Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality.
Chris Cano
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Top 10 Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality. Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality. episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality. for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality. episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Empowering a Team to Fuel Growth with Roger Igo of the Bell Tower Group
Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality.
01/03/22 • 22 min
On this episode of the Hospitality Leaders podcast, I’m joined by Roger Igo, President and CEO at the Bell Tower Group in Houston, Texas. The Bell Tower on 34th is the region’s leading venue for hosting weddings and other special events.
The company has several other online properties, including a search engine for other venues in the Houston area, a catering brand, and a charity called Keep on Going that raises money for Alzheimer’s research.
Roger reports that wedding bookings have rebounded from the dark days of restricted capacities during the pandemic, and at the time of the interview they had 210 weddings booked. Things are getting back to normal.
Roger is a big fan of using empowerment to keep team morale high and fuel growth. Many of the Bell Tower’s team members are students or are working there as a second job, and he and his leadership team encourage them to pursue their dreams.
They have a “dream board” where any team member can write down his or her dream. Once it’s written down it becomes a goal. That’s a great way to encourage and motivate your people — and they then return the favor with solid work.
If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave a 5-Star review. For more information and links to all of the resources mentioned in today’s episode, visit HospitalityLeaderspodcast.com.
Building Resilience in Your Team with Leah Rossi of Wyndham Destinations
Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality.
11/14/21 • 22 min
On this episode of the Hospitality Leaders podcast, Leah Rossi, assistant general manager at Wyndham Destinations in Austin, Texas, joins me to talk about her career in the hospitality industry and how she values the human element when it comes to dealing with her team members. She also shares a fascinating story about resilience, which involves two hurricanes ten days apart, among other challenges.
Like everyone in the industry, Leah is facing challenges with staffing when it comes to ramping back up post-pandemic. That’s one area where the human element comes in. The industry can no longer demand that team members bend to their will. In order to attract top talent, you need to be flexible with hours and scheduling, allowing for a work/life balance.
The other human aspect she focuses on is resiliency. If you put people in a position to succeed, where they feel appreciated and happy at work, they will be able to weather any storm that comes their way.
That’s where the two hurricanes come in. Listen to Leah’s story. It’s inspiring.
Resources
If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave a 5-Star review. For more information and links to all of the resources mentioned in today’s episode, visit HospitalityLeaderspodcast.com.
Building a Hospitality Ecosystem with Todd Richardson at Crosstown Redevelopment Cooperative
Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality.
02/13/23 • 27 min
On this episode, I’m joined by Todd Richardson, President at the Crosstown Redevelopment Cooperative, to hear how he’s using his experience in both the arts and hospitality to cultivate a thriving, connected local community.
Todd’s background in the arts has given him a passion for both individual expression and human connectivity. To him, that’s the purpose of both the arts and hospitality: to bring people together.
The Crosstown Concourse is a manifestation of that passion, where arts and entertainment venues live side-by-side with healthcare facilities, restaurants, retail stores, offices and apartments, all in one complex. Todd calls it a vertical village because it functions as its own community where people of all kinds live and work together seamlessly.
It’s an outstanding example of how hospitality organizations can help to create meaningful human connections.
Todd Richardson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-richardson-933137160/
Crosstown Redevelopment Cooperative - https://crosstownconcourse.com/
Crosstown Concourse Documentary - https://youtu.be/FoZ9OV54v2E
Sears Crosstown in Memphis: From Catalogues to a Concourse - https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/Products/9781467147996
Crosstown Case Study - https://www.rudybruneraward.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/RBA-Pub2019_BOOK_FINALhq_CrosstownConcourse.pdf
Crosstown Arts - https://crosstownarts.org/
Chris Cano - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismcano/
Upshift - https://www.linkedin.com/company/upsh%C4%B1ft/
If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave a 5-star review. For more information and links to all of the resources mentioned in today’s episode, visit HospitalityLeadersPodcast.com
#hospitality #Foodservice
Cultivating a Communal Experience with Tearlach Hutcheson at Studio Movie Grill
Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality.
03/13/23 • 19 min
On this episode, I’m joined by Tearlach Hutcheson, Vice President of Film at Studio Movie Grill, to hear how the film industry is continuing to bring people together in a post-pandemic world.
Tearlach is passionate about good storytelling and about experiencing those stories together with others. His dedication to these values drew him into the film industry. He’s been striving to cultivate an environment of shared narrative experiences for the better part of two decades.
To him, movie theaters are special because they allow strangers to get together and bond over an engaging story told on film. In a post-Covid world, technology like VR offers filmmakers the chance to provide siloed, individual movie-watching experiences. Tearlach thinks these innovations miss the point of why people enjoy going to the movies.
To him, industry innovation should be aimed at enhancing the welcoming, communal experience that theaters are known for, not creating more excuses for isolation and separation.
Tearlach Hutcheson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tearlachhutcheson/
Studio Movie Grill - https://www.studiomoviegrill.com/
Chris Cano - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismcano/
Upshift - https://www.linkedin.com/company/upsh%C4%B1ft/
If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave a 5-star review. For more information and links to all of the resources mentioned in today’s episode, visit HospitalityLeadersPodcast.com#Hospitality #Foodservice
Leveraging AI To Improve Customer Satisfaction with Logan Nicholson at LocalEyes
Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality.
04/17/23 • 26 min
New technology has the potential to revolutionize the guest experience in the hospitality industry. Logan Nicholson, CEO and Founder of LocalEyes, is bringing the best of AI and process automation to hoteliers to help them improve guest satisfaction and increase revenue.
Guests are most likely to enjoy a hotel stay when they have a convenient way of communicating their needs and when those needs are promptly met. In the past, a flood of guest communications often meant that hotel staff were overwhelmed and unable to respond to each guest in a timely manner.
Logan’s AI assistant, Marie, brings together SMS communication and software automation to streamline this process. Texting provides an easy way for guests to voice their concerns, and the AI software responds to what it can while notifying staff of needs that require a human touch.
It’s an outstanding tool for prioritizing problems that require an immediate response. When implemented well, AI solutions like Marie can leave every guest extremely satisfied with the level of service they receive without overwhelming hotel staff.
Logan Nicholson - https://twitter.com/logs_nicholson
LocalEyes - https://localeyes.guide Marie AI - https://localeyes.guide/marie/ Chris Cano - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismcano/ Upshift - https://www.linkedin.com/company/upshıft/
If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave a 5-star review. For more information and links to all of the resources mentioned in today’s episode, visit HospitalityLeadersPodcast.com
#hospitality #Foodservice
Making Hospitality Skills Useful Anywhere with Peter Ricci at Florida Atlantic University
Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality.
05/22/23 • 36 min
I’m pleased to welcome Peter Ricci, Clinical Associate Professor and Director for the Hospitality & Tourism Management Program at Florida Atlantic University, to hear about the FAU hospitality certificate program.
One of the hallmarks of Peter’s approach to hospitality education is its versatility in its practical applications. People from all kinds of industries outside of hospitality have something to glean from Peter’s program.
As Peter sees it, hospitality isn’t just an industry but a philosophy of customer service that’s transferable to any organization. He instills a desire for excellence in all his students that they can utilize in any role or business. Not only that, but he also helps students find a place within the industry with skills that aren’t traditionally associated with hospitality.
Hospitality will always need accountants and HR leaders, and financial advisors and talent recruiters will always benefit from the commitment to customer service that defines hospitality.
Peter Ricci | Email - [email protected]
Florida Atlantic University | Website - https://www.fau.edu/
FAU Hospitality Certificate Programs | Website - https://business.fau.edu/undergraduate/minors-certificates/certificates/hospitality-and-tourism-management/
Chris Cano | LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismcano/
Upshift | LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/upsh%C4%B1ft/
If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave a 5-star review. For more information and links to all of the resources mentioned in today’s episode, visit HospitalityLeadersPodcast.com
#Hospitality #FoodService
Building Trust and Creating Buy-In with Matt Scovill of Bacchanal Buffet
Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality.
06/16/22 • 22 min
On this episode of the Hospitality Leaders podcast, I’m joined by Matt Scovill, Executive Chef at Bacchanal Buffet in Las Vegas.
Matt has a clear love for the art of craft food and for providing a high-quality culinary experience for his guests. He tries to impart that same passion to his team and create complete buy-in for the company vision. He does this by encouraging creativity and giving his staff constant opportunities to see the impact of their work.
The structure of Matt’s kitchen puts his fellow chefs right in front of his restaurant’s patrons so that everyone gets some facetime with the guests they serve. Hearing praise directly from a guest is a powerful motivator, and it’s an outstanding way to build unity and keep morale high.
That praise means much more when chefs are allowed to take ownership of their work and to be involved in the making of the menu. Matt encourages his team to experiment in the kitchen; coming up with new ideas that help create future menus. It keeps his team invested in providing consistent quality work, day after day. While most kitchens are plagued by employee burnout, Matt’s team comes to work every day energized by the environment he has created.
If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave a 5-Star review. For more information and links to all of the resources mentioned in today’s episode, visit HospitalityLeaderspodcast.com.
Changing the Narrative with Jeff Keeley of InterContinental Kansas City at The Plaza
Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality.
05/02/22 • 24 min
On this episode of the Hospitality Leaders podcast, I had the opportunity to speak with Jeff Keeley, General Manager at InterContinental Kansas City at The Plaza, about some of the ways he’s trying to change the popular perception of the hospitality industry.
In days past, there was a stigma of immobility with hospitality jobs, especially hotel positions. Being a dishwasher or a hotel receptionist was thought of as a final destination and there was no ladder to climb if you found yourself in these entry-level roles.
Jeff, who himself started as a front desk clerk, is trying to dispel that notion. Especially now in a post-Covid world, the hospitality sector is hurting for mid-level staff, and entry-level hotel jobs may actually be some of the most upwardly mobile positions available right now. That mobility doesn’t have to come with an 80-hour per week work rate, either. That’s another myth Jeff wants to put to rest.
Hospitality can offer a sensible work-life balance and to work in a hotel or restaurant does not mean selling your soul to your job. From Jeff’s perspective, everyone has a life outside work and a job should never take its place. It’s an outstanding management philosophy and it’s helping Jeff to change the narrative around hospitality work.
- Jeff Keeley
- InterContinental Kansas City at The Plaza
- InterContinental Kansas City at The Plaza
- Chris Cano
- Upshift
If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave a 5-star review. For more information and links to all of the resources mentioned in today’s episode, visit
Hiring for Culture with Kristine Goodwin, General Manager at Hyatt Place
Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality.
05/31/22 • 23 min
On this episode of the Hospitality Leaders podcast, I welcome Kristine Goodwin, General Manager at Hyatt Place.
Working in a hotel can involve a lot of hard work and long hours. It can be easy to let that amount of labor drag staff morale down.
Kristine knows that as well as anyone because she started out on the front desk of a hotel. That’s why she’s so intentional about creating an uplifting and encouraging company culture. The kind of lighthearted joking and silly games that Kristine has developed with her team is not just a product of her personality. She has worked hard to carefully craft a work environment that keeps her team’s spirits up, no matter the circumstances of their work.
This culture cultivation starts at the very beginning, when Kristine brings on new hires. For Kristine, the most important characteristics of any potential employee are their people skills and their workplace compatibility. Her guests and her coworkers can tell when someone is faking enthusiasm, so she goes out of her way to hire people who exude friendliness and passion for hospitality.
Because of her effort, Hyatt Place has maintained an optimistic and positive culture that develops naturally from the outstanding people that work there.
If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave a 5-star review. For more information and links to all of the resources mentioned in today’s episode, visit
Focusing on Communication and Celebration with Melissa Kaiser of DISCOVERY Children's Museum
Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality.
03/01/22 • 23 min
On this episode of the Hospitality Leaders podcast, I’m joined by Melissa Kaiser, CEO of DISCOVERY Children’s Museum, to discuss the unique challenges faced by an organization that primarily caters to children.
DISCOVERY Children’s Museum is located in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Melissa’s team channels the performative culture of the city in all their interactions with their guests. It can be a fun and rewarding environment, but also an exhausting one.
In this kind of workspace, communicating about her team’s needs is an essential part of Melissa’s job. Multiple weekly team meetings help Melissa understand where there’s room for improvement, but it also allows her to communicate back to her team. She ensures that they always know that they’re appreciated and that she hears their concerns and is working to address them.
More than communication, Melissa also makes sure her team is celebrated for the work they do. They have movie nights, go to baseball games, and even go bowling together. This extra investment in her team has kept them motivated to perform at a high level, despite the many extra challenges they’ve had to face these last two years.
It’s an outstanding way to address staff morale.
Resources
- Melissa Kaiser
- Melissa Kaiser Photography
- DISCOVERY Children’s Museum
- DISCOVERY Children’s Museum
- Chris Cano
- Upshift
If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave a 5-star review. For more information and links to all of the resources mentioned in today’s episode, visit
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FAQ
How many episodes does Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality. have?
Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality. currently has 79 episodes available.
What topics does Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality. cover?
The podcast is about Podcasts and Business.
What is the most popular episode on Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality.?
The episode title 'Compounding Recognition with Hector Pachon of Ramada Plaza Marco Polo Beach Resort' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality.?
The average episode length on Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality. is 26 minutes.
How often are episodes of Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality. released?
Episodes of Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality. are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality.?
The first episode of Hospitality Leaders - Interviews with leaders, entrepreneurs, and supporters of hospitality. was released on Sep 8, 2021.
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