While I was at the Hunter Conference, I talked with Greg O'Stean, Chief Development Officer, Hotel Equities about what makes a real owner–operator match—and what operators have to prove in this market. hashtag#NoVacancyNews 🤝 Greg frames his job as matchmaking: align the right owners with the right operator, and only take deals that add real value 🌪️ He calls out the new normal: you can't pull a manual off the shelf and solve today's problems 🧠 He says every hotel rises or falls on property leadership—especially a GM with an entrepreneurial mindset 🛎️ We get into the real definition of empowerment: employees making decisions without fear of getting crushed for it 🍦 He uses the Disney example: solve the guest problem in the moment—don't "ask permission" your way into a bad experience 🏨 He contrasts culture in real life: at this year's host hotel, staff checked in repeatedly on setup, temperature, and tech—basic care that changes everything Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed? Text HOTEL to 66866.