Episodes

Paul Williams: Unleashing the Entrepreneurial Spirit In Dubai Once in a while, you’ll stumble upon a force of nature – an individual whose entrepreneurial passion and cunning innovation reshape their field, embodying the spirit of self-belief and soaring over adversity. One such person is Paul Williams, the CEO of Spearhead Creativity. In a recent, highly engaging conversation, Paul shared a narrative marked by entrepreneurship, strategic branding, AI tech usage, and a sprinkle of jazz bars! He...

“Bridging the Gap: How Susanna Sjöberg’s Expertise is Redefining Mental Wellness in the Hospitality Sector” TSHS-0067 To the listener and reader: What are your top three pain points in dealing with Mental Wellness challenges in your organization? Please write in the comments. Introduction: In the fast-paced world of hospitality, where customer service is at the forefront, the well-being of employees often takes a back seat. However, in the current era of uncertainty and global challenges, the m...

The Art of Shaping Ideas and Brands – Mike Munt, Creative Director Apogii Listen in as brand and design expert, Mike Munt, shares invaluable insights about his personal experiences and techniques to successfully shape the ideas and brands in this engaging podcast. He beautifully likens brands to books, emphasizing the delicate dance of visual design and written narrative to truly capture an audience’s imagination. From discussing the elements of a cohesive visual language, like shape, color, a...

The episode titled “Branded Residences A Luxury Illusion or Real Value” discusses the concept of branded residences in the hospitality market. I am joined by my guest Mark Dardenne, an expert in the development of branded residences in the Gulf area. Branded residences have gained popularity in the past few years, especially in Dubai. Mark explains that branded residences are properties that are associated with a specific brand or hotel operator. These residences offer a luxury lifestyle with ...

The Roller Coaster Ride: What aspiring Entrepreneurs need to prepare for – Chris Nader. TSHS-0064 Chris Nader, CO-founder, of ENVI lodges talks about his background growing up in a family of hoteliers and his early exposure to the hospitality industry working at his family’s beach club at a young age. He later got a hospitality MBA from EHL, and worked with various hotel brands before deciding during the pandemic in 2020 to launch his own sustainable hospitality company focused on luxury eco-lod...

In this episode, Ted Rubin @tedrubin—a leading Social Media Marketing Strategist, who has been on digital media since 1997—shares his perspective on how hotels and small businesses can use social media to create real relationships with their customers. Ted starts by explaining what inspired him to write his latest book, Return on Relationship: How Social Media Has Changed Customer Service. He then goes on to discuss how hotel staff can use data from their guests in order to deliver better custom...

Designing for next-generation luxury customers. In this fascinating episode, we explore the changing landscape of luxury experiences with my guest Kristoff d’Oria di Cirie, Experiential Creative director and co-founder of Insogni Studio. Kristoff shares his insights on how the next generation of luxury customers value experiences over material possessions, and how brands can create meaningful and memorable experiences for their customers. Kristoff further explores the concept of sleep in hotel ...

Join host Sam Erik as he speaks with Robyn Woodhead, who turned childhood travel adventures into a career pioneering luxury polar expeditions. Robin shares how her parents fostered her insatiable curiosity through globe-trotting from a young age. Hear how a failed Antarctic expedition in her 20s spent stuck in a tent led Robyn to establish with her husband the world’s first luxury camp in Antarctica’s interior. She reflects on the hard-won lessons from that formative experience which shaped her ...

In the world of adventure travel, there are individuals who have transformed their passion into a thriving business. One such trailblazer is Luca Franco, a true connoisseur of experiential travel, and the founder of Luxury Frontiers. In this episode, we will delve into Luca’s remarkable journey and the evolution of luxury travel. We will also explore the importance of sustainability in this industry, the challenges and opportunities it presents, and the strategic partnerships that have propelled...

In the competitive world of hotel brands, what truly matters – culture or strategy? Join us in this thought-provoking video as we delve into the importance of culture and strategy for hotel brands and discuss which one truly reigns supreme. Culture, often referred to as the heart and soul of a hotel brand, plays a vital role in shaping the guest experience. It encompasses the values, beliefs, and behaviors that define the brand’s identity and create a unique atmosphere. We explore the signific...

What are the Do’s and Don’ts of Influencer Marketing in Hospitality In this episode with my terrific guest Sarah Saffari, Founder of InfluencerNexus we dive into the Do’s and Don’ts of Influencer Marketing. Sarah shares a goldmine of ideas! Implementing these strategies thoughtfully can significantly impact your hotel’s success. We will cover the following topics: * The role of influencer marketing in the overall marketing strategy. * What is the danger of having a ¨me too¨ approach and in ...

We are discussing with AI trailblazer Tamina Wuerth, CEO and founder of Aivolution how artificial intelligence enables next-level guest personalization. Tamina shares how AI systems capture guest preferences to curate personalized stays across properties. We are discussing the challenges of balancing guest data collection with privacy. Tamina explains how AI can store guest details and empower staff with personalized recommendations for repeat visitors. This enables the delivery of consistent, ...

