Podcast
Hospitality Daily Podcast
Hosted by Josiah Mackenzie · EN
Stay informed and inspired to delight people and grow your business with daily conversations with interesting people doing interesting things. Hosted by Josiah Mackenzie.
11episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
What an Imaginary Hotel Can Teach Us About Awe and Hospitality - Milou Neelen
1w ago00:25:04Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Milou Neelen, the Founder of Hôtel Magique, shares why so many beautifully designed hotels leave guests feeling nothing. You'll hear why she chases awe over polish, how imperfection makes a space feel more human, and why she believes an awe-inspired hotel moves guests from memorable to transformational. She also gets into the science of awe through the work of UC Berkeley's Dacher Keltner, author of Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder.Connect with Milou:LinkedInInstagramExplore her work:Hôtel Magique: website and InstagramBatik Boy, the Bali radio and store space she designed with Davey MassikkiThe Pleasure of Leisure, co-founded with photographer Anna Pihan 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 suggestionsIf 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
Transcribe →
Scaling Hospitality Without Losing What Makes You Special - Lily Wecker, Aethos
2w ago00:11:21Tap to summarizeScaling a hospitality brand is about more than adding new properties. The real challenge is preserving the culture, service, and sense of connection that made the brand successful in the first place.In this episode, Lily Wecker, CEO of Aethos, shares how the company approaches growth by investing in people first, choosing locations with intention, and expanding alongside the communities they serve. She explains why culture is the foundation for scaling and why staying true to your identity matters more than growing quickly.This conversation is hosted by our innovation correspondent Matthias Huettebraeuker. 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 suggestionsIf 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
Transcribe →
Hospitality Marketing Should Feel Human - Lily Wecker, Aethos
3w ago00:07:09Tap to summarizeCreating a memorable hospitality experience is only part of the challenge. Communicating it in a way that feels just as human is what sets great brands apart.In this episode, Lily Wecker, CEO of Aethos, explains how the company's human-centered philosophy shapes its marketing and communication. She shares why Aethos prioritizes people over products, how its campaigns capture the spirit of the brand rather than staged perfection, and why storytelling attracts guests who will really connect with its approach to hospitality.This conversation is hosted by our innovation correspondent Matthias Huettebraeuker.Also see:Human-to-Human: Rethinking Luxury Hospitality - Lily Wecker, AethosBuilding and operating Aethos Hotels: Europe’s next great hotel brandLimestone Capital’s value investment strategyStaying Consistently Creative and Relevant in Food & Beverage - Marc Lores Panades, Aethos Hotels 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 suggestionsIf 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
Transcribe →
The Dinner Game Aethos Uses to Build Connection - Lily Wecker, Aethos
3w ago00:07:29Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Lily Wecker, the CEO at Aethos, shares how the brand designs guest experiences around 360-degree wellbeing rather than entertainment alone. She walks through Aethos's mix of outward-facing programming, DJ nights, live sketching, listening sessions, and inward-focused rituals like a personal-question card game played after community dinners.You'll hear why Lily believes wellbeing has to include social connection alongside sleep, food, and exercise, and why she builds both distraction and introspection into the guest experience.This conversation is hosted by our innovation correspondent Matthias Huettebraeuker.Also see:Human-to-Human: Rethinking Luxury Hospitality - Lily Wecker, AethosBuilding and operating Aethos Hotels: Europe’s next great hotel brandLimestone Capital’s value investment strategyStaying Consistently Creative and Relevant in Food & Beverage - Marc Lores Panades, Aethos Hotels 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 suggestionsIf 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
Transcribe →
Stop Guessing About AI. See What Hotel Leaders Are Actually Doing. (Nazpari Aydin, Destination AI) [Sponsor Bonus]
