The Proven Principles Hospitality Podcast

Dave is an author, speaker and founder of In-Sightful Living, an accessibility consultancy that helps organizations enhance their systems, environments, events, and cultures to be supportive of people with disabilities.

Dave has been blind from birth and much of his work focuses on teaching people that having a disability is not a hindrance, but an asset.

This isn’t a typical episode of the show, instead, this week I’m talking with someone with different needs who travels a lot, in the hopes of doing more than simply shedding light on what we can to better prepare our teams.

This conversation centers more on getting inside the mind of someone who is on the receiving end of all the training and preparation that goes into making sure hotels are as accessible and comfortable as possible for guests and employees with needs different from what you may encounter on a regular basis.

About Dave

Dave Bahr is an author, speaker, and comedian focused on demystifying the public's perception of how to interact with people with disabilities. As founder of In-Sightful Living, Dave works as an accessibility consultant, aiding organizations to enhance their systems, environments, events, and cultures to be supportive of people with disabilities. Blind from birth, he teaches that having a disability is not a hindrance, but an asset. When not doing disability advocacy work, Dave enjoys listening to baseball games on the radio and jazz and classical music.

Links

Andreas is the founder of Sextant, a Miami based Short Term Rental management company that is changing what not only guests can expect from a serviced apartment, but what hotel professionals can expect from the rapid evolution and iteration going on in the hospitality industry.

Sextant isn’t a one off manager of Airbnb homes, they take over entire buildings, permitting them as hotels, staffing them with Valets and Housekeepers, acquiring liquor licenses and use telepresence front desk agents. If you wanted to get a look at what many hotels of the future will look like, this is very likely it.

Andreas gives us look at how the company came to be, their service philosophy, staffing and retention approach, their target market and what’s next for this innovative company.

About Andreas

Andreas King-Geovanis graduated from the University of Miami with a President's Scholarship and degrees in Economics and Environmental Science. He saw an opportunity in a historically weak job market and depressed housing values, and went into business for himself, purchasing his first property months after graduation. He founded Sextant in 2015 and has been at the forefront of the Miami vacation rental industry. Andreas has traveled to 40+ countries, was previously a nationally ranked fencer, and hopes to run his first marathon next year in Antarctica.

Recent Press

Glenn is the President and CEO of Wellengood Partners, a hotel management and development firm based in Memphis, TN.

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at a hotel ownership company? I have - and as a senior leader for several hotels and hotel management companies I was close to it for a long time but I always felt I had a knowledge gap in the air quote “business of hotels” side of the industry.

This episode tries to fill in the blanks as Glenn, who started as a busboy at a Holiday Inn, talks about his journey up the ladder to eventually developing and managing a hotel.

He shares great insight into the mechanics of how his company came to be, the pivot they made when they saw an opportunity to grow, how they went about financing their hotel and the lay of the land today as we emerge from this last downturn.

About Glenn

Wellengood President & CEO Glenn Malone co-founded the hotel management and development firm in 2002.  As Executive, Malone plays an integral role in expanding the company’s long term hotel development, operations and ownership portfolio. He is one of the founding partners in AAA 4-Diamond hotel The Westin Memphis, which is one of Wellengood’s clients.

Raised on a farm in Mississippi, Malone’s career in the hotel industry started at age 16, having worked his way up from ground level positions to executive leader and ownership roles.  His breadth of experience in the industry paved the way for him to successfully develop, brand, launch and operate an expansive and diverse hotel portfolio at Senate, ranging from properties of 80 to nearly 3,000 rooms, both franchised and non-franchised. Malone’s portfolio includes John Q. Hammons Hotels, Hilton Worldwide, Holiday Inn Worldwide, Gaylord Palms, Gaylord Texan Resort, Gaylord Opryland, Marriott, Embassy Suites, Homewood Suites and Hampton Inn Hotels.

Outside of the office, Malone is found traveling with family, enjoying outdoor sports or wrangling cattle back at the farm.  His favorite vacation destination is Vail, CO, where you can find him snowboarding.

Links

Tammy is the Vice President of Spa and Wellness at the Carillon Miami Wellness Resort.

Much like hotels and restaurants, Spas and wellness facilities were disproportionately impacted over the past 18 months and even though things are slowly returning to normal, the highly interactive nature of the spa experience is still subject to the customers comfort level in that type of environment.

The serendipitous way that the Carillon Miami has managed this, is by investing heavily in new technology and touchless solutions that have not only kept their guests coming to the spa, but created new sources of revenue.

More than just enhanced cleaning protocols, Tammy discusses new treatments and ways to package them that have engaged their guests more than ever before, and how they’re leading the industry by making technology more personal.

About Tammy

Tammy Pahel is a transformative and strategic Spa, Wellness, Fitness and Retail Executive with 30 years of leadership experience. Ms. Pahel has a demonstrated history of shaping high performing cultures for several luxury and global wellness brands. She has been successful in deploying creative social media and marketing strategies resulting in a sustainable increase in revenue. She is known for designing, developing, and implementing an executable strategy to support the overall business vision of the organization while motivating both teams and individuals and financially exceeding corporate objectives through innovative, purposeful data-driven work. Since 2018, Ms. Pahel has acted as Vice President of Spa & Wellness Operations at Carillon Miami Wellness Resort and has had an active involvement in the resort's strategic planning process. She has full responsibility of all spa, health & wellness center, and fitness operations, including membership budgeting, forecasting, cost analysis, fitness, salon, talent acquisition, learning and development, organizational design, and employee engagement.

Links

Chad is the CEO at Fire and Vine Hospitality, a Seattle based company that owns and operates some of the Pacific Northwest’s most iconic properties, including El Gaucho, AQUA by El Gaucho, Aerlume, Yellowhawk Resort, Walla Walla Steak Co., Crossbuck Brewing and their industry leading Revelers Club loyalty program.

Simon is the Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Oracle Food and Beverage Global Business Unit.

In times of crisis, having the presence of mind to think about the future feels like a luxury that many business owners can’t afford. Keeping the lights on and the doors open becomes job one - but one day the crisis will end and what might be worse is finding your business firmly planted behind where everyone else moved.

That’s the theme of today’s episode. How Fire and Vine used their time during the pandemic to invest in and deploy technology that will help them engage their customers in a more meaningful way, removing friction from their operation and lead the restaurant industry in this recovery - and why having the right technology partner is critical to bring it all together.

About Chad

Since joining El Gaucho and his father and founder, Paul Mackay in 2003, the two worked together to build a special place for people to celebrate their lives. Chad took the helm as CEO in 2013 and over the years, developed strategic direction to promote continual growth. In 2017, the company announced the evolution to Fire & Vine Hospitality which provides operational leadership, marketing and technology support for some of the Pacific Northwest’s most iconic properties, and the Revelers Club program which includes El Gaucho Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, Portland and Vancouver (opening in 2021), AQUA by El Gaucho, Aerlume, Yellowhawk Resort, Walla Walla Steak Co., and Crossbuck Brewing. Chad is the outgoing Board Chair of the Washington State Hospitality Association and is the Finance Chair for Visit Seattle. In 2018, he became one of the founding members of Third Door Coalition working to solve chronic homelessness in Seattle and King County through the proven solutions of Housing First and Permanent Supportive Housing.

About Simon

Simon de Montfort Walker is the Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Oracle Food and Beverage Global Business Unit. Tapped for his deep experience in hospitality technology, Walker leads the business unit’s efforts to deliver innovative hardware and cloud solutions, enabling restaurants of all sizes to personalize the guest experience, streamline operations and grow their businesses.

During the past 15 years, de Montfort Walker has built a track record of success in software sales, strategy and execution for both public and private companies. Most recently, he served as the Chief Technology Officer and President of eGate solutions at Gategroup with a focus on hospitality, supply chain and end-customer servicing solutions. He also has served as EVP Operations at Blue Cod Technologies and General Manager for Octavian Inc.

Throughout his career, de Montfort Walker has held leadership roles in multiple technology firms as well as led the operational turnaround efforts for technology companies in travel, banking, insurance and hospitality as an operator and, previously, as a management consultant with Sapient Corp. de Montfort Walker holds a bachelor's degree in economics from The University of Kings College and an master’s degree with honors from The University of Texas at Austin.

Links

Erik is the Co-Founder at Oaky, a hyper-personalised and automated upsell engine that helps hotels drive additional revenue through perfectly timed guest communication.

Front Desk upsell programs have existed in varying forms and effectiveness for years. Typically revolving around upselling room categories, many have relied on a front desk agents ability to quickly engage in providing an offer while at the same time going through a litany of brand standards while worrying about ringing phones and the ever growing line of guests forming in the lobby.

Oaky is a company on a mission to change this paradigm by using information you already have about your guest to engage them in a personalized and ultimately more effective way.

On this episode, Erik shares how the company came about, insights on consumer buying psychology and how some of the most successful hotels are approaching upsells today, along with several other topics.

If you’re looking for a more effective solution to drive additional revenue, focusing on a new way of approaching upsells may be the solution.

About Erik

Meet Erik: Co-founder at Oaky, a passionate public speaker, who is crazy about music and hotel technology. Erik’s speciality is to make other people enthusiastic and to dare. What makes him genuinely happy is inspiring others to break free of old habits and give their own visions a try. Talk to Erik about Hotel technology, Entrepreneurship, Presentations/Pitching, Golf, Skiing, and DJing.

