It's Personal Stories, A Hospitality Podcast

Епизоде

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  Greg Friedman, Managing Principal & CEO, Peachtree Group Interviewed by Rachel Humphrey 12.09.2026 31мин

  Greg shares his leadership thoughts on intuition, adaptability, and having an entrepreneurial spirit. He discusses time as our most valuable asset and why passion for what you do is so important. Greg talks about his own leadership evolution, evaluating risks, and what he looks for in building and developing a team.
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  Faheem Khan, Executive Director - Head of Lodging & Hospitality SMB Payments, JP Morgan Chase & Co. Interviewed by Rachel Humphrey 12.09.2026 29мин

  Faheem shares how adaptability and trust have shaped his career. He talks about building genuine relationships and letting the business follow as opposed to always focusing just on the business. Faheem discusses lessons learned from board service, being present as the key to finding work life harmony, and how his leadership style helped him navigate the pandemic.
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  Eric Lent, Former SVP, Upscale Hotels, IHG Hotels & Resorts, interviewed by Lan Elliott 31.08.2026 31мин

  Eric's guiding career advice dates back to age 17, when a cousin told him to strive to understand your client's business better than your client does, a principle he has carried into every role since. That same instinct shaped how he approached turnarounds later at IHG, where he made a point of listening widely, from frontline teams to owners to industry journalists, before ever proposing a plan.
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  Dr. Tim Flohr, Co-Founder, Hospitality Nexus, interviewed by Lan Elliott 30.08.2026 32мин

  Tim’s insights remind us that growth rarely comes from having every answer. It comes from saying yes, listening closely, and treating people as the most important part of any conversation. His experience encourages us to see setbacks as turning points, not endings. Keep showing up for the unglamorous daily work, and choose action over analysis paralysis, since a wrong decision beats no decision. Above all, we are never finished becoming.
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  Peter Bheda, Chairman & CEO, Frontera Hotel Group, interviewed by Lan Elliott 16.08.2026 32мин

  Peter’s career began emptying trash as a young immigrant houseman, teaching him never to look down on people. Leadership is a pattern of behavior, not a title: one part strategy, two part judgment, and three parts grace. He separates the risk to the business from the risk to his own ego - being wrong about an idea never means it was wrong to try - and believes listening and a willingness to learn matter more than any resume.
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  Karl Bieberach, SVP & Head of Global Development, Belmond, interviewed by Lan Elliott 14.08.2026 29мин

  Karl's reflections encourage listeners to embrace opportunities that stretch them, even when uncertain, and to trust that growth lives just beyond comfort. He reminds us that failure is temporary and should not define our sense of self, and that preserving relationships matters more than winning every negotiation. Above all, he urges building a reputation rather than a resume, because character, not titles, determines which doors stay open.
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  Margaret Egan, EVP & General Counsel, Hyatt Hotels Corporation Interviewed by Rachel Humphrey 12.08.2026 32мин

  Margaret discusses her 23 year career journey with Hyatt along with her legal career prior to that, including her leadership story, the role corporate purpose plays, and how she has evolved as attorneys have evolved into strategic business leaders. She talks about why self-awareness is such a valuable leadership trait, what she looks for when building great teams, and how she develops the new skills she needs to be successful. She also shares her advice to her younger self, her guiding star, ...
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  David Peller Travel Hospitality and Technology Board Member & Advisor interviewed by Dorothy Dowling 07.08.2026 33мин

  Innovation Driven by Curiosity, Humility, and Purpose David Peller’s leadership journey is rooted in curiosity, problem-solving, and a lifelong fascination with technology. Introduced to computers at an early age, he learned to view innovation not as novelty but as finding better ways to overcome challenges. His formative leadership experience came while helping launch the first Wagamama restaurant in London, where he worked every role, reinforcing his belief that leaders should never conside...
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  Gyan Manohar Khurana Asst VP Dusit Hotels & Resorts interviewed by Dorothy Dowling 23.07.2026 35мин

  Gyan Manohar Khurana’s leadership journey began with a conversation that changed the direction of his career. Encouraged by an early mentor who recognized his communication skills and commercial aptitude, he discovered that hospitality extended far beyond guest service into strategy, sales, and business performance. Since then, his career has been shaped by continuous learning, adaptability, and a willingness to embrace rapid technological change. As hospitality has become increasingly data-d...
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  Amanda Frasier, President, Standards & Ratings, Forbes Travel Guide, interviewed by Lan Elliott 17.07.2026 29мин

  Amanda's career is a masterclass in treating uncertainty as opportunity rather than obstacle. Her willingness to say yes, paired with a mindfulness around chasing perfection, is a reminder that growth rarely comes from staying comfortable. Just as importantly, her approach to self-advocacy and relationship-building shows that confidence doesn't require volume - it requires clarity about one's own worth. For anyone navigating a career crossroads, her story is proof that authenticity, patience,...
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  Robert Ambrozy Exec VP Global Sales GBTA interviewed by Dorothy Dowling 17.07.2026 26мин

