Hospitality Daily Podcast

In this episode, Jennifer Clay, Vice President of Hotel Operations at Appellation, shares how she empowers emerging talent to step into big roles and grow into confident leaders.Listeners will learn:How to cultivate curiosity, encourage collaboration, and push people to embrace discomfort as part of their growth (01:55)Why the hospitality industry is more than just a job (02:48)How to build trust and empower your team (00:31) 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 what she looks for when hiring general managers and the unexpected qualities that separate a great manager from a good one.Listeners will learn:What Jennifer asks during interviews  (01:28)The connection that's a key trait to look for (03:15)The importance of finding outlets to disconnect and recharge(04:14) 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

Christopher Hunsberger, co-founder and COO of Appellation, discusses how they integrate closely with local communities. He reveals the creative Appellation Crafted program that celebrates artisans, farmers, and local makers. Hunsberger highlights the importance of showcasing team talents through unique classes, fostering growth beyond the kitchen. The conversation also dives into how local materials and culinary-centric design create a welcoming atmosphere in their hotels, enhancing guest experiences with a true sense of place.

In this episode, Christopher Hunsberger, co-founder and chief operating officer of Appellation - and former Chief People Officer at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts - shares his insights on recruiting top talent and how building strong relationships, leveraging tools like LinkedIn, and crafting compelling story-driven job descriptions have helped him attract some of the best in the business.Listeners will learn:The importance of treating people as you'd want to be treated and maintaining positive relationships in recruiting (01:07)How to leverage your network and contacts to identify talent (01:38)The effectiveness of using LinkedIn for recruiting and broadcasting job openings (02:31)The value of storytelling and transparency in job postings on LinkedIn (03:10)Strategies for creating compelling job descriptions that leverage technology and make roles more interesting (04:14)Mentions:Izzy Sharp, chairman and founder of Four Seasons (01:07)LinkedIn Recruiting (02:31)If you liked this, check out these episodes next:From Family Dinners to Hospitality Leadership: What I've Learned on My Career Journey - Christopher Hunsberger, AppellationHotel All-Stars with Anthony Melchiorri: Hiring, Career & Leadership Lessons for YouTop Exec Recruiter: How To Hire Hospitality Leaders (Plus Career Advice For You) - Alison Harrigan, Korn FerryMasterclass: How To Hire Great People, Faster - Adam Robinson, Hireology 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, Christopher Hunsberger, co-founder and chief operating officer of Appellation, shares how stepping into a new role at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts pushed him beyond his comfort zone and the key lessons he learned about collaboration and building a culture of innovation.Listeners will learn:How Christopher led product and service innovation at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts (00:00)The importance of being nimble and agile when innovating (03:19)The value of risk-taking and having the willingness to fail (03:40)The significance of collaboration when creating something new and different (04:11)Mentions:Izzy Sharp, former CEO of Four Seasons (01:10)Katie Taylor, former CEO of Four Seasons (01:20) 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, Christopher Hunsberger, co-founder and chief operating officer of Appellation, shares how his family's love of food and hospitality shaped his early passion for the industry, the key lessons he learned from legendary mentors, and why embracing every opportunity can make all the difference in your career.Listeners will learn:How Christopher's mother influenced his love for food and hospitality (01:29)The role his uncle played in his decision to pursue a career in hospitality (03:15)Christopher's experience working in the hospitality industry before college (04:59)The importance of learning through experiences and interacting with people (05:39)Christopher's work-study program at the Boca Raton Hotel and Club (06:31)The impact of mentors like Tom Wicke on Christopher's career (07:46)Advice on selecting roles that maximize learning opportunities (09:48)Mentions:The Mayflower in Washington, D.C. (03:46)The Plaza Hotel in New York (03:56)Cornell University (04:18)Boca Raton Hotel and Club (06:52)John Morrison (07:14)Tom Wicke (07:46)Boca Raton Hotel Beach Club (08:38) 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

Jennifer Krapp is the head of restaurant operations at The Indigo Road Hospitality Group. You can hear her career journey here and thoughts on mentorship here if you missed them. In this episode, she shares her insights on what makes great hospitality and why it's so important.Listeners will learn:What doesn't make great hospitality (00:48)Why hospitality is attention (01:10)Why hospitality is so important (02:06) 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, Tely Nagle, owner of The Drake Oak Brook, shares the inspiring story of purchasing and transforming a neglected historic Chicago area hotel into a Condé Nast award-winning property.Listeners will learn:The history of The Drake Oak Brook and its connection to the famous Drake Hotel in downtown Chicago (01:09)The state of disrepair the hotel was in when Tely and her husband Jim purchased it in 2013 (04:01)The renovation process and Tely's creative inspiration for restoring the hotel to its former glory while updating it with modern amenities (07:36)The importance of hiring a good management company to handle infrastructure and people while focusing on the guest experience and design (15:35)How Tely and Jim live on the property and are hands-on in every area of the business (16:42)The hotel's partnership with Marriott International and becoming part of the Autograph Collection (19:34)Tely's philosophy on delighting guests and creating a culture of love among team members (22:32)The opening of their new restaurant, COA, which pays homage to Tely's Mexican heritage (28:50)Mentions:Gino DiRenzo, who managed The Drake Oak Brook from its opening in 1961 (02:36)First Hospitality Group, the management company Tely hired to help run the hotel (14:50)Marriott International and the Autograph Collection (19:45)Coa, the hotel's new restaurant focusing on tequilas, mezcals, and Spanish-Mexican fusion cuisine (28:50) 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 workers on strike in San Francisco share their experiences working in hotels recently, their reasons for striking, and the changes they hope to achieve.Listeners will learn:Why hotel workers feel management has stopped listening to them and what it's like "talking to a brick wall" (01:26)How hotel workers' hours have shrunk while they're expected to do more with less people (01:58)About the profits hotels have made, even during lockdown, and how that contrasts with their current negotiating position (02:53)The challenges housekeepers face with fewer hours and dirtier rooms after the pandemic (04:42)How rising costs in San Francisco make it difficult for hotel workers to survive on current wages (05:33)How hotels are understaffing roles, forcing workers to take on multiple jobs (07:24)Hotel workers' perspective that hotels have the profits to increase their pay but are being greedy (08:15) 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, Linsey Gallagher, President & CEO of Visit Napa Valley, shares insights on how collaboration between destination marketing organizations and hospitality businesses can drive tourism and boost the industry.Listeners will learn:The economic impact of tourism in Napa Valley (01:09)Opportunities for collaboration (05:33)The various marketing channels and efforts Visit Napa Valley uses to promote the region (09:56)How hotels and hospitality businesses in the area can work with Visit Napa Valley (14:10)The importance of exceeding visitor expectations and delivering high-quality experiences (16:17)Visit Napa Valley's focus on destination stewardship, sustainability, and staff training (18:42)Mentions:Jerry Maguire (movie reference) (05:39)Napa County Farm Bureau (06:01)Napa Valley Vintners (06:02)The Shipyard (marketing agency) (10:04)Visit California (10:09)San Francisco Travel (10:18)Forbes Five Star certification (20:22)Napa Green program (20:14) 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