Defining Hospitality

What I do is inconsequential. Why I do what I do is I get to shorten people's journeys every day. What I love about our hospitality industry is that it's our mission to make people feel cared for while on their journeys. Together we'll explore what hospitality means in the built environment, in business, and in our daily lives.

I'm Dan Ryan, and this is Defining Hospitality.

Dan Ryan: Today's guest is a visionary leader of extraordinary people and projects. He's insanely ambitious. Four years after graduating from college with his architecture degree, he founded his own company that he's been running for almost 22 years now. He's a global industry group champion in the Entrepreneur's organization, which we'll talk about in a bit.

And an advisory board member for the College of Architecture and Environmental Design at Kent State University. He's the founding visionary of K two M Design, incorporated a full service design firm from architecture to interiors, to engineering, and all things in between. Specializing predominantly in hospitality projects.

Ladies and gentlemen, Scott Maloney. Welcome,

Scott.

Scott Maloney: Thanks very much for having me here, Dan.

Dan Ryan: Well,

aside from all the other stuff that I just said in your intro, I also would like to say that you've really become a friend of mine over the, a good friend of mine over the past couple years through this organization called The Entrepreneur's Organization.

And we'll talk about that a little bit, but, uh, not just a friend, but also I would say like a mentor and a leader, because I am. For those of you who don't know, the global champion for travel and hospitality within the Entrepreneurs Organization, which is a 15,000 members strong global community for entrepreneurs.

And it's a freaking amazing, um, organization and it's helped me grow so much over the past 10 years that I've been in it. Um, but I I, and I want to dive into that stuff also, but like what you've built and as far as the community you've built, um, within these industry groups. Has been really nothing short of transformational, I think for myself, but also like the organization and so many people at large.

So I wanna say thank you. Thanks for being my

friend, Scott.

Scott Maloney: Hey, man, it is an absolute pleasure. and, and vice versa for all of your, your energy and friendship over the last several years here as well. So, um, truly, I, I've talked about you often, and finally, as one of the most connected people that I've ever met in my life. And I think it's absolutely, uh, amazing that our paths cross the ways that it does.

Dan Ryan: Yeah. Well now you're making me blush. But a thing that I've learned from you, and maybe I, maybe I did it organically and I learned it from, I would say I learned a lot of this from you, but it's like we're all connected in our own way. We all have access to the universe through our own perspectives, right.

Uh, and our own connections kind of like. a fractally designed org chart that connects the world, right? Um, but what I've learned from you is, Whatever our connections may be, how hard is it to share that with someone else? Like it's such a low barrier to really impact someone and shorten someone else's journey,

if you will. so thank you. And, and again, EO really taught me about that too because it's all about leaving impact. So before we get into all that stuff, we'll start off with like the big question. Um, what does hospitality mean to you?

Scott Maloney: it's truly about people and place coming together to create this just an amazing, um, or an epic experience. I have the opportunity to travel all around the world, and you know, when those two things are together that I. Feel, um, in my bones, the, just the passion around hospitality more and more

Dan Ryan: Mm. And then I love how you shared the word epic, so, Dive into what epic means to you, and let's use that as our, as our springboard into the

conversation.

Scott Maloney: to me Epic is. It's the opportunity for those two things, for people in place really to, um, you know, as I say, come together and create. Just enable me to have this amazing experience to, you know, cater to whatever needs that I may be having, um, to be able to support whatever dreams and desires I have, you know, for the place to be able to unveil itself.

Now, as an architect, I photograph everything. That I see. And so all of these places that I've been to over the years, I love being able to photograph it and I love being able to see that, you know, how it changes over the course of an entire day because the quality of light and the character of the space changes, you know, from daytime to, to nighttime.

And really when you bring people, you know, being able to provide that level of service and that place, being able to provide just that sense, really engage your senses. I think that's, to me, is. That's, that's the cat's meow,

Dan Ryan: And I love how also you put people first in that, people in place. Because to me it's all about the people and that energy and connection between them all and place is really, it's like that's the setting, right? And it can really. Turn up the volume, pour gasoline, make things more memorable. It's a, it's a, it's like a carburetor for experience, if you will.

Um, but one of the things that strikes me about you and I, and I have envy of you, Scott, is like, as an architect and working on God knows how many projects in the hospitality world, and ju not just architect, but design, engineering, everything, um, you've really built an amazing organization. For your company and so much of that is the people.

Cause I've never, I very rarely, if ever hear you say the word I, it's really all about your team and integration and how much you've invested in that over the past 22 years. So for tho, this could be a really great transition into entrepreneur's organization, but what did being an entrepreneur like, we don't have a rule book, so what did.

Eo, like how would you describe EO to people who don't know about it and how did it help you? Cuz it helps me. It's helped me tremendously on my own journey. But how did it help you build this organization that you've built and really attract all those

Scott Maloney: Certainly. So how do I define entrepreneur's organization? I think it is, um, an amazing community of, of founding business owners. So people that have that entrepreneurial spirit that are willing to take risks and they come together in one global place so that you don't feel like you're on an island trying to figure it all out by yourself.

