Defining Hospitality

Will Meyer is the Owner and Co-Founder at Meyer Davis Studios Inc. He believes that great design works on multiple levels and designs seamless physical experiences tailored to his clients individuality. Will joins host Dan Ryan to talk about his journey through #hospitality and what it all means to him.Takeaways:  When working in a partnership, it’s important to have respect for the other person's ideas and recognize that it doesn’t matter where the idea comes from as long as it is good.Residential and hospitality projects have similar demographics which can make for interesting design options. Hospitality is an elevated sense of home. You want people to feel comfortable and connected to the elements in hospitality and have it feel welcoming.It’s important to encourage people and make a special environment that allows them to grow and flourish. The work that is done in the hospitality world tends to look like it is based on where it is and who it is about rather than being about the designer themselves.Using the environment as inspiration for your design in hospitality is something that creates an even better experience for guests and the community.Use design as a way to connect with guests and the surrounding areas. Quote of the Show: 21:37 I look at hospitality as an elevated sense of the home. A heightened sense of residential comforts and elements that create a new space within the hospitality world that make people feel comfortable, make people feel inspired that create a new turning of the dial of their experience in hospitality. But grounded by that sense of residential home feel that makes people feel comfortable.”Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-meyer-7685677/Website: https://www.meyerdavis.com/Shout Outs: 1:01 David Gaddie1:02 “A Beautiful Dreamer” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVCNh6_YpI8 3:30 HD Summit3:57 Michael Bedner3:59 Trish Wilson5:55 “Rookie Smarts” by Liz Wiseman7:35 Auburn University8:42 David Raleigh14:24 V Bar in Las Vegas14:31 David Raybin 14:32 Will Regin15:21 Venetian17:10 Moss Farmhouse28:30 Four Seasons28:31 Mandarin Oriental28:32 Rosewood28:36 W Hotels34:50 BaccaratWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/Youtube : https://youtu.be/phYIUjTnxwQ

Jennifer Barnwell is the President of Curator Hotel & Resort Collection. She can see through the maze of real estate economics and is passionate about hospitality. She is also a member of and also on the Board of Advisors at the Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Association. Jen joins host Dan Ryan to talk her journey in #hospitality and what it all means to her.Takeaways:  You want to surprise and delight your guests. You want to make them feel welcomed and at home when they stay at your hotel.Sometimes a switch in products or a switch in systems is something that can really help drive your bottom line. Make sure that your team is being used efficiently. You don’t want to overload them or put them on tasks that aren’t their strong suit.Having the owner's finger on the pulse helps to make decisions and changes run smoother. Hospitality is about the experience. You want to peak the senses of your guest and make them feel interested and excited about where they are. You want to create memories for your guests and have them be positive and something they can take with them when they leave the hotel. Independent hotels have the ability to connect to a place in a very powerful way. It feels authentic and natural. Quote of the Show: 22:12 “For me, it's all about the experience. I step inside, how does it make me feel, what catches my eye, what do I see? That's interesting. What kind of peaks my curiosity, what about all my senses? That's how I tend to define it, because that is what is memorable to me.”Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-barnwell-a8689ba/Website: https://blla.org/Shout Outs: 0:48 Pebblebrook0:50 CapEx1:09 Independent lodging Congress8:49 Bill Kimpton9:34 Sir Francis Drake in San Fransico 28:16 Death & Company28:17 Dave Kaplan28:59 Bashar Wali41:33 Cameron SperanceWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/Youtube : https://youtu.be/4J-0t8VjsqE

Ian Rolston is the Founder of Decanthropy and the President at Interior Designers of Canada He knows how huge of a role that community and diversity play in hospitality and design, and he wants everyone else to see that. Ian joins host Dan Ryan to talk about his journey through #hospitality and what it all means to him.Takeaways:  Hospitality is a great opportunity to serve humanity. It allows you to connect with others and the world around you.Interior design really speaks to the guests as a whole. It brings a sense of community to the guest and makes them feel welcomed and at home.You want to try and collaborate with other professionals who are not like you or think differently than you, as that brings a whole new perspective to your work.Align with other great organizations and community leaders so that you can better solve issues within your community.It’s important to shift the conversation around diversity to how it really is a fantastic business approach for companies and organizationsYou need to have the confidence to stand up if you are being overlooked but also some vulnerability as well.Part of hospitality is about sharing. Everyone can benefit from sharing and it can help shorten other people’s journeys.Quote of the Show: 5:40  “There's just something about interior design that I think really speaks to the heart, body, mind and soul of end-users that provides this real sort of connective tissue to both the community of users and how they're interacting with space.”Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-rolston-51180215/?originalSubdomain=caWebsite: https://decanthropy.com/ Shout Outs: 2:04 Yabu Pushlberg2:07 Hirsch Bedner31:51 AiLun Ku31:53 Opportunity Network35:26 Chief Robert Joseph45:24 John Doyle47:27 Alice Stanky47:30 Anne Garis47:47 Talking HeadsWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/Youtube : https://youtu.be/6uzJeu-P6MQ

