In this special HITEC edition of Top Floor, we’re riding the elevator with hospitality tech leaders who know how to make a pitch. From PMS platforms to AI concierges, we cover real-world tools and real-life chaos, including fainting coworkers, bat encounters, and nightclub drama. Whether you're here for the insights or the insanity, this episode delivers both!

Featured in Part One:

David Fox with Quore

Mark Lewis-Brown with Zucchetti North America

Estella Hale with Zucchetti North America

Christian Arias with Hapi

Doug Ralston with True Omni

Ethan Wiseman with Sabre

Sandrine Zechbauer with RMS

Mahendra Doshi is a journalist, historian, and author who came to the U.S. from India in 1967 with just $8 and a dream. From working in Nevada casinos to launching a trailblazing Indian newspaper, he chronicled immigrant stories long before they were trending. Susan and Mahendra talk about his latest book, Surat to San Francisco, which uncovers the incredible rise of Patel hoteliers in America.

What You'll Learn in This Episode 🧑‍🌾 Why one surname dominates the U.S. hotel industry—and what it really means 💸 How a five-dollar gamble turned into a lifelong journey of storytelling 🕵️‍♀️ How oral history can unearth the truths the internet forgets 🏨 The surprising link between World War II and the rise of Indian hoteliers 🎬 How a community story made its way to the red carpet at Tribeca

Guise Bule spent nearly two decades in tech and cybersecurity before pivoting to hospitality, where his personal experience as a frequent traveler and dog owner inspired a new mission. He founded Roch Dog, a certification agency that applies objective data to evaluate hotels for their dog-friendliness. Susan and Guise talk about standards, service, and shifting expectations in the world of pet travel.

What You'll Learn About:

🐶 How hotel pet policies often mislead travelers

🐶 Why a data-driven certification system beats subjective reviews

🐶 The surprising benefits of offering thoughtful dog amenities

🐶 How transparent rankings can create a competitive advantage

🐶Practical tips for hotels to improve dog-friendliness instantly

Chris Tripoli is a veteran restaurateur, consultant, and podcast host with decades of hospitality experience under his belt. From teenage busboy to industry sage, he's seen it all—launching concepts, advising entrepreneurs, and mentoring the next generation. Susan and Chris talk about hospitality, hiring, and hitting the bullseye with your brand.

What You'll Learn About

🍽️ The #1 mistake restaurant owners make. 🧃 The secret to balancing fast, frictionless service with personalized hospitality. 🎭 Why teaching new staff the "onstage/backstage" mindset is non-negotiable. 📊 Value ≠ cheap. What guests really want when they talk about “value.” 💡 “Say yes now, figure it out later”—his golden rule for unforgettable guest service. 🌍 That time he landed a restaurant project in Saudi Arabia... by being American (and good with women).

Scott Roby is a lifelong hotel enthusiast whose love for hospitality began during childhood stays at the Ritz Carlton. After studying at Cornell’s Hotel School and cutting his teeth in revenue management at Hilton, Scott co-founded Evolution Hospitality and is now president of Pacifica Hotels. Susan and Scott talk about operations, owner alignment, and offbeat inspiration.

What You'll Learn About:

🌺 How Hawaiian resorts sparked a hospitality career 🏢 Big-brand tools vs. startup scrappiness 🚫 The case for ditching the term “third party” 📊 Fixing broken hotel management agreements ⚾ What hotel leaders can learn from the Savannah Bananas 🛎️ Why booking a room is still harder than it should be 🧨 A radical idea: fire-your-operator-anytime contracts

Shelley Brown is a keynote speaker, artist, and former hospitality pro who has built a career by challenging the status quo with heart and humor. After decades navigating buttoned-up boardrooms and high-stakes sales, she ditched the script to help leaders embrace imperfection, foster belonging, and lead like actual humans. Susan and Shelley talk about legacy, leadership, and the Dead.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

🎤 The surprising first step to becoming a paid speaker 🪞 How self-awareness fuels stronger leadership 💥 The difference between being real and being unfiltered 💡 What “Rebel Leadership” actually looks like in practice 📉 Why data won’t fix your culture—but conversation might 🫶 A fresh way to think about purpose (hint: it’s not always profound)

Sarah Moss is the Chief of Staff at Hunter Hotel Advisors, where she’s the operational glue behind both the firm and its booming hotel investment conference. A hospitality lifer, she started as a maitre d’ and worked her way through college before joining Hunter full-time, pausing only briefly to crunch numbers at Coca-Cola. Susan and Sarah talk about growth, grit, and good data.

💡 Learn why saying “yes” to the jobs no one wants can be the ultimate power move in hospitality.

🏗️ Hear how Sarah Moss helped double the size of a major hotel investment conference—pandemic and all.

🎤 Get the truth behind conference programming, from booking speakers to dodging $30k “pay to play” traps.

🌟 Find out how she’s leading the charge for diversity and strategic vision in an industry built on tradition.

🧠 Why becoming a “professional Googler” might be the soft skill of the century—and her advice for future leaders.

Donte Johnson is a hospitality veteran with a 20+ year career of transforming hotel experiences through cultural integration and community connection. Now GM at Thompson Atlanta Buckhead, he’s known for blending operational excellence with authentic local engagement. Jason Bass is a serial entrepreneur turned hotel innovator, bringing his background in fashion, spirits, and tech to a new role as Director of Culture and Impact. Together, they co-authored The Impact Hospitality Handbook, diving into passion-powered hospitality, purposeful partnerships, and people-first playbooks.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

🧾 What happens when you toss the traditional org chart and ask, “If we didn’t know how to run a hotel, how would we do it?”

🎽 Why letting hotel staff choose their uniforms might be the most empowering—and stylish—move you can make.

📈 How community-focused strategies drove hard business results, from full staffing to 3 billion impressions.

🍵 What organic tea, local DJs, and free meeting spaces have to do with redefining hospitality.

💼 How not to onboard a consultant.

Adrian Balcan is the founder of Feed Check, a platform that helps hospitality businesses decode customer feedback and outshine the competition. With a brain wired for both economics and engineering, he started his company straight out of university, pivoting from tech reviews to the tasty world of hospitality insights. Susan and Adrian talk about fake reviews, feedback-fueled fixes, and futuristic formats.

🔍 What the signs are that a hotel review is fake. 📊 How reading competitors can sharpen your strategy. 🤖 Why your AI-generated review responses shouldn’t sound like a robot on repeat. 📱 Where customer reviews will come from next.  🛠️ How to stay on top of online reviews on the cheap.

Renee Rubens is the founder of Symphony of Leaves, a luxury tea company rooted in ethical sourcing and sensory sophistication. After decades in global media sales, she followed her passion for tea into a new venture that blends her business savvy with botanical elegance. In this episode, she dishes on premium pu-erh, purposeful partnerships, and proper preparation.

What you'll learn about:

✨ Why tea bags are basically dust in a disguise (and what to sip instead) 🍵 How a Brit’s sass and a global pandemic led to a tea empire 🏨 Why hotels and spas are the new hot spot for high-end tea 🌿 What makes real tea real—and why chamomile doesn’t count 💧 The water temperature trick that’ll totally change your cup 📱 A henna mishap + no cell signal = Renee’s wildest travel story