Leaving Corporate for Entrepreneurship

How do you build a global hospitality business without losing the personal touch, resilience, or trust that defines great service?

In this episode, Dan Ryan sits down with Hugh Taylor, CEO of Michels & Taylor, for an in-depth conversation on leadership, hospitality, and hotel investment. Hugh shares his journey from marketing roles at major hotel brands like Hilton to becoming one of the most respected voices in hotel asset management and advisory. They explore what true hospitality really means, how Michels & Taylor’s integrated “flywheel” business model creates resilience, and what it takes to lead transparently through crises like the 2008 financial crash and COVID-19. 

Takeaways:

• Hospitality is personal. Great service comes from making every guest, client, or partner feel uniquely valued and understood.
• Build perspective through experience. Exposure to marketing, operations, and investment creates stronger, more balanced leaders.
• Design for resilience. Integrated and diversified business models are better equipped to survive downturns and volatility.
• Lead with transparency. Honest, direct communication builds long-term trust with investors, banks, and teams.
• Expect complexity in growth. Global operations demand deep understanding of local regulations, labor laws, and market dynamics.
• Adapt to industry shifts. Brand and franchise models, rising costs, and capital needs are reshaping hospitality.

Quote of the Show:

“If you don’t take advice and get the right people next to you, you can lose your money as easily as you make it.” - Hugh Taylor

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugh-taylor-obe-994bb7288/  
• Company website: https://michelsandtaylor.com/ 

Shout Outs:

• 1:49 - OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) https://www.gov.uk/honours/types-of-honours-and-awards 
• 2:33 - Hilton https://www.hilton.com/en/ 
• 11:14 - St. Pancras Hotel, London https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/lonpk-st-pancras-london-autograph-collection/overview/ 
• 12:02 - Chateau Marmont, LA https://www.chateaumarmont.com/ 
• 12:02 - The Mercer, New York https://mercerhotel.com/ 
• 16:35 - Blackstone https://www.brehotels.com/ 
• 18:57 - Grand Metropolitan Hotels https://www.grandmethotels.com/ 
• 19:09 - Diageo https://www.diageo.com/en 
• 19:20 - Savoy (London) https://www.fairmont.com/en/hotels/london/the-savoy.html 
• 19:23 - Jumeirah (Middle East) https://www.jumeirah.com/en 
• 19:27 - Strategic Hotels https://www.strategichotels.com/ 
• 24:11 - Oak Tree Capital https://www.oaktreecapital.com/ 
• 24:15 - Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) https://www.adia.ae/ 
• 25:56 - Rothschild https://www.rothschildandco.com/en/ 
• 25:31 - Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) https://www.rbs.co.uk/ 
• 31:13 - Michels & Taylor https://michelsandtaylor.com/ 
• 1:03:49 - IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) https://www.ihg.com/hotels/us/en/reservation 
• 1:03:50 - Holiday Inn Express https://www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress/hotels/us/en/reservation?adobe_mc=MCMID%3D32481982626910040562684351706170738292%7CMCORGID%3D8EAD67C25245B1870A490D4C%2540AdobeOrg%7CTS%3D1767640921 
• 1:03:53 - Marriott https://www.marriott.com/default.mi 
• 1:10:10 - Penn State University https://www.psu.edu/ 

🏨✨ Defining Hospitality is Sponsored by Berman Falk https://www.bermanfalk.com/ - Check out their impact page! 🌍🌱 https://www.bermanfalk.com/impact/ 

Ways to Tune In: 

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPX
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386
• Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1s
• Amazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419
• Transistor: https://www.defininghospitality.live/