Links

Even if you don’t work in hospitality, you’ve undoubtedly heard of Colin Cowie. He’s been at the forefront of event and wedding planning for the past 25 years, creating trends and raising the bar for providing the ultimate guest experience for celebrity and corporate clients around the world.

He’s also just released his 11th book called The Gold Standard, Giving Your Customers What They Didn’t Know They Wanted, and on this episode we’re diving in to some of Colin’s best practices and principles that have not only filled the pages of his new book, but truly actionable, and fundamentally simple but effective actions that can foster personalized proactive customer service.

I took away two key points from this conversation. The first is that in times of crisis and change like hotels and restaurants have been dealing with, coming back to the basics and executing on them exceptionally well will never steer you in the wrong direction. The second is that creating emotional connections with your guests isn’t about expensive gifts or over the top gestures, it just takes care and a bit of imagination.

It was truly a pleasure having Colin on the show - and I hope there’s something here that resonates with you as well.

About Colin

Colin Cowie arrived in the United States from South Africa in 1985. His intelligence, personality, and stylish sensibility led him into the fast-paced, glamorous world of planning over-the-top parties for royalty, celebrities, and business luminaries. Respected around the world as an arbiter of style, Cowie has been at the forefront of event and wedding planning for the past 25 years, creating trends and raising the bar for providing the ultimate guest experience. In addition to Oprah Winfrey, his celebrity clients include Jennifer Lopez, Ryan Seacrest, Kim Kardashian, Lil Wayne, Nicole Kidman, and Demi Moore, to name a few. Cowie’s corporate clients include Dom Perignon, Warner Bros., CBS, The Whitney Museum, Architectural Digest, Cosmopolitan and Style. His previous books include Dinner After Dark, Colin Cowie Chic: The Guide to Life As It Should Be, and Colin Cowie Wedding Chic. Cowie's latest book, The Gold Standard: Giving Your Customers What They Didn't Know They Wanted, will be released by HarperCollins Leadership on September 7, 2021.

Links

Anne is the Principal at The Largo Group, an Accounting firm that specializes in the hospitality industry providing monthly bookkeeping, tax services, and business consulting.

She’s also the Author of Never Again - a book that was written in response to the tremendous challenges faced by the hospitality industry during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Without giving much away ahead of the episode, I was surprised to hear that one of the biggest lessons many hotels have learned the hard way over the past 18 month is the importance of cash flow. And not just how much cash is coming in now, but how much is expected to come in throughout the year.

Those forecasts have become the lifeblood for ailing hotels, and given that it’s everyone’s favorite time of year, aka Budget Season, I wanted to have Anne on to share more insights from the past 18 months, discuss her new book and to give some guidance on how hotel managers should be approaching their 2022 financials.

About Anne

Anne Gannon is the Principal at The Largo Group. The Largo Group offers innovative accounting and bookkeeping solutions to businesses and individuals. In 2016 The Largo Group’s revenue has grown 75% year-over-year for the last 5 years. The Largo Group has over 500+ customers from Alaska to Maine and a team size of 8.

Anne is often tapped by press as an expert in PPP loans for business.

The Largo Group is perfect for those looking for specialized monthly bookkeeping, tax services, and business consulting focused on improving efficiencies and the bottom line. The uniqueness of our firm is that Anne is the sole owner as most accounting firms are partnerships. We are set up as a corporate model. If we win, the team wins.

Anne’s audience on social media is greater than 1,500+ and she is happy to share your episode with her fans!

Links

This episode is brought to you by Wheelhouse - the best revenue management platform for vacation and short term rentals.  

Learn more about Wheelhouse here ➡️ https://usewheelhouse.com 

Use code KNOWINGHOSPITALITY for 50% off your first month with Wheelhouse. 

--- 

Anthony is the Senior Market Manager for Little Hotelier, a hotel property management system, channel manager, booking engine and website builder all in one - aimed at making it easier for independent hoteliers to run their properties and drive more direct bookings. 

And that’s been one of the most difficult puzzles that hotels have been facing for years now. In the past it’s felt like no matter what you did the OTA share of bookings kept growing. 

Well times are changing and with the right strategy, your hotel can take advantage. 

On this episode Anthony shares a ton of great information about the state of travel and some of the best practices that you can put in place today to not only compete but to use OTAs to your advantage. 

This was a great episode that I personally found to be very helpful. I hope you take more than a few ideas away as well. 

About Anthony 

Based in Texas, Anthony Lazzara is a Senior Market Manager at Little Hotelier, the world’s most trusted hotel management software. With a deep understanding of the needs of small accommodation providers, Anthony has developed specialized knowledge in the North American and the Carribean markets that he manages. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Management Information Systems and Marketing from the University of Arkansas. 

About Little Hotelier 

We don’t come with a scary price tag. With us, you get a neat little package that helps you do all the things the big properties do, but in your own, uniquely-small way. 

Our all-in-one reservation and hotel management system, designed specially for small accommodation providers, gives you: 

• An easy-to-use front desk system, to keep your property in order 
• A booking engine for your hotel website, to clinch direct bookings 
• A great channel manager, to get your property on to OTAs 
• A website builder, so you can jazz yours up or start from scratch 
• Reporting and insights, to help you make the best choices 
• Built-in payments, so you can save up to four minutes per booking 
• The ability to list on metasearch sites, like Google Hotel Ads

Plus, our system is available as a mobile app. This means you can manage your property from anywhere, and never miss a beat when it comes to delighting your guests with extraordinary experiences and memorable stays. 

Little Hotelier. From boutique hotels to vacation rentals, we’re the one solution that’s been perfectly designed and fitted out to meet the needs of small property owners and operators. 

Links 

This episode is brought to you by Wheelhouse - the best revenue management platform for vacation and short term rentals.  Learn more about Wheelhouse here ➡️ https://usewheelhouse.com

Use code KNOWINGHOSPITALITY for 50% off your first month with Wheelhouse.

---

Ken is the SVP of Operations at Avocet Hospitality Group, a hotel management company based in Charleston, South Carolina, and he’s been leading the charge to bring the company’s hotels back.

And coming back for their hotels has meant a literal hockey stick if you were to graph out rate and occupancy performance since Spring Break. They’re setting records and looking to close out 2021 as one of their best ever.

But in operations, high rates and occupancy have to be supported by engaged staff, a full suite of amenities and services, and the ability to get the flywheel turning again.

Ken shares how they have been dealing with these challenges and some of the thinking that is going on behind the scenes with respect to balancing “getting back to normal” and what the new normal will actually look like.

As an industry we’re all in the same body of water, just in different boats. We’re all dealing with similar challenges and my hope is that in this conversation you’ll find commonality, camaraderie and perhaps some ideas on where you can take your own property.

About Ken

Ken Merkel is the Senior Vice President of Operations at Avocet Hospitality Group. Since joining the team in January 2009, Merkel has overseen all aspects of operations for Avocet Hospitality Group including employee training and overall guest experience.

In his role, Merkel works with team members to ensure that they create strong relationships with guests and the community to deliver memorable experiences and lasting memories. Everyday has the possibility of being unique, different and challenging, but Merkel focuses on working with a group of talented and diverse team members with the ultimate goal of making them happy as his top priority.

Originally from Buffalo, New York, Merkel moved to Charleston in 1997 and has more than 30 years experience in the hospitality industry. His previous experience includes working at Kiawah Island Golf Resort where he was involved in the successful openings of both the Sanctuary at Kiawah Island and the Ocean Course clubhouse as well as was part of the team that hosted the 2007 Senior PGA Championship. Additionally, he worked with high-end, luxury hotels such as The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Virginia and The Hermitage Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee.

In his spare time, Merkel enjoys playing tennis and getting out on the water to fish.

Links

This episode is brought to you by Wheelhouse - the best revenue management platform for vacation and short term rentals.  Learn more about Wheelhouse here ➡️ https://usewheelhouse.com

Use code KNOWINGHOSPITALITY for 50% off your first month with Wheelhouse.

---

Tejal is a third-generation hotelier and Founding CEO of Neem Tree Hospitality based in the greater Houston area.

I first got to talking with Tejal on Clubhouse where we would discuss the culture in hospitality and how we can move the needle as the industry reopens.

Now that that is happening, I wanted to have her on the show to expand on some of those earlier discussions, but perhaps more importantly, since she’s on the cusp of opening her own hotel, dive in to bridge the theory discussions of the past several months with the realities of a working asset.

We’re both very cognisant that discussions about work culture can come across as nothing more that complaining so we try to keep this discussion constructive with concrete examples that hopefully inspire new thinking and actions.

About Tejal

Tejal Patel CHO, CHIA is a third-generation hotelier based in Texas' greater Houston area. She has held multiple positions in different areas of the industry, such as hotel operations, restaurants, events, and consulting prior to becoming Founding CEO of Neem Tree Hospitality in 2019.

She serves as an Ambassador for the Southeast Texas region of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) for 8 years. Since her early involvement with AAHOA, Tejal has developed a passion for advocating on behalf of the hotel industry. She is committed to creating a more inclusive industry for all hospitality professionals.

Additionally, she serves her local community as a Board Member of the League City Convention & Visitors Bureau Advisory Board, and a Board Member for the League City Regional Chamber of Commerce. Beyond her community, she serves the industry as a member of organizations such as the Small and Independent Motel Association, the Texas Hotel & Lodging Association, and the International Hospitality Institute as a Board Member/Global Partner.

Tejal holds a Bachelor of Science from the Conrad N. Hilton School of Hotel and Restaurant Management at the University of Houston and is completing an MBA with a concentration in Finance and Investment Management.

Links

This episode is brought to you by Wheelhouse - the best revenue management platform for vacation and short term rentals.  Learn more about Wheelhouse here ➡️ https://usewheelhouse.com

Use code KNOWINGHOSPITALITY for 50% off your first month with Wheelhouse.

---

Robert Reitknecht is a hospitality and luxury brand advisor with 30 years in the industry.

During pre-pandemic times, hotels across the country spent a great deal of time trying to improve service culture but now that travel is returning but staffing remains tight, how does a hotel ensure there is alignment with guest, employee and brand expectations?

We’re diving into this today with an eye on Service Culture, authenticity, influence and communication.

About Robert

Robert Reitknecht is a veteran customer loyalty professional and guest experience expert for over two decades.  A Certified Rooms Division Manager (CRDM), Robert has provided service-focused insights to a number of Fortune 100/500 companies. He has worked primarily in the hospitality and guest relations verticals, crafting cultures of excellence by spearheading quality standard initiatives, process improvements and hands-on training and development programs.

Links

This episode is brought to you by Wheelhouse - the best revenue management platform for vacation and short term rentals.  Learn more about Wheelhouse here ➡️ https://usewheelhouse.com

Use code KNOWINGHOSPITALITY for 50% off your first month with Wheelhouse.

---

Kate is the CEO and Founder of Kate Burda & Co, a consulting firm that leads revenue performance and growth strategies for hotels, hospitality brands, owners, investors and management companies.

At the time of this recording, we can safely say that travel is back! At least leisure travel is back. Right now, hotels across the country are experiencing record setting rate and occupancy growth with many beating actual results from 2019.

But booms like this are always temporary and the most effective organizations are already thinking about how they will change their tactics to be most effective when these great results start to level out.

As they say, revenue cures all problems, so the trifecta of Revenue Management, Sales and Marketing have never been more critical - but approaching them with the same thinking as we did pre-pandemic is not going to do you any favors.

On this episode we’re exploring what that means so you can sustain these peaks long in to the future.

About Kate

Kate Burda is the CEO and founder of consulting firm Kate Burda & Co, which leads revenue performance and growth strategies for organizations, hotels, hospitality brands, owners, investors and management companies. Through her “revenue trifecta” of sales, traditional & digital marketing and revenue management, many of Kate’s clients have enjoyed 25 percent growth in revenue gains through her work.

Amid disposition, bankruptcy, financial downturns and shifts within the marketplace over her nearly 30 years of experience, Kate has advised some of the world’s leading companies, such as Goldman Sachs, REIT, Abbott, Medtronic, Boehringer Ingelheim, Ricoh, Marriott International, Hilton, Loews Hotels, Intercontinental Hotel Group and more.

Kate is passionate about challenging the status quo and rethinking systems to drive revenue acceleration. Her subscription training platform Ignite launched in May 2021 to help businesses connect the dots between finance and sales & marketing. Ignite leads companies to identify their most profitable and most valuable customers. Most companies or leaders would say they know their top customers but Ignite helps them go beyond. By learning to recognize these areas of opportunity, businesses using Ignite are able to generate revenue impact.

As an industry leader, Kate is a Think Tank member of the Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell and has taught graduate and undergraduate courses for Fairleigh Dickinson University and Purdue University System. Her memberships include Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Association (BLLA), International Society of Hotel Consultants (ISHC), Strategic Account Management Association (SAMA), Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI). Kate has spoken at Chesapeake Hospitality Summit, Hunter Conference, Hotel Asset Manager Association 2020 Summit, and more. She earned her MBA at University of Colorado and currently lives in Dallas.

Links

This episode is brought to you by Wheelhouse - the best revenue management platform for vacation and short term rentals.  Learn more about Wheelhouse here ➡️ https://usewheelhouse.com

Use code KNOWINGHOSPITALITY for 50% off your first month with Wheelhouse.

---

If you’re deep into the history of hotels in North America, you may have heard of Tom. If not, here’s a question for you. When was the last time you thought about “who is the first person to to be a Name your position?”.

There was a time when the Concierge didn’t exist in US hotels, and the person who created it is Tom Wolfe.

A mainstay as the Chef Concierge at the Fairmont San Francisco, Tom has been around the world and back again, bringing an early passion for the profession when working in Europe, to creating the modern concierge blending the allure of the old world with American ingenuity. Today, he’s a global ambassador and mentor for hospitality professionals everywhere.

Tom shares stories about the beginning of his hotel career, how the role of the concierge has changed and where he sees it going in the future.

This episode was a true pleasure to put together. Having worked together in San Francisco, I’ve known and admired Tom for years. His charm, engaging stories and motivational style are on point and I hope you feel it through our conversation.

About Tom

Although the profession of the modern concierge dates back to the 1800s, in the 1900s concierges were only present in Europe due to their French origins. It was not until the 1970s that the concierge profession found its way to the United States. Thomas Wolfe is widely recognized as the first concierges in The United States. Having worked in Europe for many years, he eventually took up a position with the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco in 1974 and also went on to found the American Chapter of Les Clefs d'Or in The United States. Having studied at the hands of some of Europe's best concierges, Wolfe introduced his traditional European training and combined with a ''can do'' attitude, was able to offer the best of both continents to the hotel guests he served.

Links

This episode is brought to you by Wheelhouse - the best revenue management platform for vacation and short term rentals.  Learn more about Wheelhouse here ➡️ https://usewheelhouse.com

Use code KNOWINGHOSPITALITY for 50% off your first month with Wheelhouse.

---

Dominique Pibia-de Groot is the owner of DG Hospitality, a Dutch company that trains hospitality teams to create  memorable experiences and advises organizations within the hospitality industry how they can improve their customer journey.

When we were discussing doing this episode, our conversation turned to the state of hotel and restaurant openings as pandemic restrictions are lifted and whether or not businesses should in fact reopen at 100% when they’re allowed to do so.

A robust discussion became a full show about customer service, creating emotional and practical experiences and working with limited resources.

At the end of the day, we find that focusing on the fundamentals will see us through the next year or more as we get back to normal life.

On this episode we discuss:

• How to measure ROI with employee training (5:33)
• Using the senses to create emotional engagement (6:49)
• Low barrier actions that business should be focused on right now (11:38)
• The benefits of defining your customer personas (15:12)
• How customer service and customer expectations have changed through the pandemic (17:44)
• Is an emotional experience or practical experience more important? (25:18)
  

About Dominique

I am a very passionate guest experience educator and it’s my mission to make hospitality more beautiful for guests and employees. I have worked in several management positions within the industry. From a five star boutique hotel to a prestigious golf course, restaurants and events. With my own company, DG Hospitality, I train hospitality teams creating a memorable experience and I advise organizations within the hospitality industry how they can improve their customer journey with maximum ROI.

My motto: making guest experience work!

Links

This episode is brought to you by Wheelhouse - the best revenue management platform for vacation and short term rentals.  Learn more about Wheelhouse here ➡️ https://usewheelhouse.com

Use code KNOWINGHOSPITALITY for 50% off your first month with Wheelhouse.

---

Ken is the author of The Surprise Restaurant Manager, a book about the tools needed to master the unexpected challenges managers face every day.

And those challenges are mounting. Whether it’s the inability to fill open positions, a lack of internal resources, finding new customers, or expanding initiatives, this new business climate is stretching business owners, managers and teams in more ways than ever before.

We expand on discussions from the book and discuss a wide range of topics from how to avoid burnt out, working with strong personalities, delivering and handling criticism and the idea that self promotion is self preservation. We really try to give insight on leadership and personal responsibility by teasing out actionable and tactical points that could help with your current situation.

On this episode we discuss:

• How to establish more balance in life (6:00)
• Busy people vs. head down workers and their promotion opportunities (10:47)
• Self promotion is self preservation (14:25)
• Why face time with the boss starts with the boss making themselves available (20:50)
• Alpha vs Beta workers: aka, loud vs. contemplative leadership (24:52)
• Handing blunt criticism (35:08)
• The value of using consultants and freelancers (45:05)
  

About Ken

Surprise –you’re in charge now! Steady money and new opportunities awaited as you moved up from server or bartender to front-of-house manager. But too often, restaurant management find themselves leading with minimal training, aton of responsibilities, and no clue how to improve. You’ve run the Friday night rush, you’ve juggled expectations of staff and guests -- but have you figured out how to improve while keeping the restaurant profitable?

In The Surprise Restaurant Manager, learn from Ken McGarrie, a restaurant operator who has helped launch dozens of successful restaurants, as he gives you the tools to master the unexpected challenges managers face every day.

Get help on the fly with real-life examples, straightforward strategies, and expert insight to better leadership. This is your guide to restaurant industry success beyond basic food knowledge and inventory counts.

You’ll learn: How to locate quality candidates and interview effectively, including eight signs you shouldn’t extend an offer — from subtle clues to outright red flags.Tips on ways to support your staff during challenging situations and how to use genuine suggestions to develop more effective hospitality skills. Common communication mistakes that guarantee FOH turnover and increase work stress -- and how to avoid them. Proven steps to upgrade your table touch and salvage every negative guest experience, including guaranteed methods to improve your restaurant’s online reviews. How to embrace blunt criticism, work effectively with strong personalities, and avoid professional burnout.Success as a restaurant manager is a constant quest to level up your game and your team – without sacrificing your sanity along the way.

