Behind the Stays

Zach Busekrus
  • 5.0(123개의 평가)
  • 기업 운영
  • 매주 업데이트

Welcome to Behind the Stays — a podcast that shares the stories behind your favorite boutique hotels, short-term rentals, and hospitality brands and the hosts, operators, and entrepreneurs who’ve brought them to life. Every Tuesday and Friday you’ll meet the military veterans, retired flight attendants, tech entrepreneurs, school teachers, single moms, hoteliers, and real estate investors who are all, in their unique ways, shaping the future of travel and hospitality. Discover how these visionaries — from all over the world — have built stunning landscape hotels in the mountains, designed bohemian bungalows on the beach, erected eclectic off-grid and nature-immersed escapes, and so much more. Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world’s top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more. Behind the States is hosted by Zach Busekrus, Head of the Journey Alliance.

  1. 2일 전

    How a Harvard MBA Became an Ai-First Hotelier

    He grew up in the Cook Islands, left for business school, and planned on a career far from home—until a family visit collided with a national crisis. The government was broke, tourism was collapsing, and the prime minister asked him to help. Tata Crocombe wrote a recovery plan, stepped in as an accidental hotelier, and rebuilt from the ground up—stabilizing a flagship on Rarotonga and later growing a portfolio that now includes an acclaimed private-island resort on Aitutaki. Along the way, the destination rebounded from roughly 20,000 annual visitors to about 180,000, with ownership and hospitality rooted in the local community. Today on the show, I’m joined by Tata Crocombe, owner-operator of The Rarotongan and Aitutaki Lagoon Private Island Resort in the Cook Islands—and a self-described AI-first hotelier. For Tata, AI isn’t branding; it’s throughput. His teams now co-pilot with models every day: wedding quotes that used to take three hours take thirty minutes, reservations productivity has doubled, and direct conversions are up more than 100%—millions steered from OTA commissions back to the P&L. The goal isn’t fewer humans; it’s better work for more humans. AI clears the paperwork so staff can deliver the moments guests actually remember. We also zoom out. Tata sees leisure shifting from “bed + breakfast” to membership-style communities built around passions—outrigger canoeing today, thousands of micro-affinities tomorrow. Big flags will splinter from dozens of brands to hundreds; independents will sharpen identity; and individual properties will matter more than the mothership. Social will spark desire, AI will personalize and convert, and owner–brand contracts will get far more flexible. Underneath it all sits a broader scorecard: guest joy, staff wellbeing, operational efficiency, profitability—and being a good neighbor to the island and the environment.   Visit The Rarotongan’s website to book and learn more. Visit Aitutaki Lagoon Resort’s website to book and learn more.   Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world’s top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more. Your host is Zach Busekrus, Head of the Journey Alliance. If you are a hospitality entrepreneur who has a stay, or a collection of stays with soul, we’d love for you to apply to join our Alliance at journey.com/alliance.

    58분

  2. 8월 22일

    How He Became Hospitality’s Most Interesting Voice on Social Media: The Making of @MrScottEddy

    Some people chase clout. Scott Eddy collects humans—and turns conversations into careers. He’s the guy who can turn a DM into a deal, a walkthrough video into a booking, and a dinner into a decade-long partnership. He doesn’t posture. He shows up. Early. Today, I’m joined by Scott—hard to label by design. A Wall Street closer who hates the word "expert." A self-proclaimed non-golfer in a loud shirt who lives in airports, hotels, and on cruise ships. An early Twitter force who became a breaking-news signal from Bangkok…and then built one of Asia’s first hotel-focused digital agencies before most brands could spell "SEO." Scott’s story pivots on a single, life-bending moment. He grew up destined for the police academy—until his father was killed in the line of duty weeks before graduation. A decade in finance followed, a firm sale cracked the door open, and a one-way ticket to Thailand blew it off the hinges. Eleven years later, with friendships stitched across Asia, he’d learned the playbook most Western brands skip: brand building starts with humility, and trust is earned at dinner tables, not in boardrooms. Back in the States, Scott doubled down on what actually moves the needle: reply to every comment, post consistently without trend-chasing, flip OTA guests to direct, and treat service—not tech—as the last true luxury. If you run an independent property or lead a hospitality team, this is a masterclass in building gravity one honest interaction at a time. In our conversation, Whether you’re building a boutique brand, leading a marketing team, or just love a good "how did they pull that off?" arc, this episode will reframe how you think about social, service, and the business of being unmistakably human. ‍ Connect with or follow Scott ‍ Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world’s top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more. Your host is Zach Busekrus, Head of the Journey Alliance. If you are a hospitality entrepreneur who has a stay, or a collection of stays with soul, we’d love for you to apply to join our Alliance at journey.com/alliance.

    58분

  3. 8월 19일

    What Ian Schrager, Andre Balazs & Philippe Starck Taught Her About Hotels That Feel Different (with Erin Hosler)

    Picture this: a candlelit living room in New York, a guest list cast like a film, and a host who knows exactly who should meet whom—and why. That’s Erin Hosler. Before she checks a rate code or a P&L, she curates people. She trained at The Ritz-Carlton before the Marriott acquisition. Learned stagecraft under Ian Schrager. Honed the five-senses playbook with Andre Balazs. Sharpened her eye alongside Philippe Starck. Then led chapters at The Standard Spa, Miami Beach; THE WELL in New York; Eaton DC; and Soho House Austin. Her take is simple: the last real moat isn’t marble or mixology. It’s training.   Why this matters for independents: Turn choreography into rituals your team can actually repeat. Make being known beat being “bonvoyed.” Design around human behavior, not developer spreadsheets. Let tech automate the admin—never the moment. We’ll talk membership energy and that feeling of “home on demand,” then get painfully practical—guest history, uniforms that fit, and managers who coach. If you’ve ever wondered how a latte placed at the right table, at the right time, by the right person can outperform any brand campaign—this one’s for you. Alright friends, without further ado, get ready to meet Erin.   Connect with Erin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinhosler/   Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world’s top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more. Your host is Zach Busekrus, Head of the Journey Alliance. If you are a hospitality entrepreneur who has a stay, or a collection of stays with soul, we’d love for you to apply to join our Alliance at journey.com/alliance.

    51분

  4. 8월 12일

    The Wild Story Behind Joshua Tree’s First New Hotel in a Decade: Meet Ben Uyeda of the RESET Hotel

    Some people chase opportunities. Ben Uyeda manufactures them from thin air. He’s the kind of mind who can turn a single YouTube video into a global audience, a shipping container into a home, and an empty stretch of desert into a 65-room design-forward hotel. His career isn’t a straight line — it’s a series of bold leaps, each one bigger and riskier than the last. Today, I’m joined by Ben — a man who defies simple titles. He’s an architect who never got licensed… yet co-founded an award-winning design firm. A YouTube creator who has racked up millions of views… yet never set out to be an influencer. A DIY experimenter who built his first video around making a vase… and somehow found himself co-developing the first ground-up hotel in Joshua Tree in over a decade. Ben’s story is one of intentional pivots and unexpected escalations — the kind that start with a single idea, and through grit, ingenuity, and a willingness to share the messy middle, grow into something extraordinary. From sustainable design classrooms at Cornell to steel-frame modular hotel rooms shipped from Canada to the California desert, his career reads like a blueprint for blending creativity with entrepreneurship. In our conversation, we cover: How prolific demonstration of process can be more powerful than perfection — and why that’s catnip for potential partners. Why sharing “warts and all” content beats polished mystery every time. The real reason most ambitious hotel projects in Joshua Tree fail — and how patience and risk tolerance become the ultimate competitive advantage. The economics of design decisions, and how a $6,000 bench became a $900 triumph. Why the future of hospitality may mean curating less, not more — and creating spaces for reflection instead of constant stimulation. Whether you’re a builder, a dreamer, or just someone who loves a good “how did they pull that off?” story, this episode will make you see the intersection of design, content, and business in a whole new way. Ben’s website: https://www.benuyeda.com/ Hotel RESET website: https://www.stayreset.com/ Follow Ben on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benjaminuyeda/ Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world’s top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more. Your host is Zach Busekrus, Head of the Journey Alliance. If you are a hospitality entrepreneur who has a stay, or a collection of stays with soul, we’d love for you to apply to join our Alliance at journey.com/alliance.

