Top Floor

Susan Barry
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Top Floor is a weekly podcast with tangible tips and excellent stories from the experts and characters who elevate hospitality. Host and elevator operator Susan Barry explores the idea that everything is marketing in the hotel business. Our interviews with creators, thought leaders and hospitality groundbreakers are designed to provide practical tactics that hoteliers, restaurateurs and travel mavens can use to promote their businesses. Along the way, we answer burning marketing questions submitted on the Emergency Call Button and share the funniest, craziest, just-plain-weirdest stories down at the Loading Dock. Need to press the Emergency Call Button? Or have a story to share at the Loading Dock? Reach us at 850.404.9630 to be featured in a future episode.

  1. 241 | Little Bit of Fire

    2일 전

    241 | Little Bit of Fire

    Jelani Millard is the founder of the Wapechi Collection, a travel-focused investment platform blending hospitality, real estate, and emerging tech ventures. With roots in finance, he's carved a unique lane exploring how travel really works—from boutique hotels in Ghana to "Pay Me in Plane Tickets." Susan and Jelani talk about unpacking travel's hidden truths through stories, systems, and sacrifices. What You'll Learn: How a Ghana hotel project turned into a community-powered success story What travel influencers aren't telling you about their lifestyles Why building a media brand takes patience before profit What separates forgettable content from truly resonant storytelling Why facts—not fluff—win in modern media How involving your audience sharpens your voice and vision Why travel media is shifting from "pretty pictures" to deeper truths Why hospitality storytelling needs more transparency and less gloss *** Our Top Three Takeaways 1. The "travel influencer dream" is far less glamorous than it looks. Behind the curated images is a reality defined by hustle, financial instability, and trade-offs. Many creators are making conscious sacrifices—like forgoing traditional milestones or relying on inconsistent income streams—to sustain that lifestyle, which is very different from the effortless image presented online.  2. The future of travel media is shifting from "where to go" to "why it exists." Jelani sees a growing appetite for deeper, more analytical storytelling that examines the history, economics, and power dynamics behind travel experiences. Instead of just highlighting beautiful destinations, the next wave of media will unpack questions like who benefits, who is excluded, and how these systems came to be.  3. Building a meaningful media brand requires patience, clarity, and truth. Jelani has intentionally delayed monetization to allow the platform to evolve organically and better understand its audience and identity. His core philosophy is to lead with facts, tell honest stories, involve the audience, and offer perspective or solutions, because that's what creates content that actually resonates and endures.  Jelani Millard on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jelani-m-8935a973/ Pay Me in Plane Tickets https://www.paymeinplanetickets.com/ Wapechi Collection https://www.wapechi.com/

    28분
  2. Strange Bedfellows 🐒

    4월 21일

    Strange Bedfellows 🐒

    Tim Leffel is a veteran travel writer and editor who left the music industry to explore the world, building a location-independent career along the way. He's reviewed over 1,500 hotels across dozens of countries and now publishes insights on remote work and global living. Susan and Tim talk about fear, freedom, and finding value in travel. Why travel fears are overblown (and what's actually risky) What it really takes to become a digital nomad Why remote work is easier now—and maybe lonelier What 1,500 hotel reviews teach you about quality How to spot a great hotel before booking Why aggregator sites are just the starting point Where to find hidden hotels not on major platforms Why digital nomads aren't ruining entire cities How governments are incentivizing relocation globally Why hotels fail when they try to "do everything" Why lighting, outlets, and alarms matter more than luxury *** Our Top Three Takeaways 1. Perception often distorts reality in travel, especially around hot topics like safety and overtourism. Fear of international travel is largely driven by media amplification and unfamiliarity, not actual risk, with many destinations objectively safer than the U.S. At the same time, overtourism is real but highly localized to specific neighborhoods, not entire cities or countries, and can often be addressed through policy and distribution. 2. The digital nomad shift is real, but hotels haven't figured out how to serve it well. Technology has made location-independent work mainstream, but hotels struggle to compete with short-term rentals that offer space, kitchens, and livability. The opportunity exists for hotels to stop trying to serve everyone and instead design specifically for a targeted segment, such as solo, long-stay remote workers. 3. Small, practical details define the guest experience more than big concepts. After reviewing 1,500+ hotels, Tim emphasizes that the basics (functional lighting, clear labeling, comfortable workspaces, and eliminating small annoyances) have an outsized impact on satisfaction. Many of these issues persist because hotel teams don't regularly experience their own product as guests. Tim Leffel on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/timleffel/ Tim's Website https://timleffel.com/ Nomadico Newsletter https://nomadico.substack.com/ Luxury Latin America https://www.luxurylatinamerica.com/

    35분
  3. Karma is a B

    4월 14일

    Karma is a B

    Scott Webb is a longtime leader at Kolter Hospitality who turned a condo crisis into a thriving hotel portfolio spanning major brands. With over three decades of experience, he blends real estate discipline with hands-on hotel operations to drive smart growth. Susan and Scott talk about leadership lessons and share insights on people, performance, and property strategy. What You'll Learn • Why investing in team training beats cutting visible guest perks  • When growth forces you to level up your leadership bench  • How to spot risky revenue that won't repeat  • What sellers "clean up" before a deal, and how to catch it  • Why labor assumptions can quietly wreck your underwriting  • How to evaluate real revenue streams beyond surface metrics  • Why owner-operators outperform third-party managers  • How vertical integration saves money and speeds decisions  • How poor facilities hurt employees as much as guests  • Why frontline staff need the strongest support systems  • What owners miss when they outsource management  • How to "go to school" on your own hotel operations  • How global trends, inflation, and AI are reshaping hospitality  • How karma plays out in high-stakes real estate deals *** Our Top Three Takeaways 1. Hotels are not real estate plays Hotels require a fundamentally different approach than traditional real estate because performance depends on operations rather than just the asset. Success comes from understanding revenue sources at a granular level and identifying what is repeatable vs. one-time noise. Without that due diligence, it's easy to misprice deals and inherit hidden surprises. 2. Ownership mindset drives better performance than third-party management Owners manage assets better than third-party operators because they are fully accountable for the outcome. That alignment allows for faster decision-making, better cost control, and a more complete view of profitability. At scale, bringing management in-house can also unlock significant financial upside. 3. Talent investment is the real competitive advantage The one expense Scott would never cut is investment in people, because team members ultimately define the guest experience. Training, internal mobility, and trust create stronger performance and long-term loyalty, while neglecting them creates visible cracks for both employees and guests. The operators who win are the ones who consistently reinvest in both their teams and their assets.   Scott Webb on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-webb-1aa84b163/ Kolter Hospitality https://www.kolterhospitality.com/

    28분
  4. Knuckle Sandwich Bride

    4월 7일

    Knuckle Sandwich Bride

    Chris Russell is a hospitality executive and CEO of Spire Hospitality, known for building and scaling hotel management companies from the ground up. A Culinary Institute of America graduate who pivoted from the kitchen to operations, he's spent decades shaping teams, launching platforms, and leading growth across the industry. Susan and Chris talk about career choices, company building, and culture shifts. What You'll Learn • How a potato-peeling job sparked a career pivot  • Why "builders vs. maintainers" think differently about growth  • Why chasing knowledge beats chasing money • How hospitality offers unmatched upward mobility  • How tech is reshaping hiring (and what's getting lost)  • Why attitude still matters more than experience  • How to balance hustle with real work-life boundaries  • Why job-hopping too early can stall your growth  • How to ask for more without sounding entitled  • Why self-promotion is a skill you can't ignore  • How success is shifting from hours worked to impact made  • Why the future requires both tech skills and human touch  *** Our Top Three Takeaways 1. Build for Learning, Not Just Advancement Chris's career wasn't driven by titles or salary bumps, but by what each role could teach him. He intentionally chose opportunities that expanded his skill set, even when they paid less. That mindset compounded over time into leadership readiness and ultimately a CEO role. 2. Hospitality's Biggest Problem Is a Perception Gap The industry offers massive upward mobility and diverse career paths, but it does a poor job of selling that story. Long hours and outdated perceptions overshadow the reality that hospitality includes roles across finance, tech, HR, sales, and more. The result is a talent pipeline problem that needs attention. 3. The Future Requires Balancing Tech with Humanity Technology and AI will play a bigger role in hiring and operations, but they risk stripping out the human qualities that define hospitality. Chris highlights a growing tension: efficiency vs. connection. The winners will be those who embrace tech while preserving attitude-driven hiring and genuine guest experience. Chris Russell on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisrussellspire/ Spire Hospitality https://spirehotels.com/

