In this episode of The Unchecked-In Podcast, Bobby Marhamat sits down with Jacob Messina, CEO of Stayntouch, a cloud-native PMS helping hotels streamline operations and deliver exceptional guest experiences.

Jacob shares insights from his journey across hospitality—from working in restaurants as a teen, to leading operations at Lowe’s Hotels and MCR Hotels, to now driving innovation in hotel technology. He dives into the real challenges hotel operators face with tech adoption, why independent hotels often outperform big brands in flexibility and guest experience, and how AI and automation can enhance—but not replace—the human touch in hospitality.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How to approach hotel technology without fear of choosing the “wrong” system
• The balance between automation, AI, and personalized guest experiences
• Key operational processes that drive the biggest impact on staff and guest satisfaction
• Lessons learned from mistakes early in Jacob’s career and how they shaped his leadership
• The philosophy behind roadmap planning, prioritizing customer requests, and standardization
• Insights on change management and making technology actually work for your team

Links:
Jacob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-messina-b6361311

Company Website: https://www.stayntouch.com/

Connect with Bobby Marhamat:
Website: https://bobbymarhamat.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bobbymarhamat/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbymarhamat/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyhabanero

AI Hotel Revenue Management Software | TakeUp
TakeUp: https://takeup.ai/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/takeup-ai/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/takeupforhospitality
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/takeupforhospitality
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TakeUp-for-hospitality