Eric shares how his love of cooking set in motion a lifelong career in the hotel industry. He talks about realizing leadership at any early age, how his leadership has evolved over time, and why character is the driving factor in building great teams. Eric discusses why his engagement with non-profits is so important f... more
Rita shares how her early exposure to travel, culture, and entrepreneurship led to a hospitality industry career spanning several different chapters. She talks about the importance of believing in self, owning your expertise, the impact of community, and why curiosity is a great motivator. Rita also encourages people t... more
In this episode of 'It's Personal Stories,' Dorothy Dowling interviews Sasha Day, President and CEO of Aramark Destinations. Sasha shares her journey in her current role, discussing Aramark's diverse operations in national parks, conference centers, and attractions. She opens up about her non-linear career path that e... more
In this episode of 'It's Personal Stories,' Dorothy Dowling interviews Anil Agarwal, CEO of Milestone. Anil shares his journey into entrepreneurship, starting with his early days at the University of Georgia where he founded an entrepreneurship club. His interest grew through interactions with members of the Indus Entr... more
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 misun... more
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 syndr... more
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 ... more
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, a... more
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 st... more
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 w... more
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 experienc... more
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, an... more
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... more
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 advic... more
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 CDO 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 g... more
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 attendi... more
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 woul... more
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 ... more
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 ... more
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,... more
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 ... more