She Has a Deal, a program that promotes women as hotel owners, last month minted several new investors through its inaugural pitch competition.

Episode 294 of Lodging Leaders podcast examines what it took for the three women who make up the team called Datcher to win the top prize of $50,000 in equity in an investment fund that would include financing toward its $27-million project proposed for downtown Detroit. What we found out can help prospective hotel developers find capital and guide would-be investors on where to risk their money when the lodging industry begins to shift from survival to comeback mode.