The Hospitality Mentor

Hospitality.FM
  • 5.0 (44)
  • Management
  • Updated Weekly

Join me, Steve Turk, on the Hospitality Mentor podcast as we dive into the personal stories of some of the world's best Hospitality Professionals. We follow the journey of their ups, downs and wild turns and find out what it truly takes to make it in the amazing world of hospitality.

  1. Jun 25

    Nikheel Advani on Building Grace Bay Resorts: Mentorship, Luxury Service, and Branded Residences in Turks and Caicos

    Host Steve Turk interviews Nikheel Advani , co-founder and COO of Grace Bay Resorts, who shares how he entered hospitality at 16 after his father pushed him to work, leading to dishwashing, banqueting, and founding a small events company in Singapore. He trained at UMass Amherst, worked in restaurants and hotels, joined a Pizza Uno turnaround team, then spent years with Ritz-Carlton opening multiple properties and emphasizing mentorship. He became hotel manager at Singapore’s Raffles, helped elevate its global ranking, then moved to Turks and Caicos to build a hotel into Grace Bay Resorts, focusing on training, local talent, service excellence, food and beverage, airlift, and a luxury branded-residence model that funds development and gives owners hotel access and rental income. It's an amazing episode with fantastic stories and pieces of advice that you should listen to today. A big thank you to our sponsor, Lodgify. Make sure to use promo code THM60 when you sign up at Lodgify 00:00 Sponsor Lodgify 01:07 Meet Nikheel Advani 01:48 First Hospitality Job 02:08 Dad’s Tough Lesson 03:21 Starting a Company at 16 04:42 Choosing Hotel School 07:18 UMass and Working Through School 08:42 Pizza Turnaround Years 10:09 Breaking Into Ritz Carlton 11:48 Mentors That Changed Everything 14:42 Leaving for Raffles Singapore 16:24 Running an Iconic Hotel 17:28 Profit Meets Guest Experience 18:35 Leap to Turks and Caicos 20:57 Caribbean Service Reset 21:55 Risk and Ownership Leap 22:55 Partners and Fast Decisions 23:56 Awards and Signature Wins 25:43 Building Local Talent 28:29 Selling a New Destination 31:46 Airlift and Island Strategy 34:08 Next Projects Pipeline 36:06 Branded Residences Model 38:59 Advice and Farewell

    42 min

  2. Jun 17

    Live from HITEC San Antonio: Hospitality Creator Summit Highlights, Content Strategy, and Tech Trends

    Live from HITEC in San Antonio, the Steve Turk and Sarah Dandashy recap the inaugural Hospitality Creator Summit, created by Anna Blue and Anthony Melchiorri, which drew 200+ attendees for a full day of networking and creator-focused education. Sara shares first impressions of the high-energy event, meeting online peers in person, and the supportive, low-ego atmosphere. A panel on “behind the brand deal” featured Margaritaville and My Place Hotels discussing how brands choose creators, partnership paths from in-kind to paid, and the challenge of tracking bookings driven by content, including working with small-audience creators for fit and aesthetic. They note sessions on newsletters and podcasting milestones, HITEC’s creator booth with interview and green-screen setups, and floor trends like better booth experiences, fewer AI buzzwords but more specific integrations, data consolidation, and room automation savings, plus a push for brands to create personality-driven, value-first content. A big shout out to our sponsor Lodgify! Starting June 17th to June 30th, use promo code THM60 for 60% off 00:00 Live From HITEC 00:21 Sponsor Shoutout - Lodgify 00:58 Creator Summit Recap 02:55 Brand Deals Panel 05:09 Creator Growth Tips 05:50 Meet Tyler Behind Scenes 06:37 Content Booth Setup 07:31 HITEC Floor Highlights 08:27 Tech Trends And AI 09:57 Venue Vibes San Antonio 10:16 Creators Take Over 10:57 Booth Snacks and Vibes 11:24 Why Brands Need Content 12:55 Make Value Not Ads 14:19 One Post Big Impact 16:05 HCS First Day Energy 17:54 After Party and Wrap

    19 min

  3. Jun 4

    From Nightlife to Wellness: Milan Mijatovic on Building SILA Miami

    Host Steve Turk interviews Milan Mijatovic, founder of SILA Miami. Milan explains SILA as a social wellness club in Upper Buena Vista featuring longevity services (float tank, hyperbaric oxygen, lymphatic suit, red light therapy, bioscan/bodywork), outdoor classes (yoga, Pilates, functional strength, kettlebells), and contrast therapy (cold plunges and a 14-person sauna). He recounts starting in hospitality as a dishwasher at Atlanta’s Dante’s Down the Hatch, moving to Chicago to become a bartender and competition mixologist, then relocating to Miami where he worked at the Versace Mansion reopening, Regent Cocktail Bar alongside Julio Cabrera, and as a cachaça brand ambassador. After nightlife management at Rockwell and reflecting on industry excesses, a trucking-business detour, and a renewed focus on recovery and nature, he launched SILA without a formal business plan, emphasizing community support, systems, and a goal of a second location and future beach flagship. 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:31 Sponsor Lodgify 01:34 Meet Milan 02:48 What Is Sila 04:13 Steve Joins Sila 05:17 First Hospitality Job 09:52 Chicago Hustle 12:13 Cocktail Roots 14:18 Mixology Rise 15:31 Miami Calling 17:31 Cuba Turning Point 20:58 Versace And Regent 22:32 Brand Ambassador Era 23:48 Nightlife Management 26:43 Surviving The Scene 28:59 Wellness Seeds 30:11 COVID Pivot to Trucking 31:34 Owning the Leap 33:17 Back to Nightlife Again 34:31 Wellness Aha Moment 35:35 Cold Plunge Origins 38:11 Third Shot at Business 40:25 CELA Vision and Nature 42:37 Finding the Perfect Space 46:08 Building Sila Community 50:08 Next 12 Months Vision 51:57 Trust the Journey 52:59 Closing and Sponsor

    55 min

  4. May 22

    Larry Korman on Building AKA Hotel Residences, Intentional Hospitality, and Scaling Service Driven Living

    Host Steve Turk welcomes Larry Korman, co-CEO of Korman Communities and president of AKA Hotel Residences, to discuss his lifelong path in hospitality and residential real estate, from childhood work in the family business to leading a five-generation legacy. Korman explains how his father’s pie-shaped Philadelphia apartments sparked the furnished-apartment concept, later branded as Korman Suites, and how Larry and his brother built Korman Communities and evolved the model into luxury hotel residences under AKA, now spanning 16 properties over 22 years. He shares formative training in England, insights from Japanese hospitality, and a leadership philosophy centered on earning respect by doing frontline work, supporting teams and staying on property. Korman details AKA’s partnership with Airbnb that helped shape Airbnb Luxe, a strategy of optimizing cash flow, and plans to repurpose iconic hotels, expand in Florida, and grow globally with a strong health and wellness focus. 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:31 Sponsor Lodgify 01:34 Meet Larry Korman 02:03 Early Hospitality Roots 02:57 Five Generation Legacy 04:11 Birth of Furnished Stays 04:51 Branding Korman Suites 07:03 Design Passion Duke Days 08:17 Old School Training 09:28 Japan Hospitality Lessons 12:27 Earning Team Respect 15:21 COVID Leadership Onsite 16:29 Synergy And Marketing 20:31 Why Residences Win 23:14 Airbnb Luxe Partnership 27:07 Scaling AKA And Ave 30:03 Collaboration Culture 30:49 Leading Without Dashboards 31:28 On Site Hospitality 32:29 Home Away From Home 33:36 Brother Partnership Split 35:28 Growth Through Repurposing 38:34 Miami Florida Expansion 40:01 Global Wellness Vision 43:08 Hospitality Role Models 45:30 Keeping Teams Loyal 49:33 Advice To Younger Self 50:54 Wrap Up Sponsor Biscayne Coffee

    53 min

  5. May 1

    Chef David Burke: From Dishwasher to NYC Three-Star Chef, and his Restaurant Empire

