He joins Dan Ryan to talk about #architecture, #hospitality, & more in this week’s episode. Check it out now! Check out some takeaways from this episode below:Christian’s show, The Anti-Architect Podcast, originated with his unique perspective on the architecture industry, and figuring out how to listen, understand, and connect with his clients. Whether you’re a black cape architect or a junior designer at a corporate firm. The best thing you can do is listen. Hospitality comes from incredible service and listening. From those two points, we can begin to anticipate customer needs and implement them into how we impact their experience. Giving clients more information up front can help facilitate decision making, especially since budget plays a critical factor. For example, Christian’s team shows different sized dollar signs ($) in early designs and discussions to give them a visual cue into their options. The reactions and conversations that come out of it can inform new and better ideas.Building & maintaining culture during a pandemic is challenging, but Christian’s firm weathered it by having open, agendaless Zoom calls twice a week and being flexible with how people work. Giving everyone an opportunity to contribute, regardless of seniority or experience leads to better ideas and a more engaged workforce. It’s not our place to tell clients they’re wrong, it’s our place to come to them with a different solution.Companies don’t have to follow their industry trends for workspaces anymore. Instead, they should focus on planning a space that works for them and their business’ specific needs.Christian’s advice to his younger self: Enjoy the journey, and don’t be so stressed out along the way. Quote of the Show:32:36 - We have to respond to them a certain way. We always have to be positive. Right. You never want to tell a client? "No, you're wrong. No, that's ridiculous." I mean, as many times as you, you may want to, that's not really our place. I always found our place to be: we have to come back with a solution. If they're not happy or they don't think this is correct. Well then it's, it's not on them. It's on us to find the right solution. And most of the time I will say we do. I think I take that approach on a lot of things is, "Well, maybe it's me." And I think if you take that approach, "Well, it's not them. So what am I doing wrong? How can I make this situation better?"  Because think about it, if you're in a situation and someone is beating up on you the entire time, you kind of lose interest in it and it's no fun anymore. So that level of trying to figure out what is it that I can do to improve the situation? Always helps in that. And I think our clients appreciate that. You know, we don't say, "you're wrong or no, that's impossible. No that won't fit over there. Don't you understand scale?" You know? We will say, "No, let us take a look at it, and give you some options." And usually that works. - Christian Giordano Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cdgiordano/Twitter: https://twitter.com/archifellaCompany website: https://www.manciniduffy.com/The Anti-Architect Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-anti-architect-podcast/id1552247664 Shout Outs: 1:40 - Carrie & Lauren of Brand Groupies 6:20 - Gensler9:43 - Isadore Sharp & the Four Seasons service model19:15 - The Arlo Hotel in NYC27:45 - Mancini Duffy Lux 30:00 - Mark Green 41:40 - UCLA’s faculty Frank Gary & Thom MayneWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrpt8C461L_9n_6vezzZtkQ

When was the last time you deeply listened to someone else? When was the last time you deeply listened to yourself? Hilary Illick, senior faculty member at the Hoffman Institute, joins Dan Ryan to discuss open-hearted listening, #sustainability, creativity, and more on this new episode of Defining #Hospitality! Listen to this episode now! Check out some takeaways from this episode below:The Hoffman Institute’s approach to hospitality is by meeting everyone with a deep unconditional welcome. Nonjudgemental listening gives people the opportunity to speak their truth. Teaching a disruptive student requires patience and listening. While it’s not good for the group if one student requires the majority of a teacher’s attention, what a disruptive student wants most is to be understood and soothed. Sustainability is something that’s being taken more into account in hospitality now, especially as investors begin to see the positive impacts both economic and environmental, and it’s important to consider as we continue to build into the future. “I don't think we can underestimate the power of open-hearted listening. Actually. I think. I think we really needed as kids, we all needed to be heard and seen and understood. And as adults, if we can give that experience to each other of actually really listening to someone, how they're feeling, what they're up against. Very often people come to their own solutions. It's like the body, the body heals itself, the body's this miraculous healing organism. And so is the psyche. If given the proper care, I think we heal ourselves really well. And often when I'm deeply listening, people are making suggestions that they might not even hear themselves saying about their own solutions.”“I think the creative process is a process of deep listening. Actually, you're listening to spirit, you're listening to the creative muse. Michelangelo said, “David was in the stone.” He didn't think “Oh, I’m gonna make this man out of the stone.” He worked with the stone. He was actually listening to the contours of the rock to make this incredible statue.” - Hilary IllickYou have to create for your audience. “Who’s your psychographic? Who's the ideal person or people that you want walking through and smiling and laughing and being their best selves in this place?” - Dan RyanThere’s so much neuroplasticity in the brain that it’s always possible to change and improve as a person. The brain is constantly rewiring itself and reforming, “You can absolutely regenerate right now” - Hilary IllickThe inequities in our world need to be discussed with open hearts and active listening. Writing can be a tremendous method of regenerating yourself, especially in conjunction with meditation and self-reflection. Like travel or new experiences, writing can be its own terrain of discovery.Hilary’s most craved food - fresh green vegetables - “They make me feel cared for”Hilary’s advice to her younger self: It’s trial and error. You’re not supposed to be someone, you already are who you are. You just need to listen to yourself to find out.  Quote of the Show: 20:52 “I don't think we can underestimate the power of open-hearted listening. Actually, I think we as kids, we all needed to be heard and seen and understood. And as adults, if we can give that experience to each other of actually really listening to someone, how they're feeling, what they're up against. Very often people come to their own solutions. It's like the body. The body heals itself. The body's this miraculous healing organism. And so is the psyche. If given the proper care, I think we heal ourselves really well. And often when I'm deeply listening, people are making suggestions that they might not even hear themselves saying about their own solutions. “ - Hilary IllickLinks: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilary-illick-263035158/Company website: https://www.hoffmaninstitute.org/https://hilaryillick.com/about/ Shout Outs: 17:10 - The Graduate in New Haven CT, Hotel One in Brooklyn NY19:50 - Danny Meyer’s Hospitality Quotient24:37 - Arthur, on PBS40:17 - Warren Rustand’s 10-10-10 system45:31 - Bob Hoffman: “I’m changing the world one person at a time.” Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sPodbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrpt8C461L_9n_6vezzZtkQ

What makes you feel most at home? Is it some comfy furniture, a familiar scene, or is it something far deeper? Mikey Dobin, President of Valley Forge Fabrics stops by to share his perspective and swap stories with his lifelong best friend, Dan Ryan. Listen to the episode for more laughs & poignant insights into the hospitality industry like the ones below! Takeaways:“Hospitality is a place where I feel like it's home away from home.” - Mikey DobinWhat makes a hotel feel like home is a good environment mixed with social aspects. Places where you can joke with the front desk clerks, or have a good conversation with employees there. Rigorous processes can get in the way sometimes.The best way to engage with people is to listen. People want to be heard. In Mikey’s experience, getting down to real human connection immediately gets people to open up to him faster.Culture is more important than a good strategy, but culture is more than a buzzword & a ping pong table. Culture is how you work, how you interact when you work, how you interact when you’re having fun.“I feel like I never really knew how to run a business until the pandemic” - Mikey DobinThere is a measurable ROI when putting your people first, because it translates to the client that the company takes care of its employees. Your output from investing in culture is a better quality of service.The pandemic has magnified large divides not just economically, but in terms of safety & comfort. It has also shown just how resilient humankind can be.  Quote of the Show: “You could definitely feel the difference in a hotel that's going to be your part of a transaction versus a hotel that is a little bit more owned by someone with a little bit more passion for the business.” - Mikey 2021 is going to be the Year of Hugs #YOH Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikey-dobin-04308468/Twitter: @jmikeydCompany website: https://www.valleyforge.com/ Shout Outs -  31:36 - The W Hotel in San Francisco Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrpt8C461L_9n_6vezzZtkQ

Is anything as universal as a cookie? Loren Brill, founder and CEO of Sweet Loren’s, stops by to talk about continuing her company's meteoric growth during a pandemic, building an inclusive culture, and setting an example for the next generation of female entrepreneurs. Check out some takeaways from this episode below:Food is more than just nourishment, it’s a way for us to connect with each other. Sharing food, especially healthy food, is a great way to build communities & make our bodies feel better in the processLoren’s advice for getting people to feel comfortable and open up: no judgement. Trust your team & celebrate their diversity by creating an open & welcoming environment.Loren grew her company on both coasts during the pandemic by non-work team building opportunities and being flexible with things like scheduling or remote working. And going up against established giants in the packaged food industry, their success comes from thinking about how they can outsmart their competition, rather than try to spend millions on marketing.One of the best ways to promote gender diversity in entrepreneurship is to give more visibility to female entrepreneurs. It helps normalize the idea for young girls that they can achieve their dreams and be part of the next generation of business leaders. The key to a good hospitality experience: make everyone feel important. Going the extra mile for your customer, whether it’s a hotel guest or purchaser for a supermarket chain, is something that can be set up as a system and built into your culture. Innovation and growth can come from anywhere, even customer suggestions. Good customer relationships can allow you to test new ideas in a way that creates honest and constructive feedback, while still relying on traditional industry research to identify open space in the market for innovation. Loren’s advice to her younger self: Take advantage of every day. Make sure you’re enjoying as much of life as possible, and don’t be so hard on yourself. Because you’re capable of conquering your wildest dreams. Quote of the Show:20:46 - “We have amazing fans and we get emails and messages all the time from parents that say that their daughter loves our cookie dough and loves seeing the back of our package. I have the story of how I created Sweet Loren's in a picture of me. And I think them just seeing that and being like, oh my God, that's it, that's a pretty young female, like, I could do that. I can do whatever I want, and I think just having more, seeing more role models out there of women just normalizes it so that, whoever you are, whatever age you are, you don't think it's weird or super hard. You're not at a disadvantage. If you're female it's totally been done, it's totally doable. And women should dream as big as they want.” - Loren Brill Links: Website: www.SweetLorens.comTwitter: @SweetLorens, @LorenBrill  Email: [email protected]: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sweet-loren's-llc/Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrpt8C461L_9n_6vezzZtkQ

What makes a strong leader? According to Chris Green, President & CEO of Chesapeake Hospitality, a good leader is like a river guide - they’ve been through the rapids before, but know how to get the best out of their team without jumping in and paddling for them. Listen in as Chris joins host Dan Ryan to discuss the different ways leadership can be nurtured and cultivated while navigating the rushing waters of the hospitality industry. Check out some takeaways from this episode below:Leadership requires not only being able to trust your people, but to give them the tools they need to be leaders themselves.Tough decisions can be painful, but they can be the right choice in the end. Navigating tough times while putting people first involves creating plans that are customized for individuals and groups. Hospitality is something you should practice everyday. It’s about having a genuine concern for a positive outcome for others. Chris draws on his family & southern upbringing when thinking about how to go the extra mile for someone in your care. Take the time to get to know the individual. “People are not to be blueprinted, everybody’s different.” - ChrisThe number one trait in future leaders is curiosity. People who ask questions show engagement with the task at hand.A strong-willed leader can overcome difficult challenges, but they can also lead a team in the wrong direction at times. Advice to Chris’ younger self: Learn from your leaders, for good or for bad. Don’t be too hard on yourself, but learn from your mistakes. Quote of the Show:13:15 -”To me it's just genuine care and concern for a positive outcome for others. And that, that is hospitality. And that's, what's cool about that is it's our, my living and it's also my life. And what I mean by that is, just because I make money doing it in the hotel business, hospitality is something that you should practice every day, whether it's with your neighbor or with the person that's the grocery store or whatever, the person who's frustrating you at a grocery store, you know, it's, it's how we treat our fellow humans.”Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wchrisgreen/Company website: https://www.chesapeakehospitality.com/ Shout Outs: 49:50 - Warren Rustand, “The Leader Within Us” Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrpt8C461L_9n_6vezzZtkQ