What does “possibility” mean in the context of hospitality? At its core, it’s about discovering new ways to meet evolving guest expectations while empowering the people who deliver those experiences.
Leaders across hotel ownership, operations, branding and investment gathered at The Junto in Columbus, OH, for the latest Hotel Business Roundtable, sponsored by Rockbridge—and held in conjunction with its RTRX conference, to explore this idea.
Moderated by Christina Trauthwein, VP, content and partnerships, Hotel Business, the conversation centered around optimism, human connection and the evolving definition of success in hospitality. The panel included Ben Pierson, managing director, Rockbridge; Matt Welch, managing director, Rockbridge; Shawn Tuli, chief investment officer, HHM Hotels; Lisa Sexton, SVP, development, Marriott; Mike (Woody) Woodward, EVP/chief growth officer, HVMG; Tim Ryan, chief investment officer, campus lodging, AJ Capital; and Nala Holmes, VP, development, Pyramid Global Hospitality.
Trauthwein opened the discussion, asking the panelists for their response to what “possibility” means in the context of hospitality.
For Welch, the word evokes the spirit that drives the industry forward. “There’s something just optimistic about the word ‘possibility,’” he said. “Generally, I really think being in hospitality means all of us are optimists. We love hosting, we love entertaining, and we love bringing everyone together.”
Woodward offered a people-first perspective. “What possibility means to me in our industry, especially as an operator, is giving individuals opportunities to grow personally and professionally.” He highlighted the impact of the Hi-Impact Heisman Award at RTRX, which celebrates team members overcoming adversity: “This year, we had three team members from HVMG out of the four that were nominated attend the ceremony,” he said. “Deb, who won the award… she’s been in the industry for 50 years. She brought her son with her on the trip, and he said, ‘We are just so blessed.’ It makes him want to get into the hospitality industry.”
AJ Capital’s Ryan linked the idea of possibility to growth. “If you’re asking or wondering what’s possible, you generally have the growth mindset,” he said. “You’re constantly improving the model, the brand and the execution.”
For Sexton, possibility is about broadening partnerships. “It’s about meeting new people, working with new owners and bringing people into the Marriott family who may not have been owners of ours in the past.”
Holmes emphasized the human side of the business: “We don’t deal with buildings; we work with people,” she said. “Possibility is continuing to find ways to deliver—whether it’s experiences for guests, great healthcare for associates,or profit for our owners.”
Possibility is a mindset rooted in curiosity, according to Tuli. “We infuse our approach as operators and investors with curiosity,” he said. “It’s about embracing the individuality of our team members, our owners, our guests and turning that into a service offering.”
Throughout the discussion, the panel returned repeatedly to the emotional and personal dimension of hospitality.
“This industry has got a ton of incredible human beings,” said Pierson. “When you give people the venue and you come genuinely and authentically, great things can come from that in business, personally and otherwise. You don’t know when it’s going to happen. You don’t know how it’s going to happen… but when you go in genuinely and authentically, it creates the opportunity for magic.”
When asked how to foster a growth mindset on their teams, Welch described it as embracing complexity. “It just makes for this Rubik’s cube of possibility, opportunity and complexity,” he said. “If you lean into that and let people be who they are, and try to create opportunity for them to flourish, there’s something in there.”
Woodward believes hospitality attracts a certain kind of person—and filters out those who aren’t a fit. “At a very young age, I was told, ‘You don’t find hospitality. Hospitality finds you.’ People who aren’t built with an optimistic outlook, a passion for service, for people, for knowledge—they get out of the industry. But the ones who stay—you see it in their smiles, their glow. We work in the greatest industry out there.”
For more on the roundtable, be sure to check out the September issue of Hotel Business.
