Women enter hospitality at the same rate as men. Then the numbers thin out hard at the top. That gap isn't about "pipeline." It's about progression. Suzanne co-hosts #NoVacancyNews with me, and we talk with Emily Goldfischer of Her Tenure about the leadership study she and her team did with Forbes Travel Guide and what it reveals about what helps women advance—and what still gets in the way. 📊 Emily shares the benchmark: women lead 19% of Forbes Travel Guide partner hotels, and Her Tenure heard from 99 women leaders to dig into what drives advancement 🧭 She frames the core issue clearly: progression problem, not pipeline problem 🕰️ She calls out barriers that still show up: limited flexibility for family life and gendered expectations of leadership 🤝 We get into the stuff people don't say out loud: networking access, mentorship vs sponsorship, and how "off-the-clock" conversations shape opportunity 🎯 Emily pushes practical moves that build careers: stretch roles, lateral moves that broaden capability, and owning your P&L 🏛️ We also talk progress you can actually see—like the shift in gender balance at conferences such as #HunterConference Thanks to Actabl for supporting this episode. Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com.

During the Hunter Conference, I talked with Ben Campbell, CEO of Hospitality America, about what he sees right now: demand pockets, the real booking window, and why operators need to get serious about data before AI forces the issue. 📈 Ben says South Florida Q1 is "crushing it" after a flat year ⚽ He expects World Cup momentum, but he keeps the booking window realistic—60–90 days 🌍 He watches international indicators, but he says it's still early 🤝 He says conferences work when you get outside your echo chamber and build strategic partnerships 🤖 He says growth and tech create the opportunity—get arms around data and prepare for AI adoption 🎂 Hospitality America hits 30 years this year Want the weekly newsletter recap of news, videos, and what you might've missed? Text HOTEL to 66866 for #NoVacancyNews.

We lost industry icon Kirk Kinsell this past week, and I wanted to re-share this 2024 conversation because it captures who he was and what he meant to many of us: a generous leader, a calm force in the room, and one of the people who helped shape the way this industry thinks about leadership and relationships. In this episode of Icons and Experts with my co-host Doug Artusio from the Extended Stay Lodging Association. Kirk doesn't do chest-thumping. He does substance. 🤝 Kirk talks about relationships the way the best leaders do: build them, invest in them, keep them for decades 🏨 He calls hospitality a team sport—from the hotel level to corporate to the industry level 👥 He makes "develop your talent" the job, not a slogan 👨‍👩‍👧 He tells the Mike Levin story that says everything about his priorities: family first, integrity always 🎁 He gives one of the most useful leadership lines in the business: "Feedback is a gift," and he explains how to take it without getting defensive 🌎 He reflects on extended stay's early days and how the category grew from white space into a core part of the business 🧭 He closes with advice for younger professionals: widen your view of the industry, try different lanes, and find the work that fits you Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed from hashtag#NoVacancyNews? Text HOTEL to 66866.

I ran into Wayne West III of Newport Hospitality Group during the Hunter Conference and asked what owners actually want from management right now—and what separates operators who keep getting repeat deals. 🤝 Wayne says trust and alignment with owners drives repeat business, because the first deal teaches both sides how to work together 🏢 Newport runs 37 hotels and keeps key disciplines in-house: accounting, HR, construction services, corporate engineering, commercial strategy, and ops ✈️ Wayne says in-house resources let them move fast—he can put the right person on a plane tomorrow instead of waiting on a third party 👥 He says successful management starts with treating people right—associates, guests, and owners 🧠 He talks coaching and mentoring over "training," plus a mentor program that develops AGMs and executive housekeepers into GMs 🏆 He shares a stat he's proud of: out of roughly 60 leaders coming to their retreat, only four are new faces Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed from hashtag#NoVacancyNews? Text HOTEL to 66866.

Friend of the show CJ Arlotta returns to do some clever PR tricks to make people think Glenn, Craig and Doctor Producer Suzanne are actually funny over here celebrating Happy Hour to get the weekend started. Plus, Bruce Ford joins for added fun.

