In this episode, Craig Poole, a three-time Hilton Connie Award winner and AHLA’s General Manager of the Year, shares why it’s time to go back to the basics of hospitality. Craig shares why leadership, presence, knowing your people, and engaging directly with guests still matter more than ever. Drawing on decades of experience, he offers practical reminders for hotel leaders seeking to build stronger teams, deliver better guest experiences, and build more resilient businesses.

See more with Craig:

• Listen: People are the point of impact: How to create new beginnings and empower through leadership
• Listen: Transforming lives through hospitality: What inspired me to do more
• Listen: Be the change you want to see: My advice for hospitality leaders
• Watch: Follow Me and I Will Be Behind You
• Follow Craig on LinkedIn

A few more resources:

• If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here.
• You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions
• If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.
• Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
• If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.

If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!

Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this episode, Agnelo Fernandes, CEO of Cote Hospitality, shares his take on what will matter most for hospitality leaders in the year ahead. As technology and AI continue to accelerate, Agnelo argues that people and culture—not platforms or tools—will ultimately define the winners in the industry. He explores why the guest journey is becoming more complex, why labor challenges are structural rather than temporary, and why even the best technology fails without the right teams behind it. For hospitality executives navigating rapid change, this conversation offers an expert perspective on leadership, culture, and building long-term competitive advantage.

A few more resources:

• If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here.
• You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions
• If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.
• Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
• If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.

If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!

Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

In this short update, Josiah shares how Hospitality Daily is evolving in the year ahead.

Ask your question here on LinkedIn

A few more resources:

• If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here.
• You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions
• If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.
• Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
• If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.

If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!

Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands