Hospitality Daily Podcast

In this episode, Melissa Maher, a former travel and hospitality executive and author of Holding Your Own, unpacks the leadership skills many professionals never get taught on the job. Melissa shares why she wrote the book and how confidence, self-advocacy, executive presence, and communication shape career progress more than performance alone. The conversation explores practical ways to build trust, navigate feedback, strengthen personal brand, and adapt in a fast-changing, AI-influenced workplace. This episode is for hospitality leaders who want to advance their careers, lead more effectively, and have the conversations that move work and people forward.
Listen to our previous recordings with Melissa:
Think Big: What I Learned As Expedia's CMO (And Beyond) - Melissa Maher
What It Takes to Operate at Peak Personal Performance - Melissa Maher
A few more resources:
If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here.
You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions
If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.
Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.
If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!
Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Matthias Huettebraeuker and Josiah Mackenzie unpack what innovation actually means in hospitality, and why most efforts start in the wrong place. This conversation moves past trends to focus on first principles, specifically how designing around human needs creates more resilient, relevant hospitality businesses. Matthias shares a clear framework for rethinking hotels through convergence, fluidity, and versatility, with real-world examples from hospitality and beyond. Listeners will leave with practical ways to apply these ideas immediately, whether they work in sales, marketing, guest services, or operations.
Read Matthias' article in HospitalityNet's Hotel Yearbook: "Can we please not say Hybrid, please"
You may also enjoy:
Rethinking Hospitality - Matthias Huettebraeuker
From Concept to Success: The Strategy Behind Our Hospitality Innovation - Hans Meyer, Zoku & Matthias Huettebraeuker
Culture of Innovation: How Hospitality Leaders Can Stay Ahead - Hans Meyer, Zoku & Matthias Huettebraeuker
Hospitality Beyond Hotels: Redefining the Future of Retirement Living - Jan Garde & Matthias Huettebraeuker
Susie Arnett's article: "Why Presence is the Next Amenity"
A few more resources:
If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here.
You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions
If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.
Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.
If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!
Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Sarah Eustis, CEO of Main Street Hospitality, shares why having a clear point of view defines effective leadership. Drawing from her early career inside global fashion brands, she explains how leaders build trust by showing up with conviction, articulating rationale, and setting direction instead of reacting to others. 
See our earlier conversation: From 14-Year-Old Housekeeper to Ralph Lauren to CEO: What I've Learned in Hotel Management and Beyond - Sarah Eustis, Main Street Hospitality Group
A few more resources:
If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here.
You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions
If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.
Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.
If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!
Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Sarah Eustis, CEO of Main Street Hospitality, shares how she leads with what she calls “the box and the wavy line.” She explains how disciplined operating systems, clear SOPs, and financial rigor create the stability teams need in a volatile market. Sarah also breaks down why structure does not limit creativity and how it creates room for innovation, new concepts, and thoughtful growth. This conversation offers a practical leadership framework for hospitality executives balancing control, culture, and expansion.
See our previous conversation: From 14-Year-Old Housekeeper to Ralph Lauren to CEO: What I've Learned in Hotel Management and Beyond - Sarah Eustis, Main Street Hospitality Group
A few more resources:
If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here.
You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions
If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.
Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.
If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!
Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Sarah Eustis, CEO of Main Street Hospitality, explains how the company earned an employee Net Promoter Score of 78 in an industry known for hiring and retention challenges. She breaks down the specific leadership behaviors, hiring philosophy, and feedback systems that shape engagement long before someone’s first day. The conversation focuses on interviewing for emotional intelligence, using 360-degree input, and treating development and feedback as daily operating disciplines. Hospitality leaders will take away a clear view of what high employee satisfaction requires and why it directly impacts guest experience and financial performance.
See our previous conversation: From 14-Year-Old Housekeeper to Ralph Lauren to CEO: What I've Learned in Hotel Management and Beyond - Sarah Eustis, Main Street Hospitality Group
A few more resources:
If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here.
You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions
If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.
Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.
If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!
Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands