Claim OwnershipHospitality Daily Podcast
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© 2025 Hospitality Daily Podcast
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Stay informed and inspired to delight people and grow your business with daily conversations with interesting people doing interesting things. Hosted by Josiah Mackenzie.
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Dina Belon, President of Staypineapple, returns for a conversation with our guest experience correspondent, Danica Smith, to share how she would approach the first 30 days of leading a new hotel. Instead of relying on a pre-set formula, Dina explains why she treats the city itself like a resort -- drawing on local culture, parks, and other businesses as amenities that elevate the guest experience. She also shares how engaging associates unlocks creative ideas and how win–win community partner...
Dina Belon, President of Staypineapple, returns for a conversation with our guest experience correspondent, Danica Smith, to share how her team built “Chat Pineapple,” an in-house AI tool that connects guest insights across systems. More important than the technology, Dina says, is the culture that empowers teams to act creatively on that information -- turning surveys, reviews, and guest histories into memorable experiences. You’ll hear what surprised her most about pre-stay guest responses,...
In this episode, we continue our series with Dina Belon, President of Staypineapple, in a conversation hosted by our guest experience correspondent, Danica Smith. Dina shares why kiosks don’t belong in her hotels, what that reveals about the role of technology in the guest experience for her company, and how independent hoteliers can compete with big brands by choosing the right tech partners. See our previous episodes with Dina: How Staypineapple Enables Every Employee to Surprise and Deligh...
In this episode, we continue our series with Dina Belon, President of Staypineapple, in a conversation hosted by our guest experience correspondent, Danica Smith. Building on yesterday’s discussion about empowerment, Dina shares the practical ways Staypineapple frees its teams to focus on people. You’ll hear how they eliminate SOPs and scripts, centralize administrative work to keep managers out on the floor teaching their teams, and use intuitive technology that supports rather than hinders ...
In this episode, we welcome back Dina Belon, President of Staypineapple, for a conversation with our guest experience correspondent, Danica Smith. Dina shares how Staypineapple empowers every team member to bring their full, authentic selves to work -- and how that translates into deeply personal guest experiences. From interviewing every employee to capture their passions, to connecting those passions with guest stories, Dina shows why empowerment, not SOPs, is the foundation of their cultur...
In this episode, Barbara Muckermann, CEO of Kempinski Hotels, reflects on her journey to the top and how she’s working to elevate more women into leadership roles across the company. She shares how turning perceived weaknesses into advantages has helped her career, why she believes creating opportunities—not protections—is key for women leaders, and the importance of building trust and transparency as a CEO. Barbara also offers practical advice for aspiring executives on playing to strengths,...
In this episode, Hospitality Daily careers correspondent Emily Goldfischer, who is also founder and editor-in-chief of hertelier, sits down with Barbara Muckermann, CEO of Kempinski Hotels. Barbara reflects on her first year leading the world’s oldest luxury hotel brand, drawing on lessons from her career in the cruise industry. She shares insights on the “secret sauce” behind Kempinski’s culture of genuine hospitality, why an asset-heavy approach matters for growth, and how the brand is posi...
In this episode, Hospitality Daily careers correspondent Emily Goldfischer, founder and editor-in-chief of hertelier, sits down with Barbara Muckermann, CEO of Kempinski Hotels. As the first woman to lead the 162-year-old luxury hotel group, Barbara shares her remarkable career journey from shaping the cruise industry to steering one of hospitality’s most iconic brands. You’ll hear lessons from leading through crisis, navigating global scale, and balancing heritage with reinvention. Rea...
In this episode, Leora Halpern Lanz, award-winning hospitality marketing leader and Associate Professor at Boston University’s School of Hospitality Administration, shares how visibility can directly impact guest satisfaction. Using a real-world hotel case study, she shows why physical and digital visibility matter as much as the investments we make in renovations. Leora challenges hospitality leaders to think beyond promotion, asking whether we’re measuring the right things and whether our m...
In this episode, we’re joined by Leora Halpern Lanz: author, hospitality marketing expert, and professor at Boston University’s School of Hospitality. With her new book, Developing Your Marketing Mindset, coming out today, Leora shares why marketing isn’t just for marketers, but a mindset every hospitality professional needs. You’ll learn how critical and strategic thinking can enhance your approach, why hospitality and marketing are deeply intertwined, as well as lessons from teaching experi...
