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PODCAST

Top Floor

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

business marketing

All Episodes

30:30

170 | Very Pricey Photocopy

Top Floor ·

2024/12/17

Pablo Torres is a seasoned hotelier with experience managing properties across Europe, from Spain to the UK. A revenue strategy expert, Pablo has trained hotel teams globally and collaborates with top industry software providers like Oaky. Susan and Pablo talk about creating customer-centric experiences, optimizing profit, and personalizing hospitality offerings. From Night Audit to Revenue Maven: Pablo shares his journey from starting in night audit to becoming a sought-after expert in revenue

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42:41

169 | Breathtaking Beauty

Top Floor ·

2024/12/10

Peter Follows, founder of Carpedia, has spent over 30 years helping businesses turn strategies into actionable results. From working with industrial giants to hospitality leaders like Ritz-Carlton, Peter’s expertise lies in optimizing operations and aligning teams for success. Susan and Peter talk about labor challenges in hospitality, the hidden power of implementation, and the potential of AI to transform the industry. Bridging the Strategy Gap: Peter reveals how Carpedia started by addressing the

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42:14

163 | Ice Bucket Investigation

Top Floor ·

2024/10/29

Aurora Dawn Benton is a sustainability consultant and author of Exponential Impact: Harnessing Human Potential to Drive Sustainability in Organizations. With a diverse career spanning tech, finance, education, and hospitality, Aurora is known for food waste reduction, data-driven sustainability, and workforce engagement strategies. Susan and Aurora talk about rolls, melons, and expensive trash. Episode Highlights: Changing the Hospitality Mindset: Aurora explains how sustainability in food and

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37:07

162 | Money-Making Machine

Top Floor ·

2024/10/22

Michelle Pascoe is a Sydney-based expert in hospitality and customer service with over 30 years of experience. As the founder of her own consultancy and host of the Michelle Pascoe Hospitality Podcast, she helps businesses improve customer engagement and operational efficiency. Susan and Michelle talk about navigating the complexities of a multigenerational workforce. Can we still ask employees to smile? Michelle digs into employee morale and the changing expectations of customer-facing roles. A

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31:25

161 | Airline Bankruptcy Surprise

Top Floor ·

2024/10/15

Jared Lerner, co-founder and CEO of Nappr, transformed his personal challenges with sleep and travel into a platform offering short-term hotel stays designed for rest. With a background in software engineering and startup culture, he pivoted Nappr from brick-and-mortar spaces to a tech-driven marketplace. Susan and Jared talk about sleep health, travel convenience, and company culture. What you'll hear about: Pivoting in Business: Jared discusses his experience pivoting Nappr from a

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33:34

160 | Sleeping on the Train

Top Floor ·

2024/10/08

Liz Owens is the Senior Vice President and General Manager of Vacations by Rail, North America’s leading provider of train vacations. With over 20 years of experience in marketing and brand growth, she has played a key role in expanding the company’s reach and doubling its size. Liz and Susan discuss trains, travel tips, and the timeless appeal of rail vacations. What you can expect to hear: Are trains the new planes? Liz shares all things rail travel, from packing tips to navigating the onboard

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27:48

159 | 15-Day Career

Top Floor ·

2024/10/01

Gustavo Viescas is the president of Wyndham Hotels and Resorts for Latin America and the Caribbean. After more than two decades in finance, Gustavo's role has grown to encompass launching a new all-inclusive brand and leading 266 hotels. Susan and Gustavo talk about balancing financial acumen with leadership that emphasizes emotional intelligence. What soft skills Gustavo had to develop to become President. Why consistency between price and product is key to customer satisfaction. Why balancing

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33:43

158 | Bad Business Bullets

Top Floor ·

2024/09/24

Stephen Galbreath is the Chief Development Officer and Head of Design and Construction at Garfield Public Private, specializing in the development of convention centers, hotels, and essential municipal buildings. Stephen helps cities and government entities build impactful infrastructure that drives economic growth and revitalizes communities. Susan and Stephen talk about the benefits of convention business and bullet-proof vests. What challenges arise when working with municipalities on hotel

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48:39

157 | Cauldron of Light

Top Floor ·

2024/09/17

Kevin Fedarko is a magazine writer, adventurer, and author of A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon. Kevin traversed the 800-mile distance of the Grand Canyon over a year and was surprised that he lived to write about it. Susan and Kevin talk about silence, light, and hubris. What you'll learn about in this episode: How to pack light Who helped Kevin avoid certain death Why the Grand Canyon is so difficult to hike What the transformational power of

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32:12

156 | Bar Tab Larceny

Top Floor ·

2024/09/10

Tim Hentschel is the founder of HotelPlanner, which sought to digitize the analog process of booking group business in hotels. HotelPlanner has changed a lot since it launched, and Tim is now exploring other ways to digitize analog processes in the hotel industry. Susan and Tim talk about automating relationships, over-managing rate strategy, and innovating in a tech resistant industry. What you'll learn about in this episode: Why AI might not fully replace human agents in high-touch services. How

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38:40

155 | Royal Ride Regrets

Top Floor ·

2024/09/03

Adam Tuttle is a luxury hotel veteran and founder of Yipy, an app that helps hotels digitize their service standards so that nothing gets missed. After working with a multitude of hotels of all types, Adam realized that the burden of managing standards from multiple sources was too big, so he came up with a way to combine them in one spot. Susan and Adam talk about why luxury hotels are so expensive and what to do when confronted with royal vomit. What you'll learn about in this episode: Where

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28:13

154 | Football Lost & Found

Top Floor ·

2024/08/27

Mindi Cooke is fashion executive turned reunitor of lost things. As SVP of Business Development at Reunitus, Mindi helps airlines, ski mountains, and hotels use software to match lost items with their owners. Susan and Mindi talk about stuffed animals, iPads, and Chanel. What you'll learn about in this episode: Where to label your suitcase. What percentage of lost luggage is found. How hotels outsource lost-and-found services. Which lost items are most important to return. Why Unclaimed Baggage

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37:19

153 | Our Robot Overlords

Top Floor ·

2024/08/19

Matt Casella is a former finance guy and restaurant automation entrepreneur who serves as President of Richtech Robotics. The company creates robots who cook, clean, and serve drinks, including their latest invention, Adam. Susan and Matt talk about automation, experience, and the perils of opening a restaurant. What you'll learn about in this episode: Who is Adam? When to ignore advice Why finance sometimes leads to food What recipe Matt is best at preparing How to improve upon past humanoid

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32:21

152 | Missing Blanket of Snow

Top Floor ·

2024/08/13

Andrea Piana is committed to a sustainable, zero-waste economy, so it may come as a surprise to learn that he is CEO of a more than 400-year-old textile company, Piana Technology. Andrea has created a new bed that is made with non-woven fiber, is 100% recyclable, and is designed to give hotel guests a luxurious night's sleep. Susan and Andrea talk about thinking, innovating, and skiing. What you'll learn about in this episode: How non-woven fabrics and calming molecules help sleep How Andrea got

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34:38

151 | Rolls Royce Chauffeur

Top Floor ·

2024/08/06

Ali Krupnik is founder of MyWellCo, a wellness events company. Ali is passionate about bringing wellness to corporate events without it having to be yoga. Susan and Ali talk about floating in a chair and fighting phone stress. What you'll learn about in this episode: How to lower stress When to bring your pillow Who hires MyWellCo for events What you can do for better sleep Why wellness is not the same thing as yoga Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts "I love Top Floor!" If that sounds like

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37:50

150 | Wedding Wing Man

Top Floor ·

2024/07/30

Jennifer Barnwell is president of Curator Hotel and Resort Collection, a consortium of about 100 independent hotels across the US who have joined forces to create more buying power and give consumers one place to find independent lifestyle hotels. Curator's mission is to help independent hotels stay independent, and Jen has enough industry experience to lead the way. Susan and Jen talk about number crunching and bank fraud. What you'll learn about in this episode: What lifestyle hotels are How

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36:28

149 | Sweethearts on the Run

Top Floor ·

2024/07/23

John Bianchi is founder of STR Search, a data analytics company that helps real estate investors determine which properties are best positioned for cash flow. With more than $75 million in deals and a (self-reported) 100% success rate, John is the short-term rental industry's expert on what makes a successful Airbnb business. Susan and John talk about hottubs, dining tables, and rental arbitrage. What you'll learn about in this episode: Who should clean your rental units How to juggle multiple

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31:47

148 | Aisle Seat Swap

Top Floor ·

2024/07/16

Seema Jain is founder and president of Seva Global, a cultural competency training and consulting company. After using her own cultural competency to move major market share during the 2008 recession, Seema developed programs to enhance cultural competence across Marriott hotels. Susan and Seema talk about pickles and vegetarian food. What you'll learn about in this episode: How to think the breakfast buffet Why you might give up an aisle seat When to apologize for a cultural faux pas Who has

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37:44

147 | Black, Brown, and Down

Top Floor ·

2024/07/09

Ashli Johnson is finally holding a conference for Black and Brown hospitality leaders, and the world will be better for it. An industry mainstay with experience across operations, real estate, consulting and academia, Ashli's latest project, Hued 2024, will connect and inspire hoteliers of color. Susan and Ashli talk about academia, intersectionality, and sugar babies. What you'll learn about in this episode: Where to start networking What conferences do for hotel careers How one front desk agent

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32:58

143 | Toilet Paper Mountain

Top Floor ·

2024/06/11

Ludovic Siouffi is founder and CEO of Fox Fold, a company that makes toilet paper and facial tissue dispensers that lower costs and reduce waste. After many years in finance, Ludo joined forces with three co-founders to reinvent toilet paper. Susan and Ludo talk about creating a supply chain, leaning on a co-founder, and discovering a secret on the loading dock. What you'll learn about in this episode: When to contact your investors What is hard about folding tissue Why Ludo feels sorry for

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145 results

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