Clodagh is the Founder of Clodagh Design. After suffering a horrible accident, she found her passion for being a designer. Her Irish heritage gives her a unique perspective of design, which she approaches with love and reckless abandon. Clodagh joins host Dan Ryan to talk about her journey through #hospitality and how she got to where she is now.Takeaways:  Approach design with love and reckless abandon. You need to be brave and bold to create something new and innovative. At the age of 17, Clodagh opened her first business. She used her determination to persevere through all the challenges.The BBC made a documentary about Clodagh called The Fashion Designer. She has been all over the world and met many interesting people during that time. Hire people that are better than yourself. That way you can surround yourself with people who can make you better and teach you more. Focus on trying to design the irritations out of people’s lives. You want to bring them joy and make the furniture feel like it is giving them a hug.Everyday, take a breath of the new day and appreciate where you are. Taking a moment to sit down and just focus on your breathing brings you a calming sensation.Take some time to get outside and enjoy your surroundings. Quote of the Show: 22:00 “All of my learning comes from observation really, since I haven't had any formal training of any kind, just observing what makes people happy…I'm trying to design the irritations out of people's lives.”Links: Website: https://clodagh.com/Shout Outs: 9:43 Irish Cancer Society9:48 Hibernate Hotel Ireland9:59 Irish Times10:26 Henri Bendel10:29 Lord and Taylor11:56 The Fashion Maker documentary by BBC19:43 Ashford Castle28:07 Cranwell29:15 Robert Kennedy30:46 Sarah Klymson30:47 Hyatt34:45 Brickell Miami35:39 Caledonia45:45 Edward DeBono45:59 Dr. Richie Davidson49:38 Coretta Scott King49:39 Martin Luther King JrWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/Youtube : https://youtu.be/H9AuinR_CrU

Kristen Conry is the Senior Vice President of Global Design for Marriott International. She is a hospitality design guru and is the embodiment of the spirit of generosity. She’s worked with some of the most influential leaders in this industry and she shares their passion for creating unique experiences for guests. Kristen sits down with host Dan Ryan to talk about her journey in #hospitality and what it all means to her.Takeaways:  Innovation and new design ideas are something that should be at the forefront of all aspects of hospitality.Hospitality has influenced other settings such as corporate settings and other places. The design aspect has launched a new way of looking at spaces. Many hotels don’t live up to the value of “people first”. You want to make sure the core of your industry is reflected by how you treat your employees.Hospitality is the spirit of generosity. It is the feeling you get when you give to others in a way that is selfless to you.Design can’t make up for bad service. It is still important but you need to make sure the service you provide is at the top of its game.Given the constraints with architecture now, it has forced companies to be more creative and create different experiences by focusing on what really matters and what has the most impact. We’ve seen the baseline for design in American culture elevate in recent years and that is a positive and exciting aspect.Quote of the Show: 19:09 “To me, hospitality is that spirit of generosity. And it's when we anticipate and we delight people and we do it in that really selfless way that it delights us to do so.”Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristen-conry-32aba558/Website: https://www.marriott.com/default.miPanel: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/conry_im-speaking-at-hd-expo-conference-2022-activity-6921903747656757248-s5CE?utm_source=linkedin_share&utm_medium=member_desktop_webShout Outs: 0:33 Hyatt0:36 Larry Traxler13:18 Arnie Sorenson16:01 Marriott Bethesda Hotel16:07 Berman Falk16:49 Marriott Sorenson Center for Hospitality Leadership16:55 Howard University16:56 Damon Lawrence34:40 United Nations36:15 Ed Webber36:23 Scott Fortman36:24 Richard Gibbons38:07 John Meiser38:27 Emily Keip38:54 Jordan Mozer39:01 Adam Lara39:26 Jay Pecotte45:05 Back to the Future47:34 Starwood1;01:23 HD Expo1;01:24 BDNYWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/Youtube : https://youtu.be/Kl5fFwQjppg