While I was at the Hunter Conference, I asked John Schultzel of Olympia Hospitality a simple question: where do you actually find profit when there's no silver bullet—just pressure everywhere? 💰 John starts with payroll, then works every other line item 💳 He calls out the hidden killers: credit card fees, insurance, deductibles, exclusions, coverage limits 💡 He talks energy the unsexy way: walk the building, manage lights, invest in tech only when it pays back 🤖 He sees hashtag#AI and automation shifting work that used to require people—and he expects org charts to shrink as tools improve 👥 He talks seasonal reality: managers work arrivals, directors stay on the floor, teams cross-cover instead of hiding behind titles 🧮 He lives by a simple target: find $300 a day, because $300 a day turns into $1M a year 🛎️ He explains how you drive voluntary spend: pre-arrival communication, in-stay engagement, and front desk education that feels intentional 🤝 He likes incentive alignment—give associates a reason to care about upsell and execution Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed from hashtag#NoVacancyNews? Text HOTEL to 66866.

Sacramento doesn't have a Golden Gate Bridge. So they built demand with experiences—and then proved it with room nights. For #NoVacancyNews, I talked with Mike Testa (President & CEO, Visit Sacramento) about how Sacramento positioned itself around farm-to-fork and then stacked events that drive real overnight stays from different customer groups. 🍽️ Mike explains why "farm-to-fork" fits Sacramento: food on your plate often gets harvested that morning 📅 He points people to Sacramento 365 as the event hub that supports the brand with a steady calendar 🎸 He breaks down Aftershock: it grew from a one-day event (11,000) to four days (165,000), with 67% coming from outside the region and about $40M in four days 🏊 He talks Ironman and NCAA strategy: targeting women's Sweet 16/Elite Eight to build toward a women's Final Four conversation 🏨 Then he drops the hammer: Sacramento went from about 280,000 annual room nights pre-pandemic to about 409,000 after adding the event portfolio Thanks to Actabl for supporting this episode. Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com.

Chapter 5 of this 6-part CoralTree Customer Journey series gets into the guest-facing side: how the strategy shows up in communication and touchpoints across the stay. A strong customer journey does not come from slogans. It comes from leadership decisions, team training, and operational discipline - and now you can see it in the guest-facing moments. I talk with Angela Berkey, VP of Customer Engagement at CoralTree Hospitality, about using guest preferences, local context, and property-level ideas to shape pre-arrival messages, arrivals, in-stay surprises, and post-stay rebooking moments. Here is what we cover: · How they use guest preferences to shape communication before arrival · Arrival moments like a personalized welcome beverage · In-stay surprises and delights that feel intentional · Departure

Graduate has lived inside Hilton for a year and a half now, and the brand is growing without losing the personality that made it work in the first place. For #NoVacancyNews, I talked with Parker Henderson, the brand head for Graduate, at the Hunter Conference about what Hilton distribution changes, what owners should know, and how Graduate makes development easier with plug-and-play F&B concepts. 🏨 Parker says the 35 Graduate hotels thrive inside Hilton while keeping the brand's "unapologetically unique" DNA 🎓 He calls out Hilton Honors demand, especially on redemption stays during football weekends and graduation move-ins 📈 He shares the development picture: signed deals plus about 60 opportunities in different stages ☕ He breaks down Poindexter, the barista-led café concept (breakfast only or all-day), with recipes, menus, and bar program tools 🍻 He introduces two more owner-ready concepts: Double Major (social bar-led dining) and Debate Club (more refined) 🧭 He ties the whole brand back to walkable university markets with built-in annual demand rhythms Thanks to Actabl for supporting this episode. Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com. Graduate has lived inside Hilton for a year and a half now, and the brand is growing without losing the personality that made it work in the first place. For #NoVacancyNews, I talked with Parker Henderson, the brand head for Graduate, at the Hunter Conference about what Hilton distribution changes, what owners should know, and how Graduate makes development easier with plug-and-play F&B concepts. 🏨 Parker says the 35 Graduate hotels thrive inside Hilton while keeping the brand's "unapologetically unique" DNA 🎓 He calls out Hilton Honors demand, espec

While I was at the Hunter Conference, I talked with Greg O'Stean, Chief Development Officer, Hotel Equities about what makes a real owner–operator match—and what operators have to prove in this market. hashtag#NoVacancyNews 🤝 Greg frames his job as matchmaking: align the right owners with the right operator, and only take deals that add real value 🌪️ He calls out the new normal: you can't pull a manual off the shelf and solve today's problems 🧠 He says every hotel rises or falls on property leadership—especially a GM with an entrepreneurial mindset 🛎️ We get into the real definition of empowerment: employees making decisions without fear of getting crushed for it 🍦 He uses the Disney example: solve the guest problem in the moment—don't "ask permission" your way into a bad experience 🏨 He contrasts culture in real life: at this year's host hotel, staff checked in repeatedly on setup, temperature, and tech—basic care that changes everything Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed? Text HOTEL to 66866.