3w ago00:17:00Tap to summarizeIn this special bonus episode, Josiah Mackenzie and Nazpari Aydin, Founder and Managing Director of Destination AI, introduce the State of Hotel AI survey, a study designed to reveal what's really happening with AI across the hotel industry, where it's delivering results, and where it still falls short. They discuss why an honest look at AI adoption matters, how the findings will help you benchmark your organization against your peers, and what attendees will learn from the research at this year's Destination AI Summit.Take the survey and get the full anonymized data set at StateOfHotelAI.comConnect with Nazpari on LinkedIn and get your ticket to Destination AI here.Also see: Destination AI: How I Built the #1 Hospitality AI Event From Scratch - Nazpari Aydin 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 suggestionsIf 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
Transcribe →
Why We Break the Rules to Deliver a Feeling - Lily Wecker, Aethos
3w ago00:11:06Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Lily Wecker, CEO of Aethos, shares how her teams break hotel brand standards to deliver a feeling rather than a checklist. You'll hear why one property has no TVs in the rooms, why she tells front desk teams to observe guests instead of predicting what they want, and how a GM in Sardinia turned beach rocks into welcome-card holders.This conversation is hosted by our innovation correspondent Matthias Huettebraeuker.Also see:Human-to-Human: Rethinking Luxury Hospitality - Lily Wecker, AethosBuilding and operating Aethos Hotels: Europe’s next great hotel brandLimestone Capital’s value investment strategyStaying Consistently Creative and Relevant in Food & Beverage - Marc Lores Panades, Aethos Hotels 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 suggestionsIf 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
Transcribe →
Human-to-Human: Rethinking Luxury Hospitality - Lily Wecker, Aethos
3w ago00:12:42Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Lily Wecker, CEO of Aethos, explains why she believes the future of luxury hospitality is shifting away from status and product, and toward genuine human connection. In conversation with our innovation correspondent Matthias Huettebraeuker, she shares how Aethos is redefining luxury through community, belonging, and a human-to-human approach to service. It's a fresh perspective on how guest expectations are evolving and what hospitality leaders should be thinking about next.Also see:Building and operating Aethos Hotels: Europe’s next great hotel brandLimestone Capital’s value investment strategyStaying Consistently Creative and Relevant in Food & Beverage - Marc Lores Panades, Aethos Hotels 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 suggestionsIf 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
Transcribe →
Listening to Yourself: A Hotel CEO on the Setback That Reset Her Leadership - Lily Wecker, Aethos
3w ago00:06:51Tap to summarizeThis episode introduces our week-long series with Lily Wecker, CEO of Aethos, in conversation with our innovation correspondent Matthias Huettebraeuker. She reflects on her journey and a pivotal moment that changed how she thinks about success, leadership, and listening to yourself. 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 suggestionsIf 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
Transcribe →
Where AI Actually Pays Off in Hospitality, and What Owners Should Demand - Ben Rafter, Hotel Equities
3w ago00:11:24Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Ben Rafter, CEO of Hotel Equities, shares where he believes AI is already delivering measurable results in hospitality and why operational applications are advancing faster than guest-facing experiences. He explains how Hotel Equities evaluates and tests new technology through HE Labs, the questions hotel owners should ask when selecting a management company, and where he sees AI driving hotel performance in the years ahead.Learn more: HE Labs by Hotel EquitiesHotel Equities CEO: Here’s Which Technologies Can Actually Lift Owner Margins [Skift]Previously on the show:What Happens When a Tech CEO Leads a Hotel Company - Ben RafterTech CEO-Turned-Hotel CEO Shares Tech Advice - Ben Rafter 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 suggestionsIf 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
Transcribe →
How AI Addresses the Biggest Cost in a Hotel: Labor (Ben Rafter, Hotel Equities)
4w ago00:10:40Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Ben Rafter, CEO of Hotel Equities, shares how his team is using AI, data, and real-time operational insights to improve labor management, often the largest controllable expense in a hotel. He explains how better scheduling and smarter decision-making create opportunities to improve efficiency while maintaining the guest experience. You'll also hear why data alone isn't enough and how intelligent recommendations help hotel leaders think more like owners.Learn more: HE Labs by Hotel EquitiesHotel Equities CEO: Here’s Which Technologies Can Actually Lift Owner Margins [Skift]Previously on the show:What Happens When a Tech CEO Leads a Hotel Company - Ben RafterTech CEO-Turned-Hotel CEO Shares Tech Advice - Ben Rafter 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 suggestionsIf 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
Transcribe →