Defining Hospitality

For the last year and a half, people have holed up in their rooms, unable to go anywhere. Now more than ever is when people are craving the need to explore, travel and interact with other people. 

Dan is joined by thought leader in the industry, SVP and global director of Wimberly Interiors, Margaret McMahon! Margaret has seen the world and is a travel enthusiast, and she’s here to share why she thinks travel can really lift someone’s spirits. Listen to this week’s episode as she shares #hospitality insights with Dan Ryan today!

Takeaways: 

• You can go and get anything you set your mind to. Using phrases like “call me back if you want” won’t do you any favors. 
• Visualisations of what you want to achieve are incredibly important. Creating a vision board can often help you focus your goals and terms and make them achievable. 
• Travel is incredibly important. It doesn’t matter whether you are down the street or going across to another country, seeing the beauty in this world is something that can provide a whole new outlook on life. 
• Hospitality is all about service and whatever that means. It’s not just delivering room service but it’s a service that is provided to give an experience. 
• You have to be able to read a room and understand what is appropriate and what isn’t. Not only do other cultures view actions in a certain way, but even other co-workers might not think like you do.
• We all have to want each other to succeed. In this day and age, everything is extremely competitive but we still need to be human and hope for the best for everyone, including the competition. 
• Residential projects have skyrocketed lately. With people moving away from the cities, the need for residential projects and houses has really exploded since the start of the pandemic. 
• Margaret’s advice to her younger self: Lighten up. We all do a million different things each day but we should try to lighten up. 

Quote of the Show:

11:05 “Whether you're driving down the road to a Holiday Inn Express, or you’re hopping on a plane, or you’re taking a road trip or you’re glamping, whatever it is, I think that brings joy to everyone. I bet that if you were to survey people that have been holed up in their houses for a year and half, everyone is really craving not only travel but interaction. 

I think that what’s really about is all us giving service to create a memorable experience and bring joy to people. I know that sounds super lofty, you’re not finding the cure for cancer, you’re not splitting the atom or anything like that. Whether you're staying in an AirBnB, whether you’re staying in a pension, whether you’re staying in a tent, traveling our planet to be able to see it is a really beautiful thing.”

Links: 

• Margaret’s Profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-mcmahon-02403b12/
• Company website: https://www.watg.com/wimberly/

Shout Outs: 

3:33 The Power of Intention by Wayne Dyer

5:38 Slaughterhouse 5  by Kurt Vonnegut

6:10 Rodney Dangerfield’s film, “Back to School”

7:26 Margo House

8:43 Charian Cerilo 

8:54 Hotelier of the year award

9:13 Four Seasons

9:14 Ian Schrager

9:20 Forbes Travel

11:05 Holiday Inn Express

12:27 AirBnB

17:06 Pan-Am

23:03 Wimberly Interiors

25:11 Trishia Wilson

25:52 Entenmann’s Donuts

32:30 Soho House

39:34 Starbucks

42:35 Boca Raton Resort

44:34 Laws of Attraction book

55:52 Dr. Faucci

1;01:11 Balthazar Restaurant

1;02:03 Bill Murray in Stripes

Ways to Tune In: 

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPX
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386
• Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1s
• Podbean:  https://www.defininghospitality.live/
• Youtube : https://youtu.be/0kjGr4s7uUM

Having a positive outlook on life is the key to success.

Dan is joined by industry thought leader, former adjunct at NYU and host of the “No Vacancy” podcast, Glenn Haussman. Glenn is also the board member at the Long Island Hospitality Association and the president of Rouse Media.  Listen to this week’s episode as he shares #hospitality insights with Dan Ryan today!

Takeaways: 

• The true spirit of hospitality is the notion of giving without expecting anything in return. 
• If you show interest in what people are saying, are genuine and positive, people will feel comfortable with you and that can create great connections. 
• As times change, it’s always good to try and adapt to what the new times bring.
• Always push harder than the next person, the hard work will pay off in the long run.
• All the old rules that hospitality used to follow are out the window and now is the time to challenge yourself and try new business strategies.
• You can use technology to understand your guests. Find out what your guests like and try to connect with them on that level.
• Mass customization is the notion of creating individualized experiences for the masses of people. 
• Don’t let the fear of rejection hold you back. The only thing holding you back is yourself and how you feel about yourself. 

Quote of the Show:

7:34 “Back in the 1990’s as I was starting my career in hospitality, my buddy happened to be an extremely successful video editor. He was like the guy cutting every single hip hop video you would see on MTV, BET and those networks. I went with him to go run the business side of it for him as I was building my writing career. 