Links

This episode is brought to you by Wheelhouse - the best revenue management platform for vacation and short term rentals.  Learn more about Wheelhouse here ➡️ https://usewheelhouse.com

Use code KNOWINGHOSPITALITY for 50% off your first month with Wheelhouse.  

---

This is a different episode than normal. This week the mic is on the other side of the desk and I’m the one being interviewed.

I was recently a guest on Kyle Allison’s show, HospitalityMD. The interview originally appeared on his podcast a few weeks ago and our discussion resonated so well that I felt there was value in sharing it with you here.

Kyle wanted to dive into the cost of a career in hospitality, what it’s like rising through the ranks, how appearances can be deceiving and the cost of throwing 100% of yourself at your hotel, guests and brand.

Anyone who knows me will know that I’m way outside my comfort zone on this one. It’s a highly personal episode where we talk about working in luxury hospitality and lessons learned along the way that have shaped how I approach work, downtime and the things that truly matter in life today.

If you’ve spent any time working in the hospitality industry, are highly driven, or simply given yourself to your career, I hope there is something in our conversation that resonates with you and, maybe even helps you look at things a little differently.

Links

This episode is brought to you by Wheelhouse - the best revenue management platform for vacation and short term rentals.  Learn more about Wheelhouse here ➡️ https://usewheelhouse.com

Use code KNOWINGHOSPITALITY for 50% off your first month with Wheelhouse.

---

Kírs is an Experience Coordinator at a luxury spa and hotel in Vancouver, British Columbia. Using their expertise and lived experience as a transgender and non-binary individual, they engage industry professionals in conversations regarding gender inclusivity with a focus in hospitality.

After recording episode 43 with Daniel Poulin on Diversity and Inclusion, we got to talking about what D&I efforts were looking like on the ground, within hotels, not just at the corporate level.

He introduced me to Kirs, who’s been heavily involved on the D&I committee at their hotel, and our initial conversations about doing a follow up episode led to a fantastic show about what it’s like for the employees tasked with delivering service day to day, how company efforts affect their ability to do their jobs, having sense of pride and belonging to one’s workplace and the actions companies should be taking if they’ve made no movement yet.

We’re continuing the discussion about Diversity and Inclusion on this episode. As hotels start to rehire after the pandemic, there is no better time to be talking about how we want things to look going forward.

On this episode we discuss:

• Kirs’ involvement with the D&I committee at their hotel (5:38)
• Coming out to their workplace (7:31)
• How long it took for the D&I committee to form after coming out to their workplace (10:32)
• Company interaction standards (13:52)
• Companies may not know how to move forward, resulting in no action (15:22)
• One year in… where is the D&I committee today? (19:47)
• The pace of change from a committee member’s perspective (24:58)
• Guest-centric vs. Employee-centric perspectives (29:14)
• Removing bias from everyday language (31:18)
• Bridging personal guest experiences and internal diversity efforts (32:59)
• The fear of having uncomfortable conversations (38:33)

About Kirs

Kírs is an Experience Coordinator at a luxury spa and hotel in Vancouver, British Columbia. Using their expertise and lived experience as a transgender and non-binary individual, they engage industry professionals in conversations regarding gender inclusivity with a focus in hospitality.

Links

Sean is the Founder and CEO of the Short Term Rental brand, Avant Stay.

The company is reimagining what it means to be a short term vacation rental by innovating new ways to leverage technology to deliver a truly unique lifestyle hospitality brand for the future traveler.

Since their start in 2017, AvantStay has acquired more than 400 assets in over 60 cities.

What strikes me about the company is their relentless focus on the guest experience - and I hope this comes across in the episode.

Taking a page from the playbook of the best hotels in the world, they’re pushing the boundaries of what people can expect from a vacation rental - whether it’s the location, design, amenities or the personalized elements that customize each stay.

We’re talking about experience, differentiation, operationalizing a complex business and blending the worlds of hotels and short term rentals.

On this episode we discuss:

• How technology is helping the company grow (5:10)
• AvantStay’s business model (8:06)
• The current state of vacation rentals (10:30)
• Vacation rentals as a part of a larger hotel company ecosystem (15:11)
• Designing homes for social media (19:28)
• Customer segments in STR (22:55)
• Operationalizing a horizontal business model (26:58)
• Using partners to enhance an experience (31:25)
  

About Sean

With over 15 years of experience in real estate and technology, Sean is currently the CEO and founder of short-term rental brand AvantStay. Since its inception in 2017, AvantStay has acquired more than 400 assets in over 60 cities, including its first-ever international properties in Cabo San Lucas, launched in Q1 2021. Having gone through the launch and sale of a number of early-stage companies, his newest endeavor at AvantStay has allowed him to reimagine group travel, innovating new ways to leverage technology to deliver a truly unique lifestyle hospitality brand for the future traveler.

Links

If you’ve ever wanted to know more about those personality tests that recruiters often have you go through, this episode is for you.

This unintended mini-series on leadership book reviews is back. The episode that we did on Good to Great by Jim Collins got such a high response that we decided to do another dive into a book that affected both of our careers.

This time we’re discussing 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. We were both introduced to this book early in our careers and it shaped our perception of not only team building but how we evolved our leadership styles.

Just like our last episode, we wanted to explore some of the concepts in the book and share a roadmap on how to take some of these principles and apply them to your personal and professional situation.

If you haven’t read 7 Habits, I hope this episode inspires you to pick it up. If you have, I hope we inspire you to dust it off and revisit some of these time-tested ideas.

• Being proactive (11:03)
• Begin with the end in mind (18:17)
• First things first (25:20)
• Think win-win (35:30)
• Seek first to understand, then to be understood (39:35)
• Synergize (45:47)
• Sharpen the saw (54:58)
  

About Michael

I have been living and breathing the hospitality and restaurant industry from the day I was born, and I started working in my mum and dad’s small restaurant group in rural Denmark from an early age. I  spent six years building a 20+ unit cafe chain in Denmark; +11 years working for McDonald’s Denmark and UK, and more than 8 years as a consultant working with brands across Europe. I'm also the Co-founder of The Bear Kitchen in London, which is a catering business delivering planet-friendly food into offices across London. Once a week I produce and host The Hospitality Maverick Podcast, which all about inspiring leaders to build businesses from the inside out - businesses that makes positive impact on their people, their community and the planet.

Links

Hermann is an industry veteran bringing over 25 years with companies like Baccarat Hotels and Resorts, St. Regis, Montage and Ritz-Carlton. He’s now executive vice president of travel, entertainment, and health security at Sharecare, a digital health services company, and has been helping hotels come back from the pandemic.

Sharecare Health Security Verification is one of the tools that has emerged as a way for hotels to demonstrate to their guests that health and safety protocols surrounding COVID are not only in place, but continually re-verified to ensure booking confidence and peace of mind.

Whether it’s Health and hygiene protocols, Cleaning products and procedures, Masks and PPE usage, Ventilation, Management accountability or Health safety communication with guests and employees, I believe this is a space that hotels should be seriously looking not only to instill confidence in travellers, but so that they can get back to talking about their own stories.

On this episode we discuss:

• What does Sharecare do? (3:15)
• How has Sharecare been helping hotels over the past year? (4:14)
• Hotels need to get away from marketing their cleaning protocols and back to their “story” (9:17)
• The process Sharecare went through to come up with cleanliness standards for hotels (13:00)
• The onsite process for getting Sharecare verified (15:54)
• Does getting verified drive more business to the hotel? (18:17)
• Educating guests about the value of being Sharecare verified (20:41)

About Hermann

Hermann Elger is executive vice president of travel, entertainment, and health security at Sharecare, the leading digital health company that helps people – no matter where they are in their health journey – build a longer, better life by enabling health transformation at the individual, organizational and community level.

In this role, Elger is responsible for leveraging the company’s digital capabilities and health expertise to help employers and businesses across service industries ensure public health safety as part of overall consumer well-being. With channel partners such as Forbes Travel Guide, Elger oversees the delivery and global expansion of Sharecare’s Health Security VERIFIED™ solution, a platform and verification system designed to help hospitality organizations comply with proactive and reactive measures to minimize the risk and impact of acute public health events.

Links

Milena is the founder of the Unhustle Movement, a certified human potential coach and podcast host on a mission to inspire 100 million people from all over the world to ditch the hustle culture mentality and begin a new way of living and working.

Hustling, grinding and being “on” are synonymous with working in hospitality. Someone always needs something from you and fear of letting them down or negative repercussions from not being available 24/7 are pervasive in our industry.

But that’s the whole point of today’s show. To recognize that this way of working isn’t sustainable and that we’ve got an opportunity to address it now, before everyone gets back to being too busy to care.

Rest, play, being present and focusing on our well-being helps us deal with stress, overwhelm and burnout, and can actually push our creativity and productivity towards optimal performance.

On this episode we discuss:

• Why it’s hard to take action on slowing down (7:15)
• Why it’s so hard to unplug and get away from distraction (12:23)
• Getting over objection and resistance to changing behavior (15:07)
• What you can do for yourself to change behavior and how you can support your team for the same (21:56)
• Don’t assume that everything on your team is OK (25:39)
  

About Milena

Milena Regos, founder of the Unhustle Movement is a rebel entrepreneur, ex award-winning marketer, certified human potential coach and podcast host on a mission to inspire 100 million people from all over the world to ditch the hustle culture mentality and begin a new way of living and working. Unhustle has been called “Amazing” by Arianna Huffington (Founder and CEO of Thrive Global) and “Legendary” by Christopher Lochhead (#1 Apple Business Podcaster).

Milena’s has spoken on global stages like World Economic Forum and Wisdom2.0. Her work has been featured in CNN Business, Thrive Global, Authority Magazine and multiple podcasts. She believes that when you focus on well-being, resilience, and purpose you can tap into higher creativity, productivity, and optimal performance.

Andrew founded Lyric, a network of tech-enabled rentals designed for the modern business traveler that developed properties in 14 US markets.

He is now CEO and Founder at Wheelhouse, a dynamic pricing tool for vacation rentals.

Collectively, Andrew has raised millions from investors such as Airbnb, NEA, FifthWall, Barry Sternlicht, and other property/technology investors - and this is why I wanted to talk with him on the show.

There are people out there right now trying incredibly hard to evolve their business or who are working on the next innovation in the hospitality sector. As many will quickly learn, it can be lonely at the top, cash is king to a growing business and work culture must be a priority.

We’re talking about leadership, entrepreneurship, the benefits and pitfalls of bootstrapping vs seeking outside investment and how as a founder, you’ve got to have your sights squarely placed on creating an environment that will allow the business to be successful.

On this episode we discuss:

• How Airbnb made renting vacation rentals mainstream (3:50)
  
• The iterative nature of Airbnb hosting (5:40)
  
• How the pandemic affected Lyric (14:08)
  
• What it was like targeting large residential management companies (21:21)
  
• Shutting down a company (30:36)
  
• Forecasting in the vacation rental space (38:20)
  
• The pros and cons bootstrapping vs. finding investors for your business (43:35)
  
  

About Andrew

Andrew Kitchell is CEO and Founder at Wheelhouse, a dynamic pricing tool for vacation rentals. Having previously founded another dynamic pricing company, Beyond Pricing, Andrew is an advocate for data-driven revenue management and aims to empower property managers to make better pricing decisions based on intelligent insights.

Andrew also founded Lyric, a network of tech-enabled rentals designed for the modern business traveler that developed properties in 14 US markets. Collectively, Andrew has raised $100mm from investors such as Airbnb, NEA, FifthWall, Barry Sternlicht, and other property/technology investors.

Links

Daniel is the former Director of Wellbeing for Accor Hotels and led the company’s diversity and inclusion planning. Unfortunately, like so many in hospitality, the pandemic caused him to be laid off but he’s still deeply entrenched in the space.

We’re diving into Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing on this episode. These are topics that are getting much more discussion in the hospitality space and as we look to re-open the industry after the pandemic, there is no better time to be talking about how we want it to look going forward.

When initially talking with Daniel about being on the show, I learned that Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing are all related topics that each need to be a part of any organizations’ efforts in their overall D&I goals.

Daniel shares insight on his efforts within Accor on their D&I actions, where individuals can start in on their own efforts about education and actions, and where he sees the office of the future taking shape.

It was a fascinating discussion that could have gone of for hours but I think in this first episode, we touch on several important points and have established a good foundation for future episodes.

On this episode we discuss:

• Starting the discussion about diversity, inclusivity & wellbeing (4:11)
  
• Why is can this topic be uncomfortable to talk about? (9:04)
  
• The genesis of Accor’s efforts about D&I planning (11:12)
  
• How to start the internal conversation and create buy-in about diversity & inclusivity efforts (15:51)
  
• How to start on inclusivity efforts (28:07)
  
• Where does wellbeing fit in? (34:22)
  

About Daniel

Leading Wellbeing for the Accor’s portfolio in the North & Central America’s region from 2014 to 2020, Daniel is no stranger to hospitality with a career in the fitness and spa industry that spans over 30 years taking him from Canada to Asia and the Middle East.

Daniel also played an instrumental role is developing Diversity and Inclusion at Accor where he co-championed the LGBTQ+ pillar along with being a member of the broader D&I Committee for the region.

Daniel holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology and a Master of Science degree in Nutrition with a specialization on exercise and breast cancer.

His extensive academic background and years of experience in the wellbeing space provide a level of expertise to the benefit of employees and guests that go beyond the trends.  As such, Daniel is often recognized as an innovator and “trends detangler” in the wellness industry.  His hands-on experimental approach allows for real life skills that go beyond theories and concepts.

Links

Stephanie a Florida-based Executive Coach with Dembo, Inc. who has an extensive background in hospitality and holds both an MBA and Masters in Mental Health Counselling.

As we shift focus to coming out of the pandemic stronger than ever, emotional leadership and cultivating a great internal culture must be a leading topic of discussion. Organizations that not only help people get back into the hospitality workforce but those that help people grow their careers and become better versions of themselves will be the bigger winners going forward.

Stephanie shares fantastic insight on the psychology of leadership, what’s been missing in many organizations training and execution plans and what you can do today to start making a difference with your team and your own engagement in your work.

This was a great discussion and I hope that you find something in it that makes you look at your own management and leadership style in a different way.

On this episode we discuss:

• Marrying business management and emotional leadership, especially during the pandemic (3:59)
• What is emotional leadership? (4:49)
• How to build your leadership intuition (5:30)
• How someone can develop their own self-awareness? (8:15)
• The importance of consistency and follow up when training new skills (11:17)
• How to get beyond the “this won’t work” mentality (12:40)
• The multi-generational workforce (14:44)
• How to help people overcome their insecurities with leadership training (18:29)
• What is the ROI on leadership training? (21:09)

About Stephanie

I am a Corporate Trainer and Executive Coach. I have over 18 years of experience in the hospitality industry, I also hold an MBA and a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling (I focus on anxiety/stress management). This unique combination of knowledge has enabled me to help leaders and individuals create work environments that are attractive and emotionally stable for all involved.  I am able to go into companies and draw out the causes of their issues as opposed to just treating the symptoms of bad service. I believe that with a solid company culture, the motivation that shows team members that the executives really care about employees, and some solid training, guests will receive luxurious service every single time.

Links

Lisa is the founder of PDG Studios (formerly Paradigm Design Group) an interior design studio based in Houston that works primarily in the hospitality space.

We’re still in the early days feeling the long term impact of the pandemic. Sure, travel has fallen off and many hotels are wrestling with their future, but as we move through the next 12-18 months, there will undoubtedly be ownership changes, brand changes and many properties will embark on varying types of renovations.

I wanted to have Lisa on the show to talk about the design and renovation process from a designers perspective and the involvement that owners and operations managers need to have to successfully bring a project across the finish line.

I believe many of us will be in the weeds with construction before we know it and I hope this episode covers the high level points of the process so it goes as smoothly as possible in your property.

On this episode we discuss:

• How to get started with a hotel renovation (4:30)
• How to make the renovation process easier (13:44)
• Why operations involvement in renovation planning is critical (19:13)
• Will COVID change hotel design? (24:30)
• Where is the “residential feel” moniker going? What is the next evolution? (29:37)
  

About Lisa

Lisa A. Haude founded PDG Studios (formerly Paradigm Design Group) in 2001 and continues to prove that she is one of the top industry leaders in her field. A storyteller in her own right, Lisa creates truly one-of-a-kind spaces that speak authentically to the lifestyles and cultures of the clients PDG Studios designs for, celebrating unique histories all around the US. Known for her creative and unique approach to design, as well as her admirable ability to lead her team with grace, she and her team create memorable spaces that evoke beauty, luxury and comfort and a sense of familiarity, seamlessly bridging the gap between hospitality and home life.

Lisa’s award-winning work can be seen throughout the country and is featured in a variety of notable hospitality, lifestyle and shelter publications. She has also been interviewed for well-known podcasts, including The Chaise Lounge and A Well-Designed Business and has taken the stage at important industry tradeshows and conferences, including NeoCon, where she has shared her knowledge about design and hospitality with audience members from all around the country. Recognized as an influential leader in hospitality and design, Lisa has been honored with a variety of noteworthy business and industry awards over the past 19 years, including several International Business Awards.

Links

Cristiana Crin is the founder of Perpetuum Designs, an interior design studio based in Chicago that works primarily in the hospitality and restaurant industries.

There was something that struck me when we initially spoke about doing an episode. When I asked Cristiana what Perpetuum Designs does, she responded with “We convert spaces into memorable experiences.” It’s this focus on the customer that creates alignment with the vision for a renovation and the outcome, and you can tell when it’s done right.

I wanted to dive into Cristiana’s design philosophy but the conversation turned to talk more about the project management process that she goes through. We all manage projects on a daily basis but there are methods and best practices that professionally trained project managers use that keep their work on the right track, delivered on time and all stakeholders happy through the process.

What was to be an interior design episode turned into a gold mine of ideas that you can use today to make a difference in your project management process.

One this episode we discuss:

• What does Perpetuum Designs do? (6:08)
• Example of mural inside Jibarito Stop restaurant that Cristiana is working on (7:35)
• Explaining visual ideas to others (8:46)
• Using imagery to present your vision (11:15)
• Spending money wisely (15:05)
• Lessons from project management certification vs self-learned project management skills (18:47)
• How to get better organized (23:14)
• How to get better at planning smaller projects that pop up every day (28:57)
  

About Cristiana

What we do? We convert spaces into memorable experiences.

We built a reputation for turning heads. When people walk into a space that we designed, they stop; they look around; they acknowledge that they are experiencing something different.

The first thing we need to understand is the importance of budget and time. It is equally as important as the design itself. For years we tested theories and possibilities to make sure we understand best what the combination of the two means, so we can educate our clients and give realistic expectations.

Now, we are convinced, that our design deliverables meet realistic accomplishments.

We work closely with architects and general contractors to ensure a successful execution of our design and our client is always informed of the progress.

Most importantly, we take pride in everything that we do!

Links

Michael Tingsager is a good friend who I connected with a couple of years ago on his podcast, Hospitality Mavericks, and I continue to work with him through the Hospitality Game Changers group on Facebook.

This episode is a little different than typical shows because we’re talking about a book that we’re both passionate about.

Theresa was a guest in the early days of the show, and she’s back today to share insights into how she pivoted her company to find new opportunities during the pandemic.

A little background on Theresa - She’s successfully led teams for iconic brands including Fairmont Hotels, Le Meridien, Sandals Resorts and Hilton International. She’s now founder and principal at Blue Mountain Solutions, a hospitality consulting and leadership training company based in Victoria, BC.

I asked Theresa on the show to talk about how the pandemic has affected her business, what she’s learned by talking with different teams and business owners in industries outside of hospitality and her message for 2021.

Ultimately, our goal with this episode is to inspire and show people at every level within an organization how to take action.

On this episode we discuss:

• How the last year has been for a hospitality industry focus business (4:45)
• We need to pull together and lean on each other as an industry (8:18)
• Looking for skills help needed in other industries as an opportunity for hotel professionals (12:40)
• Using hospitality accounting principles to maximize other businesses (18:24)
• Self-care and dealing with burnout (23:41)
• Leading with authenticity (27:18)
• How to help people feel hopeful that they can make a change (34:16)
  

About Theresa

Theresa Ito is passionate about people, having worked in hospitality internationally for over 30 years, she loves nothing better than being part of people’s growth.

And that is why she has been successful with her company Blue Mountain Solutions Inc., developing leaders and teams. During her illustrious career, Theresa has successfully led teams in iconic brands including Fairmont Hotels, Le Meridien, Sandals Resorts and Hilton International.

Theresa is a qualified certified facilitator for "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" and is a member of the “John Maxwell Team”. She also instructed at Royal Roads University .

Theresa was raised in Jamaica and then spent 20 years in England. She now lives with her family in beautiful Vancouver Island where she services a host of local and international clientele, assisting them to thrive in leadership.

Theresa is energetic and her presentations are always filled with leadership best practices, useful anecdotes and a healthy dose of humour.

Links

Website: www.bluemountain.solutions.com

Tanya is Vice President at Oracle Hospitality, who leads OPERA Cloud Strategy and Product Management teams. Prior to joining Oracle Hospitality, Tanya spent over 20 years at Fairmont Hotels and Resorts in Hotel Operations, Revenue Management, Distribution and CRM.

In 2020, with a more than 50% decline in hotel revenues and 70%+ of the hospitality workforce furloughed or laid off, Oracle released a study looking at the path to recovery of the hotel industry.

With industry experts providing their outlooks and best practices, the report became a much needed roadmap for the path forward.

Tanya shares more information about the report and gives us a look into how Oracle Hospitality is approaching 2021.

On this episode we discuss:

• How Oracle Hospitality is organized (8:26)
• How Oracle is helping hotels integrate with other services (10:28)
• What is the Data-Driven Hospitality Recovery report (12:00)
• How Oracle is helping hotels better adopt and implement technology (19:17)
• What should hotels be expecting in 2021 (28:58)
• What surprised Tanya through the pandemic (34:16)
  

About Tanya

A seasoned hotelier, Tanya Pratt is a Vice President at Oracle Hospitality, who leads OPERA Cloud Strategy and Product Management teams. Prior to joining Oracle Hospitality, Tanya spent over 20 years at Fairmont Hotels and Resorts in Hotel Operations, Revenue Management, Distribution and CRM. Most recently as the head of Business Technologies for Accor Hotels Luxury Brands division, Tanya was responsible for digital transformation, innovation and management of global programs and solutions. Her current focus is on driving value to our industry through increased levels of engagement with customers and delivering hospitality solution that enable and enhance strategic business priorities.

Links

Oracle Hospitality’s 2020 Global Hospitality Study Synopsis and links:

Yaniv is Head of Business Development at Bridgify, a hospitality tech company that’s making it easier for hotels to provide and book more personalized travel experiences for their guests.

Today's hotel guests are not just a "head in the bed". It’s simply not that easy anymore. You’ve got to win over every guest, every day… and seamlessly driving additional revenue in a meaningful way is how the best hotels will emerge going forward.

Yaniv shares great information about how Bridgify works and how hotels can improve the experiences of their guests by connecting them with attractions that most don’t even know exist.

I know this may sound like a sponsored episode - It’s not! But the opportunity to engage your customers in a more personalized way is a huge opportunity worth exploring.

On this episode we discussed:

• The space Bridgify is trying to occupy within hospitality / personalization (3:45)
• How guests and hotels benefit from using Bridgify (5:23)
• The aim is personalizing the guests’ experience at the destination, not just the hotel (7:28)
• How Bridgify connects what is relevant to the traveller (8:58)
• How hotels earn additional revenue through the platform (15:30)
  

About Yaniv

One of his sports is convincing old school hoteliers that we are in 2021, and that they can’t ignore it. Today's hotel guests are not just a "head in the bed".Yaniv Grinblat is an entrepreneur, family man and a hospitality expert. Today, he’s got his ‘tech’ hat on in order to help hotels step up and adjust to their guests' changing needs and be ready for the new travel industry of post COVID-19.

Links

Emanuele Pani is a real estate investor, Co-Host of the STR Secrets Podcast and Partner at Domu Private Investments. He’s also been in the vacation rental game for 10 years and has been helping new hosts transition into this emerging market. In light of the pandemic’s effect on the travel industry, vacation rentals have been one of the more resilient segments compared to hotels. 

What’s important to note in this episode is that many people in the hotel industry already have the skills needed to be incredibly successful as vacation rental hosts but simply don’t know where to start. Emanuele shares great information about the industry and how to get started. He’s also got an offer at the end of the show for listeners who want to get started as an Airbnb host. 

By the end of the episode, I think you’ll see that there are directly transferable skills that you as a hotel professional already have that you can leverage right away. 

On this episode we discuss: 

• How do you get started in the short term rental space? (9:24) 
• Types of vacation rental properties that you can manage (13:20) 
• How have vacation rentals changed in the last couple of years? (17:26) 
• What are some of the best hosts doing to stand out? (28:55) 
• Being smart and selective about services and offerings in your short term rental (33:47) 

About Emanuele 

Emanuele Pani was born and raised in Sardinia Italy and came to America at 15 to fulfill his American dream. He is a real estate expert and entrepreneur with experience in investments, real estate sales and acquisitions, and professional Airbnb hosting and management. He’s the Co-host of STR Secrets a podcast that focuses exclusively on the Short-term rental industry as well as being one of the partners in Domu Private Investments, a rapidly growing investment group that focuses on investing in middle America. In his free time, Emanuele enjoys traveling, reading/learning, cooking, working out and spending time with his wife and pets. 

Links 

What a year this has been!

COVID has obviously been the big story, but personally, I took the leap and started my own company at the start of the pandemic, launched the podcast and have connected with more people in the industry than in many previous years combined.

A big part of that has been because of this podcast. What started as a hobby has turned into a passion project that I look forward to doing every week.

There have been too many great moments on the show this year to count but I’ve tried to pull a few of them and do a “best of episode” to at least highlight some of the conversations that resonated with me.

Thank you all for your support throughout the year and for coming on this journey with me. I hope some of the things we’ve talked about over the year have resonated with you or inspired you to take action.

Highlights from the "best of" show include:

Marketing

• Ep. 15 w/ Josh Hogan on spending money against OTAs

Revenue Management

• Ep. 16 w/ Parul Suri on revenue management practices that worked in the past that help with visibility in the future
• Ep. 27 w/ Fabian Bartnick on RevPar index and vanity metrics

F&B

• Ep. 24 w/ Josh Kopel on pivoting, change in the industry, evolving your Career, closing Preux & Proper and why he did it

Service

• Ep. 13 w/ Clarence McLeod on proactive communication, non-negotiable basics are more important than ever and cocktail currency

The Future Hospitality

• Ep. 31 w/ Ron Swidler on being nimble, using experts, and that we may not be qualified to answer the questions being asked right now
• Ep. 33 w/ Jeremiah Tower on what needs to change in the hospitality industry, training and the effort needed to be the best

Thank you for your support over the past year. Thank you for continuing to listen each week, and thank you for sticking with me as we bring the show into the new year.

On that note - Happy new year to you and all the best in 2021.

---

Widely considered the father of American cuisine, Jeremiah Tower began his culinary career in 1972 as co-owner and executive chef of Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California. He then continued as executive chef and sole owner of Stars in San Francisco, one of the highest grossing, most innovative, and profitable restaurants in the United States. After Stars, Tower opened restaurants in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Manila.

He’s an award winning chef, author, keynote speaker, architecture aficionado and a fantastic podcast guest.