James Cull is the Design Director at Rottet Studio. He has had a passion for design since he was 10 years old, and he brings that passion to every project that he works on. James sits down with host Dan Ryan to share his journey through #hospitality and what it all means to him.  Takeaways:  It’s the job of the hospitality expert to take a hotel and make it a special place that feels warm and kind. There are two approaches to design, you want to understand the customer and the ethos of the brand. That way you can tailor the design to the guests.You want the guests to leave the hotel where they feel like they had an enriching experience and make sure to interest them.Hospitality is all about making people feel comfortable in a space that isn’t familiar to them. You want to make them feel like it’s a home away from home. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. That is how innovation is created and it allows for new opportunities.It’s good to have people with different views or ways of working all on the same project. That can allow for different perspectives to overlap and create new ideas. There is a lot of flexibility and openness in different disciplines of design. Quote of the Show: 15:55 “There’s a romance in that, I think ties back to this idea of hospitality and making people feel comfortable in a space that they're not typically because they're not familiar with it.” Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameserwincull/Website: https://www.rottetstudio.com Shout Outs: 0:43 Marriott Headquarters Hotel0:52 Arne Sorenson8:44 Pratt Institute10:09 Barack Obama23:00 Yabu Pushelberg23:10 Lizette Viloria23:15 Rockwell23:26 George and Glenn24:26 David Davis24:27 Lauren Rottet30:59 Platinum Circle Awards31:03 Larry Traxler31:13 Jordan Mozer38:44 Belmond39:12 LVMH44:57 “Drawing From the Right Side of the Brain” by Betty EdwardsWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/Youtube : https://youtu.be/4lihXw-97BY

Shari Bayer is the Founder and President at Bayer Public Relations. She’s been working in the restaurant industry since she was 16, so she knows the industry inside and out. Her passion for this beautiful industry is evident, especially through her podcast “All In the Industry”. She sits down with host Dan Ryan to talk about her journey through #hospitality and what it all means to her.Takeaways:  Hospitality has the most transferable “soft skills” that anyone can have. Hospitality isn’t just limited to hotels and restaurants, it is everywhere.Every restaurant is different with what is unique and what their story is. It can be hard to talk about yourself but it’s important to be vulnerable and show the world who you are. Hospitality is all about making the guest feel welcomed and important. You want the guest to leave feeling happy and return often.Design plays a huge role in the feeling of a restaurant or a hotel. It’s part of the complete package that is hospitality.The pandemic has changed how restaurants work, with the guidelines shifting from outdoor to indoor dining back and forth.You can’t teach someone to be a nice person, but you can teach them nice skills. When hiring someone, you want them to have the right personality. Hire for culture and not skills. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself. Push yourself outside of your comfort zone pieces at a time.Quote of the Show: 12:44 “When people understand hospitality or get it right, they make you feel so special and so welcome, and so important and that they're genuinely happy to see you. They want you to feel good.”Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shari-bayer-2272862/Website: https://www.bayerpublicrelations.com/Podcast: https://www.allintheindustry.com/ Shout Outs: 3:39 Sullivan Street Bakery4:30 Jim Lahey 5:37 Mark Bittman5:40 New York Times13:33 Glen Coben13:46 Architect's Cookbook by Glen Coben18:30 Barbara Sibley18:31 La Palapa21:36 Independent Restaurant Coalition 22:25 Prune22:26 Gabrielle Hamilton25:22 Danielle Boulud31:41 Gramercy Tavern32:34 Le Bernardin34:36 Danny Meyer41:37 Line Hotel42:38 Spoken English restaurant in DC49:32 Heritage Radio Network49:34 Roberta’s Restaurant51:59 Charlie Trotter57:40 HOST Conference 52:58 William Vale in Brooklyn1;01:12 Jimmy Yui1;07:03 Rock Bottom BreweryWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/Youtube : https://youtu.be/wBp1GBCqVJk