Every single person I met in that Hollywood music universe, and I met a lot of people, 99% of them were not people I want to have anything to do within my life. Nasty, negative, not the right type of human beings. 

In hospitality, it’s completely flipped on its head. Nearly everybody is universally amazing, open and terrific.”

Links: 

• Glenn’s Profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/glennhaussman/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/TravelingGlenn?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
• Podcast: https://novacancy.libsyn.com
• Book: https://www.amazon.com/Adapters-Hospitality-industry-adapting-innovating/dp/1662905408

Shout Outs: 

0:30 NYU

1:01 BDNY Trade Show

5:56 No Vacancy live podcast

7:44 MTV, BET

27:54 The Adapters book

28:12  Seán Worker

29:14 The Adaptors.net

32:12 Phish

41:08 Hunter Conference 

44:44 Jon Stewart, Remote Control TV show

44:56 Jimmy Kimmel, Win Ben Stein's Money TV show

47:19 The Big Cypress Indian Reservation, Florida

Ways to Tune In: 

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPX
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386
• Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1s
• Podbean:  https://www.defininghospitality.live/
• YouTube: https://youtu.be/C1oO0ydL8l8

How do you stay positive when you’re emotionally drained?

Sarah Dandashy of AskAConcierge likes to remember that every guest interaction is a chance to be a part of someone’s positive memory. Listen to this week’s episode as she shares #hospitality insights with Dan Ryan today!

Check out some takeaways from this episode below:

• Though she first found success on Instagram, Sarah finds LinkedIn is a powerful way to grow her network. It’s not just a great way to connect with others in #hospitality and #travel, it’s a platform that values substance. 
• The concierge is the original influencer. They take their first hand experiences in travel and introduce others to new opportunities.
• “Sometimes thoughtful things don’t cost that much. It could be a handwritten note or a cocktail.” - Sarah Dandashy. It’s the time invested that’s meaningful to your customer. 
• Anticipation is a powerful tool for great guest experiences, but presentation matters. Too much personalization can be creepy, so aim for thoughtfulness. 
• The most impactful ways to provide hospitality are often simple. Most of the time, people just want to feel listened to. 
• “If you change your mindset and just get creative about it, it’s amazing what you can do.” - Sarah Dandashy
• Recommendations are better when you take the time to understand the guest. Talk with them to find out more about their desired experience. 
• We need to take care of the frontlines of our industry. If you want people to treat this as a profession, you need to treat them like professionals.
• “if we just always keep our mind open and we just have these real conversations with our colleagues in whatever field they're in, it's amazing what we can learn from each other.” - Sarah Dandashy
• Sarah’s advice to her younger self: always remember you get to be a part of somebody’s positive memory

Quote of the Show:

13:15 - “But it was this intersection between human connection and thoughtful experience because really when you, when you look at it, hospitality, it is all about the human connection. Yes. There might be a digital aspect, but it's all about connecting on that human level. That's where hospitality comes from, you know, way back when, where people inviting people to their homes, like they're breaking bread over, over a meal, that's all hospitality and that's a human connection.

And then the thoughtful experiences. Are what make it unique and make it special? You know, it's more than just inviting somebody into your home or having somebody over for dinner. It's having those conversations and, and it is finding those thoughtful experiences, whether it's playing on something like, oh, I know . That you really love XYZ and tying that into it.

So all of that kind of ties in into really what I think makes hospitality that. The good stuff that we love.” - Sarah Dandashy

Links: 

• Sarah’s Profile - linkedin.com/in/sarahdandashy
• Websites
  • www.askaconcierge.tv  (Company Website)
•  
  • www.sarahdandashy.com (Personal Website)
•  
• Twitter
  • Sarahdandashy
•  
  • AskAConcierge
•  

Shout Outs: 

18:14 - Le Clefs d’Or Concierge

13:58 - Ritz Carlton in Berlin

43:19 - Christian Giordano (from Defining Hospitality Episode 7) 

Ways to Tune In: 

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPX
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386
• Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1s
• Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrpt8C461L_9n_6vezzZtkQ

How do you handle unhappy clients?

Christian Giordano, President and co-owner of Mancini Duffy, approaches any situation by thinking about what he can do to improve it. He joins Dan Ryan to talk about #architecture, #hospitality, & more in this week’s episode. Check it out now!

Check out some takeaways from this episode below:

• Christian’s show, The Anti-Architect Podcast, originated with his unique perspective on the architecture industry, and figuring out how to listen, understand, and connect with his clients. Whether you’re a black cape architect or a junior designer at a corporate firm. The best thing you can do is listen. 
• Hospitality comes from incredible service and listening. From those two points, we can begin to anticipate customer needs and implement them into how we impact their experience. 
• Giving clients more information up front can help facilitate decision making, especially since budget plays a critical factor. For example, Christian’s team shows different sized dollar signs ($) in early designs and discussions to give them a visual cue into their options. The reactions and conversations that come out of it can inform new and better ideas.
• Building & maintaining culture during a pandemic is challenging, but Christian’s firm weathered it by having open, agendaless Zoom calls twice a week and being flexible with how people work. Giving everyone an opportunity to contribute, regardless of seniority or experience leads to better ideas and a more engaged workforce. 
• It’s not our place to tell clients they’re wrong, it’s our place to come to them with a different solution.
• Companies don’t have to follow their industry trends for workspaces anymore. Instead, they should focus on planning a space that works for them and their business’ specific needs.
• Christian’s advice to his younger self: Enjoy the journey, and don’t be so stressed out along the way.

Quote of the Show:

32:36 - We have to respond to them a certain way. We always have to be positive. Right. You never want to tell a client? "No, you're wrong. No, that's ridiculous." I mean, as many times as you, you may want to, that's not really our place. I always found our place to be: we have to come back with a solution. If they're not happy or they don't think this is correct. Well then it's, it's not on them. It's on us to find the right solution. And most of the time I will say we do.

I think I take that approach on a lot of things is, "Well, maybe it's me." And I think if you take that approach, "Well, it's not them. So what am I doing wrong? How can I make this situation better?"  Because think about it, if you're in a situation and someone is beating up on you the entire time, you kind of lose interest in it and it's no fun anymore.

So that level of trying to figure out what is it that I can do to improve the situation? Always helps in that. And I think our clients appreciate that. You know, we don't say, "you're wrong or no, that's impossible. No that won't fit over there. Don't you understand scale?" You know? We will say, "No, let us take a look at it, and give you some options." And usually that works. - Christian Giordano 

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cdgiordano/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/archifella
• Company website: https://www.manciniduffy.com/
• The Anti-Architect Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-anti-architect-podcast/id1552247664

Shout Outs: 

1:40 - Carrie & Lauren of Brand Groupies 

6:20 - Gensler

9:43 - Isadore Sharp & the Four Seasons service model

19:15 - The Arlo Hotel in NYC

27:45 - Mancini Duffy Lux 

30:00 - Mark Green 

41:40 - UCLA’s faculty Frank Gary & Thom Mayne

Ways to Tune In: 

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPX
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386
• Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1s
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrpt8C461L_9n_6vezzZtkQ

When was the last time you deeply listened to someone else? When was the last time you deeply listened to yourself?

Hilary Illick, senior faculty member at the Hoffman Institute, joins Dan Ryan to discuss open-hearted listening, #sustainability, creativity, and more on this new episode of Defining #Hospitality! Listen to this episode now!

Check out some takeaways from this episode below:

• The Hoffman Institute’s approach to hospitality is by meeting everyone with a deep unconditional welcome. Nonjudgemental listening gives people the opportunity to speak their truth. 
• Teaching a disruptive student requires patience and listening. While it’s not good for the group if one student requires the majority of a teacher’s attention, what a disruptive student wants most is to be understood and soothed. 
• Sustainability is something that’s being taken more into account in hospitality now, especially as investors begin to see the positive impacts both economic and environmental, and it’s important to consider as we continue to build into the future. 
• “I don't think we can underestimate the power of open-hearted listening. Actually. I think. I think we really needed as kids, we all needed to be heard and seen and understood. And as adults, if we can give that experience to each other of actually really listening to someone, how they're feeling, what they're up against. Very often people come to their own solutions. It's like the body, the body heals itself, the body's this miraculous healing organism. And so is the psyche. If given the proper care, I think we heal ourselves really well. And often when I'm deeply listening, people are making suggestions that they might not even hear themselves saying about their own solutions.”
• “I think the creative process is a process of deep listening. Actually, you're listening to spirit, you're listening to the creative muse. Michelangelo said, “David was in the stone.” He didn't think “Oh, I’m gonna make this man out of the stone.” He worked with the stone. He was actually listening to the contours of the rock to make this incredible statue.” - Hilary Illick
• You have to create for your audience. “Who’s your psychographic? Who's the ideal person or people that you want walking through and smiling and laughing and being their best selves in this place?” - Dan Ryan
• There’s so much neuroplasticity in the brain that it’s always possible to change and improve as a person. The brain is constantly rewiring itself and reforming, “You can absolutely regenerate right now” - Hilary Illick
• The inequities in our world need to be discussed with open hearts and active listening. 
• Writing can be a tremendous method of regenerating yourself, especially in conjunction with meditation and self-reflection. Like travel or new experiences, writing can be its own terrain of discovery.
• Hilary’s most craved food - fresh green vegetables - “They make me feel cared for”
• Hilary’s advice to her younger self: It’s trial and error. You’re not supposed to be someone, you already are who you are. You just need to listen to yourself to find out. 

Quote of the Show:

20:52 “I don't think we can underestimate the power of open-hearted listening. Actually, I think we as kids, we all needed to be heard and seen and understood. And as adults, if we can give that experience to each other of actually really listening to someone, how they're feeling, what they're up against. Very often people come to their own solutions. It's like the body. The body heals itself. The body's this miraculous healing organism. And so is the psyche. If given the proper care, I think we heal ourselves really well. And often when I'm deeply listening, people are making suggestions that they might not even hear themselves saying about their own solutions. “ - Hilary Illick

Links: 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilary-illick-263035158/
• Company website: https://www.hoffmaninstitute.org/
• https://hilaryillick.com/about/

Shout Outs: 

17:10 - The Graduate in New Haven CT, Hotel One in Brooklyn NY

19:50 - Danny Meyer’s Hospitality Quotient

24:37 - Arthur, on PBS

40:17 - Warren Rustand’s 10-10-10 system

45:31 - Bob Hoffman: “I’m changing the world one person at a time.” 

Ways to Tune In: 

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPX
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386
• Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1s
• Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrpt8C461L_9n_6vezzZtkQ

What makes you feel most at home? Is it some comfy furniture, a familiar scene, or is it something far deeper?

Mikey Dobin, President of Valley Forge Fabrics stops by to share his perspective and swap stories with his lifelong best friend, Dan Ryan. Listen to the episode for more laughs & poignant insights into the hospitality industry like the ones below!

Takeaways:

• “Hospitality is a place where I feel like it's home away from home.” - Mikey Dobin
• What makes a hotel feel like home is a good environment mixed with social aspects. Places where you can joke with the front desk clerks, or have a good conversation with employees there. Rigorous processes can get in the way sometimes.
• The best way to engage with people is to listen. People want to be heard. In Mikey’s experience, getting down to real human connection immediately gets people to open up to him faster.
• Culture is more important than a good strategy, but culture is more than a buzzword & a ping pong table. Culture is how you work, how you interact when you work, how you interact when you’re having fun.
• “I feel like I never really knew how to run a business until the pandemic” - Mikey Dobin
• There is a measurable ROI when putting your people first, because it translates to the client that the company takes care of its employees. Your output from investing in culture is a better quality of service.
• The pandemic has magnified large divides not just economically, but in terms of safety & comfort. It has also shown just how resilient humankind can be. 

Quote of the Show: 

• “You could definitely feel the difference in a hotel that's going to be your part of a transaction versus a hotel that is a little bit more owned by someone with a little bit more passion for the business.” - Mikey 
• 2021 is going to be the Year of Hugs #YOH

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikey-dobin-04308468/
• Twitter: @jmikeyd
• Company website: https://www.valleyforge.com/

Shout Outs - 

31:36 - The W Hotel in San Francisco

Ways to Tune In: 

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPX
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386
• Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1s
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrpt8C461L_9n_6vezzZtkQ

Is anything as universal as a cookie?

