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/

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