Agnelo Fernandes is the CEO of Cote Hospitality, a company blending resorts and heritage summer camps into unforgettable indoor-outdoor experiences. His career spans the Caribbean, Canyon Ranch, CoralTree, and beyond, where he’s built brands, launched properties, and reshaped cultures. Susan and Agnelo talk about culture, camps, and compassionate leadership.

- Why culture is less about ping pong tables and more about tiny, human moments.

- How planning a conference set him free.

- What he learned from Canyon Ranch: branding isn’t logos, it’s promises kept.

- Why kids are better at reviewing travel experiences. 

- Where Agnelo spends 60% of his time.

Our Top Three Takeaways:

1. Culture Is Built Through Small, Human Moments

Agnelo says, "Mindset drives everything." He emphasized that workplace culture isn’t about perks or slogans but about how people feel when they aren’t being watched. Leaders should focus on the details: knowing employees’ families, celebrating milestones, listening during “culture rounds,” and replacing blame with curiosity. He believes culture grows out of conversations and small, consistent acts of care.

2. Authenticity and Empathy Define Great Hospitality

From his time at Canyon Ranch and beyond, Agnelo learned that branding is really about keeping promises and creating experiences. Whether with guests or associates, authenticity and empathy matter most. He stressed that leaders should train teams with real-life, situational examples and that the best way to ensure great guest experiences is by prioritizing and empowering staff first.

3. The Future of Hospitality Blends Purpose, People, and Outdoor Connection

Agnelo predicts strong growth in outdoor hospitality, with travelers seeking meaningful disconnection and reconnection with people they love. He also shared advice for leaders and entrepreneurs: cultivate the right mindset, listen deeply, embrace failures as part of growth, and remember that true hospitality is about enriching lives.

Agnelo Fernandes on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/agnelofernandes/

Cote Hospitality https://www.cotehospitality.com/

Other Episodes You May Like: 

77: GM in the Dumpster with Eleanor Erickson https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/77

179: Bridal Suite Sweethearts with James Ferguson https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/179

35: Ice Machine Bandit with Trina Notman https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/35

Steven Moore is the CEO of Actabl, a hospitality operations platform uniting four hotel operations tools into one streamlined solution. From his early days as a catering busboy to leading Transcendent through the pandemic, Steven’s career has exposed him to more than one challenging situation. Susan and Steven talk about crisis leadership, labor challenges, and competition.

What You'll Hear About:

Why “over-respecting” a crisis beats pretending everything’s fine.

The unexpected CNBC debut that taught Steven the power of saying yes.

Why hotel tech can be a hot mess of fragmentation.

Why “no silver bullet” doesn’t mean labor problems can’t be solved.

How gamifying hotel engineering boosts employee retention.

Steven’s bold prediction: the death of single-workflow vendor tools in five years.

Our Top Three Takeaways:

1. Lead with data and quick wins when driving change Whether selling tech to hoteliers or encouraging adoption inside a hotel company, success comes from proving ROI with clear, relevant data and starting small. One quick, tangible win builds credibility and opens the door to broader adoption.

2. Over-respect a crisis  Steven’s COVID-era CEO experience reinforced the need to anticipate that crises may be more painful and longer-lasting than expected, communicate more frequently, prepare for universal skills like clear thinking and empathy, and balance realism with inspiring optimism.

3. Balance long-term vision with near-term pressures Steven’s time in a family office taught him to think in decades, planting “oak trees” today to enjoy the shade later. In a fast-paced, urgent hospitality environment, he stresses the importance of making sustained, compounding investments while still meeting short-term demands.

Steven Moore on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-moore-80b4ba1a/

Actabl https://actabl.com

Other Episodes You May Like: 

95: Human Chat Bot with Omri Shalev https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/95

135: Giant Pink Eraser with Brian Miller https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/135

11: Swedish Pastry Dreams with Tracy Judge https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/11

Wil Slickers is a hospitality pro turned podcasting powerhouse. He launched Slick Talk in 2018 to scratch an industry itch, then turned it into a multi-show media empire with Hospitality FM, recently acquired by Skift. Susan and Wil talk about podcast pivots, media mergers, and the messy magic of microphone mastery.

What You'll Hear About:

🎙️ Why wearing headphones matters, even with a fancy mic

🎙️ When a sponsor email changed everything

🎙️ Why Wil sold Hospitality FM to Skift

🎙️ What changes are coming to hospitality media

🎙️ How to launch a podcast that doesn’t sound like everyone else's

🎙️ Why smart money matters more than easy money

🎙️ What to avoid in marketing: stock photos, stuck messaging

🎙️ Where things got wild: a hotel checkout story involving blood, blow-up dolls, and a weird whisper

Our Top Three Takeaways:

1. Be Original

Whether you’re building a podcast network or a hospitality business, success starts with knowing who you are and what you stand for. Wil's experience growing and selling Hospitality.FM shows the power of having a clear, unapologetic point of view. Steer clear of the same old stock photos and podcast formats.

2. Long-Term Thinking Beats Short-Term Wins

In both content and hospitality, it's tempting to chase quick results, but real growth happens when you play the long game. Wil built trust with creators and brands by investing in consistency, quality, and relationships rather than shortcuts. Easy money can be surprisingly expensive.

3. Persist

When things weren’t going well, Wil focused on his “why” and gave himself permission to evolve instead of quitting. He believes persistence isn’t about pushing harder. It’s about being honest, staying curious, and adjusting your path while staying true to your mission.

Wil Slickers on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/wil-slickers/

Hospitality.FM https://hospitality.fm/

Acquisition Announcement on Skift https://skift.com/2025/07/29/skift-expands-community-and-multimedia-offerings-with-two-strategic-acquisitions/

Other Episodes You May Like: 

48: Go At It Boldly with Alex Husner and Annie Holcombe https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/125

69: Our First AI Guest with Josiah Mackenzie https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/125

03: Dude, Calm Down with Calvin Tilokee https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/125

125: Stand in the Room with Michele Kline and Stephanie Leger https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/125

Sundip Patel is the founder and CEO of AVANA Companies, a financial services firm managing over $1 billion in assets. Born in Zambia and raised in the U.S., Sundip’s journey from CPA to impact-focused entrepreneur is rooted in resilience and purpose. Susan and Sundip talk about lessons in financing, failure, and forging a better future through hotel lending, job creation, and financial education for girls.

What You'll Hear About:

🏨 What exactly a "capital stack" is and why it matters.

💸 The difference between lenders and investors.

💔 What Sundip learned from his first startup flop.

🎓 How the Sunday Scaries pushed Sundip to pivot from public accounting to purpose.

🏗️ Why measuring social impact still feels like algebra. 

💡 Sundip's next big idea? A gamified platform to teach girls how to invest in real estate (with real money!).

🔮 A bold vision for the future: tokenized hotel loans, AI-powered underwriting, and faster, fairer financing.

🧠 The “character check” lenders don’t talk about—but absolutely do.

🪄 What Sundip would change with a magic wand: every loan comes with a social impact score.

Our Top Three Takeaways:

1. Failure Isn’t Final. It’s Foundational.

Sundip Patel’s journey from bankruptcy to building a billion-dollar lending firm is a powerful reminder that setbacks are not dead ends. Learning from failure, especially early missteps in leadership, hiring, and funding, can pave the way for long-term success rooted in purpose.

2. Hotel Financing Is a Tool for Community Impact

A hotel isn’t just a building. It’s an engine for economic development. By prioritizing job creation and social equity in lending decisions, Sundip demonstrates how capital can serve communities, not just bottom lines.

3. The Future of Investment Is Inclusive and Fractional

From tokenized hotel loans to teaching teen girls about real estate, Sundip sees a future where access to investment is democratized. As technology evolves, so will the tools to make ownership and impact more widely available.

Shanté Micah is a seasoned storyteller and strategic PR pro who launched her career covering the Olympics before earning her master's from Syracuse and pivoting into brand strategy. With global experience and clients like Disney and ESPN under her belt, she’s now the founder of Good News, a consultancy redefining media outreach. Susan and Shanté talk about personalized pitching, press release pitfalls, and purposeful PR for hospitality brands.

📰 From Olympic glory to Israeli boardrooms—Shanté’s wild ride through global communications

📰 What hospitality PR is getting terribly wrong 

📰 The million-dollar Fashion Week flop that proves impressions ≠ impact

📰 Behind the scenes of how Shanté’s team pitches podcasts like pros—and gets booked

📰 Thought leadership vs. thought wallpaper—how to actually stand out in B2B PR

📰 Why your press release isn't a strategy and coverage isn't a trophy

Our Top Three Takeaways:

1. PR Is a System, Not a Spotlight

Instead of treating press coverage like a trophy, successful brands build systems that turn media wins into ongoing visibility and business value. Amplifying, repurposing, and integrating that coverage into everything from sales decks to social content is where the real impact happens.

2. Relevance > Reach

Whether you’re pitching a story or crafting a message, start with what the audience needs, not what you want to say. Personalized, timely, and audience-centered communication cuts through noise and builds lasting credibility.

3. Volume Doesn’t Equal Value

Big numbers—followers, impressions, splashy campaigns—don’t guarantee results. Focus on aligned messaging, strategic intent, and meaningful connections to make a lasting impact in business or life.

Liz Dahlager is the Chief Operating Officer and a partner at Mereté Hotel Management, a hotel management company based in Oregon. With roots in boutique hospitality at Kimpton Hotels, Liz has climbed the career ladder from area director of sales to Chief Operating Officer. Susan and Liz talk about culture, career pivots, and crafting local guest experiences.

Episode Highlights

🎯 Why a solid vision can disarm even the most skeptical peers

🕵️‍♀️ The gamble that (literally) involved chasing cash to a casino

🧠 The surprising prediction about AI and the vanishing sales role

🛏️ The growing divide between experiential and utilitarian hotel stays

🤹‍♀️ How hotel companies can actually support women without just talking about it

🧞‍♀️ What she’d wish for every entry-level hire if given a magic wand

Kim DiMarco is a veteran textile executive and the founder of Somato Textiles, a brand reimagining hospitality fabrics through creativity, sustainability, and heart. With over 30 years of global industry experience, Kim brings a rare mix of business acumen and design passion to every swatch she touches. Susan and Kim talk about pattern psychology, people-first operations, and planet-friendly practices.

What You'll Learn About:

How Kim hustled her way into the textile industry by volunteering in a basement

Why wild hotel carpet patterns were never just about hiding stains

What makes hospitality textiles tougher (and smarter) than your couch fabric

Kim’s fresh take on fabric pricing—with a menu full of vintage restaurant references

How she’s turning old textiles into air-freshening, tire-strengthening biochar

The real reason white bedspreads aren’t going anywhere

Why building a company around people, not profit, can still be wildly successful

A hilarious, heartfelt cold pitch to Danny Meyer—complete with branded sweatshirts

Her top advice for entrepreneurs: go slow, stay scrappy, and follow the spark

It’s the 200th episode, and who better to celebrate with than the show’s most frequent flyer—literally—Cat Meek! Restaurateur, sommelier, real estate investor, travel advisor, and Susan’s sister, Cat shares the hilariously chaotic and wanderlust-filled story of her “adult gap year.” From a surprise St. Croix slideshow pitch to mimosa-fueled airport lounge reviews, it’s a memory-loaded milestone you don’t want to miss.

What You’ll Learn About:

✈️ How a missed seasonal business contract turned into a 25-trip travel spree 🎶 Boom boom trips, concert pilgrimages, and impromptu flights to Vegas and Greece 🧳 Top travel hacks: wear-out shoes, always carry a fold-up bag, and negotiate everything 🌍 Ranking the best (Greece) and worst (sorry, St. Croix) stops on the gap-year globe trot 🔮 Travel predictions: more cruises, a marathon in California, and a Delta One lounge tour of dreams

Chuck Kelley is a seasoned hotelier who’s done it all—from F&B to executive leadership across the globe. Now a partner at Cayuga Hospitality Consultants, he helps independent hotels tackle their trickiest challenges. Susan and Chuck talk about career pivots, consulting pitfalls, and crispy critters.

🦂 From busboy to big boss—how Chuck climbed the hospitality ladder.

🦂 The sideways move that changed his whole career (and wasn’t supposed to happen).

🦂 Why independent hotels need more help than they think and where to find it.

🦂 The hardest part of solving problems? Admitting there is one.

🦂 What owners get wrong about consultants, and how to get your money’s worth.

🦂 The scariest thing Chuck ever ate on the job. Spoiler: it had a stinger.

Other Episodes You May Like: 

19: Welcome to Last Call with Stephanie Smith https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/19

102: Elmer on Ice with Mandy Murry https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/102

174: Apron on a Fence with Mitch Prensky https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/174

In this second batch of HITEC interviews, Susan invites a new group of hotel tech leaders into the Top Floor recording booth to deliver their best Elevator Pitches—and a few unforgettable stories. From AI-powered concierges to spa booking solutions and a piano-playing manager who couldn’t play piano, this episode blends industry insight with plenty of personality. Plus, you’ll find out exactly how a monkey became part of a hotel’s guest communication demo.

Featured guests:

James Hansen, Vice President of Business Development, REECO

Eric Lutz, Co-Founder & CEO, OLIVE

Shawn Tarter, President, RealTime Reservation

Mark Cederloff, CEO, VSR Network Technologies

Mike Medsker, Founder, SIV

Jen Barnwell, President, Curator Hotel & Resort Collection

Tess McGoldrick, Senior Vice President, Travel & Hospitality, Revenue Analytics

Tanya Pratt, Global Vice President, Oracle Hospitality

Stephen Chen, CEO, Phunware