Hotel Operations

🍰 Candace Nelson, founder of Sprinkles and Pizzana, and a TV personality featured on Food Network's "Cupcake Wars" and Netflix's "Sugar Rush," shared her entrepreneurial journey at CREATE: The Event for Emerging Restaurateurs. She authored "Sweet Success: A Simple Recipe to Turn your Passion into Profit," a best-selling book given to conference attendees. Sprinkles, known for its gourmet cupcakes, debuted in Beverly Hills during the low-carb craze and had lines out the door from day one, selling out before noon. After selling Sprinkles to KarpReilly, Nelson opened Pizzana, an artisanal pizza concept with seven locations, and is now expanding through a loyalty program and seeking new investments with CN2 Ventures.

🚫 Despite the details provided, the article doesn't contain any factual data about hotel no-shows or strategies to minimize them. We only have metadata, URLs, and technical information related to the website's design and structure, which doesn't provide the content needed for a summary.

📰 Magali from Evergreen Laurel Hotel suggests GDS is crucial for business hotels but not for leisure-focused ones. Julia from Platzl Hotel criticizes GDS's outdated nature since the '80s, with limited descriptions and dependency on third parties for rates. Despite high costs of transaction fees, commissions, and marketing on GDS, its higher ADR offsets the expenses, with OTA commissions potentially reaching 28%. Julia advises hoteliers to assess GDS's fit based on their business mix and local market presence.

🍣 Jessica Kim, a first-generation Japanese-American, established Harumi Sushi in Phoenix, Ariz. 11 years ago. The family-owned business has grown to seven locations with over 150 employees and is expecting $10 million in net revenue this year. The original 1,200-square-foot space has expanded to a 6,000-square-foot venue downtown. Harumi Sushi serves approachable sushi and has introduced Japanese cocktails, such as the Nori Old Fashioned with seaweed-infused whiskey. The restaurant boasts a low staff turnover due to a rotating chef model promoting meritocracy.

💸 Google Flights offers various features helping users to save on airfare. Utilize the Explore map by entering the home airport and leaving the destination blank to see deals worldwide, adjusting filters for budget, trip length, and flight duration. A flexible travel plan opens up more saving opportunities.

💼 Former Four Seasons Chief People Officer, Christopher Hunsberger, now co-founder and COO of Appellation, reveals his talent recruitment strategy in an episode dated Oct. 1, 2024. Highlighting the significance of strong relationships (01:07), Hunsberger utilizes networks for talent spotting (01:38), LinkedIn for job broadcasting (02:31), and advocates for storytelling in transparent job descriptions (03:10). Techniques for crafting engaging job postings using technology are also discussed (04:14).

📌 Service industry employees face the challenge of guest conflict which can escalate into damaging online reviews. Six guidelines to prevent negative reviews and manage conflict include: managing expectations, being aware of triggers such as visual, verbal, and vocal cues, maintaining a positive attitude, understanding guests' desires (empathetic listening, sincere apologies, quick solutions, follow-up), supporting, training, and empowering staff to resolve issues, and performing temperature checks during the guest's stay for proactive engagement. Using Reputation Management Systems for real-time feedback can mitigate post-checkout negative reviews and turn dissatisfied guests into loyal advocates.

🍕 Steve Simon and partners opened South City Kitchen in Atlanta in 1993. They expanded with three coffee shops in 1994 but exited the venture three years later. Fifth Group Restaurants was formed, with South City Kitchen as its flagship. The group includes various cuisines like contemporary Mexican at Alma Cocina and modern European at Ecco. Simon emphasizes differentiation in dining experiences to attract and retain customers. The company's steady growth includes licensing three locations in the Atlanta airport and potential expansion into Dallas. Fifth Group also focuses on sustainability and cost-effectiveness. Simon highlights no set targets, favoring slow and steady growth.

👨 Written by Debiprasad Sarangi on September 8, 2017, the article discusses the challenging nature of hotel management, highlighting the necessity for hoteliers to fulfill the unique expectations of every guest.

💬 Stuart Greif from Forbes Travel Guide emphasizes mentorship through listening in a podcast episode on Sept. 22, 2024. Key insights include: asking questions to understand employees (01:49), accommodating personal lives (03:05), learning from various mentors (04:03), adopting a "learn-it-all" approach (05:10), engaging in "reverse mentorship" with younger team members (05:41), bridging gaps across diverse experiences (06:48), and creating time for human connection (07:49). Notable mentions: Satya Nadella of Microsoft (05:21) and Chip Conley (06:23).