Loren Brill, founder and CEO of Sweet Loren’s, stops by to talk about continuing her company's meteoric growth during a pandemic, building an inclusive culture, and setting an example for the next generation of female entrepreneurs. Check out some takeaways from this episode below:

• Food is more than just nourishment, it’s a way for us to connect with each other. Sharing food, especially healthy food, is a great way to build communities & make our bodies feel better in the process
• Loren’s advice for getting people to feel comfortable and open up: no judgement. Trust your team & celebrate their diversity by creating an open & welcoming environment.
• Loren grew her company on both coasts during the pandemic by non-work team building opportunities and being flexible with things like scheduling or remote working. And going up against established giants in the packaged food industry, their success comes from thinking about how they can outsmart their competition, rather than try to spend millions on marketing.
• One of the best ways to promote gender diversity in entrepreneurship is to give more visibility to female entrepreneurs. It helps normalize the idea for young girls that they can achieve their dreams and be part of the next generation of business leaders. 
• The key to a good hospitality experience: make everyone feel important. Going the extra mile for your customer, whether it’s a hotel guest or purchaser for a supermarket chain, is something that can be set up as a system and built into your culture. 
• Innovation and growth can come from anywhere, even customer suggestions. Good customer relationships can allow you to test new ideas in a way that creates honest and constructive feedback, while still relying on traditional industry research to identify open space in the market for innovation. 
• Loren’s advice to her younger self: Take advantage of every day. Make sure you’re enjoying as much of life as possible, and don’t be so hard on yourself. Because you’re capable of conquering your wildest dreams.

Quote of the Show:

20:46 - “We have amazing fans and we get emails and messages all the time from parents that say that their daughter loves our cookie dough and loves seeing the back of our package. I have the story of how I created Sweet Loren's in a picture of me. And I think them just seeing that and being like, oh my God, that's it, that's a pretty young female, like, I could do that. I can do whatever I want, and I think just having more, seeing more role models out there of women just normalizes it so that, whoever you are, whatever age you are, you don't think it's weird or super hard. You're not at a disadvantage. If you're female it's totally been done, it's totally doable. And women should dream as big as they want.” - Loren Brill 

Links: 

• Website: www.SweetLorens.com
• Twitter: @SweetLorens, @LorenBrill  
• Email: [email protected]
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sweet-loren's-llc/

Ways to Tune In: 

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPX
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386
• Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1s
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrpt8C461L_9n_6vezzZtkQ

What makes a strong leader?

According to Chris Green, President & CEO of Chesapeake Hospitality, a good leader is like a river guide - they’ve been through the rapids before, but know how to get the best out of their team without jumping in and paddling for them. Listen in as Chris joins host Dan Ryan to discuss the different ways leadership can be nurtured and cultivated while navigating the rushing waters of the hospitality industry.

Check out some takeaways from this episode below:

• Leadership requires not only being able to trust your people, but to give them the tools they need to be leaders themselves.
• Tough decisions can be painful, but they can be the right choice in the end. Navigating tough times while putting people first involves creating plans that are customized for individuals and groups. 
• Hospitality is something you should practice everyday. It’s about having a genuine concern for a positive outcome for others. Chris draws on his family & southern upbringing when thinking about how to go the extra mile for someone in your care. 
• Take the time to get to know the individual. “People are not to be blueprinted, everybody’s different.” - Chris
• The number one trait in future leaders is curiosity. People who ask questions show engagement with the task at hand.
• A strong-willed leader can overcome difficult challenges, but they can also lead a team in the wrong direction at times. 
• Advice to Chris’ younger self: Learn from your leaders, for good or for bad. Don’t be too hard on yourself, but learn from your mistakes. 

Quote of the Show:

13:15 -”To me it's just genuine care and concern for a positive outcome for others. And that, that is hospitality. And that's, what's cool about that is it's our, my living and it's also my life. And what I mean by that is, just because I make money doing it in the hotel business, hospitality is something that you should practice every day, whether it's with your neighbor or with the person that's the grocery store or whatever, the person who's frustrating you at a grocery store, you know, it's, it's how we treat our fellow humans.”

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wchrisgreen/
• Company website: https://www.chesapeakehospitality.com/

Shout Outs: 

49:50 - Warren Rustand, “The Leader Within Us” 

Ways to Tune In: 

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPX
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386
• Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1s
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrpt8C461L_9n_6vezzZtkQ

When something goes wrong, how do you react? Do you throw your hands up in frustration and surrender, or do you try to fix the problem? 

Misha Bedner, President of Agency 967, advises to remain calm when things go haywire, because he knows the best thing you can do is approach the situation with a positive attitude and focus on the customer experience. Check out the podcast for more great insights like the ones you see below!

