As the 2023 Chairperson of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, Leslie reflects on the key inflection points of her career journey holding senior positions at Goldman Sachs and GE. She comments on the importance of formal education being a graduate of Howard University and holding an MBA from Harvard. We discussed why our industry is lacking in women and minority representation in "C" suite positions and what should be done to improve it. Leslie also shares her experience and advice on taking risks, approaching challenges and prevailing over setbacks. Finally, Leslie offers her perspectives on work life harmony, her leadership style and the "imposter syndrome".

Lisa shares how she earned her reputation as a "serial connector of people" in building her own relationships and expanding the networks of others.  She discusses how being an advocate for the industry with elected officials and engaging with industry trade associations has developed several of her leadership skills and also how she intentionally sought out to strengthen her public speaking skills. Finally, Lisa talks about her very personal approach to taking risks and her advice to her younger self which is also perhaps her only life's regret.

Davonne shares how she went from a front desk agent to being one of the youngest female hotel owners.  She explains the elements she considered in building her unique personal brand.  Davonne discusses how great female mentors and champions have helped her, and three major risks she took to get to where she is today.  She also shares how being confident and authentic helps her advocate for herself, following the examples of other women she’s seen in the boardroom, who come prepared with the facts and are comfortable speaking up.

Chris shares how he evolved from a hard charging, P&L-focused manager into an inspiring leader, whose staff would “follow him into battle.”  He shares his discovery that when he stopped looking at the numbers and started looking at the people, the numbers came – and were actually better than expected.  Chris tells a compelling story that taught him to listen with genuine interest, and why he leads his team from behind – not from out front.

Having led numerous large hotel transactions and deal teams, Leslie shares his incredible career journey and his current venture, which started as a hobby that grew into a 35-hotel investment vehicle.  He describes how, early in his career, he determined the one skill that would make him sought after, and how he intentionally honed that skill, to position himself for the best opportunities.  As a highly-skilled negotiator, Leslie explains how he overcomes challenges in getting deals done, and the moment he decided to forever threw away all scripts and notes when giving speeches.

Determined to become a hotel owner from a young age, Kendra shares her career journey to hotel ownership and how her company, Elise Capital, empowers and educates women and other underrepresented groups to become hotel owners.  She discusses taking risks and overcoming obstacles, why celebrating a “positive memento” on a daily basis helps banish negative thoughts, and the benefits of developing her personal board of advisors, who mentor and champion her.

 Stacy shares her career journey and key factors that contributed to her success. She shares her approach to challenges, and also an example of rebounding from a major setback. We discuss networking, risk-taking and finding inspiration. We also talk about diversity, equity and inclusion in our industry, how we can overcome the "Imposter Syndrome" and "Head Trash". Finally, Stacy offers her advice to her younger self and to our audience.

Shruti discusses the importance of self-care and the approach which works for her. She shares tips on advocating for yourself and for overcoming obstacles and tackling risks, both of which she views as opportunities. Shruti also talks about the role of your support system, how she relies on hers, and what makes each one unique and important. Lastly, Shruti shares her advice for her younger self and where she finds happiness at this stage of her life and career. 

In this episode, Geoff Ballotti, President and CEO, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, shares his journey from dishwasher to CEO of one the largest hotel companies in the world. He reflects on the key inflection points, lessons learned and how he overcame disappointments and setbacks. Geoff also shares his experience leading Wyndham through the pandemic and how he found courage and grace in the face of unprecedented hardship. We discuss Wyndham's unwavering commitment to ESG and DEI and Geoff's advice on some of the barriers to women leadership. Finally, Geoff shares his thoughts on mentors and advocates, and the importance of taking risks.

In this interview, David tells his story as an immigrant, how he progressed up the ladder to become the CEO of one of the largest hotel companies in the world, and how he intends to use his time during retirement to help women and minority groups achieve their career aspirations. He reveals how he took risks, built networks and found champions to achieve his success. Finally, he offers advice he would give to his younger self and to the audience.