

Hospitality Daily Podcast
Josiah Mackenzie
Stay informed and inspired to delight people and grow your business with daily conversations with interesting people doing interesting things. Hosted by Josiah Mackenzie.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 21, 2023 • 9min
Enabling Deep, Meaningful Conversations Through Hospitality - Margaret Lefton, Yours Truly Hotel
In this episode, Margaret Lefton, Creative Director at Yours Truly, shares the importance of deep, meaningful conversations - a foundation of hospitality - and how you can create environments that are conducive to this. Follow Margaret on LinkedInListen to our other episodes with Margaret: How We Turned Our Hotel Into a Community HotspotHow I Stay Creative And Fight Burnout 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

Oct 20, 2023 • 18min
How We Turned Our Hotel Into A Community Hotspot - Margaret Lefton, Yours Truly Hotel
How can you turn your hotel into a community hub that drives business from both locals and people visiting your city?In this episode, you'll hear from Margaret Lefton, Creative Director at Yours Truly, a hotel in Washington, DC, about the practical ways they did this.Follow Yours Truly on InstagramFollow Margaret on LinkedInListen to our other episode with Margaret: How I Stay Creative And Fight Burnout 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

Oct 19, 2023 • 29min
How We Balance Rapid Growth With Innovation - Eli Sokol, citizenM Hotels
In this episode, Eli Sokol, Vice President of Development and Investment at citizenM Hotels, shares the unique business model of citizenM and how they maintain momentum while staying innovative. From their "asset-heavy" approach to working with companies like Meta, to technology and urbanism, Eli shares insights on what growth in hospitality can look like in a rapidly changing world.Follow Eli on LinkedInLearn more about citizenM 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

Oct 18, 2023 • 23min
The Best Best Western Hotel: How We've Won the M.K. Guertin Award 14 Years In A Row - Michelle Duffy, Best Western Plus Novato Oaks Inn
In this episode, we learn from Michelle Duffy, the general manager of the Best Western Novato Oaks Inn. Michelle shares her secrets to winning the prestigious M.K. Guertin Award 14 years in a row, making her hotel the only Best Western out of over 2,000 to achieve this feat. Learn how Michelle's strategies and dedication have led to exceptional guest satisfaction ratings, employee retention, and business success. Follow Michelle on LinkedInLearn more about Best Western Novato Oaks InnLearn more about Reneson Hotels (the owner/operator of the Best Western Novato Oaks Inn) 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

Oct 17, 2023 • 27min
Culture and Leadership Lessons from the "Thinker In Residence" Professor on the Road - William Murray
In this episode, Dr. William Murray, an associate professor in the School of Hospitality, Food, and Tourism at the University of Guelph, shares his experience as a "Thinker in Residence" for one of Canada's most innovative hotel brands. We hear his observations and insights on culture, service, and providing remarkable hospitality. About William (0:59)The "Thinker in Residence" program (2:47)Access that enables this (5:21)What he is hearing and learning (8:35)How to study culture (17:06)If you'd like to hear more from William:Listen to his podcastFollow him on LinkedInListen to our other episodes on culture here. 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

Oct 16, 2023 • 13min
The Netflix Challenge & Lessons in Building Diverse, Effective Teams - Michelle Jensen Session
A little while back, Netflix ran a competition to improve its algorithms — the technology that suggests new movies and TV shows it thinks you'll like. Everyone expected the top data scientists to dominate the Netflix challenge. But they didn't... In this episode, we learn from Michel Jensen Session about the surprising lessons behind the Netflix challenge, the importance of diversity, understanding cultural differences, and the significance of conversations for successful leadership in hospitality.Michelle brings a wealth of strategic planning, leadership, and stakeholder engagement expertise. If you're inspired by our discussion and see potential synergies, Michelle welcomes you to connect on LinkedIn and explore collaborative opportunities. 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

Oct 15, 2023 • 29min
How I Am Empowering People in Hospitality - Stacia Harvey-Randall, Black Women of Hospitality
In this episode, we learn from Stacia Harvey-Randall, the Director of Human Resources at the Whitley Hotel (an HEI Hotels property) and the co-founder of Black Women in Hospitality. Stacia empowers those around her by helping them see opportunities in hospitality and overcome barriers. We discuss self-care and mental health in hospitality and the importance of this in leadership.Follow Stacia on LinkedInLearn more about Black Women in HospitalityFollow Black Women in Hospitality on LinkedIn 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

Oct 14, 2023 • 46min
The Inside Story of How Hilton Built Hampton Inn’s “Hamptonality” Culture - Eleanor Erickson & Phil Cordell
In this episode, we learn from two hospitality leaders, Eleanor Erickson and Phil Cordell, about the importance of culture in creating a thriving hospitality business and how they did that at Hampton Inn - a Hilton brand. Eleanor, a former general manager with Hampton Inn, shares her career journey early in the discussion, and then Phil - Hilton's global head of lifestyle brands and new brand development - joins the conversation to discuss the key elements of creating a culture that drives business success. This episode is a masterclass in building a strong hospitality culture filled with insightful advice and plenty of laughter. Tune in and get inspired to empower your people and achieve your goals in the hospitality industry.Follow Phil on LinkedInFollow Eleanor on LinkedInVisit Eleanor's websiteListen to our other episodes with EleanorListen to our other episodes on people and culture 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

Oct 13, 2023 • 24min
Breaking Barriers to Innovation in Hospitality Today - Calvin Tilokee, Lighthouse
Calvin Tilokee has fascinated me for years. He's been named a top influencer in hospitality, the mastermind behind the Instagram comedy account @revparblems, followed by tens of thousands of people who enjoy the memes and hilarious videos he creates that often go viral. But that's just one side of his life. Calvin is also an experienced revenue leader for hospitality companies in major markets like New York and just recently cofounded a new strategic advisory firm, Lighthouse. In this episode, you'll learn about the challenge he saw that led him to start this company - and some eye-opening insights about what might be holding your company back from providing the innovative hospitality it could be.Follow Calvin on LinkedInLearn more about LighthouseAlly of the Month: Calvin Tilokee (hertelier) 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

Oct 12, 2023 • 38min
How We Created An Award-Winning Boutique Hotel Management and Development Company - Meg Kennedy & Rob Blood, Lark Hotels
Lark Hotels is an award-winning boutique hotel management and development company, and in this episode, we hear from their founders - partners in life and in business - Meg Kennedy and Rob Blood - about their fascinating story of getting started in hospitality, the career opportunities this industry provides, expressing creativity through hospitality - and much more. Follow Meg on LinkedInFollow Rob on LinkedInLark Hotels websiteFollow Lark Hotels on Instagram 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


