Hospitality Daily Podcast

In this episode, Josiah Mackenzie speaks with Mark Fancourt, cofounder and principal at TRAVHOTECH, and a former senior leader across global hospitality brands and technology companies. Their conversation moves beyond the typical AI talking points in our industry to examine the less-discussed implications for hospitality — from the workforce and robotics to shifting consumer demand and long-term industry sustainability. Mark offers a perspective shaped by decades of operational leadership and hands-on experimentation with emerging technologies.  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

In this sponsor bonus episode, Agnelo Fernandes, CEO of Cote Hospitality, shares how he and his team use ProfitSword by Actabl to manage hotel performance each day. He explains how real-time visibility into revenue, labor, and other costs enables better game-time decisions to drive profitability.You may also enjoy:What Our "52 Games a Year" Mindset Reveals About Leading Performance in Hospitality - Agnelo Fernandes, Cote Hospitality"If We’re Not Using Technology, We’re Done": A CEO’s Wake-Up Call for Hospitality - Agnelo Fernandes, Cote HospitalityYour Reporting Is Killing Profitability (Here’s How to Fix It) - Lindsey Goedeker, ActablUnlocking the Big Wins in Hotel Profitability Today - Steven Moore, ActablThe People Side of Data: How We Spend Less Time on Reports, More Time with Guests (And Still Thrive) - Shozib Khan, Spire Hospitality 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

In this episode, Agnelo Fernandes, CEO of Cote Hospitality, shares how recent conversations during a trip to Northern California sharpened his perspective on the pace of technological change—and what it means for hospitality leaders. He explains why technology, and increasingly AI, is no longer just about efficiency, but a critical enabler of personalization, empowered teams, and delivering on the promise of hospitality. Agnelo also outlines the financial and operational pressures forcing the industry to rethink labor, data, and decision-making. For leaders navigating rising expectations and tighter margins, this conversation offers a clear-eyed view of what’s becoming non-negotiable. 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

In this episode, Agnelo Fernandes, CEO of Cote Hospitality, shares how he thinks about leading performance in a challenging operating environment. As demand flattens and costs continue to rise, Agnelo explains why labor is unlikely to return to "normal" anytime soon, how simplicity and adaptability have become competitive advantages, and why strong brands are built in moments. He introduces his “52 Games a Year” mindset, reframing performance as a season of wins and losses that requires constant adjustment rather than rigid plans. This episode offers hospitality leaders a practical, people-first perspective on driving sustainable performance without losing what makes hospitality work. 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

In this episode, Agnelo Fernandes, CEO of Cote Hospitality, takes us inside the thinking behind the company’s GUIDE mentorship program—designed to develop leaders from within while improving retention and strengthening culture. Agnelo explains why mentorship works best as a two-way relationship, how personal branding fits into leadership development, and why human connection—not hierarchy—is the foundation of meaningful growth. He also shares the tangible business outcomes Cote is seeing, from stronger retention to deeper engagement and a growing pipeline of future leaders. This conversation offers a practical, values-driven look at how mentorship can become a strategic advantage in hospitality. 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

Agnelo Fernandes wanted to work in hospitality so badly that he removed his MBA from his resume just to land an entry-level job in the industry.Today, he's the CEO of Cote Hospitality, and his path there was anything but traditional. In this episode, Agnelo shares the moments that pulled him away from investment banking, why he believes hospitality is actually harder than rocket science or brain surgery ("you're dealing with all senses at their highest alert level"), and the leadership philosophy that's guided his rise to the CEO role.We explore his concept of "leading from any seat," why he's never followed just one mentor, and the practical habits that helped him stay relevant as technology transformed the industry. Whether you're early in your career or eyeing the top job yourself, there's something here for you.Want more? Read Agnelo's profile on hertelierWatch Agnelo's story on It's Personal Stories 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

In this episode, Craig Poole reflects on how a lifetime in hospitality built the resilience and mindset he’s relied on while fighting cancer. He shares lessons drawn from decades of leadership — gratitude, selflessness, adaptability, and compassion — and explains why hospitality uniquely prepares people to face life’s hardest challenges. Craig also revisits his philosophy of leadership, community, and being “behind” the people you lead, and how that philosophy has taken on deeper meaning through illness. This is a thoughtful conversation about strength, service, and what hospitality teaches us far beyond our careers.Resources: Listen: People are the point of impact: How to create new beginnings and empower through leadershipListen: Transforming lives through hospitality: What inspired me to do moreListen: Be the change you want to see: My advice for hospitality leadersWatch: Follow Me and I Will Be Behind YouFollow Craig 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

In this episode, Hospitality Daily host Josiah Mackenzie joins a roundtable of the top podcasters in hospitality for an unfiltered look at the stories that defined 2025 and what leaders can anticipate for the year ahead. Moderated by Katie Cline, host of Suite Success, the discussion brings together Zach Busekrus (Behind the Stays), David Millili and Steve Carran (The Modern Hotelier), and Glenn Haussman (No Vacancy) to unpack the realities behind luxury’s continued rise, loyalty’s identity crisis, AI hype versus impact, trade show fatigue, and how operators protected profitability in a challenging year. Drawing on hundreds of conversations each has had across the industry, this episode offers a grounded, experience-driven perspective on where hospitality stands today and the forces likely to shape 2026. 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

In this episode, we're learning from Craig Stanghetta, Founder and Creative Director of Ste Marie, about why the most successful hospitality concepts are designed around emotion rather than just aesthetics. Drawing on his background in theatre, Craig shares how story, risk, and a balance of comfort and wonder shape spaces guests actually return to. He also shares what emotional design looks like in an increasingly AI-driven world and why human connection remains hospitality's most durable advantage. Want more? Listen to Craig's interview on Hospitality DesignCheck out Craig's work on Instagram or the Ste Marie website 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

In this special bonus episode, we break down Actabl's Q3 2025 Hotel Labor Benchmarking Data and explore what it means for hotel operators planning for 2026. Sarah McCay Tams, Head of Research and Editorial for HotelData.com, walks through the major trends shaping wages, overtime, headcount, and productivity across U.S. hotels. She’s joined by experienced operators Shanell Marinuzzi and Peter Kilbourne, who share practical insights on staffing models, forecasting accuracy, cross-training, and using overtime strategically. Listeners will come away with a clearer understanding of how top-performing hotels protected margins in 2025 -- and what to do now to better align labor with real-time demand in the year ahead.Resources:See the charts: Q3 2025 Hotel Labor Benchmarking DataRead: How Hotels Used Labor Efficiency to Protect Margins in 2025Read: The Future of Hotel Labor Management: A Smarter, People-First Approach to ProfitabilityRequest a call with Actabl to learn about how they can help you right-size labor 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