    Host Steve Turk revisits an archived Hospitality Mentor Podcast episode featuring award-winning chef and restaurateur David Burke, who shares his path from dishwasher at a Sheraton to culinary school, Europe, and major New York kitchens. Burke recounts being mentored by a country club chef named Jose, attending the CIA, traveling through Europe, and working in top French restaurants and pastry school despite language barriers. He describes returning to the U.S. to work with, Daniel Boulud, and Charlie Palmer, then becoming executive chef at The River Café, earning a three-star New York Times review with a notable photo and winning the 1988 Tokyo culinary Olympics. Burke discusses opening and expanding restaurants, learning business under Alan Stillman, fighting for signature dishes like his pork shank, navigating partnerships, mentoring teams, and advising young cooks to stay focused, learn constantly, document, embrace mistakes, and find balance. Thank you to our sponsor Lodgify for this episode. Make sure to try Lodgify with our promo code THM60. 00:00 Welcome to the Podcast 00:33 Sponsor Lodgify Platform 01:35 Chef David Burke Intro 02:19 First Kitchen Job 03:25 Jose Tough Lesson 06:34 Parents and Early Drive 10:14 Culinary School Path 11:21 CIA Mindset and Growth 12:57 Europe Opportunity 16:13 Chefs and Styles Abroad 18:59 Back to New York Rise 21:33 Leading River Cafe 24:48 Finding Personal Style 26:08 Critics and Pressure 27:37 Fearless Creativity Basics 28:23 NYT Three Star Breakthrough 29:21 Chocolate Butterfly Story 30:25 Park Avenue Cafe Deal 31:34 Miami Beach Opening Chaos 33:22 Pork Shank Menu Fight 35:13 First Restaurant Renegades 37:21 Expansion Partner Fallout 38:21 Choosing Business Partners 40:14 How Chef Culture Changed 43:52 Cookbooks Nightlife Pitfalls 45:56 Building Restaurants Today 47:08 Mentoring Creative Chefs 48:13 Advice To Young Dishwasher 50:45 Closing Thanks Sponsor

    52 min

  6. Apr 17

    Raul Leal on Building a Hospitality Career: From Miami Dishwasher to CEO of Starwood Hotels

    Host Steve Turk introduces an archived 2022 Hospitality Mentor Podcast episode featuring Raul Leal, then CEO of SH Hotels & Resorts (now CEO of Starwood). Leal recounts starting at Miami’s Everglades Hotel working with his Cuban-immigrant father, setting early goals to become a GM, and progressing through front desk and food-and-beverage roles, including managing a Sheraton with a major nightclub, before becoming a GM in La Jolla and later leading larger Sheraton properties in Denver, Chicago, Cleveland, and Miami. He describes launching and scaling Teton Hospitality and its boutique arm, Desires Hotels, driven by frustration with legacy-brand sameness and belief in internet-driven distribution. Leal shares how meeting Richard Branson led him to build Virgin Hotels from scratch, and why he later joined Starwood/SH Hotels to lead brands including 1 Hotels, Baccarat Hotels, and Treehouse, emphasizing sustainability, better back-of-house spaces, mentorship, clear goals, and kindness in leadership. Try Lodgify with a 60 percent discount on all their yearly and bi-yearly plans with our code THM60 , and that's THM60 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:33 Sponsor Lodgify 01:38 Archive Episode Setup 02:10 First Hospitality Job 04:12 Choosing Hospitality Career 05:18 Learning Without College 05:55 Climbing Into Management 08:21 First GM Move West 09:27 Mentors And GM Life 10:24 Big Hotels Career Ladder 11:59 Entrepreneurial Leap 14:10 Building Boutique Portfolio 15:47 Travel Reality Check 17:40 Why Launch Desires 20:26 First Boutique Wins 21:43 Lifestyle Hotel Edge 23:00 Richard Branson Connection 23:43 Meeting Richard Branson 25:12 Consulting Turns Into Leadership 26:41 Inside Virgin Culture 28:45 Building Virgin Hotels From Scratch 31:00 Choosing The First Property 32:24 Chicago Launch And Expansion 34:20 Leaving Virgin For SH Hotels 36:16 SH Brands And Sustainability 40:31 Growth Plans And Openings 41:28 Reimagining Back Of House 44:04 Advice For Young Leaders 45:46 Closing And Sponsor Message

