In this episode, Rocco Bova, an experienced hotelier and consultant, shares his insights on innovative hospitality business models and the importance of human connection in luxury service.Listeners will learn about:Rocco's background and global experienceRocco’s early jobs: best and worst experiences (01:58)Transition to consultancy (07:01)Evolution of luxury service (10:34)Impact of technology on hospitality (11:35)Challenges in recruitment and retention (13:13)Human vs. digital guest service (15:30)AI in hospitality (16:48)Rocco’s approach to handling difficult guests (20:04)Defining true hospitality (22:27)New business model for hotels (24:04)Profit-sharing and emergency fund model (29:04)Challenges with traditional business models (33:34)Need for structural change in hospitality (35:23)Role of leadership in culture change (39:28)Advice for leaders driving change (46:02)Importance of values alignment in career decisions (47:15)If you liked this, you may also enjoy:Dangerous Blindspots: What Hotel Executives Miss - Adam ZembruskiWhy I Left the C-Suite to Reconnect with Hospitality's Roots - Adam ZembruskiLet's Return To The Art of Hospitality - Bashar Wali, Practice Hospitality This episode is brought to you with support from Shiji Group, the global hospitality technology leader that helps hotels streamline operations and transform guest experiences. Recognized by their clients for their best-in-class solutions and exceptional service and support, Shiji Group is trusted by leading brands worldwide to activate technology faster, increase operational efficiency, and drive better business results.A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free. Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram. If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together. If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve! Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Charlie MacGregor, founder of The Social Hub, shares how they cultivate a diverse and connected community through their approach to hybrid hospitality.Listeners will learn:How The Social Hub runs thousands of community programs and activities to bring people together (01:29)About their partnership with Talent Garden, the largest provider of online and offline education programs, to curate programs for their community (02:10)Examples of the programs offered, from understanding AI to managing money and handling stress (02:43)About the TSH Talent Foundation, which provides scholarships, mentorships, and lifelong learning courses for students (03:51)Mentions:Talent Garden (02:10)Hyper Island (02:21)TSH Talent Foundation (03:51)If you liked this, check out:The Social Hub Story: Founder Charlie MacGregor Reveals The Secrets To Its SuccessThe Power (and Profits) of "Hybrid Hospitality" - Charlie MacGregor, The Social HubHow We Build Community and Grow Through Partnerships - Frank Uffen, The Social Hub This episode is brought to you with support from Shiji Group, the global hospitality technology leader that helps hotels streamline operations and transform guest experiences. Recognized by their clients for their best-in-class solutions and exceptional service and support, Shiji Group is trusted by leading brands worldwide to activate technology faster, increase operational efficiency, and drive better business results.A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free. Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram. If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together. If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve! Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Charlie MacGregor, founder of The Social Hub, shares his experience volunteering at a refugee camp and how it impacted his approach to leadership and social responsibility in his hospitality business.Listeners will learn:How Charlie and his team built a pop-up refugee camp and involved the refugee community in running various programs (02:39)The benefits of a community-driven and community-led approach (03:53)How getting off the "CEO pedestal" and personally engaging in social responsibility initiatives can lead to better decision-making (04:48)The importance of being a good neighbor (05:40)If you liked this, check out:The Social Hub Story: Founder Charlie MacGregor Reveals The Secrets To Its SuccessThe Power (and Profits) of "Hybrid Hospitality" - Charlie MacGregor, The Social HubHow We Build Community and Grow Through Partnerships - Frank Uffen, The Social Hub This episode is brought to you with support from Shiji Group, the global hospitality technology leader that helps hotels streamline operations and transform guest experiences. Recognized by their clients for their best-in-class solutions and exceptional service and support, Shiji Group is trusted by leading brands worldwide to activate technology faster, increase operational efficiency, and drive better business results.A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free. Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram. If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together. If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve! Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Charlie MacGregor, founder of The Social Hub, shares how they pioneered the concept of hybrid hospitality, blending different groups of people and using space flexibly to maximize revenue and create vibrant, multi-use spaces.Listeners will learn:What hybrid hospitality is (01:30)How hybrid hospitality creates a fun, safe, and vibrant environment that reflects real life (03:07)The benefits of connecting workers through co-working spaces (04:32)How hybrid hospitality allows for agility and robustness in the business model (09:25)Mentions:[Video] The Social Hub Story: Founder Charlie MacGregor Reveals The Secrets To Its SuccessMews (property management system) (10:07) This episode is brought to you with support from Shiji Group, the global hospitality technology leader that helps hotels streamline operations and transform guest experiences. Recognized by their clients for their best-in-class solutions and exceptional service and support, Shiji Group is trusted by leading brands worldwide to activate technology faster, increase operational efficiency, and drive better business results.A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free. Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram. If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together. If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve! Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, hotel investor and Hospiamo founder Adam Zembruski shares his insights on the systemic barriers that hold hoteliers back and the practical steps needed to foster a more creative and collaborative culture in hotels. Listeners will learn:The reasons why collaboration is often an afterthought for hotel owners and how to change that mindset (01:37)The importance of encouraging creativity among hotel employees (05:32)A real-world example of successful collaboration in the town of Boone, North Carolina (06:15)The key role of involving the community in major decisions when opening a new hotel (09:28)Mentions:Linsey Gallagher, President & CEO of Visit Napa Valley (00:02) (See our episode: How Napa Valley's Tourism Strategy Can Boost Your Hospitality Business)Adam's LinkedIn post on collaboration (00:18)Hilton (01:47)Marriott (01:47)Horton Hotel in Boone, North Carolina (06:36)Jason Boehm with Aileron Management (06:57)Andrea Morton and John Cardonia (06:57)David Jackson, Chamber of Commerce in Boone, North Carolina (07:30)Appalachian State University (07:51)Denise Loven and Fulton Loven, builders of the Horton Hotel (08:12)Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) (11:42)Publix (11:53)Choate Construction (13:21)TPI Hospitality (13:52)Proximity Hotel (14:03)If you enjoyed this episode, you may also enjoy:Why I Left the C-Suite to Reconnect with Hospitality's Roots - Adam ZembruskiDangerous Blindspots: What Hotel Executives Miss - Adam Zembruski This episode is brought to you with support from Shiji Group, the global hospitality technology leader that helps hotels streamline operations and transform guest experiences. Recognized by their clients for their best-in-class solutions and exceptional service and support, Shiji Group is trusted by leading brands worldwide to activate technology faster, increase operational efficiency, and drive better business results.A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free. Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram. If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together. If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve! Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, hotel investor and Hospiamo founder Adam Zembruski shares his perspective on the systemic issues within the hotel industry that are holding back real innovation and progress. (Listen to Adam's story here if you missed it earlier.)Listeners will learn:What it's really like working at a hotel today (01:47)The disconnect between leaders and the workers on the ground (06:17)The importance of an abundance mindset (14:58)The hotel companies face (16:18)Mentions:Hotel worker strike (04:12) (Josiah's episode with workers on strike here)DECA (09:15)Nikheel Advani, Chief Operating Officer at Grace Bay Resorts, and his episode "Abundance Mindset Mentorship." (15:30) This episode is brought to you with support from Shiji Group, the global hospitality technology leader that helps hotels streamline operations and transform guest experiences. Recognized by their clients for their best-in-class solutions and exceptional service and support, Shiji Group is trusted by leading brands worldwide to activate technology faster, increase operational efficiency, and drive better business results.A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free. Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram. If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together. If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve! Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Anna Marie Presutti, the new President & CEO of San Francisco Travel, shares why she stepped into this pivotal role, what she believes it will take to bring San Francisco back into the spotlight, and the opportunities she sees for the city and its hospitality community. (You can watch this on YouTube here if you prefer.)Listeners will learn:What excites Anna Marie most about her new role as CEO of San Francisco Travel (02:22)The progress being made in San Francisco's recovery and what it took to drive action and results (05:45)The role of sales in driving tourism and visitation to a destination (08:47)The "It All Starts Here" campaign and how it authentically represents San Francisco's position as an innovator (11:08)What it means for a destination to be "easy to do business with" (14:05)Emerging travel and tourism trends, particularly in urban travel (16:15)How hospitality business owners and operators can collaborate with San Francisco Travel (18:38)The importance of travel and tourism to a city's economy and overall vitality (20:59)Mentions:Linsey Gallagher, President & CEO of Visit Napa Valley (03:31) (See our episode: How Napa Valley's Tourism Strategy Can Boost Your Hospitality Business)United States Travel Association (USTA) (06:58)Dreamforce conference (07:47)Waymo (12:08)Uber (14:37)Lyft (14:37)Airbnb (14:47)San Francisco Giants (16:46)NBA All-Star Game (17:07)Laver Cup (17:07)FIFA World Cup (17:07)Super Bowl (17:09)Union Square Alliance (Business Improvement District) (23:10)If you enjoyed this, you may also like:My Story from Disn This episode is brought to you with support from Shiji Group, the global hospitality technology leader that helps hotels streamline operations and transform guest experiences. Recognized by their clients for their best-in-class solutions and exceptional service and support, Shiji Group is trusted by leading brands worldwide to activate technology faster, increase operational efficiency, and drive better business results.A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free. Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram. If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together. If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve! Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Adam Zembruski, a hotel investor and hotel industry enthusiast, is the Founder of Hospiamo, Inc., a social enterprise, and the Hospitality Industry Impact Initiative, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. He shares his personal story and insights on the challenges and importance of staying connected with those on the front lines in the hospitality industry.Listeners will learn:Adam's career progression from front desk agent to chief operating officer and hotel investor (00:00)The fulfillment and heart Adam found in reconnecting with the front lines of hospitality (05:48)The challenges of maintaining connections and confidence during tough times in the industry (10:45)The therapeutic value of talk therapy, expressive writing, and podcasting for Adam (11:58)The impact of encouragement on people in the hospitality industry (13:13)Mentions:The Replacements movie (01:39)Buddy Watson (02:44)Hersha (03:04)Stonebridge Investment Group (08:59) This episode is brought to you with support from Shiji Group, the global hospitality technology leader that helps hotels streamline operations and transform guest experiences. Recognized by their clients for their best-in-class solutions and exceptional service and support, Shiji Group is trusted by leading brands worldwide to activate technology faster, increase operational efficiency, and drive better business results.A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free. Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram. If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together. If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve! Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Bill Graf, CEO of ONDA (Instagram), shares his thoughts on the future of hospitality and opportunities for innovation now.Listeners will learn:Bill’s unconventional path into hospitality and the pivotal travel experience that inspired him to start ONDA (02:41)The concept of "Hospitality 3.0" and how it's different from previous waves of innovation in the industry (09:59)Why the next big opportunity in hospitality lies in serving niches (12:47)Lessons from restaurants for hotels and lodging (13:58)The history of experience in hospitality and how it's evolving (20:02)The specific type of experience that presents the most opportunity now (21:30)How HBR's “Four Realms of Experience” applies to hospitality (24:16)Hospitality 3.0 focuses on these types of experiences (27:10)Why Bill believes that service has become commoditized and what it will take to create truly differentiated guest experiences (28:41)How recognition and personalization are a baseline expectation (30:54)Experience is the way to drive the highest investment ROI (32:50)The next frontier of innovation and opportunity: transformation (34:00)The challenge of consistent excellence (35:56)Why guests prefer self-serve technology now (38:00)How technology allows hiring for personality, not traditional hospitality skills (38:51)Bill's writing on experience:Reflections on Hospitality 3.0Hospitality 3.0 and the Experience Economy (Part 1) This episode is brought to you with support from Shiji Group, the global hospitality technology leader that helps hotels streamline operations and transform guest experiences. Recognized by their clients for their best-in-class solutions and exceptional service and support, Shiji Group is trusted by leading brands worldwide to activate technology faster, increase operational efficiency, and drive better business results.A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free. Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram. If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together. If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve! Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Jennifer Clay, Vice President of Hotel Operations at Appellation, shares her unique perspective on how hotel design choices play a vital role in immersing guests in a destination - and how she thinks about this as an operations leader.Listeners will learn:How hotels can embody and celebrate the destination they are in [01:58]The evolution of hotel design from formulaic to celebrating local materials and artisans [02:34]The journey of selecting specific design elements like chairs and fabrics [04:12]The importance of balancing form and functionality in hotel design [07:03]How the physical product of a hotel should match what is advertised and provide a consistent experience [08:11] This episode is brought to you with support from Shiji Group, the global hospitality technology leader that helps hotels streamline operations and transform guest experiences. Recognized by their clients for their best-in-class solutions and exceptional service and support, Shiji Group is trusted by leading brands worldwide to activate technology faster, increase operational efficiency, and drive better business results.A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free. Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram. If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together. If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve! Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands