The Friday Five Touchpoints
A few touchpoints from the week that shaped how I’m thinking about hospitality.
1. Front-Load Intelligence, Shorten the Journey
Procurement, project management, and momentum
A front-row reflection on why aligning early around Budget + Schedule, and then selectively pulling forward the right long-lead decisions, reduces risk and creates real momentum on projects.
👉 Read here:
Notes from the Front Row: ALIS Design+ Procurement, Project Management, and How to Deflect the Unexpected
The session, Procurement, Project Management: What to Expect and How to Deflect the Unexpected, was moderated by Karin Harrington, with panelists Jennifer Chesek (Beyer Brown), Clif Dierking (PDSI), Neil Locke (Neil Locke & Associates), Jeff Mazmanian (Cumming Group)
2. The Human Side of Hospitality (Podcast)
Chelsea on people, care, and why this industry still matters
A reminder that for all the talk of systems, scale, and efficiency, hospitality is still a human business.
Stories over process. Presence over polish.
🎧 Listen here:
3. When AI Becomes the Gatekeeper
Why story is becoming a real distribution advantage
As AI increasingly shapes how travel decisions get made, clarity, narrative, and trust matter more than ever. This one reframed how I think about content, context, and hospitality’s next chapter.
👉 Read here:
Notes From the Front Row: When AI Becomes the Gatekeeper, Story Becomes the Asset
Sitting in the audience at ALIS last week, the conversation between Craig Smith and Allison Handy of Aimbridge Hospitality landed differently than most CEO | CCO panels.
4. Lead With the “B” of F&B
Why food and beverage can be accretive, not a drag
A takeaway from ALIS Design+ that challenged conventional underwriting: when done with intention, F&B isn’t an amenity. It’s the opening move. Energy, place-making, and repeat local traffic pull rates and shape brand gravity.
👉 Read here:
Notes from the Front Row: ALIS Design+, Lead With the “B”
If my first ALIS takeaway was about AI becoming the new gatekeeper, this one was about something far more analog, and arguably more powerful.
5. We’re Almost 100 Days from Memorial Day
Are your outdoor spaces working hard enough this summer?
Pools, patios, rooftops, and courtyards are often the fastest way to:
Increase dwell time
Drive F&B spend
Improve guest memory (and rates)
If you’re thinking about outdoor ROI this season, I’d start with teams who do this exceptionally well, in alphabetical order:
Business & Pleasure
Dedon
Gloster
Houe
Tribu
Happy to help think it through or make introductions
Love this format, Dan.
Front-loading decisions to protect momentum is something more operators need to hear. Most projects don’t blow up because of vision. They drift because the basics weren’t locked early.
And the AI gatekeeper piece… that one hit. Distribution is shifting fast, and the properties with clear story and clean information are going to win. Not louder. Clearer.
Also fully agree on leading with the “B.” The right F&B creates gravity. It pulls locals in and gives guests a reason to linger.
Solid week of thinking here. Thanks for sharing it.