    47 min

  7. Apr 9

    Elizabeth Mullins on Building Luxury at Scale: From Ritz Carlton and Disney to Evermore Hospitality

    Host Steve Turk welcomes Elizabeth Mullins, President of Evermore Hospitality, who shares her start as a server at New Hampshire’s Lobster Shack and her first hotel role as a Ritz-Carlton Boston management trainee after earning hospitality and business degrees. Mullins recounts being inspired by a childhood Ritz-Carlton visit, spending 28 years with Ritz-Carlton as it grew from six to 99 hotels, opening multiple properties across Asia, becoming a GM multiple times, and later an area vice president. Recruited to Disney, she led global hotel development, renovations, premium services, and worked through the pandemic including the NBA bubble. She then helped open New York’s Fifth Avenue Hotel as COO/Managing Director, learning independent distribution and culture measurement, before joining Evermore after being approached for her luxury-and-scale expertise. She describes Evermore’s “togetherness” concept, Conrad Orlando anchor, 300+ villas/homes around an 8-acre Crystal Lagoon, extensive amenities, and plans for growth, and closes with career advice on courage, speaking up, integrity, and hospitality as a lifestyle. This episode was brought to you by Lodgify. Use code THM60. 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:33 Sponsor Lodgify 01:38 Meet Elizabeth Mullins 02:00 First Hospitality Jobs 03:17 Ritz Spark at Five 05:44 Ritz Career Growth 09:28 Asia Expat Adventure 17:04 Service Lessons Abroad 18:54 Leaving for Disney 21:07 Disney Hotels Role 23:15 Frictionless Check In 26:14 Independent Hotel Leap 28:36 Independent Hotel Wins 29:17 No SOP Reality Check 30:06 Distribution Lessons 30:54 Agritourism Marketing Advice 32:34 Building Culture Systems 35:25 Evermore Recruitment Story 38:49 Togetherness Travel Concept 42:27 Evermore Scale and Amenities 44:53 Service Model Evolution 46:50 Growth Plans and Year Three 49:23 Advice to Younger Self 53:58 Wrap Up and Sponsor

    56 min

  8. Mar 23

    Oakwell Beer Spa Founders Jessica & Damien Zouaoui on Building a Social Wellness Day Spa

    Host Steve Turk interviews Jessica and Damien Zouaoui, founders of Oakwell Beer Spa in Denver, a social wellness concept combining a craft beer and wine self-pour taproom with four private spa suites featuring infrared saunas, rain showers, and hydrotherapy tubs infused with hops, malt, and herbs, plus optional zero-gravity robotic massage chairs and room-service refills. They share their hospitality backgrounds, leaving corporate jobs in New York City, and traveling to 25 countries to find a scalable U.S. concept after discovering a beer spa in Poland in 2018. They detail market research that led to Denver, funding challenges solved through Denver’s economic development loan program and a nonprofit SBA lender, difficulty securing a lease, and a DIY buildout using auctions during COVID. Oakwell opened February 26, 2021, emphasizing five-star yet non-stuffy service, adding non-alcoholic options, and aiming to franchise within a year. 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:33 Sponsor Lodgify 01:38 Meet Oakwell Founders 02:10 Beer Spa Explained 02:36 Suites And Addons 04:22 First Hospitality Jobs 05:44 Quitting Corporate Life 07:20 World Trip For Ideas 10:18 Discovering Beer Spa 12:34 Why It Clicked 14:49 From Idea To Plan 17:09 Funding And Finding Space 20:29 Landing the Space 20:52 SBA Loan Reality 21:35 From Church to Spa 22:39 DIY Build and Auctions 25:18 Opening Day Playbook 26:58 Michelin Casual Service 29:35 Touchless Spa Model 33:09 Wellness and Moderation 36:15 Franchise Plans Ahead 37:28 Leap of Faith Advice 39:09 Wrap Up and Sponsor

    41 min
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5
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44 Ratings

About

Join me, Steve Turk, on the Hospitality Mentor podcast as we dive into the personal stories of some of the world's best Hospitality Professionals. We follow the journey of their ups, downs and wild turns and find out what it truly takes to make it in the amazing world of hospitality.

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