Top Floor

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.

Peter Follows, founder of Carpedia, has spent over 30 years helping businesses turn strategies into actionable results. From working with industrial giants to hospitality leaders like Ritz-Carlton, Peter’s expertise lies in optimizing operations and aligning teams for success. Susan and Peter talk about labor challenges in hospitality, the hidden power of implementation, and the potential of AI to transform the industry.

Bridging the Strategy Gap: Peter reveals how Carpedia started by addressing the disconnect between strategy creation and implementation, ultimately carving a niche in operational consulting.

The Ritz-Carlton Pivot: Learn how a serendipitous cold call led Peter’s firm into hospitality consulting, pioneering the application of lean manufacturing principles to service industries.

Labor Challenges in Hospitality: Peter breaks down labor optimization into three dimensions: process efficiency, planning systems, and managerial interaction.

Owner vs. Brand Tensions: Peter discusses navigating the nuanced relationships between hotel brands, management companies, and owners, and how Carpedia manages to balance competing priorities.

AI’s Role in Hospitality: From housekeeping to revenue management, Peter explores the untapped potential of AI to revolutionize operations beyond surface-level automation like check-in kiosks.

Implementation’s Messy Magic: Why great ideas aren’t enough—Peter explains how implementation uncovers hidden roadblocks and refines strategies to ensure sustainable improvements.

Unlikely Lessons: Peter shares anecdotes of unexpected challenges, like elevator bottlenecks and community-driven constraints on staggered shifts, that highlight the importance of context in operational changes.

Advice for Independents: Practical tips for small operators to compete with big brands, from leveraging group purchasing to understanding their unique customer appeal.

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Geetika Agrawal is a designer and entrepreneur with a career that spans architecture, digital product creation, and cultural preservation. Formerly of Disney Imagineering and MasterCard, she has reimagined travel through Vacation With An Artist (VAWAA), a platform that connects travelers with master artisans for immersive craft experiences. Susan and Geetika talk about bamboo bicycles, beekeeping, and adventure.

Taking the Leap: Geetika shares how she transitioned from working for global brands like Disney Imagineering and MasterCard to launching her passion project, Vacation With An Artist (VAWAA).

Design Thinking for Life: How Geetika’s background in architecture shaped her ability to design human-centered experiences in both digital products and cultural initiatives.

Crafting Connections: The transformative experiences of learning centuries-old crafts from master artisans worldwide, from Kyoto calligraphy to Napa Valley beekeeping.

Travel with Purpose: Why experiential learning vacations are more than just trips—they're immersive journeys into tradition, innovation, and personal growth.

The Future of Craftsmanship: Geetika predicts a revival of traditional crafts as tools for creativity and cultural preservation in a rapidly digitizing world.

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts "I love Top Floor!" If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps other people like us find the show and makes our guests feel good about being on it.

Tap to give us five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Be sure to let me know what you liked most about the episode! Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast or restart automatic downloads. It's the best way to make sure you don't miss out.

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

Niamh McAnally is an adventurer and author who has traveled the world as a hotelier and volunteer. With a career spanning from actor and director in Ireland to suba instructor on Key Largo, she’s mastered the art of reinvention. In her book Following Sunshine, she chronicles her global volunteer journey, delivering insights on travel, resilience, and living boldly. Susan and Niamh talk about storytelling, sustainability, and self-discovery.

From Broadway to Beaches: Niamh shares how her theatrical upbringing in Ireland shaped her journey, from acting and directing to scuba diving and luxury hotel management on the remote island of Sark.

Island Life Hacks: Ever wonder what managing a hotel on an island with no cars, airports, or shopping malls teaches you? Niamh spills the beans on logistics, hiring for personality over experience, and making the best of tractor deliveries.

Following Sunshine: Learn how Niamh’s passion for storytelling and exploration inspired her memoir about travel, personal growth, and finding connections around the globe.

Adventures in Volunteering: From tutoring in Tonga to marine conservation in Kenya, Niamh reveals the highs, the lessons, and even a few cringe-worthy moments of volunteering worldwide.

Life Lessons for Travelers and Dreamers: Niamh’s advice on minimalism, adaptability, and trusting your instincts will inspire you to pack light and follow your dreams.

Tips for Smaller Hotels: Strategies for monetizing lobbies, meeting rooms, and more by rethinking public spaces as mixed-use areas.

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts "I love Top Floor!" If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps other people like us find the show and makes our guests feel good about being on it.

Tap to give us five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Be sure to let me know what you liked most about the episode! Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast or restart automatic downloads. It's the best way to make sure you don't miss out.