Hospitality Daily Podcast

Josiah Mackenzie
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Oct 16, 2025 • 16min

How Operational Insight Fuels Commercial Success in Hospitality - Oscar Serrano, UMusic Hospitality

Oscar Serrano, SVP of Distribution, Sales and Marketing at UMusic Hospitality, brings a wealth of operational expertise from his roots in Majorca. He emphasizes that understanding operations is key to enhancing guest experiences and driving commercial success. Oscar discusses how an operational mindset shapes sales and marketing strategies, highlighting the importance of the guest journey. He also shares insights on hospitality's evolution from mere accommodations to vibrant ecosystems that foster community connections.
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Oct 15, 2025 • 16min

Don’t Cut PR: How Communications Drive Hospitality Recovery in Tough Times - Victoria Feldman de Falco

In this conversation hosted by Nancy Mendelson, hospitality marketing veteran Victoria Feldman de Falco, principal and co-founder of Redpoint, shares how consistent communication — even in challenging times — can drive long-term success for hospitality businesses.With more than four decades of experience shaping stories for hotels, destinations, and cruise lines, Vickie has been recognized as one of HSMAI’s Top 25 Extraordinary Minds and received the organization’s Winthrop W. Grice Award for Lifetime Achievement. Drawing from crises like 9/11, the Great Recession, and the pandemic, she explains why cutting PR is a costly mistake — and how steady, credible storytelling protects brand visibility, strengthens relationships, and positions businesses to rebound faster.Vickie and Nancy also discuss how to recalibrate communications strategies when budgets are tight, the rising importance of earned media in AI-driven search, and why relationships — not transactions — remain the foundation of effective hospitality marketing.For anyone making tough budget decisions or leading through uncertainty, this episode offers clear perspective and actionable lessons on how to keep your brand visible, trusted, and ready for recovery.Also see: Marketing × Operations: Teamwork for Topline Growth in HospitalityRead the article on hertelier: Hospitality PR in an AI World: Victoria Feldman de Falco on Ideas, Credibility, and Risk-Taking 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
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Oct 14, 2025 • 31min

Marketing × Operations: Teamwork for Topline Growth in Hospitality - Victoria Feldman de Falco

In this conversation hosted by Nancy Mendelson, hospitality marketing veteran Victoria Feldman de Falco, principal and co-founder of Redpoint, shares how marketing, PR, and operations teams can work together to drive topline growth in hospitality. Drawing from more than four decades of experience leading bold, award-winning campaigns, Vickie explains why communications shouldn’t operate in silos — and how general managers play a crucial role in aligning strategy across the business.You’ll hear stories that bring this to life, from creative campaigns like Cyber Monday for Hotels and Baggage Buyback to the operational realities that make or break great ideas. The conversation highlights how risk tolerance, collaboration, and clear communication can turn marketing initiatives into lasting brand value — and why PR deserves protection, not cuts, when budgets tighten.If you’re focused on performance and looking for ways to strengthen collaboration across your hospitality teams, this episode delivers both perspective and practical examples you can put to work right now.Read the article on hertelier: Hospitality PR in an AI World: Victoria Feldman de Falco on Ideas, Credibility, and Risk-Taking 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
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Oct 13, 2025 • 17min

Unlocking the Big Wins in Hotel Profitability Today - Steven Moore, Actabl

In this episode, Steven Moore, CEO of Actabl, shares insights from his recent presentation at The Lodging Conference on how hotel owners and operators are finding wins in a challenging market. He explains how owners and operators are protecting profitability by focusing on the two biggest drivers of performance today: labor and culture.Steven discusses why labor represents the most powerful lever in hotel profitability, sharing data-backed examples of both success and failure, and explores how building a culture of transparency, accountability, and empowerment can drive both engagement and financial results.Download Actabl's presentations and more in this "digital swag bag" 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
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Oct 12, 2025 • 11min

Reflections from The Lodging Conference: How Hospitality Leaders Connect, Communicate, and Collaborate - Steven Moore, Actabl

In this episode, Josiah Mackenzie talks with Steven Moore, CEO of Actabl, about what makes The Lodging Conference such a special event for hospitality leaders. Together they explore the conversations, connections, and collaborations that define the conference -- and what those dynamics reveal about how the hotel industry really works. Listeners will take away insights on building stronger relationships, communicating effectively, and creating events and environments that benefit everyone in hospitality.Download Actabl's presentations and more in this "digital swag bag" 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
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Oct 11, 2025 • 39min

Deep Dive: AI in Hospitality Now (Destination AI 2025 Recap with Drew Potter & Josiah Mackenzie)

Drew Potter, a hospitality operator-turned-tech expert at Actable, shares insights on AI in the hospitality industry. He discusses practical AI use cases developed at the Destination AI Summit, including AI-driven guest feedback analysis and the growing expectations of consumers. Drew highlights the importance of machine-readable hotel data, the need for efficiency in operations, and the balance between trust and automation in guest interactions. He also emphasizes preparing for a more personalized guest experience through innovative data management.
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Oct 9, 2025 • 9min

AI & the Associate Experience in Hospitality - Andrew Arthurs

In this episode, Andrew Arthurs, President and Chief Operating Officer at Actabl, and former CIO for some of the world’s largest hotel management companies, shares how AI and smart data use are elevating the associate experience in hospitality. He explains why digitizing manual workflows isn’t just about efficiency but about empowering teams and improving operations. You’ll hear his perspective on where to start, how to approach data strategy, and why the best tech initiatives begin with understanding the work people do every day in the world of hospitality.Also see: Why Great Hospitality Leaders Always Return to the Front Desk 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
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Oct 8, 2025 • 15min

Accelerate Your Hospitality Career by Creating Value Through Problem Solving - Andrew Arthurs

In this episode, Andrew Arthurs, President and Chief Operating Officer at Actabl, shares how hospitality professionals can accelerate their careers by creating value through problem-solving. Drawing on his experience as a former Chief Information Officer for major hotel management companies, Andrew explains why the most successful leaders start by asking the right questions, focusing on the real problems to solve rather than the technology itself. He also reveals a simple framing question that helps you identify opportunities to drive value in your role, scale solutions across properties, and unlock career growth in the process.Also see: Building Trust & The Network Effect in Hospitality 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
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Oct 7, 2025 • 7min

Managing Labor Costs Through Cross-Functional Collaboration - Andrew Arthurs

In this episode, Andrew Arthurs, President and COO of Actabl, joins us to discuss one of hospitality’s biggest challenges: managing labor costs. Drawing on his experience leading at the largest hotel management companies and his recent articles in Hotel Management, Andrew shares how top hotel operators are enhancing labor efficiency through cross-functional collaboration and data-driven decision-making.Read Andrew's articles:Hotel's talent crisis is getting worse: How empathy can helpLabor costs, talent retention & the profitability equation nowLearn more about Hotel Effectiveness by Actabl 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
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Oct 6, 2025 • 8min

What Smart Hotel Owners Are Focusing on Now - Andrew Arthurs

This week, Josiah Mackenzie and Andrew Arthurs are in Phoenix for The Lodging Conference, talking about what’s top of mind for hotel owners and investors today. Andrew, who is President and COO of Actabl, shares how the smartest owners are thinking about people, partnerships, and technology to protect and grow asset value.Also see: Building Trust & The Network Effect in Hospitality 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

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