In this episode, Brett & Casey McManus, owners of Après Inn in Killington, Vermont, share their journey of becoming hoteliers and accidentally going viral on Instagram @Innvestors

Listen now to learn about:

• The Accidental Journey into Hospitality: Brett and Casey discuss their unconventional path.
• Community Impact: The role of their hotel in the Killington, Vermont community and how they have revitalized the local area through their hospitality efforts.
• Creating the Ideal Guest Experience: How they identified and catered to their target guests, particularly outdoor enthusiasts like skiers and mountain bikers.
• Navigating Surprises in Hospitality: Brett and Casey share unexpected challenges and surprises they encountered while running their motel.
• Balancing In-Person and Digital Interactions: Comparing the benefits of face-to-face guest interactions with their social media following.
• Social Media Strategy: The organic growth of their Instagram presence and how they create engaging content with minimal time investment.
• Lessons Learned and Future Plans: Reflections on their journey so far and their vision for the future, including potential brand partnerships and business growth.
• Translating Teaching Skills to Hospitality: Casey explains how her background in education helps her manage guest interactions and team building in their hospitality business.
• Expanding and Innovating: Their excitement about future opportunities and continuing to innovate in the hospitality industry.

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Music by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Michaelangelo L'Acqua, Global Director of Entertainment and Culture at SH Hotels and Resorts, shares insights on the evolving nature of human connection in relation to hospitality.

Listen now to learn about:

• Human Connection in Hospitality: Learn why hospitality will remain a bastion of human-to-human connections despite increasing automation.
• The Essence of Luxury: Discover the importance of mastery and human input in creating luxury experiences.
• Changing Definitions of Luxury: Explore how younger generations define luxury through experiences, context, and social responsibility.

Listen to our other episode for the first part of our conversation: The Most Creative Man in Hospitality

Watch this conversation on YouTube

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Music by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Michaelangelo L'Acqua, Global Director of Entertainment and Culture at SH Hotels and Resorts, shares his insights on how creativity can elevate the guest experience in the hospitality industry.

Listen now to learn about:

• Michelangelo's Unique Role (01:26) - Learn about Michelangelo's role as a creative director in the entertainment and culture space and how it differs from traditional roles.
• The Importance of Music (03:23) - Discover why Michelangelo always starts with the soundtrack and how music can create a seamless experience that engages all five senses.
• Translating Vision into Reality (09:59) - Understand the process of translating a brand's vision into a tangible guest experience and the importance of humility and collaboration in this process.
• Strategic Thinking (15:45) - Explore how to strategically integrate entertainment and culture into a brand's essence.
• Balancing Predictability and Creativity (19:57) - Learn how to maintain a balance between creating a predictable, scalable experience and keeping it fresh and inspiring.
• Learning from Jazz (20:01) - Hear Michelangelo's analogy of jazz to explain how structured guidelines can empower creativity and improvisation in different cultural contexts.
• Creating Moments of Awe (24:04) - Find out how hospitality can serve as a canvas for creative expression, offering opportunities to create memorable moments for guests.

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Music by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Jordan Hollander, co-founder of Hotel Tech Report, shares insights on the evolving landscape of hotel technology, including the changing buying process, key technologies to watch, and strategies for successful implementation.

Listen now to learn about:

• The changing buying process for hotel technology - How buyers are becoming more sophisticated, and the shift away from trade shows to online research and reviews.
• Decentralization in decision-making - How technology purchase decisions are moving from centralized CIOs to functional areas, and the importance of empowering teams to make informed decisions.
• Advice for buying technology - The importance of being proactive, leveraging vendor knowledge, and acting as a fiduciary for your company by evaluating multiple vendors.
• Innovations in meetings and event sales technology - The rise of tools for real-time revenue management and sales automation, and examples of companies innovating in this space.
• Guest experience platforms - The emergence of integrated, modular platforms and how they are driving revenue and improving guest experiences.
• The importance of integration and best-of-breed solutions - Why hotels should focus on solutions that best serve their specific needs.
• Successful technology implementation strategies - Examples of hotels that have effectively piloted and scaled new technologies and the importance of setting KPIs and having a clear plan for technology rollouts.
• Upcoming AI tech stack advisor tool from Hotel Tech Report - How the new tool will provide end-to-end tech stack recommendations and audits.

Watch this conversation on YouTube

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Music by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Penny Brown, Managing Director of the Burgh Island Hotel in England, shares insights into creating a unique and relaxing hospitality experience that helps guests disconnect from their busy lives and recharge.

Listen now to learn about:

• The importance of the arrival experience - How the journey to the hotel and the initial welcome with champagne sets the tone for relaxation.
• Intentional design choices for relaxation - The decision to exclude televisions from rooms to help guests disconnect and the impact of natural elements like the sound of waves and the smell of sea air.
• Creating a unique dining experience - The different dining options available at the hotel, including a black-tie ballroom experience, a seafood restaurant, and a rustic fish and chips option.
• Themed events and guest interaction - How themed events like Murder Mystery nights encourage guest interaction and create lasting friendships.
• Personalized guest relations - The role of the guest relations team in understanding and accommodating guest preferences to make their stay special.
• The evolving concept of wellness - Penny's perspective on wellness and how the hotel provides a space for guests to relax and recharge, away from the fast-paced demands of modern life.
• Future of hospitality and experiential offerings - The exciting potential for new experiences in the hospitality industry and how Burr Island Hotel plans to incorporate them into their offerings.

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Music by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Penny Brown, Managing Director of the Burgh Island Hotel in England, shares why age diversity is important and the benefits of hiring older workers in the hospitality industry. Listen now to learn about:

• The current staffing challenges in the hospitality industry and typical hiring practices.
• The transient nature of young workers and the impact of high turnover on hotels.
• The lack of proper induction and care for new employees in many hotels.
• The advantages of hiring older workers, including their maturity, reliability, and connection to the local community.
• The importance of balancing younger and older workers to create a thriving and sustainable hospitality business.

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Music by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Simon Mais, CEO of EOS Hospitality, shares insights on attracting and retaining talented people in the hospitality industry.

• The biggest challenge in the hospitality industry (00:01) - Discover why attracting and retaining talent is a significant challenge in hospitality.
• EOS Hospitality's ethos: Humble and Kind (00:44) - Learn about the company's core values and how humility and kindness have become major draws for senior leadership and other employees.
• Respecting and acknowledging all employees (02:58) - Understand the importance of respecting every team member's contribution, from housekeepers to dishwashers, and how this respect fosters a positive work environment.
• EOS Family Matters program (04:24) - Get insights into the EOS Family Matters program, which offers extended family leave, and how it has helped attract and retain a younger demographic of employees.
• Impact of family-friendly policies on employee retention (05:06) - Hear about the significant reduction in turnover rates among employees who take advantage of the family leave program and how it benefits both the company and its employees.

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Music by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Simon Mais, CEO of EOS Hospitality, shares insights into the dynamic world of hotel operations and management. Listen now to learn about:

• Why management and operations matter in the hospitality industry (00:52)
• The appeal of a career in hotel operations (01:06)
• The importance of adaptability and excitement in operations roles (01:50)
• The role of revenue and accounting in successful hotel management (02:33)
• How operations contributes to guest experience and satisfaction (02:53)
• The holistic view of running a hospitality business (03:58)

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Music by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands