Lodging Leaders

This week, Lodging Leaders focuses on Mitch Patel and his company, Vision Hospitality Group in Chattanooga, Tennessee. We will hear from Mitch about how he has remade Vision Hospitality Group to capture new segments of travelers and capitalize on new and emerging trends in guests’ needs, wants and expectations. We also hear from others involved in Vision Hospitality Group’s remake. Resources & Links * Vision Hospitality website * The Getty’s Group website

Judy Maxwell is a veteran news journalist of more than 30 years. She has been a staff writer and editor at newspapers in Pennsylvania and Georgia. Most of her career has been dedicated to covering business news and events. Over the past seven years, Judy has worked with Asian Media Group, publisher of Asian Hospitality, read more

Judy Maxwell is a veteran news journalist of more than 30 years. She has been a staff writer and editor at newspapers in Pennsylvania and Georgia. Most of her career has been dedicated to covering business news and events. Over the past seven years, Judy has worked with Asian Media Group, publisher of Asian Hospitality, a B2B trade magazine that covers the hotel industry and caters to the Asian American hotel community. Judy was managing editor of AMG’s U.S.-based operations. While there she led the redesign and rebranding of the magazine and its daily news website. She launched a weekly e-newsletter and led the development of Priya, a magazine for entrepreneurial women. She also led special projects, such as leadership roundtables and supplemental reports on investment and development trends in the U.S. hotel industry. During her career, Judy has won numerous awards for her reporting, including first-place recognition for investigative journalism from the Georgia Press Association; first-place for column writing from the Pennsylvania Publisher’s Association; and first-place for feature writing from the Associated Press Managing Editors. She earned fellowships from the Knight Center for Specialized Journalism to study the U.S. and global economy, and most recently she received a certificate in multimedia storytelling from Poynter News University and Valdosta State University. In this episode, Judy and I reveal … * Our vision for the new Lodging Leaders and what our followers can expect in the weeks to come. Resources & Links Judy Maxwell * judy@longlivelodging.com * +1 (706) 473-8622 * LinkedIn

Horst Schulze is Founder, Chairman and CEO of the Capella Hotel Group, and Co-founder & Former COO of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co. Schulze is a legendary leader and global titan of business and the author of Excellence Wins: A No-Nonsense Guide to Becoming the Best in a World of Compromise (Zondervan/HarperCollins). His visionary and disruptive read more

Horst Schulze is Founder, Chairman and CEO of the Capella Hotel Group, and Co-founder & Former COO of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co. Schulze is a legendary leader and global titan of business and the author of Excellence Wins: A No-Nonsense Guide to Becoming the Best in a World of Compromise (Zondervan/HarperCollins). His visionary and disruptive principles have reshaped the concepts of excellence, service, and competitive advantage, transcending divisions of industry across the business landscape. In 2002, Schulze founded a second company, The Capella Hotel Group, raising the bar set at the Ritz-Carlton even higher to pioneer the first “ultraluxury” guest experience. Schulze is a highly sought after keynote speaker for numerous global businesses and organizations. He and his wife, Sheri, live in Atlanta, Georgia. In This Episode, Horst reveals … * The history of Ritz Carlton, from the first hotel built in the late nineteenth century, to the formation of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC in 1983. * The powerful vision behind the iconic phrase “Ladies and Gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen”, a phrase Horst penned in an essay he wrote as a teenager. * The grander view customer service, whose role it is, and why it determines success. * His new book, Excellence Wins: A No-Nonsense Guide to Becoming the Best in a World of Compromise. Resources & Links Horst Schulze * (404) 842-7280 Capella Hotel Group * Website

Peter Sawatzky is a partner at the Imagination Corporation, a unique family company based in British Columbia, Canada, that specializes in the design and construction of one of a kind signs and themed architecture. With more than two decades of experience building themed attractions, there is very little he can’t imagine and then create. Merging read more

Peter Sawatzky is a partner at the Imagination Corporation, a unique family company based in British Columbia, Canada, that specializes in the design and construction of one of a kind signs and themed architecture. With more than two decades of experience building themed attractions, there is very little he can’t imagine and then create. Merging state of the art tools with old world craftsmanship, and a healthy dose of imagination, Peter’s team of talented artists create pure magic on a daily basis. Whether it’s a unique sign, an eye catching entrance, or an entire themed hotel or restaurant, they have the expertise and passion needed to bring your vision to life. In This Episode, Peter reveals … * Some of the ways he helps businesses tell their story and deliver an unforgettable experience. * How their process works, from concept, to design, to reality, the various materials they use, and what you can expect to pay. * Their strategy for social media. * The Hazelnut Inn, their boutique property under development and opening later this year, the vision behind it, and the magical experience they are creating. Resources & Links Peter Sawatzky * email: peter@imaginationcorporation.com * LinkedIn Imagination Corporation * Facebook * LinkedIn * Twitter * YouTube * Pinterest

Jyoti Sarolia is a third-generation hotel owner from San Diego. She serves as Chief Operating Officer of Ellis Hospitality that operates seven properties and she just completed a one-year term as Chairman of the Choice Hotels Owners Council. Her original career choice was to be a lawyer, but now she is raising the bar in read more