But then you, you come together in this global place and you, you share your experiences. Um, you don't tell people what to do, but you say, here's what's happened to me in that situation, if you haven't experienced here and you get to learn from each other, you get to give each other needs and you give each other leads, and you, um, have a place that's extremely safe.

Uh, to be able to talk about, you know, we call that the 5%, right? Things that are very personal to you, things that are, um, involved in your professional life and really kind of captures your, your full 360 degrees. So, community, family, um, personal, and then of course professional. And so I think the se the second half of your question is, what did it do for me?

And I will tell you this, um, you know, I had two business mentors of mine that says the day you meet that $1 million requirement in terms of the size of the business that you have, um, you have to join eo. Um, and it's going to change your life. And I remember the conversation that I had. Um, one night after the rock and Roll Hall of Fame benefit, and Bob Boykin, who at that time was a YPOer, um, sits me down and says, you know, you're gonna get a call at eight o'clock in the morning, um, tomorrow morning, and you're going to this guy, Mike is gonna call you.

And the only thing you're gonna say is, where do I send the check? And I'm gonna change your life for you. And I think that is a 100% true statement, that that absolutely has, um, substantially impacted me, um, in my life. And I think what it has brought to me is the ability in my eyes to be open. Um, especially when you talk about people I.

Um, and from a cultural perspective and that business culture, uh, and you know, how, just to be able to learn about that across the organization and always be a student of it, EO has, that's one of its the greatest gifts that it's given me, um, is the ability to be that student and learn culturally and be able to make those types of impacts with my team.

Cause as you said, you know, K two M is not, um, Scott Maloney. Um, and it is, it's far greater than that. And there's a, another a hundred K two ERs, um, that are out there that really are the ones that are, you know, make this place as special as it really is.

Dan Ryan: Mm. As you were talking, I feel like what really resonated with me is this, this idea of people, and I think we, we've become better with our interpersonal skills, I think. As we're able to look inward and reduce our blind spots and we all have blind spots. Um, and for me, my experiences EO has helped me really reduce a lot of blind spots.

I still have them, um, but I learned that through other people's experiences and the people who are willing to be in this global community and to be vulnerable in a safe, confidential space, it only helped me. Uncover more about myself, and I feel like, you know, they, they said that greatest journey that anyone can go on is the six inches between your ears, right?

And it, and it, it really just opened a path for me in there. That's been a journey. And I'm here I am 48 years old. I still feel like I'm learning things as a global place and a global community. Um, when I was gonna, when I was moving out to Asia with my family for a few months to open up some supply chain opportunities, um, I joined an Asia Bridge forum, which is just a group of other people when within Asia.

And it was amazing because Asia is vast, there's so many freaking people, but it became so much smaller because I got to meet these people and everyone just wants to fall all over themselves to shorten my journey or your journey or anyone. It's really like, oh, you're looking for this. What is your need?

Let me connect you there. So for me, it just made the world a much smaller place and just really like as a, as a lifelong student and always someone who's really curious, it helped me learn to shut my mouth and listen to others. I know I'm talking a lot now, which is the irony, but I get very excited when I talk about it because in many ways, the way that we're speaking right here and the communities that we've built within our industry groups, um, It's all about listening and giving a forum for others, which really helped me launch this podcast.

It's like gotten legs because people are really interested because I'm sharing my curiosity with anyone who will listen.

Scott Maloney: It couldn't have said it better, you know? It really does. Um, uh, the entrepreneur's organization really does make the world, the world smaller. You know, they talk about, you know, six degrees of separation, you know, the old Kevin Bacon, um, analogies. But, uh, man, when you were connected on a global basis across a very, um, you know, dynamic, um, organization, it is, it's tiny.

And you know, the people that you cross paths with and the folks you engage with because of trust and respect and, you know, our core values are, are just phenomenal, even if you've never met them before. Just that instant connection,

Dan Ryan: I also say like when you start your entrepreneurial journey within EO especially, there's all this like business porn. You gotta read right from, from the E-myth to scaling up, to traction, to map, to like, you name it, there's like an alphabet soup of books. But I think the other thing is what it, what it helped me do is focus, not so much.

On what the, what I was doing. But the why and the why is such, so values driven and to, and to go through and exercise with other entrepreneurs to really explore what your values are and company values are. It's, uh, a lot, most people don't ever go through that work, and it's, it's amazing. So, turning the camera back on you from when you started your company 22, 23 years ago, how long after you started your company did you join eo?

Scott Maloney: So it would've been five, almost five years, four years, 11

months. Mm-hmm.

Dan Ryan: so let's go back to like when you first hung the shingle out to like all the struggles that you were having, or maybe you weren't, you were just perfect right out the gate, but you joined EO and then like what were some of the mo, the biggest breakthroughs that you had as an entrepreneur and leader?

Scott Maloney: Wow. So, um, if you think about it this way, I started 9 1 0 1. So on nine 12 I was calling from my cell phone to my desk phone to make sure we still had, like, they, they still worked because everything was dead silent right after nine 11. Right? And, you know, fortunately for us, we had the opportunity to be able to grow, um, over those next few, you know, few years.

But, the first things right out of the gate. Um, I had just, um, bought a company in July of 2006. It was my, my first true acquisition and it was the same month that I joined eo and I had one person in Charlotte, North Carolina. And I'm like, I'm gonna go visit Charlotte, North Carolina. I'm gonna see what it's gonna be like doing business there. And I met 10 EO members in Charlotte, three of which are still very close friends of mine. Um, and could talk to stay at their house, they would be able to do exactly the same thing with me. Just very, very strong connections and they really helped me understand how to do business in Charlotte, North Carolina and to be able to grow, um, a nice, nice book there.

And the other was, At that same time, they're like, Hey, come over to the Duke Mansion. There's this guy, his name is, uh, Jack Daley. Um, and

it was like, whoa.

I mean, this is now for those who have seen Jack Daley and, and heard him speak over the last, you know, 15, 20 years. You'll get what I mean. But the first time, now this is like, I am brand new.

Like I am Baby Bathwater. Welcome to eo. I'm already outside of the chapter, and bam, Jack Daley is there. I don't think I slept for three days. I mean, I was like jacked up. I had, I bought the CDs. I mean, I was listening, just absorbing like a giant sponge. Everything I possibly could. And I think about three weeks later, um, after that session, um, Simon Sinek, um, before Simon was, you know, this global phenomenon, um, came to Cleveland, had talked about why. And talked about his triangle and, um, all of his very early work and I was hooked. I mean, I loved culture and I loved the aspect, um, around people, but those two just took me on a, on a space coaster ride and showed me how narrow my view was, and then just opened it up and it became a lifelong journey that I'm on still to this day.

Dan Ryan: It's interesting, like Jack, for those of you who don't know, Jack Daley is like a sales management coach, guru, whatever. But it's about, he starts with this story about how he got success running a paper route as a kid, and then how he figured out how to grow his paper routing friends and really bring the best out of others and show them that they had all these.

Gifts that they may not have known that they had, and tapping into that and coming up with the idea that activity yields results. So how do we do that? How do we, but, but one of the things that really strikes me about Jack, I'd love to have him on here. There's so many things, but I love the simplicity of his roles and responsibilities.

He's like, I forget exactly what they were, but he's like, I do three things. Maybe it's four. I speak, I do something, I do something, and I do something. I don't remember what they were. We'll have 'em on. To clarify, do you

Scott Maloney: don't,

this is interesting.

Dan Ryan: Okay. But I, but I loved it. He's like, anything outside of that, his, like zone of genius or whatever you would call, like, he had a team that would help do that.

This is like, so he's in his highest and best use. Um, so I love that. I actually saw him speak at some EO things, but I just, I went to that m I t, uh, entrepreneurial masters program and he like lit up my brain. Um, and I actually just got back, I went to a reunion. Last week up out in Boston. So again, I'm kind of floating on, I don't know, just experience and knowledge that I gained from that, being in a room with a hundred other entrepreneurs.

Um, but it's, it's, it's really amazing this gift that, that they've given us. And then I also feel like I get to share a lot of that through the podcast and through talking to other people to kind of help plant a seed for others. Um, I want to go back to your start where. So, as you were saying that, it really resonates with me because I started my first company as an adult on August 26th, 2001, selling furniture to hotels.

Um, you did September 1st, so like, really for me, two or three weeks later, September 11th happened. I didn't have kids, it was just me. I think my wife was my fiance at the time. Um, but it was also a, as.

Scott Maloney: Terrible as

Dan Ryan: Terrible as it was for our industry. It was a really a great time to start because everyone kind of had time.

Everything just stopped as we tried to figure it out. And then we could fly around on all these jets, like jumbo jets that were basically private jets cuz no one was flying and really build great relationships. How was your experience? Fear at first and then turning that into a positive? Starting on September 1st, 2001.

Scott Maloney: I think one of the, one of the greatest things that we had at the time was, um, you know, it was a hundred percent risk, right?

And, you know, it, I was able to rely upon myself, um, to make sure that I, I took the steps that were necessary in order to be able to build the business. And I didn't know anything.

I mean, nothing. About business, right? Um, but very quickly I learned, um, accounting, finance, QuickBooks, you know, I was the best janitor, um, at a whopping age of 27. I could clean, I could ceiling, like paint, you know, replace ceiling tiles as we hired people and grew out office spaces. I mean, it was fantastic, the jack of all trades, draft by night, sell by day.

And really what it was is because things were as slow as they were. I had the opportunity to get connected to people that could say yes to me right at

that time. And my business partner gentleman, his name was Harry Kler. So Harry was the gray hair. So it's just like me today, right? As we were joking about earlier.

Um, and this very, very young, um, man of 27 years old, but it was this, you know, this energy, um, with experience was our selling point, right? And every day we

would have a different way of being able to pitch somebody based upon what we learned the day before. And so we

were always constantly improving and constantly sort of pivoting.