Parents of children with special needs rarely get the rest they need, and Jimmy Peña set out to change that. Drawing on his career in private estate leadership and luxury hospitality, he founded Jordan's House, a nonprofit bed and breakfast offering world-class food, spa experiences, and radical hospitality at no cost to caregiving parents. In this episode, Jimmy shares how Jordan’s House began and why “over-the-top” hospitality matters for exhausted families. Listeners will walk away with a ...
In this episode, we learn from Jimmy Peña, Director of Estate Operations for a private, ultra-high-net-worth individual. Jimmy shares how private estate hospitality demands service that exceeds even the most elite hotels, with every meal treated "like the Super Bowl." He explains the nuances of serving at this level, the daily practices that drive excellence, and how lessons from private estates can be applied to any hospitality business. Listeners will come away with a rare inside look at ho...
What does it take to select and lead people who can deliver authentic hospitality at the highest level? In this episode, we learn from Jimmy Peña, a private estate manager in Beverly Hills and a former member of the Ritz-Carlton quality audit team, who helped shape service excellence across Forbes 5-Star and AAA 5-Diamond properties. Jimmy shares why hiring for heart and hustle is non-negotiable, how he frames service recovery by training teams to see “opportunity guests” instead of “problem ...
Jimmy Peña believes hospitality comes down to two essentials: heart and hustle. In this conversation, the Beverly Hills estate manager and former Ritz-Carlton quality auditor shares what he learned shaping service excellence across Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond properties. Jimmy reflects on the mentors who guided his career, the power of checklists and standards, and the stewardship mindset required to balance service and profit. Hospitality leaders will find practical lessons on crea...
Jimmy Peña is a hospitality executive, best-selling author, and nonprofit leader whose career spans luxury hotels, estate operations, publishing, and ministry. A graduate of Baylor University and the University of Texas at Tyler, Jimmy began in the world of health and fitness — becoming Worldwide Fitness Editor for Muscle & Fitness and M&F Hers, co-writing the New York Times bestseller Extra Lean with Mario Lopez. But as he explains in this episode, a childhood experience of “radical ...
In this episode, Jan Freitag of CoStar and Jamie Lane of AirDNA join Hospitality Daily host Josiah Mackenzie to unpack what’s really happening in our industry now. We talk about the convergence of hotels and short-term rentals, the widening gap in demand between luxury and the rest of the market, and how return-to-office policies are reshaping travel. You’ll also hear insights into supply, loyalty convergence, and where opportunities exist for owners and operators today. 🔗 Explore more from t...
Ryan Bukstein has spent his career shaping people-driven brands, from his early work at Ace Hotel to leading marketing at Vacation, and now as a consultant. In this conversation, he shares how collaboration, contrarian thinking, and a love of Japan are coming together in his latest project: a curated travel experience with the founders of clean beauty brand Dam Dam. More episodes with Ryan: Ace Hotel’s Early Days: Punk Spirit and Hospitality InnovationThe Art of Turning Curiosity into Brand E...
Independent hospitality is quickly growing in popularity, but discovery remains a big challenge for both travelers and operators. In this conversation, Brett McManus, owner of Après Inn in Killington, Vermont, and founder of Inndependent Stays, explains how he’s addressing this gap. We discuss the costs of relying on OTAs, the power of people-first storytelling, and how AI-driven matching could reshape how travelers discover independent hospitality experiences. Learn more about Inndepen...
A year ago, Brett and Casey McManus went viral for transforming a rundown Vermont roadside motel into a thriving new hospitality concept: Après Inn in Killington, Vermont. In this follow-up conversation, Brett reflects on what he’s learned as a first-time innkeeper: the highs and lows of running a seasonal business, what technology actually enables, and why guest conversations drive reviews and revenue. He also shares lessons from expanding to a second property, the efficiencies that come wit...
In this episode, Ryan Magnon, Chief Operating Officer of Ithaka Hospitality Partners, shares a valuable lesson from his experience leading training at Chick-fil-A. While speed, accuracy, and consistency mattered in the drive-thru, the real differentiator was hospitality: how team members made guests feel in just 60 seconds. Ryan explains how Chick-fil-A trains frontline employees, many of whom are just 17 or 18 years old, to view each guest not as an order, but as a person with challenges and...
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