It's Personal Stories, A Hospitality Podcast

Carl, who works with aspiring hoteliers, explains the very simple thing people need to do to distinguish themselves (that most people aren’t willing to do).  In this interview, he also discusses the ultimate tool for advancing professionally and how to avoid being that bad boss.  Carl also unpacks the most widely misunderstood thing about mentorship.

Dr. Walsh shares her amazing journey from CPA to corporate trainer to her current role. We discuss how challenges are often opportunities in disguise, and her research on leadership and career development as well as strategic human capital investment. She offers advice on coalescing diversity, overcoming imposter syndrome and self-empowerment. Don’t miss her thoughts on using the latest innovation...

Mark explains how his openness to trying different careers within hospitality and help from mentors helped him discover the area of the industry where he has thrived.  He also shares the tool that allows him to deepen his connection with the many contacts he’s developed over the course of his career, and how listening to his team helps him build higher-performing teams.

Join me on this learning journey with Kimberly Wilson, a brilliant sales leader at Preferred Hotels & Resorts, as we explore how fostering teamwork and mutual support—within teams and across departments—empowers sales leaders to better support customers, deliver on their needs, and drive meaningful customer success.

Join me for an insightful interview with Stacey Barber, AAA National’s VP of Travel, as she shares valuable guidance on fostering stakeholder engagement, ensuring every voice is heard, and empowering collaborative decision-making. Don't miss this inspiring conversation!

Dave discusses the importance of delegating and continuous learning as one progress to larger roles. He shares how he acquired the New York Palace with a 3-person team – and why he hires people who have experienced failure.  He explains how to navigate industry receptions, the right way to ask for something you want, and how to be prepared when opportunity knocks.

Join me on It’s Personal: Journeys and Wisdom in Hospitality with Dr. Kelly McGuire. From academia to early SaaS revenue management innovation, pioneering revenue strategy in casinos, and consulting in commercial strategy, Kelly shares her journey of embracing change, learning, and self-advocacy. An inspiring career story you won’t want to miss!

Bashar discusses the many ways his passion and love for hospitality fuel his career journey. He talks about public speaking, how self-care means something different to everyone, and how he took every opportunity to learn through doing. Bashar shares what he's curious about, how his patience has both gotten better and worse over time, and taking risks.

David shares his strategies for effective panel moderating, how he uses LinkedIn to share his take on industry news, and what he's curious about right now. He discusses overcoming self doubt and developing new skills. He talks about why reading is important and his thoughts on formal education versus hands on experience to begin a career in hospitality.

Hoda shares the tool she uses to create more authentic, human connections.  She discusses current trends in executive recruiting and what hiring managers and top talent are looking for when interviewing.  She describes the key attributes needed for the top jobs, the science and art of building high performing teams, and she explains why agility is so important for success.

Naureen discusses the Pie Theory, which says 60% of career development comes from exposure, which can come in the form of public speaking and developing one’s network internally and externally.  She shares the 3 things she focused on to develop her public speaking skills, and the power of using pauses for impact.  Plus, she discusses the importance of flexing one’s leadership style.

Dina discusses how her interest in sustainability and deep dive into it ended up being a pivotal moment in her career journey. She talks about advocating for yourself, having confidence, and seeking out mentors and allies who believe in you. Dina shares her strategies for public speaking, her personal mantra, her advice to her younger self, and why you should lead like a girl.

Hannah she shares her intentional career journey, from childhood entrepreneurship and Cornell Hotel School, to consulting and private equity, and her transformative time at Berkeley Business School. Now CEO of a SaaS tech company, she reflects on leadership, learning, and mentorship.

Dean Cheng shares his career journey and the important lessons he learned that enabled his success. We discuss the important qualities of a visionary leader, navigating a political environment and his general approach to challenges. Dean Cheng also offers advice to students, his younger self and personal empowerment.

Amit discusses his path from engineer to CFO of Wyndham with the pivotal reset and opportunities in between. He shares his leadership evolution and the skills he's focused on developing in his own leadership style. Amit also discusses the role of mentors, his style of relationship building, and why the hustle and the grind are so important in career development.

Zack discusses his journey from growing up in Lebanon to being the new President of Red Roof with various stops in between. He shares his personal mantra of 'people first' and his advice to his younger self to "trust in your path." Zack also talks about taking risks, curiosity, leadership, and the importance of attending industry conferences.

Brian shares advice on finding mentors, cultivating champions, and what it takes to nurture those relationships.  He explains how leading with kindness is a key factor in his success and how it can help young people distinguish themselves.  Brian also shares what he wishes he had learned earlier, and the advice he would give his younger self.

An entrepreneur by nature, Susan delves into how she approaches risk and why her tolerance for risk is getting higher.  She shares the story of how she became an expert networker at a young age, and how she creates real connections.  Susan explains why problem solving is key to distinguishing oneself, and why we can’t outperform our way to equity.

Jim Burba, well known co-founder of Burba Hotel Network (BHN) and former producer of ALIS, HICAP and other industry investment shows shares his career journey and credits mentors such as Tony Marshall, Bob Hazzard and his partner Bob Hayes for their inspiration and encouragement for co-founding BHN and Burba Hayes. He offers tips from his book ‘Smart Partners’ on relationships and speaks to how hi...

Zach shares his experiences with imposter syndrome and find out whether he's a risk taker or risk averse. He discusses his strategies for public speaking, how his curiosity drives him, and how he tries to combine his career and personal life in ways that provide him balance. Zach talks about his mentors, his mentoring, and his advice to his younger self.

Heather shares how her love for solving big, complex problems has led her to spearhead transformative initiatives within IHG, and she describes how she navigates cross-functional, multi-year challenges.  She explains why having champions is critical the more senior you become, why public speaking is important, and how she crafts presentations that are both impactful and memorable.

Jolyon Bulley shares the ways in which working internationally has shaped his career and the role one particular mentor/champion had on his path. He discusses why it's important to not underestimate yourself, have courage, and develop others around you. Jolyon talks about his evolution in thinking about work life balance, why and how he has developed a strategic mindset and the importance of...

Sima shares how the hospitality industry chose her, how her board service has propelled her career, and the biggest leadership lessons she's learned along the way. She talks about how she unwinds and how she overcomes self doubt through leaning in on her own experiences. She discusses how she has learned the most through "doing" but has also developed and relied upon a deep support...

Aik Hong shares the key leadership skill he identified early on and the significant learnings he gleaned navigating downturns.  Following a successful career in Asia, he describes how he established himself in the U.S., then launched a new company.  He describes 3 keys to building high performing teams and the Churchill quote he keeps in mind when interviewing candidates.

Delphine Millot, SVP of GBTA, she shares her thoughts on how to effectively power and advance your career. Delphine discusses her commitment to continuous learning and growth, her proactive approach to taking on diverse assignments, and her investment in education as an adult learner.