Takeaways:

• Hospitality is about service. A great customer interaction can be more impactful than outstanding design or furniture fixtures. 
• Misha credits his dad Michael with introducing him to the hospitality industry, & how to create a shared experience with customers - “If a client invites you to do karaoke, you go out and do karaoke!” 
• When something happens that’s out of your control, it’s how you approach the problem that creates a good or bad experience. Relying on policy can make service feel automatic, when the focus should be on the customer’s experience.
• When you go to a new destination, take in something that is culturally unique to where you are. Visit a museum or landmark, try local food, find something that you’ve never done before & try it!
• It’s important to bring a sense of mindfulness to hospitality & be intentional in the space, in the interaction, in the connection.  
• Misha learned how to deal with tough customers by serving bodybuilders at the Firehouse in Santa Monica. But being aware, specific, & mindful about specific customers’ needs can help build stronger relationships.
• “S#!& is gonna happen, it’s all about how you fix it.” - Misha 
• New projects are starting to return in the post-pandemic world, but there’s a bottleneck in the supply chain that affects timelines. Patience is important, because we’re moving onwards & upwards, even if it’s not as quickly as we’re used to right now.
• Advice for Misha’s younger self: Take more risks

Quote of the Show: 

"The process of a hotel coming into being is so many people working, designing, and coming together and combining their forces to make something beautiful. I think it's spectacular. And there's people who are involved on the design side. And if you, look over their shoulder and they're, space planning a guest room, or they're drawing out what light fixture that's gonna fit next to the bed. All those, those million different little facets of how a hotel comes together. That's so beautiful to me. The sad thing is, that's like 2% of how a hotel comes together. All that, all that fun design, all the sexy stuff. It's such a small little thing in the whole big picture." - Misha

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/misha-bedner-0868b85/
• Company website: https://www.ninesixseven.com/

Shout Outs: 

5:27 - Justin in Santa Monica

10:23 - Michael Bedner

19:30 - National Museum in India

35:57 - The Firehouse In Santa Monica

Ways to Tune In: 

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPX
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386
• Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1s
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HbcIcdw9_g

What do you remember most about a hotel experience? For some, it may be the furnishings or fabulous architecture. But for Bashar Wali, Founder & CEO of Practice Hospitality and This Assembly, it’s about the moments of real human interaction and connection that matter most. 

In this episode, Bashar Wali joins Dan Ryan to talk about what hospitality means to him, ways we can improve diversity throughout the industry, & the future of hospitality. Check out some takeaways from this episode below:

• “Fundamentally the difference between the service industry, which is what you deliver, versus the hospitality industry is the following: hospitality is how you make people feel.”
• Authenticity is more than just having an unapologetic point of view, it comes from a place of being yourself. 
• Hospitality is not just about luxury, it comes from believing that you are there to make someone’s life better for more than just one moment in time.
• The new definition of luxury is ultra personalization. Understand the wants and needs of the customer, and utilize available technology to serve those needs. 
• You can’t train on culture & community, but you can build it by showing your employees that they treated as more than just part of the team
• Don’t treat guests differently based on market segment or source of business - treat them as an opportunity to win over a new customer.
• Diversity in hospitality is one sided - while the lowest levels have tremendous diversity, leadership has far less. To improve this, we can do a better job of encouraging & creating opportunities for underrepresented groups. It’s a lot more than just talk, and it can take generations to fix.
• The future of hospitality is in sustainability & utilizing big data to optimize human experiences. As our society breaks down binary barriers, hospitality has an opportunity to be at the center of it all.
• Don’t think of technology as cutting on cost, but to remove friction from human interactions
• Every new customer, every new person you talk to, is an opportunity to see the world through their eyes & understand their wants and needs.
• “Never turn down a meeting, because you’ll never know what you will learn.” - Bashar

Quote of the Show:

“People ask me why I got into this business. Where I grew up, there's a saying that goes, ‘When a stranger shows up at your door, feed him for three days before you ask him who he is, where he's from, where he's going to. Because by then, he'll either be strong enough to tell you, or you'll be such good friends it won't matter.’ That is hospitality.”  ~ Bashar Wali

Links: 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/basharwali/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/basharwali
• Websites:  
  • https://practicehospitality.com/
  • https://thisassembly.com/
  • https://linktr.ee/waliworld
  • https://basharwali.com/
  • Hotelier.life

Shout Outs: 

10:24 - The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman

11:36 - Danny Meyer - Union Square Hospitality Group - “The Hospitality Quotient”

26:09 - Bill Kimpton’s Core Principles

26:38 - Joie de Vivre / Chip Conley

38:27 - Damon Lawerence, Homage Suite 

41:03 - Independent Lodging Congress

51:32 - MaidBots

55:39 - Simon Sinek, Start With Why

Ways to Tune In: 

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPX
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386
• Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1s
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j31mN1dIGhg