In this episode of The Distribution, host Brandon Sedloff sits down with Carlos Rodriguez Jr., president and COO of Driftwood Capital, to discuss the evolution of one of the most vertically integrated hospitality investment platforms in the U.S. Carlos shares his family’s multigenerational journey from Costa Rica’s first Holiday Inn to today’s expansive network of hotels and funds, highlighting Driftwood’s strategic shift from private capital syndication to institutional-scale investing. He explains how data, technology, and an operationally driven mindset have become key differentiators in hospitality investing, and how Driftwood’s GP fund model and lending platform have positioned the company for long-term growth in an evolving market.
They discuss:
- The origin and structure of Driftwood’s GP fund and its role in scaling the business
- How operational data informs investment decisions across acquisitions, lending, and development
- The role of AI and Project Domino in transforming Driftwood’s efficiency and decision-making
- Carlos’s approach to leading organizational change and building team-wide adoption of new technology
- Why private credit presents a unique opportunity in today’s hospitality landscape
Links:
Driftwood Capital - https://driftwoodcapital.com/
Carlos on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlos-rodriguez-jr-210a4521/
Brandon on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bsedloff/
Juniper Square - https://www.junipersquare.com/
Topics:
(00:00:00) - Intro
(00:02:01) - Carlos’ career and background
(00:05:56) - Scaling Driftwood Capital
(00:14:09) - Operational philosophy and strategies
(00:19:31) - Leveraging technology and AI in hospitality
(00:24:18) - Capital side challenges and data connectivity
(00:26:14) - Importance of data organization
(00:28:15) - Technology journey and team formation
(00:30:26) - AI integration and employee adaptation
(00:35:24) - AI's impact on the hospitality industry
(00:38:59) - Investment opportunities in hospitality
(00:43:26) - Private credit in hospitality
(00:45:38) - Conclusion and contact information
