Welcome to Defining Hospitality, the podcast focused on highlighting the most influential figures in the hospitality industry. In each episode we provide 1 on 1, in depth interviews with experts in the industry to learn what hospitality means to them. We feature expert advice on working in the industry, behind the scenes looks at some of your favorite brands, and in depth explorations of unique hospitality projects.
Defining Hospitality is hosted by Founder and CEO of Agency 967, Dan Ryan. With over 30 years of experience in hospitality, Dan brings his expertise and passion to each episode as he delves into the latest trends and challenges facing the industry.
Episodes are released every week on Wednesday mornings.
To listen to episodes, visit https://www.defininghospitality.live/ or subscribe to Defining Hospitality wherever you get your podcasts.
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Données mises à jour le 03/10/2026
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Hospitality Is a Mindset - Matthew Boone - Defining Hospitality
Épisode 269
mercredi 30 septembre 2026 • Durée 56:19
Matthew Boone joins Dan Ryan to break down what it actually takes to turn a hospitality project from blueprint to guest ready. They dig into the tension between design vision and hard budget numbers, why cost estimating works so differently around the world, and the on the job lessons that shaped how he leads projects today.
Matthew Boone is head of hospitality at Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB), bringing 20+ years of architecture, construction and project management experience to some of the industry's most complex hotel developments. Trained as an architect, his work includes San Francisco's Huntington Hotel, a project that landed in Architectural Digest. He now leads RLB's hospitality growth across North America, pairing design instinct with financial discipline.
Chapters: 00:00 Architectural Digest Moment
00:56 Meet Matthew Boone
02:31 Architecture Roots
04:17 Defining Hospitality
07:12 Front vs Back of House
07:57 ROI and Budget Tradeoffs
10:07 QS vs US Project Model
16:13 Transparency and True Costs
23:50 CapEx and Aging Systems
31:07 Shower Controls Code
32:10 Sponsor Sustainability Update
32:35 RLB Roots In Hawaii
35:10 Hilton Hawaiian Village Lessons
37:59 Clift Hotel Crunch Renovation
41:59 Erin And RLB Culture
43:38 Mainland Growth Markets
47:51 LA Olympics Hotel Conundrum
54:19 Wrap Up And How To Connect
Quote of the Show:
"Hospitality is thinking about what people need, what people want, before they even know they need it." - Matthew Boone
Building a hotel, brand, or guest experience? Reach out to Dan on LinkedIn or hit reply on the Substack to share what you’re working on.
Hospitality the Sacred Duty - Colleen Rafferty - Defining Hospitality
Épisode 268
mercredi 16 septembre 2026 • Durée 53:17
Hospitality has ancient roots, and this week's guest traces her own path in the industry back to something surprising: a master's degree in philosophy. What started as bartending to pay for grad school became a full blown philosophy of service, one built on presence, reciprocity, and treating every guest interaction as its own small act of care. From building a team that turned an old motel into a two Michelin Key destination to launching a groundbreaking childcare pilot for hospitality workers, this conversation covers what it really takes to scale a business without losing the soul that made it special in the first place.
Colleen Rafferty is the President of Tourists, an award winning hotel in North Adams, Massachusetts that has earned two Michelin Keys and national recognition from outlets like Vanity Fair. She rose through the ranks from guest experience manager to the top leadership seat, helping build a culture so strong that her own team members have collectively logged 40 years of tenure at a hotel that has only been open eight. Beyond the hotel, Colleen is leading a new pilot childcare program funded by the state of Massachusetts in partnership with the Governor's Office, built specifically for hospitality workers whose schedules don't run Monday through Friday, 9 to 5.
Chapters: 00:00 Housekeeping Meltdown
00:36 Podcast Mission Intro
01:09 Meet Colleen Rafferty
01:50 Berkshires Festival Vibes
03:32 Defining Hospitality Xenia
06:35 Philosophy to Hospitality
13:57 Tourists Growth Michelin Keys
19:28 Scaling Culture and Structure
26:58 Childcare Pilot for Workers
33:02 Funding and Coalition
33:47 Red Tape Worries
35:23 Pilot Program Unknowns
36:10 Universal Pre-K Lessons
Slow Down to Connect - David Rich - Defining Hospitality
Épisode 267
mercredi 9 septembre 2026 • Durée 01:00:08
What if the best conversations aren't about being interesting, but about being present? In this episode, Dan sits down with his close friend and mentor to explore why so many of us struggle to truly connect, even with people we've known for years. The conversation covers vulnerability, the difference between listening to respond and listening to understand, and why removing performance from a room changes everything.
David Rich is the founder of Palabra, a story driven event format he has hosted hundreds of times across nearly every continent, from intimate dinners to gatherings of over 100 people. What started as a personal search for deeper friendships after moving back from Spain has grown into a platform used by corporations, families, and entrepreneurs to build genuine relationships. His approach to storytelling and presence has made him one of the most sought after voices on modern connection.
Chapters:
00:00 Stories Over Opinions
00:53 Meet David Rich
02:00 What Hospitality Means
03:42 Palabra Born in Spain
07:27 Designing the Container
09:53 Conversation First Format
13:03 Vulnerability and Story Prep
15:58 Listening With Heart
23:32 Opinion Free Safe Space
31:16 Sales Through Trust
32:34 Sponsor Sustainability Note
32:59 Forum Style Story Learning
34:34 Introverts Love Structure
35:57 Long Tail Impact Stories
38:13 Scaling Palabra Formats
39:58 Everest Circle Experiment
43:36 Analog Connection In AI Age
Slow Partnerships, Fast Loyalty - Diarmaid O'Sullivan - Defining Hospitality
Épisode 266
mercredi 2 septembre 2026 • Durée 01:00:40
What does luxury actually mean once you strip away the thread counts and marble bathrooms? Dan sits down with Diarmaid O'Sullivan, Director of Marketing at the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club, a Fairmont Hotel in Bermuda, for a conversation about connection, patience, and the moments that turn a guest into a regular. Diarmaid brings more than 30 years of international experience in hospitality marketing, tourism strategy, and luxury brand building, and has spent over a decade shaping some of the industry's most talked about lifestyle partnerships, including collaborations with Steamline Luggage and a custom fragrance created with Bermuda's oldest perfumery. The two dig into what luxury means as a moving target, how far patience can take a brand partnership, and why the first five minutes of a stay might matter more than the room itself.
Chapters:
00:00 Show Mission Intro
00:35 Meet Diarmaid
02:01 Hospitality Means People
05:25 Bermuda Move Story
07:30 Partnership Playbook
11:09 Fairmont Brand Legacy
15:32 Redefining Luxury
20:10 Curated Art Experiences
23:57 Tech Versus Human Touch
32:53 Mentoring With Honesty
34:12 Helping Staff Move On
35:11 I Want Your Job
36:13 Six Months To Prove It
38:01 Boss As Your Guide
40:38 Networking On A Small Island
43:56 Bermuda Awareness Challenge
47:52 New Opportunities And Partnerships
50:21 Measuring Wins And Wrapping Up
Culture By Design - Adam Lara - Defining Hospitality
Épisode 265
mercredi 26 août 2026 • Durée 53:59
In this episode of Defining Hospitality, Dan sits down with Adam Lara, principal at KTGY Interior Design and Branded Environments, to talk about career, culture, and what it really takes to build a studio that works. From formative early experiences to his latest chapter leading a growing team in Chicago, Adam offers a grounded look at what shapes great design work over the long haul.
Adam Lara has spent nearly three decades moving across architecture, interiors, and brand side operations, giving him a rare, well rounded view of the hospitality design world. His career has included time at Hyatt, a formative stretch under acclaimed designer Jordan Mosher, and now a leadership role at KTGY. That range makes him one of the more thoughtful voices working in hospitality design today.
Chapters:
00:00 Why Hospitality Matters
00:35 Meet Adam Lara
01:55 Defining Hospitality
02:53 Career Pivot After 9/11
04:22 Inside-Out Design Thinking
05:29 Why Architects Avoid Interiors
07:26 Hyatt HQ Memories
08:31 Brand Side Lessons at Hyatt
10:27 Ops and Owner Mindset
13:40 Jordan Mozer Maker Culture
16:27 Micro to Macro Design
18:40 Joining Simeone Deary
20:25 Merging Into KTGY
22:44 Learning From Gina and Lisa
24:48 New Office and Integration
28:49 Venetian Bars Storytelling
34:59 Leadership and Culture
45:06 In-Person Collaboration Finale
Small Hotels, Big Margins - Ryan Diggins - Defining Hospitality
Épisode 264
mercredi 19 août 2026 • Durée 01:01:39
In this episode, Dan Ryan sits down with Ryan Diggins, founder and operator of The Ramble Hotel and co-founder of Gravitas Development, to unpack how his company, Midnight Auteur, builds boutique hotels that lead with food and beverage instead of treating it as an afterthought. Ryan walks through the thinking behind properties like The Ramble in Denver and Municipal Grand in Savannah, why smaller hotels can outperform bigger ones when you optimize for revenue per square foot instead of RevPAR alone, and how staying involved in the smallest design details, right down to how brass patinas on a toilet handle, keeps a project from losing its soul as it scales. The conversation also dives into how Ryan finds overlooked real estate opportunities, how he builds teams around a fully formed vision instead of the other way around, and what the future of hotel discovery looks like as AI reshapes how travelers find where to stay.
Ryan Diggins is a real estate development veteran with over 15 years of experience building in Denver and beyond, and he's spent that time proving that boutique hotels can compete with, and outperform, some of the biggest names in the business. As founder and operator of The Ramble Hotel and co-founder of Gravitas Development, he leads hotel concepting, development, and operations through his company Midnight Auteur, marrying serious development chops with a hospitality first sensibility. His latest project, Municipal Grand in Savannah, was recently named one of the top 19 places to travel in 2026 by Architectural Digest, cementing his reputation as one of the industry's sharpest voices on design-driven, food and beverage anchored hospitality.
Chapters: 00:00 Real Estate vs Purpose
00:22 Show Mission Intro
00:55 Guest Spotlight Ryan
02:26 Defining Hospitality
04:00 Placemaking Through Hotels
06:43 Artfulness Over Formula
10:42 Why Secret Sauce Gets Lost
16:25 F&B Led Hotel Economics
Making Room for Others - Carl Long - Defining Hospitality
Épisode 263
mercredi 5 août 2026 • Durée 01:09:35
In this episode, Dan sits down with longtime industry counterpart Carl Long for a conversation twenty years in the making. They dig into how relationships compound like interest, why hospitality has resisted disruption from AI, and the vocational program Carl helped build at Richardson High School that's giving students a debt free path into the industry. It is a candid, reflective talk about risk, trust, and what actually keeps people in this business for the long haul.
About the Guest:
Carl Long is CEO of PMI and PMI Tribal Services, with more than two decades of experience in hospitality purchasing and project management spanning India, Latin America, and major hotel, casino, and senior living projects across the US. He sits on the board of the Indian Gaming Association, serves on the AHLA Design and Construction Committee, and is the past president of ISHP. He is also breaking ground on his own hotel development this year, adding developer to an already impressive resume.
Chapters:
00:00 Spy Joke and Mission
00:46 Meet Carl Long
02:07 Project Years and Perspective
04:32 Defining Hospitality
05:57 Building Their Own Hotel
07:28 Balancing Kindness and Deadlines
10:50 Relationships Over Transactions
17:38 Trust Erosion and Overdocumentation
28:58 Disruption AI and Last Mile
36:20 AI Meets Reality
38:12 People Over Process
38:49 Hospitality Career Lab
39:58 Richardson High Program
42:28 Building A Hotel Lobby
Hospitality From Every Angle - Compilation Episode - Defining Hospitality
Épisode 262
mercredi 29 juillet 2026 • Durée 20:37
To celebrate over three years of Defining Hospitality, Dan Ryan pulls together some of the most powerful moments from the show's history into one episode. From the etymology of the word "hospitality" itself to the sacred duty of welcoming strangers, this compilation revisits the ideas that have shaped the conversation around design, service, and business in our industry. Guests reflect on the moments that changed them, the leaps of faith that built their careers, and the small human details, like how a rendering makes people feel, that separate good hospitality from great hospitality. It's a reminder of just how much wisdom has passed through this mic, and why the question "what does hospitality really mean" never gets old.
This episode brings back some of the sharpest minds Dan has hosted, including novelist and hospitality thinker Ian, designer and procurement leader Chelsea Hershelman, hospitality veteran John O'Sullivan, caterer to presidents Steve, architect and designer Eileen, casino and resort design expert Bruno Viterbo, real estate developer Margot Stern, and hospitality tech innovator John Duffield. Each brought a distinct perspective to the show, from the sacred history of welcoming guests to the future of biometric personalization in travel. Together, their stories map out just how wide, and how deep, the world of hospitality really runs.
Chapters:
00:00 Welcome to Defining Hospitality
00:35 Hospitality Roots and Meaning
01:32 Designing the Guest Journey
02:14 A Sacred Sense of Belonging
02:40 Conviction as Leadership Gravity
03:14 Four Seasons Culture Shift
03:57 Hope and Opportunity Abroad
05:03 White Box to Model Room
06:03 Designing for Real People
07:11 Is It Right or Wrong
Academic Roots, Hospitality Heights - Gary Brandeis - Defining Hospitality
Épisode 261
mercredi 22 juillet 2026 • Durée 01:06:55
Gary Brandeis, CEO of Scholar Hotels, joins Dan Ryan to talk about a strategy most hoteliers never even consider: betting everything on college towns. Gary explains why a large public university like Penn State makes for one of the most stable demand drivers in hospitality, and how his company has grown to nearly 1,000 rooms in State College alone. The conversation dives into his real estate investor first, hospitality operator second philosophy, the wild 16 month renovation of the historic Nittany Lion Inn, and his new Regulation A offering that lets everyday fans, not just accredited investors, own a piece of the hotels they love to visit. It is a masterclass in finding your niche, going deep instead of wide, and turning community passion into capital.
