In this episode, Dan sits down with Adrienne Scribner, principal and managing director of hospitality at Baskerville, to unpack what three decades in hotel design has taught her about the unglamorous work that actually makes projects succeed. They dig into why there is no "coordination fairy" waiting to catch your mistakes, how typing specs into a purchasing system in the early '90s built the foundation for her entire career, and why mentoring the next generation means being approachable rather than intimidating.

About the Guest:

Adrienne Scribner is a Principal and Managing Director of Hospitality at Baskervill, bringing more than 20 years of experience across the Maryland, Virginia, and DC design corridor. Her client roster reads like a hospitality hall of fame, including Marriott, Gaylord, Ritz Carlton, and Moxy, and her research driven approach has made her a trusted voice for owners navigating renovations of every scale. Beyond the projects themselves, she has built a reputation as a generous mentor, the kind of leader who would rather answer a question than let someone learn the hard way.

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome back to Defining Hospitality

00:58 Meet Adrienne Scribner

01:41 Conference Mentorship Moment

02:52 Why She Stayed in Hotels

04:17 Learning Through Specs

07:16 Hybrid Work and Phone Calls

10:54 Marriott Years and Prototypes

14:11 No Coordination Fairy

17:57 Mentorship and Coachable Talent

31:18 Baskerville Office Footprint

32:30 Hiring Without Relocation

32:47 Why DC Attracts Designers

34:40 DC Cost and Lifestyle Reality

35:01 Sponsor Sustainability Note

35:26 Market Cycle and CapEx Slowdown

38:08 Compressed Schedules and Pauses

39:36 Mentorship Through Project Conflict

40:45 Model Rooms and Risk Management

46:40 Career Lessons From Marriott

49:25 Working With Brand Standards

54:09 Owners Concepts and AI Inspiration

57:14 Research Versus Inspiration Images

59:50 Cross-Pollination Across Verticals

Quote of the Show:

"If you don't know exactly who is going to do the work, it's probably you. You need to find that person." - Adrienne Scribner

Links:

• Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@defininghospitality?sub_confirmation=1
• Substack: https://www.defininghospitality.live/
• Guest’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrienne-scribner-265b045/
• Guests Website: https://www.baskervill.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/

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