You know, that beautiful thing about being an entrepreneur and being able to move really swiftly, right? Especially as a small lean business that we were, and, and be able to pivot and move to the way where there was an opportunity. And that's, we did

that super effectively.

Dan Ryan: Wow. as you were talking about that I had the image of like this young energy and then older experience with your partner, um, of like, A resistor. Remember that you studied those in physics class, like you have input, but then the resistor would tamp it down. So like I feel like that's what the experience gives us.

And again, EO for me and just dealing with all these entrepreneurs, it, I think one of the first times in a public setting, it showed me that it's okay to be vulnerable on certain things because we're not gonna learn, if we don't share what our. Those 5% highs, but also like the 5% lows. Um, and I've been through many highs and some really bad lows, but I just feel like this community was always there to support me.

Not so much, not financially at all, but just like from experience. And, you know, it's like when I'm in the darkest of dark places, uh, like I, there's no light at the end of the tunnel. I just, I would hear these things and it didn't make sense when it was happening. And it's like, Dan, what are you worried about?

You got this taken care of, like you're gonna figure this out. And I'm like, that does not make sense to me now. But it's a seed that plants and then, you know, you get a couple months beyond, you're like, oh, really? Any idea that we can take, if we can marshal our focus on it, we can turn into something. And I think that's really what this has shown me, and being, and being surrounded by so many incredible entrepreneurs.

But you know, you can't do it without people.

Scott Maloney: a doubt,

Dan Ryan: So on your journey, so you hung up the shingle on, uh, the 1st of September, 2001. What were your first projects that you worked on and types of clients, and then like, how has it grown over the past 22 years and kind of where do you see yourself now in the, in the world of hospitality?

Scott Maloney: for us coming out of the gate, uh, we were architects that had, um, public project experience. And so, I mean, it was, it was all government work and being able to move from the government side into the private side of the world. You know, we started out with multifamily housing. And we were converting that time.

It was very, um, it was cool cuz you were converting historic buildings that tax credits, um, or the easements had worn off and you were transitioning them to condominiums and, you know, as a way for people to be able to exit out of those buildings and, you know, get their second bite at the apple, so to speak.

And so we helped convert. These apartments to condos. And every time we touched a condo and whether that was, here's the paint you should use to replace these kitchen cabinets, they sold. And every time they sold, we got another condo that we ended up doing and it became dozens of them. And

our, our client, which was our first client, landmark Management, brought us over to one of their commercial properties.

And said, Hey, can you help us here? And an investor in that commercial business then gave us an opportunity to do fitness centers. And just one thing after the other, it was, do good work, got additional work, and then somebody heard about us and it was just the reputation building, you know? And it was, you know, at that time, I mean virtually a hundred percent repeat business and referral rate.

And you know, we were really heavily sort of on that commercial side. And what brought us into, uh, into the hospitality front was we were working, um, I had expanded into Florida, um, particularly into the Florida Keys, and I had learned of a, a, a property owner that was going to convert their property from this hotel into 56 housing units. And they happened to be here in Cleveland, Ohio. And so I did a cold call. And then had a friend of mine through U L I and one of my teammates who were in U L I, um, get together and they introduced, introduced me. And this was right after a series of hurricanes in the 2005 timeframe that hit the East Coast.

I think Francis Charlie, some, one of those two names, um, around that timeframe. And, uh, this company, uh, Boykin Lodging Reap. Um, so Bob Boykin, the gentleman I mentioned in the very beginning. Um, and Rich Coni and Rich was actually from my hometown, um, a little bit of generation apart, but, um, a great mentors to me and we're sitting there having a conversation and he asked me a question.

He's like, so my architect tells me that I can only do concrete block on the outside of this 15 story tall building. We don't believe that's true, you know, in this wind area. And I said, oh, it's not true whatsoever. You could do, you know, metal studs. You just gotta be able to design the building in order to be able to resist the wind. So, And all of a sudden just hear this pop, you know, rich pops up and it's like, it was like a game changing thing. Like I just made them a million dollars by saying that one thing. And then the following week they made me that million dollars back because they hired us to do, um, two hotels. And then that one property that we had originally went in a marathon the following year. Relationship went so well. That's how I got my start in hospitality. And I met, um, Paula Boykin and we got to learn about hotel interiors, um, a little bit about the management side of things and then acquired, um, their interior design company, um, as my first acquisition that I talked about for the person in Charlotte and everybody else in Cleveland.

And it really, that everything just, um, uh, just continued to grow from there. And, you know, we. We were doing a lot of resort work, um, down in the Florida Keys. We were then doing a lot of larger hosp, uh, full service properties, um, in Florida. Um, but you know, the, the natural disaster of the 2005, 2006 timeframe was the catalyst for our hospitality growth, and it's been on a nice upward trajectory, um, ever since.

Dan Ryan: it's amazing when you think about, you know, there's September 11th natural disasters like I. As terrible as ma many of these crisises are, you know, with the right outlook, they can always turn into opportunities and, uh, opportunities to not just improve kind of what, what we may have going on in life, but also to impact others who are impacted by those experiences.

And that's what, that's actually as an entrepreneur like to, um, I get so much feedback, whether it's the podcast or, you know, reinventing myself after like some. Business nose dive, it's, uh, people are always like, wow, I didn't like, damn. That's so cool. Like, you just, you bounce back, you're, you're there. And I, and I guess I, in a way, I take it for granted, but again, it's like you can look at something as a glass half full or a glass half empty.

And again, it's, it's how do you get those ideas and strategically lay them out so that you can plot a course? Um, so after that cold call, To the person you met or were introduced to at uh, or recommended to at U l I, um, it resonated with me cuz again, going back to where I just was at, um, E M P reunion, um, there was a guy, a mentalist, you know, those magicians and mentalists, his name's Wayne Hoffman, I think he's on, on TV or whatever, but he, uh, he had this really cool thing.

He's like, you know what, put a thing in your calendar a week, two weeks out, and I want you to make it your mission that day. To collect five nos and you know, you think, you think about getting a no from someone. There's like a little bit of a fear and like, oh, a bruised ego. And it probably goes back as he was saying to when you were an infant and your parents would say, no, don't do that.

No. So it's like a bad, but really what he did, and it helped me change my thinking a bit, was no. It is really just a piece of information that helps you adjust and figure out your path. So he, he did this exercise where he's like, he's like, who, who lives around here? Okay, where's this, what's a restaurant you like going to?

So he picked up, he called the restaurant and he's like, Hey, I'm in a room with a hundred people right now. Um, so-and-so was recommending that you're great. Um, and we're just talking about it right now. Do you think that he and one other person could come in for a free meal for marketing and they're like, L we'll talk to the manager about that, but that sounds like a reasonable idea.

And it wasn't a no, but even if it was a no, it's like, okay, it's not bad, but like go out there and put yourself out there. How did, how did EO and your business experience teach you to collect

Scott Maloney: Wow. Uh, it, it brings me back to thinking about some of those very, very early days. Right. And, you know, within. Within business life, um, as entrepreneurs, but more just as the business grows. Um, you know, there are, there are plateaus that we hit, um, you know, as your business develops. And so you might be used to doing projects that are $10,000 and under, and all of a sudden you're like, well, I have a lot of these.

Let's try and do a $50,000 project. Right. Well, in order to get that first $50,000 project, you're probably gonna have people tell you no, um, 10 to 15 times because you don't understand what it takes to do a $50,000 project, and you have to

get smarter about it. And this is something that I learned through Entrepreneurs Organization as we continue to evolve our business from that 10 to the 50, to the a hundred, to the 500 to being able to do our, you know, seven figure based, um, projects.

It takes a, you, you have to continue to climb that, that ladder and what you did at 10 won't work at 50, won't work at a hundred, you know, from 50. And so you're constantly evolving and Entrepreneur's Organization puts you around people that understand what that evolution is because we're all kind of growing, um, in our business and you're able to help each other out, kind of talk through what, what it takes in order to be able to get to that next level.

Dan Ryan: Uh, it's interesting cuz I spend a predo the majority of my time doing custom case goods and seating for rooms, right? And you figure there's only so many different ways to design a guest room and so many different materials and so many different, um, factories and, and just ways to execute it. But what I've learned throughout my career now with Berman Falk as we do this is.

Whatever's gotten us to however successful we are right now, it's not gonna get us to where we're going because everything is always evolving. Even in a 400 square foot space, you're still learning new things and still surprised by so many things, and always developing processes around those surprises so that you reduce the.

The possibility of those surprises happening again, they still happen, but it's always a constant evolution and I feel like in a way it's almost like having a startup mentality. What do you think about

Scott Maloney: You know, it, it's if you keep your mind open to the possibilities, um, that is just like having a startup mentality because when you're a startup, I mean, you are. Your world is open, like you said. I mean, you're reading all of these amazing business books, right? And you're just, you're just trying to take everything in and you're, you're willing to do almost anything, right?

Like, I mean, we designed, um, a person's outdoor barbecue deck, so that's where his, uh, daughter was gonna get married. I never designed a deck in my life. I didn't even know what a house, I didn't even know what a deck was, you know? But we're, you know, you do it, but it's, you're open to, you know, Any possibility you can get your hand on.

And the same thing happened to us when we were in the hotel business. Right. You know, as we were, as we were trying to get those first jobs. So not the, you know, you know, start out like, hi, I'm Scott Maloney, I'd love to do your 70 million hotel renovation project. You know, they're like, what's your experience?

Well, I don't have any, you know, so you, you, you listen and you find out when those opportunities are. It's like, well, I'll let you replace the doorknobs in my 70 million project. Like, I'll take it. Uh, because you're open to the opportunity, you're gonna learn about the doorknobs and you're gonna figure out what the, uh, the pee holes are like.

And so you can be able to do the two of those things next time. And then you're gonna figure out the door locks and it's, as you go, you're just gonna grow these opportunities. Like you said, you're always going to be evolving. Right.

Dan Ryan: Hmm.

Scott Maloney: And that's really what I think, you know, it's a great thing about the entrepreneurial mindset is, is you, you maintain a little bit of that flexibility.

Uh, and you are, you, you, you're able to make those adaptations where folks that, that may not be willing to take a risk, that may not have that entrepreneurial sense. It's like, well, why do we need to change?

Right? And the answer

is because if we don't, it's gonna go the opposite direction,

Dan Ryan: a hundred percent. Um, and also just people's sensibilities. All the inputs, all the peoples, all the players. E everything is always changing generationally. Um, from Outlook, current events, everything is always changing. I'm curious though, you know, when you started back in oh one doing multifamily and government, government and multifamily, and then also the fitness centers, and then you got your big break after that cold call into hospitality.

what's keeping you there and what do you love about it? And that might be the same

answer

Scott Maloney: what I love about it is, and, and this is particularly focused around, um, existing properties

and really understanding what that existing property is and working with the customer. Um, and, and d discussing how a reposition is gonna happen. What could happen in order to elevate, um, that property, um, to the next category, right?

to be. Competitive within a marketplace to be the better product that people select because of the things that we do and those very initial conversations. Being able to sit there, say if you're the hotel owner, and I'm just, you know, being Scott Maloney at the time and walking around and having that discussions of what this could be, right? And going through that visioning process to the day. The building is finished, the design is, you know, or the day that the, the design is implemented, um, and going, wow. Like I remember, I have goosebumps every time that happens to me that I walk into a property that our team has done. And it's, I've been through that experience together and to see how it, it, it comes to fruition.

And how it's realized to me is, is that's why I do, um, what I do. And why I travel as much as I do to see other places, um, and really be able to bring that collective experience back of people and place. And you know, what it can mean, you know, for whatever we're working on at the time.

Dan Ryan: Yeah, and I think it's also, um, a testament. Where we spoke earlier about looking inward and finding values and creating a culture around values, but then it's also aside from looking inward at where we are and how we got to where we are and like what those common threads are, it's also going through the visioning exercise.

I love how you put that because you know, it's really like how do you get so specific to what things look like in one year, three years? 10 years, 20 years. And then once you have like a target, and that's what EO also taught me, it's like you have a vision of where you want to go, then, um, you can make the course to get there.

Um, So,

if you, as you look at your projects now, like what's something that you, like, what's a project now that you're learning something new on and that, that that's satisfying, that need where you've gone through the vision and like, Maybe there was something you hadn't experienced and now you're like, you're pushing forward with it.

Scott Maloney: So one of the things that we are, um, exploring right now is a. I'll call it a true greenfield development. Um, that there are, there's no infrastructure that exists, um, around this marina, um, project. And it's a very large project. Many hundreds of acres has three different hotel complexes on it. Um, so, um, really catered towards, um, Very high net worth people.

Um, yacht club, I mean, casinos, the whole entertainment, retail. So it has, you know, you're building a basic city here. And I think one of the things that's, that's extraordinarily interesting about that is, and this is where my business brain goes, is like logistically, how are we going to do this? There's nothing there other than,

you know, trees, dirt, rocks, grass, you know, and so it's, it's, you really get the opportunity to think through, okay, you know, once I dig that hole, where does it go?

Just can't just put it on a truck and take it away with you. Right? And so it really makes you think every step of what you're going through and what's the impact on the next step. And that's, that's quite curious. We don't have that, um, always as architects, engineers, and designers, um, to, you can't literally take one step without having an impact on the next one.

And I think that's, that's fantastic and this sustainability aspect of it, because again, There's nothing there. So there's not like a gas pipeline. You use electric, you know, utility center, fresh water. I mean, you have, you're creating everything that's there. And so it, um, it, it makes you think entirely different, um, about sustainability.

You know, not just sort of, let's make something simple. Um, you know, low VOCs are made within 500 miles of a project site or something along those lines. You like, you have to take it all the way from the start to the finish line on this, because every single thing has to be sustainably thought through.

Dan Ryan: Yeah. And it's interesting how, um, constraints whether by sustainability or location or people or brand, it's these constraints that really make the magic come to

Scott Maloney: Without a doubt. And that's, I think it's gonna make this, it's, it's a one of a kind property, you know, we're absolutely blessed to be able to be working on it. Um, and it's gonna be a, a five to seven year transformation and it'll be

super impactful to our team and our, our business as a whole.

Dan Ryan: Can you share, is it okay to share any details about where or

Scott Maloney: So,

I, um, I am happy to do that. It is, uh, it is called haa. Um, and I'm sure haba coa.com um, is the email address, but I'll, I'll make sure we put that out there into the world. And it is, um, in South Abaco.

In The Bahamas. Bahamas,

Dan Ryan: In The Bahamas. Oh, wow. Oh, oh, wow. And that's hard to get, like just getting anything to there is really

Scott Maloney: It's,

it's all gonna come from, it's, it's, it's, you know, that logistics, um, piece is, is, is, um, It's ridiculously critical cuz everything we do comes on a boat or has to go away on it, Unless it stays in place. So

Dan Ryan: Wow, that's amazing. Um, okay, so then now looking at your entrepreneurial journey and all the benefits and eye-opening experiences and shared experiences that got you from 2001 to where we are today in 2023, and as you're like looking out into the future and visioning what's. What's exciting you most about what you

Scott Maloney: Wow, there's so many great things that are happening. I, I, I think the, what's really great about what's going on in our organization, um, uh, I'll take them and in no particular order, I think we've got a very, um, strong leadership team in place that has, um, Really have, are, are very accountable, um, to, to the organization as a whole and to each other.

And I believe that to be really important. We also understand completely one day, um, I may have a great day and the next person may have that down day. So just like you talked about the highs and the lows, right? Um, but we realize as an organization, we're all together as one. And so the concept behind one K two M, so no matter what.

Department division, you know, is happening. We're all there, um, for the betterment of each other. And, you know, it's only one organization. It's not different pieces and parts. And I think that's a, that's an incredible thing. The project opportunities that we have, Dan, are extraordinary. And so, you know, as I talked about that moving from 10 to 50 to a hundred, to 500 to a million, you know, we're now sitting here having the conversations of, you know, Let's do five of these million ones, but are we ready to take the swing at the 10,000,001? Right? And being able to sit there and look out and go, okay, what does the 10 million competition look like? And I'll let you know, folks, if you're in that 10 million competition, we're coming from you, but the. Um, it's, it's,

right, it's, it's really about being able to, um, the, the exciting part is about elevating the game and learning about what it takes in order to go from that one to that 10, um, type of number.

One of the great things that's happening right now in the hospitality work is, um, you know, it, it, it, it was a little slow coming out of the gate in q1, but in Q2 and what we see in q3, it's really accelerating. And so we've had lots of opportunities with new clients, um, you know, that are getting into these full service properties.

Um, but our boutique work has really come, um, and is doing amazing stuff right now. And so our work down in the Florida Keys is. Is, is taking those properties and elevating them, uh, to the next level and really making a, a, you know, game changing difference. Um, and we're, we're blessed, um, to be working on the absolute best, um, of the best down there right now

Dan Ryan: and you're spending more and more time down there

Scott Maloney: Well, right.

We'll be able to be able to continue to do that. But we've got projects in Miami Beach now. We've got projects up the coastline. I mean, it really is being able to work on this wide collection of work, um, that gives everybody, even from, you know, from the intern to, you know, the executive, just a really, a little bit of a lift and a joy of working on some really cool stuff.

And that's exciting. And whether that's in our aviation practice, our commercial practice, multifamily hotel. Government work. It's, it's happening in every place, and we continue to refine what we do and what we do best. You know, like Jack Daley's, four things. I mean, I'm, I, can I, I get that perfectly fine.

And we just continue to get better and better at what we do that we are best at, we seek that out.

Dan Ryan: as you were talking about going from one to 10, like a 1 million to 10 million, I think that, um, being around all these entrepreneurs, it helps me think of. That 10 x idea, whether, how do you reduce expenses by 10 x?

How do you increase profitability? How do you increase market share? And that 10 number is really incredible, I think, because when you talk, we were talking about constraints earlier, and I love that exercise of, hey, we're doing this, we've been doing this this way. That got us to where we are here, but what if we wanna do it 10 times faster?

Oh, it's not possible. It's just, it's impossible. And you're like, okay, I hear you, but pretend you have unlimited budget, unlimited people, like, what would you do? And then someone's like, oh, well then I would,

Scott Maloney: bunch of

Dan Ryan: a whole bunch of gold bars from Fort Knox and Baba Baba bba blah. But then they would, they would figure out like what it is, and it might not be possible, but at least you're visioning and painting that picture to what the 10 x improvement is.

And I, I, I think a lot, I have a lot to thank to, uh, like, what was his name? Barrett. Essek. Would that X factor, like thinking about the 10 x um, And it kind of puts you in a box that you have to figure out a puzzle. And that entrepreneurship is really like just solving challenges and puzzles and all the time.

And I love it. I, I just always wanna find a better way to do something

Scott Maloney: Without a doubt, that's the beauty. Like Kaizen principles, you get better and better at something as you continue to use it, experience it, figure out how to make it better. Repeat

Dan Ryan: Totally. Uh, all right. And now refresh me. Where did you go to college

again?

Scott Maloney: in Ohio.

Dan Ryan: Okay, that's what I thought. So you did go to Kent State, and now you're on a bo on an advisory board there. So what is your, uh, Like, what's your interaction of like impacting students? Like how do you, how do you do that? Like what do you get from that?

And would you have done that had you not joined eo?

Scott Maloney: Interesting. So from the perspective of the advisory board, really what it is, is a group of professionals saying, here's what we're experiencing, um, out in the world today and here's how students could be more prepared, um, to, you know, come into that workplace. That's, that's one thing to be able to do. We also get to sit there and look in the exact reverse and go, what's happening in the, in the, the, uh, you know, in the university world.