He’s also the subject of The Last Magnificent, a CNN feature-length documentary film produced by Anthony Bourdain, now on Netflix.

I asked Jeremiah on the show to give us a look behind the curtain on how he became so successful in a notoriously difficult industry and to get his thoughts on where the young hoteliers of the world should be focused on pushing our industry forward.

On this episode we discuss:

• How Jeremiah got his start (2:13)
  
• How to establish yourself as a leader (4:53)
  
• The secret to great hospitality (7:56)
  
• Leading by example and instilling integrity (9:45)
  
• Servant Leadership (16:04)
  
• What we need to fix in the industry (18:10)
  

About Jeremiah

Jeremiah Tower began his culinary career in 1972 as co-owner and executive chef of Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California. Then continued as executive chef and sole owner of Stars in San Francisco, one of the highest grossing, most innovative, and profitable restaurants in the United States. After Stars, Tower opened restaurants in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Manila. Tower sold the Stars group in 1998.

Awards include the James Beard Foundation’s “Outstanding Chef of the Year” in America (1996), “Regional Best Chef” California (1993), and the Beard Foundation “Best American Regional Cookbook” for Jeremiah Tower's New American Classics (1986), Nation’s Restaurant News “Fine Dining Hall of Fame,” and an honorary degree from the C.I.A.. Tower has written eight books including Jeremiah Tower Cooks (2002), California Dish (2004), Escoffier, A Dash of Genius (2013), Table Manners: How to Behave in the Modern World and Why (2016), Start the Fire (2017), and an e-book Flavors of Taste (2018).

Keynote speaker and TV guest, including Good Morning America, The Late Show with David Letterman, and host of the PBS13-series show “America’s Great Chefs.” Food & Wine Festivals include Pebble Beach, several Meals on Wheels,  the Oxford University and Blenheim Palace Festivals, and the Hawaiian Wine and Food at the Kahala, Jeremiah is the subject of The Last Magnificent, a CNN feature-length documentary film produced by Anthony Bourdain, now on Netflix, and is working on cooking videos, combined with real estate, and a new book.

Books

If you’re not following Marshall on LinkedIn, you’re missing out on his insightful and motivational CEO mindset posts. It was actually these posts that reconnected us to do the show.

Marshall is an industry veteran who’s had long tenures with both Fairmont and Marriot. He’s currently Vice President of Regional Sales for Prestige Global Meetings and an adjunct professor at San Jose State University’s Hospitality School.

He has a wealth of knowledge and experience that comes through in his message of personal development, drive and determination. In short, he inspires action - and his message is one that many in our industry need to hear right now.

My hope is that if you’ve been trying to figure out what your future in the industry looks like - this episode inspires you to take action and move forward.

On this episode we discuss:

• Positive news and traveling abroad today (3:44)
  
• The economics of hospitality (6:33)
  
• How do we come out of the pandemic in a way that makes sense for hospitality? (9:59)
  
• Leadership vs. Inspiration - the pandemic has given us the gift of time (11:28)
  
• The CEO Mindset (13:44)
  
• What is broken in our industry and how do we make it better? (15:17)
  
• Will technology eliminate hotel jobs? (18:08)
  
• Rebuilding and rehiring - the rush to find talent (22:40)
  
• From a student’s perspective - is this still a good industry to build a career? (26:10)
  

About Marshall

"Marshall is an accomplished hospitality leader who brings nearly 25 years of experience to his role at Prestige.

Prior to joining Prestige, Marshall worked for Accor hotels as a Director of Sales & Marketing. There, he oversaw all aspects of sales, catering, advertising, public relations, revenue management and marketing for some Landmark hotels. His tenure with Accor/Fairmont Hotels and Resorts includes numerous accomplishments, including overseeing a multi-million-dollar restoration and rebranding at the Claremont Club & Spa in Berkeley!

He is very involved in several community and non-profit organizations. He is also an adjunct professor at San Jose State University for the Hospitality School.

Marshall holds a Bachelor of Science in public and urban administration from Georgia State University, as well as certificates from the Cecil B. Day School of Hotel and Restaurant Management. He lives in Santa Clara County with his wife and three children. In his spare time, he enjoys the outdoors, running and music.

Links

While many people pontificate on what’s to come in the hotel industry, Ron Swidler, CIO at The Gettys Group, has pulled dozens of industry leaders together (several times) to ideate and innovate on the design and operational challenges for today's and tomorrow's guests and quite literally, create the future of hospitality.

He’s the Chief Innovation Officer at The Gettys Group, a hotel design and development company, and his latest venture saw the relaunch of the Hotel of Tomorrow project; an industry-leading think tank re-envisioning the future of hospitality in light of the pandemic.

The result has been breakthrough ideas that were contributed and shaped by a wide range of experts from around the world, all done through digital workshops.

This is a highly visual episode. Ron shares a presentation that outlines how the hotel of tomorrow project was put together and the concepts that rose to the top as part of this major collaborative effort.

I think we do a good job of describing whats on the screen, but if want to see everything we discuss, head over to the show’s YouTube channel (The Proven Principles Podcast).

On this episode we discuss:

• Are we qualified to answer the questions that are being asked to being back the hospitality industry? (4:32)
  
• The Hotel of Tomorrow project - what it is and how it came together (7:00)
  
• Using Batterii.com for large scale database management and project work (15:48)
  
• The new deconstructed food & beverage solution (26:57)
  
• Where is the innovation going to come from? (32:18)
  
• The evolution of the hotel sleep experience - Bed XYZ (34:48)
  
• Inside out, outside in - what is biophilia? (39:16)
  
• The Journey Pebble - owning and controlling our own data (41:47)
  
• The roving hotel (44:08)
  

About Ron

Since joining The Gettys Group as its first hire in 1988 - an Interior Designer, Brand Strategist and intrepreneur - Ron has pioneered new approaches to experience design and collaboration. His latest venture was relaunching Hotel of TomorrowTM Project, an industry-leading think tank reenvisioning the future of hospitality in light of the pandemic. The result has been breakthrough ideas, contributed and shaped from around the world, all through digital workshops.

Links

In the early days of the pandemic, Airbnb made headlines when an internal email to their employees regarding layoffs and restructuring was released. It was widely seen as a positive example of empathetic leadership and used as an example of how senior leaders in hospitality should conduct themselves in light of the turmoil in the industry. Shortly after, the company rapidly made changes to their customer offerings, website, booking policy and a host of other updates in order to hold back the tide of cancellations and anemic future bookings.

On this episode, Matthieu Mauguin, Digital Marketing Manager at PrivateDeal, a Swiss company providing an innovative negotiation solution for hotels to drive more direct bookings, dives in to the actions that Airbnb took in the early days of the pandemic and what hotels can learn as the industry continues to battle the current environment.

Effective communication, marketing, innovation, quick reaction… these are all principles that are more important than ever.

On this episode we discuss:

• The services that PrivateDeal provides hotels (2:45)
  
• How Airbnb approached the COVID-19 crisis (7:50)
  
• Reservation cancellation policies: Airbnb vs OTAs (10:44)
  
• Does “Brand” get in the way of authentic communication? (13:40)
  
• What hotels should be doing to increase their length of stay? (17:40)
  
• Competing against OTAs to improve direct bookings (20:24)
  

About Matthieu

Matthieu Mauguin is the digital marketing manager for PrivateDeal, a Swiss company providing an innovative negotiation solution for hotels. After graduating in Marketing & Management, Matthieu decided to enter the travel industry and now helps hoteliers drive more direct bookings with PrivateDeal.

Links

With all the renewed interest in hotel technology, especially with contactless solutions, having Denis on the show to discuss the process of choosing and implementing new tech into your hotel as well as some of the hurdles and pitfalls to be aware of is very timely.

This is a huge subject and we could probably do two or three episodes on it but Denis does a great job of outlining the issues that his platform and others are trying to solve, and what decision makers should be looking at before making a final call on which platforms to bring in to their property.

Denis speaks with hoteliers all over the world, and in spite of the issues facing our industry it was great to hear that no matter where you're located, we’re all dealing with the same set of challenges.

On this episode we discuss:

• The issues that hotel technology should be trying to solve (11:33)
  
• What are some of the technology pain points that need to be addressed in the hotel industry (17:23)
  
• Integration of legacy tech and the new disruptors (26:17)
  
• The barriers to brining in various technology solutions (aside from price) and how to overcome them (34:00)
  
• Looking down the road - the future of hotel technology (45:27)
  
  

About Denis

Denis is the CEO of HotelFriend and has a PhD in Business Informatics from the University of Leipzig in Leipzig, Germany. As part of his degree, he analyzed the extreme programming software development methodology which is intended to improve software quality and responsiveness to changing customer requirements.

His travels led him to realize that there are many optimization options within the hotel industry, beginning with helping people find the right place to sleep, the right facilities to meet their needs,. and how to manage guest requests. This ultimately resulted in the creation of HotelFriend, a software company that creates solutions for hotels and guests.

Links

Opening a hotel during a pandemic may seem strange but that’s exactly what Nicole Warner, General Manager of the all new Hotel Millwright in the Amana Colonies of Iowa was tasked with doing. On this episode of the podcast, we’re diving into operations and talking about bringing a hotel to life.

Nicole shares insights into how the opening process was planned and executed, building a high performing team, and what it’s like being a property leader during one of the most difficult times in the hospitality industry.

