Check-In with Bryan

In this episode of Check-In with Bryan , Bryan sits down in person with returning guest Cody Adent, President and Chief Financial Officer of Vibrant Management, a forward-thinking hospitality management company specializing in boutique hotels, independent properties, and unique hospitality experiences. Cody shares how Vibrant Management is expanding into markets like South Lake Tahoe, why their “V...

In this episode of Check-In with Bryan, Bryan Fish sits down with Jason Ballard, SVP and Global Brand Leader for the Essentials Portfolio at Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Jason shares how Hyatt is expanding into new markets through brands like Hyatt Studios, Hyatt Select, Caption by Hyatt, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Unscripted by Hyatt, and UrCove. The conversation dives into Hyatt’s approach to midsca...

What if the future of hospitality starts with better spaces? In this episode of Check-In with Bryan , Bryan Fish sits down with Jeff Emmons, CEO of Immedia , to talk about how NextSpace became more than a showroom — it became an immersive experience center where clients can see, touch, test, and understand technology before making major investments. Jeff breaks down how Immedia built a multi-milli...

What happens when a longtime hotel operator moves into the world of hospitality technology? In this episode of Check-In with Bryan , Bryan Fish sits down with Nick Knight of Duetto to talk about the evolution of hotel tech, revenue management, AI, personalization, and why the future of hospitality still depends on human connection. From old-school PMS systems and wake-up call printers to cloud-bas...

What separates a great hotel restaurant from one that quietly loses money? In this episode of Check-In with Bryan , Bryan sits down with hospitality veteran Guy Reinbold —former VP of Food & Beverage and Corporate Executive Chef at Marriott International—to break down what actually drives success in hotel F&B. With over 40 years of experience, Guy shares real-world insights from the front...

What does it actually feel like to take a trip where everything is planned for you? This week on Check-In with Bryan , we’re coming to you aboard the Scarlet Lady with Lara Eurdolian, Belle Baskt, and Melissa & Skye Neumann to break down their full Caribbean experience—this time planned entirely by Destinations by Reliance. From the moment they left home to the moment they stepped back off the...

Hospitality brands have more guest data than ever before — but most still are not using it to create truly personalized experiences. In this episode of Check-In with Bryan , Bryan sits down with Billy FisCher of Very Good Ventures at the Digital Transformation Summit in Arlington, Texas, to talk about where AI is actually headed in hospitality, why so many brands are stuck with stale digital exper...

ADA compliance is becoming one of the fastest-growing legal risks in the hospitality industry — and most hotel owners don’t even realize how exposed they are. In this episode of Check-In with Bryan , Bryan sits down with attorney Lindsay Leavitt to break down what’s really happening behind the surge in ADA-related lawsuits across hotels in the U.S. From service animal policies to accessibility req...

SEASON 5: Episode 1 - Insurance is one of the biggest cost pressures facing hotel owners right now — and most operators still do not fully understand why. In this episode, Bryan Fish sits down with Dan Garzella to break down what is really driving rising hotel insurance premiums, what ownership groups are getting wrong, and how better risk management can create better outcomes. Dan Garzella, Found...

As we close out the year, this special episode of Check-In with Bryan is a moment to pause, reflect, and say thank you. This episode is a curated recap of some of the most impactful moments, insights, and ideas shared on the podcast throughout 2025 — a year filled with thoughtful conversations around leadership, growth, brand, culture, and the evolving business of hospitality. First and foremost,...

This week on Checkout Fridays , Bryan and Tyler keep it unfiltered. From a 47-minute drive-thru nightmare at a fast-casual restaurant to firsthand stories of bad management, burnout, and leadership failures , this episode turns into an honest, sometimes hilarious, and very real conversation about what happens when people at the top stop supporting their teams. Along the way, they dive into: Why po...

Hotel development isn’t just about picking a brand. It’s about relationships, market truth, and knowing when to say no. In this episode of Check-In with Bryan , Bryan Fish sits down with Tom Busch , a seasoned hotel development executive with decades of experience across major hospitality brands. Tom shares an unfiltered look at how hotel deals really get done—from franchise selection and site via...

It’s a laid-back Check-Out Friday as Bryan and Tyler unwind, reflect, and let the conversation go wherever it wants. In this episode, the guys dive into holiday traditions, Christmas movies, music debates (Mariah, Cher, Kelly Clarkson, and more), chaotic holiday crowds, and the very real energy shift that comes with the end of the year. From Broadway studios and recording spaces to Times Square ma...