Jyoti Sarolia is a third-generation hotel owner from San Diego. She serves as Chief Operating Officer of Ellis Hospitality that operates seven properties and she just completed a one-year term as Chairman of the Choice Hotels Owners Council. Her original career choice was to be a lawyer, but now she is raising the bar in hospitality, and today we’re pleased that she is sharing her ideas with us. In This Episode, Jyoti reveals … * Her experience in recent role as chair of the Choice Hotels Owners Council (CHOC), the fact that she was the first female to serve as chair, and what she considers to be her most important accomplishments. * Her experience as a third-generation hotelier, her family’s background in hospitality, and why she finally decided to follow in her family footsteps. * Her candidacy for AAHOA Director At Large, why she’s running for nationwide office, and what her priorities are when elected. * How mentors or sponsors have helped and supported her along the way. Resources & Links Jyoti Sarolia * email: jyoti@ellishospitality.com * Phone: (619) 227-1212 * LinkedIn * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram Mentioned in this Episode * Ellis Hospitality * Choice Hotels Owners Council (CHOC) * AAHOA

Josh Galun is the Hospitality & Travel Lead at Excella in Washington, D.C. He’s has been at Excella for over 8 years and most recently joined the Excella Leadership Team in 2018. Josh has wide-ranging experience in project management, custom software development, process definition, IT security, data warehousing, and digital analytics. He currently focuses on read more

Josh Galun is the Hospitality & Travel Lead at Excella in Washington, D.C. He’s has been at Excella for over 8 years and most recently joined the Excella Leadership Team in 2018. Josh has wide-ranging experience in project management, custom software development, process definition, IT security, data warehousing, and digital analytics. He currently focuses on the Hospitality and Travel sector, and leads teams at multiple industry clients. Josh also organizes the DC Hospitality Tech Meetup and is co-chair of the HEDNA Hotel Analytics Working Group. In This Episode, Josh reveals … * The various types of loyalty fraud, how they apply to the hospitality industry, and whether the trend is getting any better. * The impact of loyalty fraud; on the brands, travelers and property owners. * How the hospitality industry is doing at preventing loyalty program fraud, which industries are doing it better that we can learn from, and why AI is well suited to help solve the problem. * What hoteliers can do at the property level to spot and prevent loyalty program fraud. Resources & Links Josh Galun * LinkedIn * email: jgalun@yahoo.com Excella * Website * LinkedIn * Facebook * Twitter

James Nannos leads the Hotel Partnerships Team at Stay Wanderful, where he’s focused on hotel growth, loyalty programs, and customer success. Prior to joining Stay Wanderful, James was part of the original Breadcrumb POS team (acquired by Groupon), and has held numerous other startup and private-equity related roles. Outside of work, James is a Captain read more

James Nannos leads the Hotel Partnerships Team at Stay Wanderful, where he’s focused on hotel growth, loyalty programs, and customer success. Prior to joining Stay Wanderful, James was part of the original Breadcrumb POS team (acquired by Groupon), and has held numerous other startup and private-equity related roles. Outside of work, James is a Captain and Troop Commander of B-Troop, 1-104 Cavalry in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. James received his B.S. from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, and his M.B.A. from Drexel’s Lebow College of Business. In This Episode, James reveals … * How to drive direct bookings and manage OTA contributions. * What the guest booking process look like now, why OTAs have such a negative stigma, and what a healthy contribution mix looks like. * How to get a new OTA guest to return to your property … and book direct, including some meaningful on-property incentives that work. * The most cost-effective spend of your digital marketing budget, including some alternative (off the beaten path) options that are also effective. Resources & Links James Nannos * LinkedIn * email: james@staywanderful.com Stay Wanderful * Website * LinkedIn

Dr. Rachel MK Headley has been in the trenches, dealing with unspoken conversations, barriers to team goals and success, and figuring out how to achieve impossible goals demanded by executive leadership. She believes the internal experience (iX) of an organization is a leadership choice. Partnering with Meg Manke at the Rose Group Int’l, they developed read more

Dr. Rachel MK Headley has been in the trenches, dealing with unspoken conversations, barriers to team goals and success, and figuring out how to achieve impossible goals demanded by executive leadership. She believes the internal experience (iX) of an organization is a leadership choice. Partnering with Meg Manke at the Rose Group Int’l, they developed the critical, new (and practical) iX leadership framework. Rachel is a TEDx speaker and has spoken on stage in front of over 12,000 people. She is a Forbes Coaches Council contributor and serves on the Council of Trustees for South Dakota State University. She is a Mensa PhD scientist, a certified Project Management Professional, a global citizen, a choral singer, and an art patroness. In This Episode, Rachael reveals … * The internal experience (iX) leadership framework – what it is, how it works, and how to go about crafting an exceptional internal experience. * iX as an organization’s culture, and the impact it has on employee success and retention. * How to identify various culture types within your organization, their impact on productivity, and how can you leverage (and embrace) various culture types within your organization for sustainable success. * How to navigate challenging times within an organization, and transform company tensions. Resources & Links Rachel Headley * LinkedIn * email: rachel@rosegroupintl.com Rose Group Int’l * Website * Facebook * Twitter