TRAVEL redefined

While the snacks in hotel lobby shops may satisfy cravings, they do us no favors when it comes to the quality of our sleep and health.

Sean Folkson, founder and CEO of Nightfood, joins me for today's episode to talk about how Nightfood products are changing the game of hotel snacking. Nightfood ice cream and cookies are sleep-friendly with an average of 70% less sugar, 70% fewer calories, and only 10% of the fat of traditional ice cream. Nightfood also contains 100mg of tryptophan per serving, added Vitamin B6, Calcium, Zinc and Magnesium which are research-backed for improving sleep quality. Within a few months of their launch into hotel distribution, sleep-friendly Nightfood ice cream pints have landed on the lobby shop shelves of some of the largest hotel chains in the country. In many, Nightfood sleep-friendly pints are already outselling legacy brands like Haagen Dazs and Ben & Jerry’s.

During this episode, Sean and I talk about Nightfood and how it's pioneering the sleep-friendly nighttime snack category. We talk about the limited snack options that hotels offer, why sleep-friendly snacks are important, the passion behind Nightfood's mission, the ice cream and cookie Nightfood products, and more.

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Do you have loyalty towards an airline in order to increase your traveling perks and score some free flights? Well then you're tuning in to the right episode to hear from Mark Ross-Smith about the future of airline loyalty programs.

Mark ‘Mr Loyalty’ Ross-Smith, is an award-winning global airline loyalty industry leader. Currently, Mark is CEO & Co-founder at Loyalty Data Co, the parent brand of StatusMatch.com and is the Author, Founder of industry news site “Travel Data Daily." Mark’s experience in airlines runs deep as he previously headed up the Malaysia Airlines Enrich Loyalty Program, delivering consecutive year record financial success to the airline. His unique approach to loyalty innovation has received industry acclaim and his work is referenced in major media including CNN, BBC, South China Morning Post, The Star, The Economist, Financial Times, Executive Traveler, Skift and many more.

During this episode, Mark and I talk all about airline loyalty programs. You will hear the story of how he became involved in the airline travel space, the role that data plays in airline companies, what he sees for the future of airline loyalty programs, his companies Travel Data Daily and StatusMatch, advice for travelers that are in loyalty programs, and so much more.

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Have you ever stayed at a hotel or short-term rental and fallen in love with a product or piece of furniture that was there? Meet Minoan, a company that is at the frontier of a new way of shopping that they call "Native Retail"- when you discover new products in the environments where they are being used for what they were designed to do

In this episode, I'm so excited to be joined by Marc Hostovsky, the CEO and founder from Minoan. Fueling his passion for people and products, Marc created Minoan as an all in one, free, ordering platform that short-term rentals and boutique hotels can use to buy from 200+ brands at steep discounts and skip the logistics of tracking, customer service, etc. Minoan turns these properties into a shoppable experience so guests can order the items they loved from their stay, and the property partners can make a little extra money.

During this episode, Marc and I have an awesome conversation about how retail and furnishings impact hospitality and travel experiences for the consumer. Marc talks about his traveling experience that inspired him to start Minoan, how Minoan works, ways that retail is changing, how Minoan helps hotels and short-term rental hosts, how travel has changed, retail trends that he is seeing for hotels and short-term rentals, and so much more.

Click here to get $25 credit towards your first purchase using Minoan!

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It's no secret that the hospitality industry is going through a major staffing crisis.

In today's episode I'm joined by Josh Rubinstein, Founder and Managing Director of JPR Human Capital, a recruiting firm working to fill open hospitality jobs with the right people. James began his hospitality career in boutique hotel and stand-alone restaurant operations and managed various Michelin-starred and James Beard award-winning restaurants, giving him a unique perspective on executive search. He pivoted his career and became a recruiter, working at Korn Ferry as a Managing Consultant, Executive Search for Travel, Hospitality & Leisure. In 2021 Josh joined the Passionality Group and in 2022, was appointed Partner, Head of Strategic Growth Partnerships. Simultaneously, Josh founded JPR Human Capital, an innately different search firm focusing on the relationship first.

During this episode, Josh and I have an incredible conversation about how he is working to recruit and retain top talent for the travel and hospitality industry. He shares how important relationship building has been throughout his career and building his company, what he looks at when placing a candidate, how important finding the right talent is in hospitality, how travel is being redefined, and more.

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What are your holiday travel plans?

In this solo episode, I am talking about what to expect when traveling during this holiday season. Whether you are flying or driving to your destination, it is important to understand the current trends and data around travel so you have an idea of what to expect. Plus, in honor of this episode being released the week of Thanksgiving, I want to say a big thank you to each and every one of you that tunes in every week!

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How can hotels use content creation as a way to build their brand and improve their guest experience?

To answer this question, I'm joined by Calvin Tilokee, CEO and Creative Director of Revpar Media. Revpar Media focuses on helping hospitality businesses take a strategic approach to their social media, create authentic engagement, and build an audience that will convert to guests. Calvin's expertise comes from his personal success building large followings across memes, travel and self-development brands.

During this episode, Calvin and I talk all things content creation for the hospitality industry. He shares what led him to create Revpar Media, how he works with hotel properties, the biggest mistakes hotels make when it comes to content creation, creating a content strategy, determining ROI for social media, how social media has impacted the hotel industry, how travel is being redefined, and so much more.

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How do you stay energized while traveling?

Whether it's multiple coffee stops throughout the day or a quick stop at the convenient store for an energy drink, there are so many drinkable energy-boosting options. Until now... meet your new travel partner Punch'd! Punch'd Energy is the first caffeine gummy on the market. The CEO and Founder of Punch'd, John Pinelli, joins me today to talk all about how consuming clean, chewable energy can elevate your travels.

During this episode, John and I talk about how energy impacts the travel experience. He shares what Punch'd products are, why it is healthier and cleaner than other caffeine products in the market, how Punch'd can help maintain energy no matter how busy you are while traveling, why clean caffeine options are important to have for travelers in airports and hotels, and more.

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What should independent hotels be focusing on? The Independent Lodging Congress was an incredible experience that left me with a new perspective on how to be successful today as an independent hotel.

In this solo episode, I am recapping the big takeaways I learned while at the Independent Lodging Congress. I talk about the importance of immersive experiences, strategic design, how to be a social hub as a hotel, the value of having a sense of purpose for hospitality employees, what I learned from Bill Walsh's talk, and more.

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As a traveler, do you seek out boutique hotels when planning your lodging?

The rise in popularity of boutique hotels is one that continues to grow, not only in the number of travelers who prefer them but also the number of incredible properties travelers can choose from. Today, I am joined by Silvia da Blas of Único Hotels. Único Hotels is a luxury lifestyle hotel collection with 5 properties in Spain, each offering their own unique experience for travelers.

During this episode, Silvia and I have an amazing conversation about Único Hotels and the ways that boutique hotels can stand out. She talks about the Único Hotels property portfolio, what makes each property unique, what travelers can expect when they stay at one of the properties, how they are dedicated to creating unique experiences for guests, why boutique hotels are so popular, ways that the properties have pivoted to appeal to travel trends, and so much more.

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What are the generational differences when it comes to travel?

The travel industry has evolved drastically each decade and the travelers experience has changed along with it. Each generation has a wildly different set of expectations and habits when it comes to traveling. To give you a taste of the generational contrast with travel, my mother, a Baby Boomer, joins me, a Millennial, on this episode of Travel Redefined.

During this episode, my mother and I chat about changes in travel that she has seen throughout her life, her travel habits and routines today, what five star service means to her, how luxury service has changed over the years, and more.

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