She illustrates how the hotels’ principles of proper training, engaging service, a great product and thoughtful touches, have not only kept them busy, but driven business from all over the country, even while many hotels and markets struggle during the downturn.

This episode is a great reminder that no matter what hotels are dealing with today, the fundamentals of communication, transparency and empathy are more important than ever.

On this episode we discuss:

• Marketing the opening of the hotel (4:50)
  
• The guest mix at the hotel (6:00)
  
• How the hotel has been managing COVID-19 (6:55)
  
• What it’s been like as a GM during a time of upheaval and crisis in hospitality (8:20)
  
• The process of opening a hotel: 90 days out to day of (10:27)
  
• Training a entirely new team for the pandemic (13:21)
  
• Actionable learnings through the hotel opening (16:54)
  
• How thinking and execution of guest programming and activities has changed (19:52)
  
• A message to other hotel GM’s (26:42)
  

About Nicole

Nicole Warner is the General Manager at Hotel Millwright in Iowa and a long-time Operations and Hospitality Director with industry experience in Colorado, Washington, and California. Nicole demands results: at one location, she spearheaded resort improvements that increased rental revenue by 18% and generated $1 million in revenue. At another site, she increased employee satisfaction by 21% in one year. Nicole is an Iowa City, Iowa native and so she’s excited to be back in her home state. She’s also got a wicked sense of humor.

And the songs:

Fabian Bartnick is the Founder of Infinito, a technology company dedicated to improving the work-life balance of hotel managers through IVI, a personal revenue management assistant.

Rates, occupancy and market share are at the heart of many hotel business conversations right now but because everything is so uncertain at the moment, I asked Fabian on the show to talk about new ways of looking at and interpreting data. He gives us visibility on where the practice of revenue management is going, shows us how to make better decisions about hotel performance and why we shouldn’t leave this critical function to chance.

This was a really interesting discussion - We’re looking in to the future on this episode!

On this episode we discuss:

• IVI, revenue optimization, data visualization and behavior change (6:37)
• Habits exist in business too - why it’s beneficial to break out of them (10:30)
• Why revenue management has become so difficult (14:40)
• Rate recommendations vs. behavioral change (16:58)
• Does RevPAR Index mean anything? Is it just a vanity metric? (21:48)
• How do you price when there’s no demand? (24:27)
• Fighting confirmation bias in decision making (26:07)
• Looking ahead: the evolution of revenue management (31:14)
  

About Fabian

Fabian is the Founder of Infinito, a technology company with the vision of becoming the google assistant of revenue management through IVI – a virtual Revenue Management Assistant. He previously was the Vice President of Asia Pacific & International business at LodgIQ overlooking all commercial aspects internationally as well as operations across APAC. Prior he was the Director of Global Revenue Generation at Tune Hotels Group encompassing Sales, Distribution, Business Analytics, Revenue Management and the Central Reservations Office.

Having lived and worked across 4 continents, Fabian has a rich history in hospitality and a thorough understanding of the global revenue optimization landscape as a user, builder and seller of technology.

Fabian has successfully turned around revenue performance in many companies by providing strategic consulting services in over 25 countries as well developing powerful revenue analytics solutions that empower the business to maximize its revenue potential. Fabian has been on the Board of Directors for HSMAI South East Asia and currently sits on the HSMAI Revenue Advisory Board.

Links

Tony has had quite a ride in the hospitality industry, and he outlines it all in his book series, Love Hate Hotels. His lighthearted, yet detailed and illustrative writing about his career in hospitality gives a behind the scenes look at what it’s like in the trenches of a hotel and why so many of us both love and hate the industry.

He discusses how he got his start and climbed the ladder, moving from position to position, hotel to hotel; lessons learned through his journey and his message to those just getting started in their career. This was a fun episode that sparked discussion about education vs. experience and brought back many memories from my own career in hotels.

On this episode we discuss:

• Why working in hospitality is so unique (11:58)
• The career-long lessons and leanings from working at the Front Desk (15:00)
• Moving/Bouncing from job to job (20:09)
• Career progression decisions - going from Operations to Sales (23:35)
• Hospitality management degrees and other education opportunities (36:09)
• Cultural changes needed in hospitality (46:00)
• The ultimate message of “Love Hate Hotels” (1:00:10)
  

About Tony

Tony Matthews II is the Author of the Love Hate Hotels book series, Creator of @LoveHateHotels across social media platforms, and Founder of Love Hate Hotels, Inc. (hotel headhunting, consulting, & influencing).

Links

Staring down the barrel of a 60% permanent closure rate...It's time to fix what's broken. It’s time to change the game. 

The hospitality industry is at a pivotal point and it has become painfully obvious that business acumen and strategic planning will matter just as much as resilience. 

There's no shortage of resources ranging from how to apply for loans to how to negotiate with your landlord. At some point, we will turn our sights towards the future and, when that time comes, we’ll need the tools and strategies to thrive, not just survive. 

In the hospitality industry, we fix our own problems. This is no different. We’ve created a group called The Hospitality Game Changers It’s on Facebook, a platform you already use daily. 

It’s a space just for us where we’re tackling the most difficult issues facing our industry and creating solutions. It’s updated daily with the most compelling audio, written and video content to make sure you’re plugged in to what’s going on today and what can help us tomorrow. 

It’s quick, easy and free to join. Just click here or login to Facebook and search Hospitality Game Changers in the search bar. Click join and you’re all set. 

We can’t change the cards that we are dealt, but we can change how we play the game. 

We'll see you there, 

Mark is a successful, long time Executive Chef. He, self admittedly, fully bought in to the way the culinary world worked until one day he realized he wanted more. Mark’s story of personal and professional development is something that many in the culinary world are starting to think about but have yet to take the leap.

He shares his journey to become a better leader, his drive to seek out new education opportunities and his philosophy on where the Executive Chef role needs to evolve in our new world. When you’re thinking about reinventing yourself, it’s not easy to know where to start. By highlighting Mark’s journey, we hope that it shows those who are deciding which direction to go, that whatever your decision, it can be done.

On this episode we discuss:

• Moving in to new areas of the business / Why seek out new education opportunities? (5:28)
• Is an empathetic management style emerging within culinary culture? (14:30)
• Tasting and the artistry in culinary work (15:40)
• How COVID has affected the culinary world (19:09)
• Advice for cooks on how they should be looking at themselves and their skillset to remain competitive (23:57)
• Is cooking still a viable career option? (29:32)
• The changes needed within culinary culture (37:00)
• Who has the responsibility to drive change within organizations? (44:43)
• The fundamental principles to success in the industry (52:00)
  

About Mark

Hotel Executive Chef with more than 20 years of experience in all areas of the culinary operation and management for Four Star/Four Diamond hotels, award winning restaurants and catering of high profile social and corporate events.

After a fantastic couple of years immersing myself into the fascinatingly diverse and ever-expanding food scene in London, I am relocating to the Los Cabos area in Mexico and I am excited to take on a new and challenging opportunity in the area.

Links

Josh is the owner of Preux and Proper, Founder and CEO of FLO Hospitality and Host of the Full Comp Podcast; and this episode with him didn't go down the path I had initially planned - but it turned out far better than I could have hoped. In fact, that ‘pivot’ to something new ended up being the central theme of the show.

This is something many in hospitality are grappling with right now and Josh paints a detailed picture about his experience through the pandemic and the evolution that we need to push for in the hospitality industry if we want to see meaning change going forward.

On this episode we discuss:

• Where it all started for Josh (4:30)
• Asking for help (8:40)
• What needs the change (10:06)
• Recognizing when things don’t work for you anymore (12:17)
• Leveraging and engaging the community around you (18:09)
• How the Industry Guide to Restructuring for Restaurants came about (20:32)
• What changes need to happen in the restaurant industry (24:10)
• Why you’ve got to be flexible (28:50)
• Where do the restaurants in downtown locations go from here? (32:20)
  

About Josh

I'm an entrepreneur, restaurateur and environmental advocate. Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the spawn of bootleggers and retail giants, I was bred for the hospitality industry. Throughout my 20+ year career in food and beverage I have managed venues ranging from the Alligator Bayou Bar, located on Alligator Bayou Road, seated on Alligator Bayou (it was exactly how you’re picturing it in your mind) to the hottest Hollywood nightclubs, bars, and ultra-lounges (far less glamorous than you’re picturing it in your mind). I went independent in 2010, opening my first concept Five0Four—a New Orleans-inspired bar—on the Walk of Fame in the heart of Hollywood. Ten years later, we've created a family of brands ranging from Michelin-rated fine dining to fast casual, all with a central focus on Southern hospitality and Southern cuisine.

I have a ton to be thankful for. Not only have we been able to create sustainable concepts that have lasted for years, but those concepts have thrived. These victories were hard fought and there were a ton of mistakes and lessons along the way. In 2020, I've turned my attention towards new challenges. My newest project involves servicing the service industry. I look that the failure rate in our industry and I’m working to provide tools and strategies to give restaurant owners and operators a fighting chance.

As I challenge myself to keep learning and growing, I’m committed to improving the lives of my peers and showing the world the beauty of the hospitality industry.

Links

Sept 30 is International Podcast Day so Micheal Tingsager, host of Hospitality Mavericks, Wil Slickers, host of Slick Talk: The Hospitality Podcast and I got together to talk about how we got started with podcasting, what we’ve learned, the goals of our respective shows and where we each hope to take it in 2021.

Be sure to listen and subscribe.