Shaun de Vries is the Founder and Director at Open Pantry Consulting as well as the co-founder and host of the long running and very popular Principle of Hospitality podcast. He sits down with host Dan Ryan to talk about what #hospitality is like in Australia and his journey working in this beautiful industry. Takeaways:  North America has always been a figurehead of the best level of hospitality around the entire world.Hospitality is a collection of moments. These are all very special moments to the people who are involved and people in the industry are honored to share these moments.Depending on what your brand is, it might be more beneficial to start in a suburban area and then expand into cities to test if that is a viable market.The hospitality industry was hit hard during the pandemic, especially in Australia. They recorded the world’s longest lockdown period.  In hospitality you teach service, empathy and how to walk in someone else’s shoes to better understand where they are coming from. It’s a challenge to hire people right now so you want to make sure when you bring a new person on board, the first six weeks are positive and exciting. You want to learn and listen from those around you. People you surround yourself with have a great depth of knowledge you should take advantage of.Quote of the Show: 9:05 “I think like anything in hospitality is a collection of moments. We're fortunate in the hospitality industry, the fact that we get to share some of the most important moments in people's lives. And that might be a surprise engagement, there might be a birthday, there might be some other form of celebration. It might be a first date, it might be a wedding, all these different things that people trust us with is really, really important when you think about it as a hospitality professional.”Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaun-de-vries-80bbb685/?originalSubdomain=au Website: https://www.openpantryconsulting.com/Podcast: https://principleofhospitality.com/ Shout Outs: 12:03 Grilled, Australia14:08 Facebook21:35 Four Fingers Crispy Chicken23:50 Kath and Kim34:28 LA Crows52:03 Stumptown52:18 Grumpy’s53:05 Nick Stone Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/Youtube : https://youtu.be/bmA8imF22Tc

AiLun Ku is the President and CEO of the Opportunity Network. She sees the talent in the next generation and is committed to making sure they are given the same chances as others. AiLun sits down with host Dan Ryan to talk about her view on #hospitality and how to give everyone the sense of being welcomed.Takeaways:  Inspiring the youth can have such a great lasting impact. They are the ones who can change the world for the better. It’s ok to admit that you don’t know everything and open up about the mistakes that have been made because that creates room for growth.You want to claim your identity and be proud of who you are. You can use that to guide your journey in life. Hospitality is a state of exchanging culture. It feels warm and inviting, like it was meant to be that way all along.  The way we think about social justice in mass experience injustice. You can train people so that injustices aren’t a part of your company.We are not truly in a space where opinions or voices from people of color are being taken with as much weight as they should be, but that doesn’t mean it can’t change for the better with the younger generation.It’s important to open the mind of the next generation to hospitality opportunities and what is going on in the world. Quote of the Show: 6:49 “We don't know everything. And when we don't know it, we'll try to figure it out together. And so for so long, our students, our alumni, they say, tell us, bring in more speakers that are willing to talk about failures and the mistakes. We gesture to the idea of mistakes and failures. And so when we normalize it right in conversation, then it becomes normalized for our young people.”Links: Twitter: https://twitter.com/ailun_kuLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ailun-ku-8770211/Website: https://opportunitynetwork.org/  Shout Outs: 8:27 Catskill Mountains15:39 Carl Jackman27:48 MIT Media Lab27:52 Local Voices Network29:10 Worth Doing Wrong by Arnie Malham31:08 Cortico AI33:01 Star Trek37:41 OppNet Gala39:22 Brian Weinstein39:29 Independent Lodging Congress41:10 Damon Lawrence49:31 NYU’s Robert F. Wagner School of Public ServiceWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/Youtube : https://youtu.be/3GOUbsyoZWw

David Tracz is the Partner and Founder at 3877. He knows the importance of building a good relationship with your clients and making sure you are working with them on a project. He sits down with host Dan Ryan to share his thoughts on #hospitality and what it all means to him. Takeaways:  You want to make your clients feel welcomed and comfortable in the environment that you build for them.When working with clients, don’t treat it like it’s a job but treat it like you are working together with them. You want to build a relationship and connection with them.Building trust with your clients is important. You want to prove you can get the work done in a timely manner but also have respect for them.You learn something new everyday. It’s ok to not have the right answer and try something new and see if that works, that is how you grow.Working with residential clients allows you to better understand your clients than you would if you work in an office or with commercial clients. There are many different types of hospitality and while they may differ, they all learn from each other and take inspiration from each other.Technology allows for a greater development in hospitality allowing the experience to be more tailored to each guest's liking.Quote of the Show: 12:06 “I think we really focus on just building that relationship, talking to them. It's not about the job. It's about us working together. I just hope that it's going to come eventually because we're good at what we do. And we like to execute on beautiful projects. And, I think that mentality is just a better way to look at things.”Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-tracz-2ab33a/Website: https://www.3877.design/Shout Outs: 0:41 Aliya Khan0:42 Marriott2:19 Pepe Moncayo2:59 Boqueria Restaurant in DC3:03 Jaan8:29 Business of Architecture Podcast11:26 Knead14:22 Succotash in DC26:19 OPX33:05 Bashar Wali35:24 Independent Lodging Congress41:31 Setting the Table by Danny Meyer44:24 James Bond46:03 Nvidia 46:07 BMW Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/Youtube : https://youtu.be/cj7qFKFCvTE