Hospitality Daily Podcast

Josiah Mackenzie
  • 4.8 (44)
  • Business
  • Updated Daily

Stay informed and inspired to delight people and grow your business with daily conversations with interesting people doing interesting things. Hosted by Josiah Mackenzie.

  1. 16h ago

    How We Turn Hotel Revenue Into Bottom-Line Profit - Paul Mengacci, Desert Hospitality Management

    In this episode, Paul Mengacci, Chief Financial Officer at Desert Hospitality Management, shares how his teams evaluate different types of business, connect forecasts to operating decisions, and use lessons from the results to improve the next forecast. He also shares why better training and deeper use of technology can help improve profitability. Learn more about Paul Mengacci on LinkedIn  Mentioned in this episode: Paul on Actabl’s webinar: From Momentum to Margin: The H1 Hotel Profitability StoryActabl’s recap: H1 2026 Hotel Profitability: What Drove Revenue and Margin GrowthActabl technology: ProfitSword and Hotel Effectiveness 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

    How We Turn Hotel Revenue Into Bottom-Line Profit - Paul Mengacci, Desert Hospitality Management

  2. 22h ago

    How I Learned to See the Whole Hotel Business - Paul Mengacci, Desert Hospitality Management

    In this episode, Paul Mengacci, Chief Financial Officer at Desert Hospitality Management, shares the experiences that taught him to see the whole hotel business. He reflects on his career in operations and finance, the people who helped him grow, and how those experiences shape the way he leads today. Learn more: Paul Mengacci on LinkedIn 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

    How I Learned to See the Whole Hotel Business - Paul Mengacci, Desert Hospitality Management

  3. Oct 14

    AI-First Hotel Technology and the Art of Possibility - Kevin King, Shiji International

    What does becoming an AI-first company make possible for hotels and their guests? Kevin King, CEO of Shiji International, shares how Shiji is building on years of investment in connected technology to develop AI with hotel companies, simplify complex workflows, and give teams more time with guests. We discuss why Shiji took time to establish the right foundations for AI, how it's changing the way their teams build technology, and a late-checkout development example that shows what having work done for you could look like. Kevin also offers guidance on choosing technology partners and shares his vision for the "art of possibility": systems that learn how people need to work. Learn more about the technology discussed: Daylight PMSShiji PlatformMeridian ExperiencesRead the article discussed: Shiji AI·R: Transitioning to an AI-First Hospitality Platform. This episode is sponsored by Shiji International 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

    AI-First Hotel Technology and the Art of Possibility - Kevin King, Shiji International

  4. Oct 13

    Cornell Professor and Hotel Owner: What Changed for Me - Chris Anderson

    In this episode, Chris Anderson, the Professor and Area Chair of Services Management at the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration, shares what he has learned as owner of a historic inn in Ithaca.  You'll hear why owning a property where most guests return year after year gave him a different perspective on pricing than others, why the inn closes during its slower periods so his team can travel and be with family, and what getting close to operations—then stepping back from it—taught him.  Listen to my earlier conversations with Chris:  Why Hotels Can't Wait on AIWhat I've Learned About How Hotel Leaders LearnMore from Chris: ckanderson.com 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

    Cornell Professor and Hotel Owner: What Changed for Me - Chris Anderson

  5. Oct 12

    What I've Learned About How Hotel Leaders Learn - Chris Anderson, Cornell

    In this episode, Chris Anderson, the Professor and Area Chair of Services Management at the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration, shares what he's learned about how hotel leaders learn, from teaching both 20-year-old undergraduates and 65-year-old seasoned leaders. You'll hear how Chris keeps learning himself, why real learning is supposed to feel inefficient, and why AI is bringing hands-on, learn-by-doing skill-building back to leaders in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. Chris's course: AI in Hospitality certificate (eCornell) Listen to my earlier conversation with Chris: Why Hotels Can't Wait on AI More from Chris: ckanderson.com 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

    What I've Learned About How Hotel Leaders Learn - Chris Anderson, Cornell

  6. Oct 11

    Stewarding Little River Inn as a Fifth-Generation Innkeeper - Cally Coombs

    In this episode, Cally Coombs, the fifth-generation innkeeper at Little River Inn, shares how her family's inn on California's Mendocino Coast keeps changing while remaining loved by locals and visitors alike. You'll hear why the bar stays exactly as it is while everything else is up for grabs, how a loyalty program for the rainy months brings guests back when the coast is quiet, and why giving your team real authority only works when they care enough to listen first. Mentioned in this episode: Little River InnRain Chasers (the inn's program for stays from November to April)Little River Inn Golf & TennisLittle River Inn packages (including the Cioppino Dinner Package)Pet-friendly stays at Little River InnLittle River Inn dining and Ole's Whale Watch BarVisit MendocinoMendocino Coast Clinics (beneficiary of the Crab Cake Cook-Off) 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

    Stewarding Little River Inn as a Fifth-Generation Innkeeper - Cally Coombs

  7. Sep 30

    Why Hotel Guest Satisfaction Is Rising - Andrea Stokes, J.D. Power

    Hotel guest satisfaction increased across every segment in J.D. Power's 2026 North America study. Andrea Stokes, Practice Lead, Hospitality Intelligence, explains what guests are noticing in rooms and shared spaces, why responsive human service still matters alongside mobile check-in, and what operators can learn from food and beverage. We also discuss how J.D. Power benchmarks large third-party hotel management companies. Learn more: 2026 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study2026 North America Third-Party Hotel Management Guest Satisfaction Benchmark2023 conversation: How J.D. Power studies hotel guest satisfaction2024 conversation: Changing guest expectations and hotel management 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

    Why Hotel Guest Satisfaction Is Rising - Andrea Stokes, J.D. Power

  8. Sep 29

    Research: The State of AI in the Hotel Industry - Josiah Mackenzie

    Today in Washington, DC, I shared findings from the State of Hotel AI research I ran with Nazpari Aydin for Destination AI. We surveyed hotel company leaders about how they feel about AI, where it's paying off today, and what's holding them back.  The research State of Hotel AI: Fall 2026 findingsTake the survey to get the full benchmarking data setRelated episodes Destination AI: How I Built the #1 Hospitality AI Event From Scratch (Nazpari Aydin)Stop Guessing About AI. See What Hotel Leaders Are Actually Doing (Nazpari Aydin)AI is the Tool. Mindset is the Operating System. Hospitality is the Outcome. (Danica Smith)How Loews Hotels Puts AI to Work for Guests and Teams (Dan Kornick, Loews 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

    Research: The State of AI in the Hotel Industry - Josiah Mackenzie
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4.8
out of 5
44 Ratings

About

Stay informed and inspired to delight people and grow your business with daily conversations with interesting people doing interesting things. Hosted by Josiah Mackenzie.

Information

  • Creator
    Josiah Mackenzie
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1.3K
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Hospitality Daily Podcast
  • Show Website
    Hospitality Daily Podcast

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