    1시간 6분

  5. 8월 5일

    They Said a 5-Star Hotel Would Never Work in Nairobi. So He Founded Tribe and Proved Them Wrong

    What would possess two brothers — with no hospitality background — to open a luxury hotel in a city where no new hotel had been built in three decades? In a word: vision. In this episode, I sit down with Shamim Ehsani, co-founder of Tribe Hotel and one of the most intentional hoteliers I’ve ever met. What started as a need for a conveniently located place for business travelers became something much bigger — a cultural reset for what luxury means in Kenya. We dive into: Why Tribe wasn’t designed to mimic what was trendy abroad — but to reflect the energy of modern Nairobi How art, music, fashion, and food became the foundation of the brand’s identity The unexpected call from Design Hotels — after they initially said “not interested” What today’s travelers actually want, and how his team is designing for access, not just aesthetics This episode is a masterclass in designing hotels with soul — and staying true to your vision when everyone else is playing it safe.   Connect with Shamim on LinkedIn   Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world’s top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more. Your host is Zach Busekrus, Head of the Journey Alliance. If you are a hospitality entrepreneur who has a stay, or a collection of stays with soul, we’d love for you to apply to join our Alliance at journey.com/alliance.

    48분

  6. 7월 25일

    Viral Doesn’t Pay the Bills: How to Turn Social Traffic into Real Bookings

    In today’s episode of Behind the Stays, we’re diving into one of the biggest mysteries plaguing modern hospitality entrepreneurs — how do you take all that beautiful, buzzworthy content that’s racking up views on Instagram and actually turn it into real bookings? My guest today is Dustin Baker, the quietly brilliant force behind Hidden Gem Media — a performance-driven marketing agency that’s helping some of the most design-forward vacation rental and boutique hotel brands in the world unlock direct booking revenue from their social media presence. Now, I don’t say this lightly — within the last week alone, two different people in the space told me, “Zach, you need to talk to Dustin.” So we got him on the mic fast. In this conversation, we talk about the difference between content that looks great and content that converts, why creators (not influencers) are the most underutilized asset in the industry, how Dustin and his team are proving ROI on social in a way most operators didn’t think was possible, and why the real power play in 2025 might just be an email list, not a viral reel.  If you’ve ever wondered what happens after someone likes, saves, or shares your content — and how to turn that attention into actual revenue — this episode is for you.   Learn more about Hidden Gem Media Connect with Dustin on LinkedIn   Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world’s top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more. Your host is Zach Busekrus, Head of the Journey Alliance. If you are a hospitality entrepreneur who has a stay, or a collection of stays with soul, we’d love for you to apply to join our Alliance at journey.com/alliance.

    56분

  7. 7월 22일

    The State of Glamping in 2025: Trends, Premiums, and Predictions with the Godmother of the Industry

