What does it really take to walk away from a marquee role and build a brand that feels personal, principled, and wildly creative? We sit down with David Bowd, co-founder and CEO of Salt Hotels, to unpack the decision to leave the world of iconic properties and start small with a 20-room inn in Provincetown, Massachusetts —and how that leap reset his definition of success. From St. Martin’s Lane and Gramercy Park to a boutique collection rooted in design and community, David shares the choices, mistakes, and moments that shaped Salt’s identity.

We get candid about the “no assholes” rule and why culture fit is a strategy, not a slogan. David tells the story of firing misaligned clients, the immediate lift across the team, and how ditching the numbers race brought better work and happier guests. We go deep on leadership—fairness over fear, debate over yes-people, and the habit of listening to the people closest to the work. When a housekeeping team suggests a smarter process, he says yes, and the operation gets sharper overnight. That respect-based approach shows up in Salt School, an eight-weekend, community-rooted talent program that turns skeptics into believers and dramatically lowers employee turnover.

There’s hard truth here too: COVID was brutal. Yet when doors reopened, demand roared back, proving the human urge to travel beats the headlines. David offers clear advice to rising hoteliers on accessing capital—network beyond your comfort zone, especially with finance partners—and opens up about building a company with his spouse, the designer Kevin O’Shea, by staying in lanes and keeping work at the office. We finish with the rituals that sustain him: early walks, SoulCycle, and non-negotiable boundaries that protect focus and kindness in a 24/7 business.

If you care about hospitality with heart—talent development, design that serves community, and leadership that scales without losing its soul—press play. Subscribe, share this episode with a hotel geek or entrepreneur you love, and leave a review to help more people find the show.

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