Hospitality Tales: Navigating Change, Building Teams, and Creating Memories

In an industry where every day opens like a fresh chapter, hospitality remains one of the few professions where unpredictability is part of the job description. It’s a world built on service, where success hinges not just on operational efficiency but also on human connection. Yet as times change, so do the challenges—finding team members with true service instincts is becoming increasingly rare. In an era driven by convenience and automation, genuine hospitality feels almost vintage, demanding not only skill but empathy, adaptability, and grit. Behind the polished lobbies and smiling check-ins are managers juggling budgets, guest expectations, and the quiet mission of building resilient, motivated teams. These are the unsung leaders who take every guest complaint personally—not out of pride, but from a deep-rooted drive to improve. One of these leaders is Thomas Flow, General Manager of Sonesta ES, whose decades-long journey in the hotel world—marked by unlikely detours, unexpected encounters, and a love for the unpredictable—perfectly captures the spirit of hospitality today.

Recent Episodes

The hospitality industry has weathered enormous shifts in the last five years, from pandemic‑era shutdowns to evolving guest expectations. Although hotels are projected to add over 14,000 employees in 2025, staffing levels are still well below pre‑pandemic (2019) figures. For hotel professionals, visibility and adaptability are critical, not only in operations but in how they…

Influencer marketing is rapidly changing, and many hotels are still figuring out how to tap into its full potential. As travelers demand more authentic and relatable content, the pressure is on for hotels to adapt their marketing strategies. But with skepticism around the true ROI of influencer partnerships, it’s more important than ever for brands…

The hospitality industry is under mounting pressure to modernize to meet guest expectations for seamless, tech-driven experiences and also develop leaders who can drive that transformation. According to Rackspace Technology, only 28% of travel and hospitality companies qualify as “AI leaders”— those aligning strategy, compliance, and training with real-world deployment. Another 28% remain in…