    When you need real talk and real data on the glamping industry, there’s one person you call — and her name is Shari Heilala. In this episode, I sit down with the “godmother of glamping” for a deep dive into Sage Outdoor Advisory’s just-released Q2 USA Glamping Market Insights Report — the most comprehensive data set on the U.S. glamping market to date. We unpack how Shari and her team are filling the gaping holes in industry data with hard-earned, operator-grade insights — from average daily retail rates (spoiler: domes are leading the pack at $257/night) to the surprising rise of budget-minded cabin stays. We explore the methodology behind their research, what types of properties made the cut (and why backyard yurts didn’t), and how design decisions, geography, and hospitality strategy are influencing returns in the outdoor space. You’ll also hear Shari’s reflections on the rise of hard-sided structures, her take on the next evolution of glamping (hint: it’s all about service), and how proximity to national parks and airports materially impacts revenue potential. We also chat through: Why occupancy is the next frontier in outdoor data reporting What surprised Shari most by region and unit type How to spot saturated markets — and what it takes to stand out Whether prefab vs. stick-built tells a meaningful data story yet Why land — not your unit type — might be your biggest asset …and so much more This conversation is equal parts masterclass and myth-buster. All right friends, without further ado, get ready to meet Shari. Connect with Shari on LinkedIn Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world’s top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more. Your host is Zach Busekrus, Head of the Journey Alliance. If you are a hospitality entrepreneur who has a stay, or a collection of stays with soul, we’d love for you to apply to join our Alliance at journey.com/alliance.

    45분

  8. 7월 18일

    Building a Timeless Boutique Hotel by Hand (and Heart): The Story of The Outlier with Brandon Gore

    Today I’m thrilled to be joined by Brandon Gore—someone whose life journey seems like it’s packed enough experiences for several lifetimes. Brandon’s story is anything but ordinary: from leaving high school behind at 17 to opening hotels, scaling sales operations across multiple Marriott properties, and then making the boldest leap yet—founding his own concrete design company. But here’s where things get even more fascinating. Brandon didn’t just stop at concrete countertops or sinks. Inspired by sustainable architecture and a chance encounter with a rammed-earth house, he dove headfirst into the world of rammed earth construction, a building method that’s thousands of years old, yet remarkably innovative and profoundly rare today. His vision has led him to craft spaces that are not just visually stunning, but also deeply meaningful and enduring. Today, Brandon is channeling his passion into his most ambitious project yet: Outlier, an extraordinary boutique hotel nestled in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. It’s not just any hotel—this property promises a luxury experience intertwined with adventure, sustainability, and truly groundbreaking architecture. In this episode, Brandon shares his remarkable journey, the story behind why he chose rammed earth, and what it takes to build something genuinely unique in an age of repetition. Whether you’re intrigued by innovative construction, inspired by entrepreneurial grit, or simply love a great story, Brandon’s journey is one you won’t want to miss. So sit back, grab your favorite drink, and join us as we dive into a conversation packed with inspiration, determination, and the power of building something that stands the test of time. Without further ado, here’s my conversation with the exceptional Brandon Gore. Follow The Outlier Hotel on Instagram Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world’s top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more. Your host is Zach Busekrus, Head of the Journey Alliance. If you are a hospitality entrepreneur who has a stay, or a collection of stays with soul, we’d love for you to apply to join our Alliance at journey.com/alliance.

    57분
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Welcome to Behind the Stays — a podcast that shares the stories behind your favorite boutique hotels, short-term rentals, and hospitality brands and the hosts, operators, and entrepreneurs who’ve brought them to life. Every Tuesday and Friday you’ll meet the military veterans, retired flight attendants, tech entrepreneurs, school teachers, single moms, hoteliers, and real estate investors who are all, in their unique ways, shaping the future of travel and hospitality. Discover how these visionaries — from all over the world — have built stunning landscape hotels in the mountains, designed bohemian bungalows on the beach, erected eclectic off-grid and nature-immersed escapes, and so much more. Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world’s top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more. Behind the States is hosted by Zach Busekrus, Head of the Journey Alliance.

정보

  • 제작진
    Zach Busekrus
  • 방송 연도
    2021년 - 2025년
  • 에피소드
    320
  • 등급
    전체 연령 사용가
  • 저작권
    © Copyright 2021 All rights reserved.
  • 웹사이트 보기
    Behind the Stays

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