Catholic CEO’s COVID Rollercoaster (You Can’t Learn This in a Book) | Rob Hays | Episode #077

12/18/23 • 48 min

Rob Hays, CEO of Ashford Hospitality, is a finance and business leader with two decades of experience in strategy and corporate finance. He is passionate about finding innovative ways to solve problems, particularly for businesses and industries that are trying to build a better society and have a focus on human flourishing.

In addition to his business skills and accomplishments, Rob enjoys intellectual & moral formation, the integration of faith in professional life, helping those who struggle with issues of homelessness, and striving to live as a faithful Catholic husband, father, friend, and mentor.

Rob shares his reflection on how difficult it was to navigate the 2020 shutdowns while running a hospitality company that needed to furlough roughly 90% of its workforce. Around that same time, Rob was asked if he would move into the CEO role, which he gladly accepted after a powerful conversation with his dad.

When reflecting on how he managed the stress of the situation, Rob was grateful that he had formed the habits of daily prayer, Rosaries, and mass before facing the storm. He found that he could not make it through the day if not for those spiritual habits.

On Blessed are the Joke Makers, the Dudes must take on the persona of an incompetent doctor to address the prompt, “a Catholic’s secret guilty pleasure.”

Heading in the break, Rob is put on the spot and sings an incredible rendition of “I Want It That Way” by the Backstreet Boys.

Next, Rob goes on to detail life as the CEO of “meme stock” and the rollercoaster that ensured. Next the Dudes and Rob answer the BeatiDudes (TBD) question of the day, “What is something you want more of in your life?”

The show finishes with a Reverse Simpsons game of Secret Santa that is full of great surprises.