Hotelier Learning Curve: Humility & Curiosity – Discussion with Marc Dardenne We are reflecting with my guest Marc Dardenne on our decades-long careers and sharing insights learned along the way. Starting as management trainees Marc with Hilton and me with Hyatt, we gained experience across multiple countries and cultures. Early challenges included adapting to new places, understanding cultural norms, and taking the initiative to learn. Key lessons covered are being curious and proactive, embr...

Stand Out in a Crowded Market – Hotel Branding Strategies Join me with my guest hospitality expert Marc Dardenne as he shares insider tips and anecdotes from career-launching iconic hotel brands, like Armani Hotels, The Address, and Patina Hotels. – Learn Marc’s perspective on what makes a successful brand, from identifying your market niche to crafting memorable experiences. – Discover the intricacies of brand creation – from selecting the perfect name to instilling a vibrant culture that brin...

Why Interior branding has the incredible ability to connect brands with their guests. Discussing with Bruna Rodrigues, Founder and principal designer of INPAR Hospitality Concepts, a boutique design studio specializing in the hospitality sector. Originally from Brazil, and based in Malaga, Spain, she is passionate about helping businesses realize the full potential of their interiors.

2 Hospitality Events, 3 Takeaways with 5 Guests I attended IHIF ( International Hotel Investment Forum, Berlin and Eco Resort Network Event, in Montenegro. I thought it would be great to get some people who joined either or both events to share their views, in this way to give a balanced takeaway for you the listeners. Let me introduce my guests who made this episode possible. Dr.Willy Legrand is, Professor at the IU University of Applied Sciences in Germany, with specialization in sustainable...

Discussion with Hylton Lipkin the General Manager for Garrya Mu Gang Chai and Homm Tu Le in Vietnam, part of The Banyan Tree Group. Speaking about his approach to operate a hotel sustainably with a focus on People,Planet and Profit. Hylton is passionate about Environmental Wellness and describes his approach.

Is there a real potential for generative AI in the Hotel industry? Discussing with Jaynath N Kolla, Head of Strategy for a Big Tech Firm, Building the new Internet of Health. Jayanth insight on emerging tech is invaluable and will surely leave you inspired. He is sharing his views about the Technologists, what happened to their Rock Star status, and the latest trends with Generative AI shaping the future of the hotel industry, with some practical tips.

Critical Questions in Hospitality. My guest in this episode is Celine Vadam, Co-founder of Hospitality of the Future Think Tank contributed with the team from the Hospitality of the Future Think Tank to Prof. Dr. Willy Legrand’s book¨Critical Questions in Sustainability and Hospitality.¨ We will discuss with Celine Vadam how to make better choices and prioritize a more holistic commitment to protecting the planet.

The future hotel leadership – discussion with Aki Keskitalo, Hotel General Manager, Hotel Torni & Solo Sokos Helsinki Interesting discussion with Aki Keskitalo, besides his passion for hospitality, and empowering his colleagues, he is known to get out of his comfort zone. He is the contestant in the Finnish version of The Apprentice aka DIILI 2023. Learn more what drives him to excel in Life and his views on the future of hotel leadership.

Michael Haddad: From Paralysed to World Record Breaker Discussion with endurance athlete Michael Haddad about his Awake Walk Svalbard Michael Haddad is a UNDP Arab States Goodwill Ambassador for Climate Action, an endurance athlete holding four record-breaking athletic feats, who overcame his disability and believes nothing is impossible. In April 2023 he will be mustering all his willpower to perform a 100km Arctic walk to address the climate emergency, and to bring attention to the melting ...

Discussing with Yana Kaiser, Architect and passionate sauna aficionado. She moved to Finland recently and joined the Studio Puisto Architects.
While writing her thesis for the Masters Degree, and sitting long hours in front of computer she developed back pains and was also mentally stressed out. She found the sauna health benefits from sauna, both physically as a relaxant but also mentally.
As an architect she appreciates Nordic form and describes how she sees the evolution of sauna design and b...

With passion for pioneering ideas and new approaches to hospitality experiences my guest Ron Swidler created the Hotel of Tomorrow Project an industry leading-leading think tank. I will discuss with Ron about his journey that has lead him to bring together hundreds of companies to envision the future of hospitality, which has resulted in innovation that can be found in hotels and restaurants throughout the world. The concepts we cover in this episode is Robotic Reset, which is a reformable gues...

Creating a Wellness Ritual Around Cartoons and video games for Children improves their mental wellbeing with help of professional teachers. Cartoons and video games are a great way to get your children interested in wellness and exercise. The best way to do this is to create an exercise ritual around cartoons and video games. Discussing with Kushal Raju founder of Exar Fit of the development first of its kind 3D group physical activities built for children