Most People Don't... But You Do!

A few months ago, I presented to Guest Supply and was simply shocked by the culture of kindness and empathy. I knew I needed to get their leader on our show to learn the "how and why" they are this way. It’s no surprise that happy, satisfied employees are more engaged and productive. This naturally leads to better customer service and increased revenue outcomes. My last year leading a gl...

"Sitting in still water is not doing anyone any good." There are no ripples. You're not going anywhere. No waves are produced. No one is splashing. Sitting in still water is not exercise, nor is it fun. Just "do", move, and help. Today's podcast guest is Julia Healey, the CEO of United Charitable. They help, connect, and direct people toward finding organizations that c...

Christina Wenman published her first book at 17 years old. She started her own podcast that helps teach others about what success and happiness might look like... She asks questions to understand. Her poise and intellect are well beyond her years. This is the first time in 100+ episodes that my guest turned the tables and wanted to learn as much from me during our time together as I wanted to lear...

Today's podcast guest is Dorothy Dowling, Managing Director with Horwath HTL and Former Chief Marketing Officer of Best Western. As a legend in and outside of the hospitality industry, we discuss: -The importance of giving back -Not being the loudest, but often contributing the most -Embracing lessons learned from her son Dorothy Dowling is a Managing Director with Horwath HTL where she suppor...

Today's podcast guest is well equipped and super intelligent to talk about anything and everything. Today, however, she chooses to TALK about PETS. As she does this, she is helping PEOPLE. We discuss her impetus for writing a book that had never been published before, how animals influenced her childhood, and how writing and acting in Hollywood wasn't as glamorous as one might think. An in...

Today's we have two podcast guests. The first is 15 year-old Emily, a child of a migrant farmworker family that can literally put 10 years of experience on her resume, as she started working in the fields at a very young age. This practice needs to stop and the rights of children need to be shared more. The second is Melanie Forti, with AFOP (Association of Farm Worker Opportunity Programs), b...

Today's podcast guest is Chase Harmer, the Founder of Wishes. He has an extraordinary mind who is using his skills to create a platform that provides transparency in the world of charitable giving. His technology allows donors to immediately see their donations while giving instantaneous spending ability to the receiver. How often do we give money without the total understanding of "where...

Today's podcast guest is an skilled businessman, fabulous public speaker, entrepreneur, and a pastor that started a community from scratch. He is one of 12 children whose father started a retaining wall business in order to support his family. It wasn't his dad's passion but rather a realistic way to provide. This taught Barney the values of hard work, sacrifice, and giving. He is a ki...

Today's podcast guest is Chip Rogers, president & CEO of American Hotel & Lodging Association. He holds one of the most influential roles in all of hospitality. We discuss: -Reading the newspaper as a young child, looking for the box scores, but inadvertently becoming educated on the world -His love for broadcasting and communications -The importance of coaching and using athletics for...

Today's podcast guest is.... me? We turned the tables today.  We did what “Most People Don’t”.  My good friend, Doug Baarman, SVP with ConferenceDirect and Founder of Hospitality Lifestyles came up with this idea.  “Bart, you’re always asking others to share their stories and are promoting them, how about if I interview you as you are growing your business?”   On today’s podcast we discuss:  ...

Today's guest has it figured out. He has a balance. He pursues his passion. He maintains a healthy lifestyle. Family is most important to him. He continues to learn and therefore rises on the corporate ladder. He is amazing. His name is Norber van den Berg. We had been neighbors years ago and our children were very good friends. Naturally, we also became family friends and explored and adventu...

Today’s podcast guest is David Kong, a legendary leader in hospitality.  We discuss embracing challenges and figuring things out. He shares that hard work and dedication is only the entry point for success in any career.  The aspect of differentiation is key, which aligns with the Most People Don’t Message.  David had to “figure it out” so many times and had the confidence to know he could and he...

When he shares advice, I write it down. When he talks, I take notes. When he gives examples, I hit "share". To me and millions of followers and fans, he is of celebrity status! Today's podcast guest is Matt Easton, founder of Easton University. In a world when everyone is SO BUSY, he is incredibly and willingly ACCESSBILE. I sent him a note and he responded quickly. He gave me his nu...

Today’s podcast guest is Shizu Okusa, Founder & CEO at Apothékary. She shares her remarkable journey to seek and find joy and happiness through helping others heal. Growing up was difficult for her as everything about her was different than others her age in Canada. Her name was unique and hard to pronounce. She looked unlike most of her friends. Shizu has been able to use that “difference” to...

Today's podcast guest is the extraordinary Deborah Calmeyer. She is the CEO and Founder of ROAR AFRICA. The company she started in New York in 2006 to answer friends’ and acquaintances’ questions about where to go in Africa and to keep her retired zoologist father in the place he was happiest, the wild, has taken on a life of its own. We discuss: -Surviving the 'concrete jungle of New York...

Today's podcast guest is Jacki Marks, Global Head of Trade Brands for Apple Leisure Group. She has worked in the travel industry for over 25 years and has managed almost all aspects of package travel from the contracting, pricing and building of the vacation product to the marketing, brand strategies and sales and group team relationships. We discuss: -Proving that you can work hard, be a grea...

Today's podcast guest is Emily Cole. Since 2015, she owns the Savannah Bananas along with her husband Jesse. They have disrupted the entertainment aspect of baseball to "cause fun" for these fans. During her career, she found that she was having more fun pursuing baseball/sports related jobs during her 5-10 (5pm to 10 pm) as her 9-5 was not providing the same amount of purpose or pas...

Lee Cockerell (former Executive Vice President of Operations for Walt Disney World) shares on today's podcast that he thought he needed to lead with just discipline. After an employee's health experience, he realized that EMPATHY needed to be included and that there was a kinder way to lead and manage. Listen to his remarkable rise from an Oklahoma farmer to an Executive Vice President lea...

Today's podcast guest is Donna Quadri-Felitti, who heads the School of Hospitality for Penn State University. She is a dear, supportive friend that continues to TEACH me and others not only about our industry, but also about life. We discuss: -How education and experiences lead to choices, which then can enable greater happiness. -How their program sequencing changed to adapt to the needs of t...

Today's podcast guest is Alexi Khajavi, President of Hospitality & Travel for Questex, LLC, a global business intelligence company that informs and connects buyers and sellers across hospitality, travel, healthcare, wellness, and technology. We discuss: -How everybody is accountable to someone -His adventurous nature, study of anthropology, and passion for travel -That leadership is about...

Today's podcast guest is James McBride, PARTNER & CEO, NIHI Hotels. We discuss: -fundamentals, discipline, and standards -his mother's mantra of "manners make it" -how rejection can be your best friend -embracing simplicity as the core to life -celebrating local traditions and helping cultures thrive He is recognized as “One to Watch” by Bloomberg Businessweek’s Bloomberg 50...

What do you do on a rainy day on vacation at a resort? Today's podcast guests created the solution during a tropical storm trip in the Caribbean. Introducing Melanie Brewer and John Beuchert. An incredibly gifted, creative couple that founded Away Together. A safer and more secure way for communication (even translated) between guests, within the hotel or venue, and including local service pro...

Follow her into the forest to find foods that have been forgotten. Today's guest is the pied piper of foraging. I met her during the Smithsonian's Folk Life Festival this summer when I was immediately drawn toward her personality, passion, and knowledge. Before grocery stores existed, early settlers would bring seeds of their most resilient food staples from their homelands. 200 years late...

Today's podcast guest for EPISODE #100 is Brian Gullbrants. As a leader, every day his mission is to MAKE IT (the experience) BETTER FOR EVERYONE (employees, guests, stakeholders). This is truly a noble approach but one that Brian executes daily. We discuss his contributions to his family's restaurant business growing up. His dad convinced him that sweeping up the parking lot was a game ca...

Today's podcast guest is Mr. Chris Clark, an experienced General Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the Luxury hospitality industry from pre-opening experience in 16 hotels (3 of his own, 13 as a trainer/task force). We discuss: -Challenging himself -Setting goals and sharing them with his managers -Finding the right culture fit with luxury and service excellence -Holding himsel...