Top Floor

Jessica Gidari's career started in interior design before widening into branding and eventually hospitality. She made stops at Rockwell Group and LDV Hospitality before landing at Union Square Hospitality Group, where she led the consulting division and developed concepts for clients like JPMorgan. She is founder of Porcelain Collective, an agency that handles everything from menu writing to branding to full concept development for...

Annie Holcombe has spent her career refusing to pick a side in the hotel versus vacation rental debate, working her way through property management, Expedia during the HomeAway and Vrbo years, channel management, and business development for Marriott Homes and Villas. She is now founder of Annie & Co, coaching independent vacation rental operators on distribution and growth, while also serving as a brand ambassador and US marke...

This special episode of Top Floor comes from a webinar hosted by the Hospitality Creator Summit. Scott Frisch, COO and EVP at AARP, was scheduled to join the Summit in person, but travel issues had other plans. Instead, HCS co-founders Anna Blue and Anthony Melchiorri brought the conversation online, with Susan emceeing a fireside chat about one of hospitality's biggest opportunities: the longevity economy.

Scott has spent two deca...

Dan Jacobs is a chef and restaurant owner in Milwaukee, where he co-owns Dan Dan and EsterEv, and a familiar face on shows like Top Chef and Beat Bobby Flay. He's spent decades in professional kitchens, from short-order cook to hotel sous chef to independent restaurant owner, and is an outspoken advocate for independent restaurants and for awareness of Kennedy's disease, the neuromuscular condition he lives with. Susan and Dan talk...

Natalie Kelley spent years as a stay-at-home mom before trading carpool duty for a cockpit, earning her private pilot's license in her 40s and eventually flying corporate jets for a front-row education in high-end service. After a divorce sent her back out into the world with her kids in college, she launched Fly Girl to help solo travelers and empty nesters, especially women in their 50s and beyond, chase their travel bucket lists...

Sam-Erik Ruttmann has spent decades in hospitality, working his way from a 24-hour shift hotel receptionist in a small Finnish town to regional leadership roles with Hyatt, Dusit International, and Langham Hospitality Group. These days, he channels that global perspective into hotel design, working with a Helsinki-based architecture studio built around a nature-first philosophy, and hosts "The Social Hotelier," a podcast that has r...

Nina Kleaveland spent years in marketing, loyalty, and strategy roles at major hospitality and travel companies like Starwood, American Express, and Wyndham before striking out on her own. She's now the founder of Lanyard, a company solving one of the industry's quietest headaches: where seasonal and essential workers actually sleep. She's also the founder of Female Founders in Hospitality, building community for women doing exactl...

Mike Medsker is the founder of Siv, a hospitality technology company focused on helping hotels respond to group sales inquiries faster without sacrificing the human touch. After building and selling his first company, Focal, Mike returned to entrepreneurship to solve one of the biggest revenue leaks in hotel sales: slow or missing responses to meeting planners. Susan and Mike talk about response speed, sales strategy, and smarter s...

Josh Ellis is the co-founder of Abra, a hospitality technology platform that helps hotels create more personalized guest experiences by connecting fragmented guest data across operational systems. After an unconventional journey through philosophy, meditation, consulting, and hyper-growth tech, Josh teamed up with his wife and hotelier, Dana, to solve one of hospitality's biggest operational challenges. Susan and Josh talk about da...

Nick Falcone is an entrepreneur, developer, and hospitality innovator who has built businesses across restaurants, real estate, technology, and branded hospitality. As co-founder of Rentyl Resorts, he is helping redefine vacation lodging by creating purpose-built branded residential resorts that combine the space of a vacation home with the service and consistency of a luxury hotel. Susan and Nick talk about branding and building.

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Just like last week, this special episode of Top Floor comes to you from the Loading Dock at HITEC in San Antonio. A huge thank you to HFTP for hosting us at the hospitality industry's premier technology conference and for creating the opportunity to capture these unforgettable moments. 

Aimee George, Aimee Inc. — The guest room mix-up that turned into every hotel manager's nightmare.
Ryan Brough, Hapi — The ce...

This special episode of Top Floor comes to you from the Loading Dock at HITEC in San Antonio. A huge thank you to HFTP for hosting us at the hospitality industry's premier technology conference and for creating the opportunity to capture these unforgettable moments. Instead of our usual in-depth interview, this milestone 250th episode is a collection of Loading Dock stories—funny, surprising, and unforgettable tales shared by...

Orlie Benjamin is the founder and CEO of Lasoh, a hospitality technology platform helping vacation rental and boutique lodging operators strengthen guest relationships through marketing automation, guest experience tools, and AI-powered workflows. After building her career with brands like American Airlines, NetJets, Disney, and Victoria's Secret, she traded corporate life for entrepreneurship, launching both a vacation rental busi...

Brian Quinn is Chief Development Officer for Rivett Group and My Place Hotels, bringing decades of experience spanning hotel operations, development, franchising, acquisitions, and brand growth. From starting as a bellman to leading nearly 800 hotel development deals, Brian has built a career around scaling businesses and developing people. Susan and Brian talk about playbooks, partnerships, and property performance. 

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What...

Guest Bio

Michelle Davis is the General Manager of the SpringHill Suites Orange Beach at The Wharf and a recognized leader known for building high-performing teams and delivering standout guest experiences. Jason Kern is the General Manager of Embassy Suites St. Augustine Beach Oceanfront Resort, where he combines servant leadership with a deep passion for hospitality and team development. Together, these award-winning leaders shar...

Susan Barry is a marketer, podcaster, consultant, speaker, bird influencer, and serial starter of delightfully unconventional side projects, all connected by a deep belief in the power of creativity. In this solo episode, she explores why hospitality may be optimizing itself out of its most human advantage and what that means for education, recruitment, and guest experience.

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What You'll Learn:

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• Why hospitality is still...

Anna Blue is the founder and CEO of Blue Moss Group, where she helps organizations connect growth with purpose. With leadership experience spanning hospitality, nonprofits, advocacy, and media, Anna brings a unique perspective to hospitality through her work at the intersection of business strategy, social impact, and influence. Susan and Anna talk about creator culture, corporate authenticity, and hospitality's people problem.

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Zack Gharib is the President of Red Roof, bringing decades of leadership experience across Marriott, Wyndham, Vacasa, and beyond. From a chance encounter with a hotel GM in Athens to leading one of hospitality's biggest tech transformations, Zack shares what it really takes to succeed in today's lodging landscape. Susan and Zack talk about AI automation, franchisee profitability, and vacation-rental versatility.

What You'll Learn:

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Lucy Lieberman is a longtime digital innovator who has spent her career jumping into emerging technology before the rest of the market catches up — from early websites and streaming to loyalty platforms and AI-powered travel. She's led digital transformation for brands like IHG, Amex, and FAO Schwartz, and she most recently served as CEO of Michelin Guide Hotels during one of the toughest moments in travel history. In this ep...