The latest Hotel Business Hot Topics session, "Rethinking Hotel F&B: Smarter Strategies for Profit, Community and Stability," in partnership with Entegra, featured an insightful discussion between moderator Glenn Haussman, founder/host, No Vacancy Live podcast, and a panel of industry leaders on how hotels are controlling costs, optimizing procurement and transforming food and beverage into a core revenue driver while creating experiences that resonate with today's guests and local communities.   You'll hear insights from Glenn Haussman (moderator) alongside leaders from Crestline Hotels & Resorts, Davidson Hospitality Group, GF Hotels & Resorts and our Head of Culinary, Lynn Hay.

Glenn freezes, Suzanne can't hear anyone, and Craig somehow turns Milk Duds into a conspiracy theory. That's a normal Friday. For #NoVacancyNews, Friday Night Audit rolls into Episode 205 with Craig Sullivan, Dr. Producer Suzanne, and guest Stephanie Hills (and yes… even her name comes with a plot twist). 🍸 Stephanie Hills joins us for cocktails and immediately makes everything funnier, including her "keep it confusing" name history 🍹 Suzanne brings the conference chaos from Tampa and runs a live taste test of three student-created cocktails (Certified Lover Girl gets the spotlight) 🍬 Craig interrogates the "30% less fat" Milk Duds claim like he's building a legal case 🧊 Glenn declares himself "fine," sounds sick anyway, and freezes often enough to turn it into a drinking game 🍷 Stephanie tells the ultimate late-night conference story: when you should have left, but didn't—and it ends with tears and red wine 🏆 We push the Pet Peeves Sweet 16 forward, argue about thermostats, shower controls, lamp switches, and all the little hotel annoyances that ruin your day

Thirty years in, PM Hotel Group still thinks like an owner-operator—and that matters right now. While I was at the Hunter Conference, I talked with Paul Sacco of PM Hotel Group about how they protect margin when RevPAR growth slows, costs climb, and rate resistance shows up. #NoVacancyNews 🎉 PM Hotel Group celebrates its 30th anniversary this fall—and Paul talks about evolving from owner-operator to a top 15 third-party operator with a diverse ownership base 📈 Paul focuses on getting more than "fair share" even when markets don't accelerate: commercial tools, RPI gains, and strong revenue discipline 💰 He leans into TRevPAR thinking—total revenue per available customer—and why the guest who spends on-property matters 🧠 He talks intent-based search and how AI changes the way guests describe trips (Gemini, ChatGPT, etc.) 🏨 He says lifestyle and independent hotels show up well in those searches, especially through Modus by PM Hotel Group 🤝 He notes they're a little over a year past the merger with Sightline, and he calls out Kirk Pedersen stepping into the COO role 📌 He tees up smart growth: independently owned, not growing for growth's sake, and looking for the right national deals

For #NoVacancyNews, I caught up with David Wilner, newly appointed Chief Development Officer of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, at the Hunter Conference to talk development reality right now—conversion-heavy conditions, brand value pressure, and why he still won't count new construction out. 👥 David keeps the mission simple: drive the best opportunities and returns for franchisees 🏷️ He talks brand value in a tighter market—owners look harder at what their flag and distribution actually deliver 🔄 He agrees it's a conversion market right now, and he explains why that creates opportunity 🏗️ He refuses to count new construction out: real developers keep developing, and 36 months changes the whole picture 📉 He notes construction pricing has come down from the peak, even if it still sits above pre-pandemic levels 🧠 He makes the point I wish more people lived by: don't let today's environment talk you out of tomorrow's opportunity

Economy and midscale owners don't need shiny objects. They need tech that either drives revenue or cuts costs—period. For hashtag#NoVacancyNews, I caught up with Zack Gharib, President of Red Roof, at Hunter Conference to talk about why he's leaning into tech now while demand softens—and what he thinks starts to turn. 📲 Zack explains the guest experience platform: guests text requests, staff stops playing phone-tag, and hotels fix issues before checkout 🧠 He talks ROI discipline: Red Roof only adopts tech that clearly drives revenue or clearly cuts costs 💳 He says franchisees asked for cheaper payment processing, so Red Roof partnered with FreedomPay at about half the cost—saving hotels hundreds per month 🔗 He ties the tech stack together: PMS-first (HotelKey), then smoother integrations, faster execution, and direct connectivity that removes third-party fees 📈 He talks momentum: Q1 looks strong, March looks outstanding, and he sees the economy segment sta