    39분
  5. Spring Pick-Up Lines

    3월 31일

    Spring Pick-Up Lines

    This is probably the weirdest episode yet. For seven minutes, Susan talks about not being a team player and why personal development is suspect. Then, she joins Calvin Tilokee for a joke-off of Spring-themed pick-up lines for hoteliers. Are you scratching your head in confusion? Good! *** Susan Barry on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/susandbarry/ Top Floor on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/top-floor-podcast Calvin Tilokee on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/calvintilokee/ UN 2026 World Inequality Report - Gender Inequality https://wir2026.wid.world/insight/gender-inequality/ The Leadership Reset: Why Women in Hospitality Are Done With Endurance as a Career Strategy by Emily Goldfischer https://www.hertelier.com/post/women-hospitality-leadership-report Benchmarking Diversity 2025: Representation in Hotel Leadership from Penn State https://hhd.psu.edu/sites/default/files/hospitality-management-hm/shm/hospitality-management-hmshm-representationinhotelcompanyleadership2025pdf.pdf

    25분
  6. Godfather of Las Vegas

    3월 24일

    Godfather of Las Vegas

    Mark Wayman is a longtime executive recruiter and former tech-to-gaming industry insider known for building one of the most powerful networks in Las Vegas. He unpacks how careers evolve across industries and why relationships, not resumes, drive success. Susan and Mark talk about networking nuance, hiring honesty, and hospitality hustle. • Why relationships beat talent in hiring decisions • Why hosting beats attending networking events • How casinos decide who gets VIP treatment • Why casinos prioritize marketing over technology • The real reason Vegas hasn't modernized like hotels • Why gaming careers depend on integrity and loyalty • What makes Las Vegas a "small town in disguise" • The biggest lies candidates tell (and why it matters) • Why high-paying jobs are getting harder to land • The origin story behind "Godfather of Las Vegas" • How giving back builds long-term influence *** Our Top Three Takeaways 1. Relationships drive everything Mark is unequivocal: careers are built through relationships, not résumés. He notes that 85% of jobs come through professional networks and even hiring decisions at the highest levels often favor familiarity over pure qualifications.  2. Discipline and positioning matter more than perfect timing From building a 6–12 month emergency fund to being selective about roles, Mark emphasizes control over your circumstances. His philosophy: financial discipline creates career freedom, and career freedom allows better decision-making.  3. The gaming industry runs on yield, not sentiment Casinos operate with ruthless clarity: customers are segmented by value, and resources are allocated accordingly. High-value players get everything; low-value ones are ignored. This highlights a broader business truth: not all customers (or opportunities) are equal. The smartest operators understand where value is created and focus their energy there. Mark Wayman on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/markwaymanlv/ Cayuga Hospitality Consultants https://cayugahospitality.com/

    26분
  7. Lucky Breakdown

    3월 17일

    Lucky Breakdown

    Jascha Kaykas-Wolff is the CEO of Visiting Media and a longtime tech leader who has helped shape digital marketing at companies like Yahoo, Microsoft, BitTorrent, and Mozilla. Raised in a socialist collective outside Eugene, Oregon, by a pioneering rock concert promoter, he grew up thinking deeply about systems, autonomy, and how teams work together. Susan and Jascha talk about AI acceleration, authentic leadership, and agile innovation. What You'll Learn • Breaking into hospitality tech by showing up, meeting operators, and building real relationships • How growing up in a collective shaped a leadership philosophy of autonomy and accountability • The difference between meritocracy and psychological safety in organizations • How data and conviction helped pitch Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer • The surprising leadership lesson hidden in a mustard stain • Why curiosity—not credentials—is the most valuable career skill today • Practical ways hospitality professionals can start experimenting with AI immediately • Using AI to research guests, build microsites, and automate everyday work • How Visiting Media uses real-world capture plus AI to power hospitality sales • The importance of "trust but verify" in an AI-generated world • Why the next five years may bring a renaissance of independent hospitality businesses *** Our Top Three Takeaways 1. Great leaders create environments where ideas feel safe to share Jascha argues that true meritocracy rarely exists in organizations, but leaders can still create conditions that allow good ideas to surface. The key is psychological safety: team members must feel comfortable proposing ideas, even imperfect ones, without fear of ridicule or punishment. When people feel safe to contribute, ideas improve through collaboration, and organizations ultimately make better decisions. 2. AI is today's version of the early internet—curiosity is the most important skill Jascha draws a strong parallel between the current AI moment and the late-1990s internet boom. Just as many experts dismissed the internet back then, many companies today restrict or underestimate AI. His advice is simple: start experimenting now, whether you're a front desk agent researching VIP guests or a marketer building quick microsites, because the professionals who develop AI fluency early will have a major advantage in the next five to ten years. 3. AI may level the playing field between independent hotels and large brands One of Jascha's predictions for hospitality is that AI will enable a renaissance of independent operators. Historically, large brands and management companies had an advantage because they controlled marketing resources and technology. AI tools are lowering those barriers, enabling smaller properties to build software, marketing assets, and digital experiences quickly and cheaply. Jascha Kaykas-Wolff on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaykas/ Visiting Media https://visitingmedia.com/ Cayuga Hospitality Consultants https://cayugahospitality.com/

    45분
  8. Model Room Mayhem

    3월 10일

    Model Room Mayhem

    Lori Mukoyama is a Design Principal and Global Hospitality Leader at Gensler, shaping hotel experiences across cities from Chicago to Tokyo. With a background in boutique retail and large-scale hospitality design, she focuses on the tactile and emotional details that shape guests' experience of a space. Susan and Lori talk about design details, destination differences, and the future of guest experience. What You'll Learn • What designers actually control in a hotel, from doorknobs to pillows • Why "15 feet and down" shapes the entire guest experience • When hotel design should feel nothing like your own home • How hospitality design differs across the U.S., Latin America, and Japan • Why historic hotel renovations are booming right now • Smart ways brands balance global standards with local culture • How remote work is changing the layout of hotel rooms • Why giving designers time to create a concept story matters • How designing for a "guest muse" transforms spaces and furniture choices • The coming shift toward multi-generational hotel room design • Why sustainability innovation is the hospitality industry's next big challenge *** Our Top Three Takeaways Great hotel design happens "15 feet and down." While architecture shapes the overall building, the details closest to the guest create the emotional experience. Designers focus on the elements people physically interact with — floors, furniture, materials, lighting, and textures — because those are what guests touch, hear, and notice as they move through the space. These tactile details ultimately shape the hotel's feel. Global hotel brands succeed when they combine standards with local culture. Brand standards provide a framework, but the most compelling hotels interpret those standards through local context. Designers use local materials, cultural references, and regional inspiration to create spaces that feel authentic rather than generic. The goal is to keep the brand direction while ensuring each hotel reflects its city and community. Hotel design is evolving around new ways people travel and work. Remote work and blended travel have changed how guest rooms are designed. Desks are increasingly positioned to face the room instead of the wall, with lighting and acoustics designed to support video calls and longer stays. Hotels are also expanding into experience-driven spaces like wellness areas and social saunas, reflecting the idea that "offline" experiences are becoming a new form of luxury.  Lori Mukoyama on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-mukoyama-4a71a57/ Gensler https://www.gensler.com/expertise/hospitality Gensler's annual Design Forecast identifies the top trends shaping the future of the built environment in the age of rapid technological and environmental transformation. You can learn more and download this year's report here. [https://www.gensler.com/publications/design-forecast/2026] Cayuga Hospitality Consultants https://cayugahospitality.com/ Hive Marketing https://www.hive-marketing.com/

    26분
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소개

Top Floor is a weekly podcast with tangible tips and excellent stories from the experts and characters who elevate hospitality. Host and elevator operator Susan Barry explores the idea that everything is marketing in the hotel business. Our interviews with creators, thought leaders and hospitality groundbreakers are designed to provide practical tactics that hoteliers, restaurateurs and travel mavens can use to promote their businesses. Along the way, we answer burning marketing questions submitted on the Emergency Call Button and share the funniest, craziest, just-plain-weirdest stories down at the Loading Dock. Need to press the Emergency Call Button? Or have a story to share at the Loading Dock? Reach us at 850.404.9630 to be featured in a future episode.

정보

  • 제작진
    Susan Barry
  • 방송 연도
    2022년 - 2026년
  • 에피소드
    100
  • 등급
    전체 연령 사용가
  • 저작권
    Copyright © Top Floor Podcast
  • 웹사이트 보기
    Top Floor