What happens when you walk away from a mapped-out life and bet everything on curiosity, connection, and a one-way ticket to Bangkok? In this episode of Check-In with Bryan , host Bryan Fish sits down with global travel personality Scott Eddy — a former stockbroker turned digital pioneer — whose career has reshaped how the world experiences travel through storytelling. From launching one of the fir...

Christmas is sneaking up fast and we are very much in the thick of it. In this week’s Check-Out Friday, Bryan and Tyler talk last-minute holiday shopping, shipping chaos, brutally cold weather, and of course—Christmas movies (yes, including the eternal “Is Die Hard a Christmas movie?” debate). In this episode, we chat about: Holiday gifting, delayed Amazon orders, and surprise customs fees Traveli...

What happens when you bring true hospitality thinking into offices, schools, hospitals, and corporate HQs—not just hotels? In this episode of Check-In with Bryan, Bryan sits down with Jill Szmanda, Director of Sales at Forward Tilt, a Scottsdale-based full-service workspace design and commercial furniture firm that’s helping companies turn “just an office” into experience-driven spaces people actu...

Black Friday isn’t just about TVs and gadgets—this week we’re talking travel deals, Hilton’s huge sale, and what the Sonder–Marriott mess really means for guests. In this Check-Out Friday episode of Check-In with Bryan , host Bryan Fish and producer Tyler Alexander catch up post-Thanksgiving and cover everything from Black Friday software buys to why airlines are in the business of service, not ho...

When a brand implodes overnight, is it just a contract dispute—or a hospitality failure? In this episode of Check-In with Bryan , host Bryan Fish sits down with Stephen Barth —founder of HospitalityLawyer.com, longtime professor at the University of Houston’s Conrad N. Hilton College, and one of Global Gurus’ Top 30 hospitality professionals—to unpack what really happened in the Sonder–Marriott br...

Happy Friday and welcome back to Check-Out Fridays on Check-In with Bryan   This week, Bryan is coming to you from New York City , catching up with Executive Producer Tyler Alexander for an end-of-week debrief that’s equal parts travel diary, holiday preview, and behind-the-scenes hospitality talk. In this Check-Out Fridays episode, Bryan recaps a whirlwind stretch that took him from Phoenix → Hou...

We’re officially kicking off a brand-new season of Check-In with Bryan — and we couldn’t start with anyone better than global concierge, travel expert, and best-selling author Sarah Dandashy. Sarah is one of the most recognizable voices in luxury hospitality today. She’s worked with iconic properties like The London West Hollywood, Four Seasons Washington DC, The Peninsula Beverly Hills, and L’Erm...

This week, Bryan sits down with Ryan Rivett , CEO of My Place Hotels of America , to unpack how a lean, owner-friendly brand is scaling nationwide in extended stay—without the bloat. From small-footprint prototypes and vertical integration to pragmatic amenity choices (no free breakfast, smart alternatives) and tech that actually helps operators, this is a masterclass in building hotels that penci...

This week’s Check-Out Fridays gets real (and hilarious) about guest behavior, staff sanity, and the messy truth behind “the customer is always right.” From viral hotel-review segments to a wild Bonefish Grill incident and a Chick-fil-A drive-thru puzzle, Bryan and Tyler share frontline stories and practical takeaways every hotel operator—and every traveler—should hear. What You’ll Learn Why “the c...

What separates smart hotel deals from painful ones in 2025? Hotel broker Ryan Bodine (NewGen Advisory) joins Bryan to unpack what buyers/sellers keep getting wrong—overpaying under 1031 pressure, ignoring transfer PIPs, and underinvesting in staff—and how to prep your asset for a saner exit in the next 6–12 months. About the guest: Ryan advises owners and investors across limited-service to full-s...

It’s another Check-Out Friday — and this week, Bryan and Tyler are kicking back from Scottsdale, Arizona , recording out of the gorgeous NextSpace Studios while reflecting on a wild production week. From hilarious Reddit hotel reviews (featuring a mysterious “Mountain Lion Club” next door 😅) to Tyler’s missed flight adventure , and a deep dive into whether Outback Steakhouse still holds up — this...

From selling candy in grade school to running the #1 rated hostel in North America, investor Michael Russell shares how hustle, timing, and creative thinking turned risk into a multimillion-dollar hospitality portfolio. What you’ll learn: •How the Great Recession became his once-in-a-lifetime buy-in opportunity. •The leap from vacation rentals → boutique hospitality investing. •Inside the creation...