America didn't travel in America the way we expected last summer—because a lot of the spend went overseas. Now the calendar flips, the event slate stacks up, and the question becomes simple: who travels, where do they stay, and what does that do to performance? For hashtag#NoVacancyNews, I talked with Bruce Ford (SVP, Lodging Econometrics) from Atlanta on the eve of the Hunter Conference about what he expects this year—World Cup momentum, America's 250th anniversary, rising costs, and the "down-the-scale" shift that could help midscale and upper-midscale operators. ⚽ Bruce expects U.S. events to keep more travel domestic this year 💸 We talk cost pressure everywhere: gas, airfare/jet fuel, and what that does to trip decisions 🏨 Bruce thinks midscale and upper-midscale could benefit if travelers trade down to make trips work 🧑‍🍳 We hit the service squeeze: shortened restaurant hours, closed sections, and the "we're short staffed" reality 💰 Bruce brings it back to owner math: monetize every square foot and take care of frequent guests and rewards members without nickel-and-diming Thanks to Actabl for supporting this episode. Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com .

Evermore is building an Orlando resort ecosystem: multiple hotels, a massive lagoon, and enough on-property programming that guests don't treat the theme parks as the only "main event." For #NoVacancyNews, I talked with Sean McCarron (General Manager, Conrad Orlando) about how Conrad fits inside Evermore—and what it takes to deliver luxury standards inside a new complex. 💎 Conrad Orlando becomes the first Conrad to earn AAA Five Diamond ⭐ Sean talks Forbes recognition and how the team keeps standards tight 🌊 He points to the Evermore centerpiece: the 17-million-gallon lagoon and the immediate "wow" when guests arrive 🍽️ He breaks down dining identity—each outlet needs its own reason to exist 🎟️ He explains how Evermore programming keeps people on-property: lawns, activations, kids crafts, live music, and more 🧖 He highlights the spa: water garden, hot/cold plunge pools, vitality pools, and an 11-room spa 🏢 He breaks down the business mix and why Evermore separates group space from leisure so both can win 🎢 He shares the real Orlando surprise: many guests spend less time at the parks and more time on-property once they arrive Thanks to Actabl for supporting this episode. Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com.

Chapter 4 of this 6-part CoralTree Customer Journey series focuses on implementation - specifically, how you get property teams to build ideas they actually believe in and want to own. Hotels do not improve the customer journey by accident. They build it through strategy, systems, and execution. This chapter shows what the build process looks like. I talk with Kaitlin Broumpton, Director of Quality and Guest Experience Strategy at CoralTree Hospitality, about workshops, property-level ideation, and how CoralTree helps teams shape locally authentic moments instead of pushing top-down scripts. Here is what we cover: · How CoralTree runs workshops to bring the soul of a property to life · Why buy-in improves when teams have a seat at the table · How they refine ideas without forcing corporate templates ·

Westgate didn't just build a resort — they built a small city of experiences. In this walking-tour episode, Glenn Haussman explores Westgate Vacation Villas in Orlando with Chief Business & Strategy Officer Jared Saft, starting at the original 16-unit building from the early 1980s and moving through the resort's huge renovation and expansion. We visit the movie theater, the retail experiences designed by Starboard, the Chuck E. Cheese–powered arcade, the toddler zone, the retro arcade, the Mystery Funhouse throwbacks, the in-lobby candy shop with a waterslide running through it, and the multi-level Shipwreck Island Waterpark. Jared also shares how Westgate plans new concepts, how they think about every family member's experience, and what's next as they just added 40 new destinations during a major growth cycle. This episode is brought to you by Actabl — Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com. What we cover: 🏨: The origin story — from a 16-unit project to one of Florida's largest resorts 🎬: How the in-lobby movie theater reduces check-in stress for families 👾: The Mystery Funhouse legacy and why nostalgia still excites kids 🍭: The ice-cream + donut + candy shop with a water slide running overhead 🌊: Shipwreck Island Waterpark, lazy rivers, and multi-level amenities 🍽️: How Westgate approaches F&B for families with mixed tastes 🚀: Westgate's expansion strategy and why they act like entrepreneurs, not a big-box brand

This week the amazing Lan Elliott returns to FNA to laugh along Glenn, Craig and Doctor Producer Suzanne. This week Glenn is in Dallas and the gang reveals which pet peeves are moving on to the sweet 16!