  Leadership Built on Trust, Curiosity, and Global Partnership Robert Ambrozy’s leadership journey began with a passion for travel, languages, and hospitality that emerged during his teenage years while traveling across Europe with his family. Those early experiences exposed him to different cultures and perspectives, reinforcing his belief that people, relationships, and travel would become both his career and his purpose. Working internationally pushed him beyond his comfort zone, teaching hi...
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  Indy Adenaw, SVP & General Manager, Upscale Brands Division, Choice Hotels International interviewed by Dorothy Dowling 30.06.2026 35мин
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  Ben Brunt, Chief Investment Officer, Noble Investment Group, interviewed by Lan Elliott 29.06.2026 23мин

  Ben's story is a reminder that longevity in one place can be just as powerful a career move as chasing the next opportunity. The depth of trust he has built at Noble - with partners, with his team, and through the cycles of the industry - did not happen by accident; it was the result of showing up fully, year after year. For those earlier in their careers: choose your environment wisely, invest in the people around you, and never stop asking how you can contribute more. In hospitality, relati...
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  Karen Stephens, Chief Marketing Officer, Revinate Interviewed by Rachel Humphrey 28.05.2026 31мин

  Karen details her journey from French professor to CRO and CMO of a hospitality technology company including many of the leadership lessons she's learned along the way. Find out how adaptability is a consistent theme for her and why she seeks out team members who can thrive in ambiguity. Karen discusses wellness, balancing time, the benefits of living internationally, comfort in public speaking, and what aspects of her leadership have evolved the most over time, among other great lessons.
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  Thomas Penny III, President, Donohoe Hospitality interviewed by Rachel Humphrey 20.05.2026 33мин

  Thomas shares some of the many leadership lessons he's learned from his nearly 30 years with Donohoe and his path from dishwasher to president. He discusses his purpose-driven leadership, why representation matters, his commitment to shaping the industry's future, and how AI can be a valuable tool for breaking down traditional barriers to career growth. Thomas talks about his public speaking journey, what he's optimistic about, what people don't know about him, and why adversity is a g...
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  Robert Mandelbaum, Hotel Researcher and Consultant, interviewed by Lan Elliott 13.05.2026 28мин

  Robert’s career shows what happens when passion, self-knowledge, and service converge over time. He found his niche in hotel data and leaned into it fully - building tools that transformed how the industry benchmarks performance. His advice: follow what energizes you, surround yourself with people you can learn from, and show up for your network the way you hope they will show up for you. Do that consistently, and the rest tends to take care of itself.
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  Colin Macdonald, Managing Director & SVP, US & Canada Operations, IHG Hotels & Resorts 06.05.2026 32мин

  Colin shares how his leadership has evolved over 12 years at IHG and the additional leadership skills he's developed through board service, his own curiosity, and lessons from his support system and mentors. He discusses using self awareness to overcome self doubt, his strategies for public speaking and building relationships, and the importance of feedback. Colin talks about wellness, something people don't know about him, and the important impact of knowing everything will turn out okay.
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  Duane Overgaard, Divisional CEO, Derbysoft interviewed by Dorothy Dowling 04.05.2026 35мин

  Clarity, Discipline, and Global Perspective in Technology Leadership Duane Overgaard’s leadership journey is grounded in a powerful combination of operational depth and global systems expertise. His formative years at Hilton provided a foundation in how hotels operate and how commercial systems function in practice, while his experience at Sabre expanded his perspective on connectivity, distribution, and the broader travel ecosystem. Together, these experiences shaped an end-to-end understand...
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  Chris Hemmeter, Co-Founder & MD, Thayer Investment Partners, interviewed by David Kong 02.05.2026 34мин

  I recently sat down with Chris Hemmeter, Co Founder and Managing Director of Thayer Investment Partners, and one part of our conversation stood out because it applies to all of us, not just entrepreneurs. Chris pushed back on the idea that there is a perfect formula for success. Instead, he shared three qualities he consistently sees in high potential leaders: Integrity: A commitment to truth and accuracy, even when the facts are not as strong as you would like them to be. People can ...
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  Adi Bhoopathy, Managing Principal & Head of Capital Markets, Noble Investment Group, interviewed by Lan Elliott 22.04.2026 31мин

  Adi’s career demonstrates that lasting success comes from deliberate choices, not shortcuts. He calls us to reinvent ourselves from within, advocate for our value with facts and preparation, and invest in relationships that deepen over time. His advice to seek honest mentors — people who tell you the truth and challenge your blind spots — is a reminder that growth requires honest counsel. Play the long game, because the compounding side of it is very hard to replicate.