Um, then what things are they doing that we should be doing, um, in our own businesses, because they're typically five steps ahead of what a normal business would be doing because they're very experimental. In that period of time. So they're

Dan Ryan: Hmm.

Scott Maloney: lot of new technologies and things that are out there.

Um, and so it's giving us the, you know, the ability to be able to look sort of inward and outward, um, and work to see what's happening with the profession. And, you know, I'm a extraordinarily firm believer in volunteerism. That's something that my mother, um, instilled upon me since I was a little child. Um, always, always have done it and will do it for the rest of my life, and it's about giving back.

So this is the opportunity to be able to share my experience, um, and be able to, to receive a little bit, um, in return. But it's just, I feel it's my duty. Um, and any of ours in the profession to be able to give back. That's why we have interns. That's why we grow people. That's why we, we have, you know, amazing talent because they're able to learn from our experiences, they learn from our mistakes, you know, all the goods and the bads,

Dan Ryan: And we learned

Scott Maloney: right.

And it's, it's a, an absolutely fantastic thing. So, EO, I don't know if has, has done that for me, but what it, what EO has done is given me an outlet, um, to be that volunteer. So, And so I'm, I'm, you know, like you and I are both member leaders. Um, we're both volunteers. I've been voluntold a lot of things to do.

I've, you know, I've, I've, I've asked a lot of people to do things over the years and, but it, it's a place where I really can be able to, um, have a global reach and, um, with my time and my energy and, and and intelligence. I get

10 x back from that almost every time.

Dan Ryan: Yeah. And then Kent State, I'm like, I want to go listen to Neil Young after this. What is that? 10 soldiers in Nixon's

come and

Scott Maloney: stills, Nash, and Young at the time. Yep.

Dan Ryan: Yeah, totally. Um, actually, funny, fun fact, Richard Nixon lived like within a mile of where I grew up and I remember going trick or treating at his house and he, he would like, he would answer the door and he would give us like a little gold or like brass pen with his signature on it.

I don't know where any of those are anymore. But wow.

Scott Maloney: There's a

memory.

Dan Ryan: you for, uh, I just went, yeah, I just went back to my eight year old self

Scott Maloney: Yeah.

You wonder where that 40 year old pen has gone? Mm-hmm. I'm

Dan Ryan: Yeah. I had a couple of them. I think I took them apart and I turned them into like weapons for my GI Joe figures, you know, like bazookas and things. Um, awesome. Well, Scott, this has just been totally fantastic and thank you for sharing. Thank you for being a mentor. Thank you for, uh, What did you say? A member

leader, thank you for, for all that you're giving, because I know you'll get it back 10 x uh, but that's not your intention.

Um, so if people wanted to learn more about you or K two M, what do they do? How do they find

Scott Maloney: uh,

k2 m design.com is a real simple way to be able to go, um, our website's, real basic people and projects. It's how we run our business. We know we take the best possible care of our people, they'll take the best possible care of our projects. So click either one of those. You can learn about what we do and who we are.

Dan Ryan: And why you do. Well, we learned about why you do what you do today. So just listen, re-listen to this again. Um, uh, oh, wait. And then I had one other question for you before we wrap. The Scott I'm talking to now. Hello, uh, you magically appear in front of your Kent State, Kent State version of yourself from 30 years ago.

What advice do you have for yourself?

Scott Maloney: I'm gonna tell myself two things. You know what you need to do, follow your gut cuz it's gonna get you a long way. And equally so. When something appears to be too good to be true, it is. And it is okay to just say no and walk away.

Dan Ryan: I love that wishful. Wishful thinking can be a mind killer. Things are never too good to be true. Well, maybe every once in a while, but it's a real, real, real once in a while.

Scott Maloney: Only twice.

Dan Ryan: well, yeah.

Scott Maloney: If it's too good to be true, just say no.

Dan Ryan: Yeah. Yep. Got it. Unbelievable. Uh, yeah. Wow. That's a good smile to end on. Well, hey, I wanna say thank you. I know how busy you are and with all of your travel, and I'm just eternally grateful. Thank you so much for your time and caring and, and, uh, vulnerability. So thank you for,

Scott Maloney: It, it's an absolute pleasure and um, I look forward to, uh, seeing you again somewhere in the world soon.

Dan Ryan: Yes, and again, I want to thank all of our listeners because without you, I still wouldn't be sitting here talking to all these great people and we keep growing week after week, so it's totally humbling. I think last time I checked, oh my god, this is crazy. We were like the number 500 arts design arts podcast in the world and like number 300 in the us and then I think we're like, we're bouncing around between 20 something and 80 something for design in the United States on Apple podcasts too.

So that's like, just so people are listening and the people who are listening wanna listen. So if this is changed, your. Idea of hospitality or entrepreneurism or people, or culture or values, please pass it along because that's how we grow by word of mouth. So thank you everyone, and we'll catch you next time.