About the Guest:
Gary Brandeis is the CEO of Scholar Hotels, a hotel executive and real estate investor who has spent 35 years working with major brands like Marriott, Hyatt, and IHG while building a specialized portfolio around university markets. He has also launched award winning real estate technology companies focused on innovation and tenant experience, proving he is just as comfortable disrupting the model as he is running it. What makes Gary worth listening to is his willingness to buck conventional investment wisdom, concentrating his business in college towns like State College, Pennsylvania, and turning that focus into one of the most consistent and creative hospitality plays in the industry today.
Chapters: 00:00 Why Hospitality Matters
00:25 Meet Gary Brandeis
01:04 Penn State Roots and Nittany Lion
03:09 A Thousand Rooms in State College
07:22 Hospitality Meets Profitability
12:22 College Town Brands and Graduate
16:49 Graduate Growth and Real Estate Risks
20:00 Democratizing Hotel Investing Reg A
Connecting the Room - Michelle Finn - Defining Hospitality
Épisode 260
mercredi 15 juillet 2026 • Durée 01:02:54
In this episode, Dan Ryan sits down with Michelle Finn, longtime industry fixture and the driving force behind Alis Design Plus, to trace the evolution of hospitality trade events from HD Expo's chaotic 1990s launch (earthquakes, riots and all) to today's design and investment ecosystem. Michelle unpacks her "dinner party" philosophy of hosting, the power of relationships over transactions, and how she scaled that intimacy from a dozen guests to thousands of attendees without losing the human touch. The conversation moves through mentorship, the rise of owner involvement in design, the new Alis Cala expansion into the Caribbean, and even a few fun detours into what a Vogue or Garden and Guns hotel might look like.
About the Guest:
Michelle Finn heads The BHN Group's hotel design and construction events, including the launch of Alis Design Plus. Previously, she led the management and development of Hospitality Design Expo, HD Boutique, HD Summit, HD Awards, Hospitality Design, Boutique Design NY, Boutique Design West, the BD Forum Series, Boutique Design and Senior Lifestyle Design Match events, the Gold Key Awards, and more. A dedicated, long standing member of NEWH, she has earned numerous awards for innovation spanning trade fair development, publishing, leadership, and service, and is firmly established as a notable presence in Chicago's hospitality landscape.
Chapters:
00:00 Defining Hospitality Intro
00:35 Meet Michelle Finn
01:47 What Hospitality Means
03:38 Hosting Lessons Early On
06:00 Launching HD Expo Origins
08:48 Riots Earthquakes and Vegas Pivot
13:42 Winning Leadership Buy In
22:41 Why ALIS Design Plus Exists
25:21 Growth Plans and Industry Shifts
33:38 Analog Event Magic
37:14 Michelin Inspector Details
38:10 Sing for Your Slumber
41:01 Tourists Expansion Plans
44:11 Scaling Without Losing Magic
48:28 Mentors and Gratitude
Quote of the Show: "This isn't really about you. This is about this moment and what the space can provide and what the guest is looking for." - Colleen Rafferty
Building a hotel, brand, or guest experience? Reach out to Dan on LinkedIn or hit reply on the Substack to share what you’re working on.
"You can teach someone the skills to operate a system, how to make a bed, how to make a dish. But you cannot teach someone to have empathy, to connect with people, or just be happy." - Diarmaid OSullivan
Building a hotel, brand, or guest experience? Reach out to Dan on LinkedIn or hit reply on the Substack to share what you’re working on.
Quote of the Show: "Those relationships, they have to start somewhere. It comes over time, it comes over effort, and when you do that, relationships are what make great projects easy to move ahead." - Carl Long
Building a hotel, brand, or guest experience? Reach out to Dan on LinkedIn or hit reply on the Substack to share what you’re working on.
Quote of the Show: "If we don't make a profit and we don't invest well, our ability to provide a good experience for our guests is significantly hindered." - Gary Brandeis
Building a hotel, brand, or guest experience? Reach out to Dan on LinkedIn or hit reply on the Substack to share what you’re working on.
