Hospitality Daily Podcast "He Gave Me the Opportunity to Fail, and That Changed Everything" - Tony Roumph, Argonaut Hotel
Jan 12, 2026
Tony Roumph, the Managing Director of the Argonaut Hotel in San Francisco, shares insights from his impactful career in hospitality. He reflects on a pivotal moment when a former boss allowed him to fail, a lesson that fostered his leadership style. Tony discusses his unique hiring philosophy, emphasizing the importance of warmth over teachable skills, and offers practical interview questions to reveal a candidate's empathy. He also explores the delicate balance between embracing technology and maintaining meaningful human connections in the industry.
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Cross-Function Exposure Reveals Fit
- Tony transitioned from restaurant server to hotel operations by pursuing broader hotel experience.
- Early cross-functional exposure (F&B, front desk, engineering, housekeeping) revealed his passion for hotels.
Given A Risky Opportunity Early
- Tony Roumph describes being promoted to director of operations despite never overseeing departments before.
- His boss put him in front of an owner and let him learn through real responsibility, which sparked his love of hotels.
Failure As A Leadership Tool
- Being allowed to fail built Tony's confidence and accountability more than protection would have.
- Trust from a leader encouraged him to believe in himself and be more motivated to succeed.