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

48:42 Guardrails And Closing Reflections

Quote of the Show:

"A good event isn't that someone cried, so it was a good event. It's that people become a little bit more of themselves." - David RIch

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.

Links:

• Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@defininghospitality?sub_confirmation=1
• Substack: https://www.defininghospitality.live/
• Guest’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjrich/
• Guests Website: https://www.palabra.co/
• Dan Ryan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedailydanryan/

🏨✨ Defining Hospitality is Sponsored by Berman Falk https://www.bermanfalk.com/ - Check out their impact page! 🌍🌱 https://www.bermanfalk.com/impact/

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPX
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386
• Amazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419
• Transistor: https://www.defininghospitality.live/

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

Quote of the Show:

"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.

Links:

• Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@defininghospitality?sub_confirmation=1
• Substack: https://www.defininghospitality.live/
• Luggage Collab: https://steamlineluggage.com/collections/the-hamilton-princess-hotel
• Guest’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diarmaidosullivan/
• Guests Website: https://www.thehamiltonprincess.com/
• Dan Ryan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedailydanryan/

🏨✨ Defining Hospitality is Sponsored by Berman Falk https://www.bermanfalk.com/ - Check out their impact page! 🌍🌱 https://www.bermanfalk.com/impact/

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPX
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386
• Amazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419
• Transistor: https://www.defininghospitality.live/

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

Quote of the Show:

"It's not just design, it's basically problem solving." - Adam Lara

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.

Links:

• Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@defininghospitality?sub_confirmation=1
• Substack: https://www.defininghospitality.live/
• Guest’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-lara-aia-leed-ap-ishc-7aa04751/
• Guests Website: https://ktgy.com/
• Dan Ryan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedailydanryan/

🏨✨ Defining Hospitality is Sponsored by Berman Falk https://www.bermanfalk.com/ - Check out their impact page! 🌍🌱 https://www.bermanfalk.com/impact/

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPX
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386
• Amazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419
• Transistor: https://www.defininghospitality.live/

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

26:04 Staying Curious While Scaling

31:34 Process Without Strangling

33:23 Design For The Picky Guest

35:22 Thoughtfulness As True North

37:23 Values Shape The Team

40:58 Winning Over Investors

44:29 Choosing Design Partners

48:22 Future Markets And Pipeline

50:53 Marketing In The AI Era

55:04 Death And Co Origin Story

Quote of the Show:

"If we can't answer what is this here for or why are we doing this, well now you're just a Pinterest board." - Ryan Diggins

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.

Links:

• Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@defininghospitality?sub_confirmation=1
• Substack: https://www.defininghospitality.live/
• Guest’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-diggins-8a1297a/
• Guests Website: https://www.theramblehotel.com/
• Dan Ryan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedailydanryan/

🏨✨ Defining Hospitality is Sponsored by Berman Falk https://www.bermanfalk.com/ - Check out their impact page! 🌍🌱 https://www.bermanfalk.com/impact/

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPX
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386
• Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1s
• Amazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419
• Transistor: https://www.defininghospitality.live/

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

45:13 Opportunity Without Debt

47:21 Connection Beats Remote

53:59 CapEx And Renovation Cycle

01:05:19 Future Of Relational Hospitality

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.

Links:

• Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@defininghospitality?sub_confirmation=1
• Substack: https://www.defininghospitality.live/
• Guest’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-long-pmi/
• Guests Website: https://pmiconnect.com/
• Dan Ryan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedailydanryan/

🏨✨ Defining Hospitality is Sponsored by Berman Falk https://www.bermanfalk.com/ - Check out their impact page! 🌍🌱 https://www.bermanfalk.com/impact/

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPX
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386
• Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1s
• Amazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419
• Transistor: https://www.defininghospitality.live/

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

32:46 Scaling Investor Communication

35:08 Investor Updates Tech

35:57 Radical Transparency

36:42 University Demand Engine

38:44 Crowdfunding Reg A Basics

40:37 Targeting Superfans Social

44:28 Nittany Lion Inn Turnaround

46:08 Choosing The Right Designer

50:14 Hands On Ownership Grit

58:17 University Hotels Investment Thesis

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.

Links:

• Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@defininghospitality?sub_confirmation=1
• Substack: https://www.defininghospitality.live/
• Guest’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garybrandeis/
• Guests Website: https://www.scholarhh.com/
• Dan Ryan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedailydanryan/

🏨✨ Defining Hospitality is Sponsored by Berman Falk https://www.bermanfalk.com/ - Check out their impact page! 🌍🌱 https://www.bermanfalk.com/impact/

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPX
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386
• Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1s
• Amazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419
• Transistor: https://www.defininghospitality.live/

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

34:36 Word of Mouth Wins

35:08 Hospitality Shifts

36:19 Product Categories Boom

37:47 Launching Alice Cala

39:59 Measuring Referrals

43:56 Hosting Like a Pro

48:11 Newcomer Event Playbook

52:22 Future Plans and Farewell

Quote of the Show:

"Identify a need, see something that doesn't exist. That's pretty much what we did." - Michelle Finn

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.

Links:

• Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@defininghospitality?sub_confirmation=1
• Substack: https://www.defininghospitality.live/
• Guest’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alis-design-plus
• Guests Website: https://www.alisdesignplus.com/
• Dan Ryan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedailydanryan/

🏨✨ Defining Hospitality is Sponsored by Berman Falk https://www.bermanfalk.com/ - Check out their impact page! 🌍🌱 https://www.bermanfalk.com/impact/

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPX
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386
• Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1s
• Amazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419
• Transistor: https://www.defininghospitality.live/