Free Daily Podcast Summary
The Hospitality Connection: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Scott Samuels and Alex Gould
Every great hospitality business is built on people. On The Hospitality Connection, Scott Samuels, CEO of Horizon Hospitality, and Alex Gould, Director of Strategic Partnerships, sit down with the executives, operators, and HR leaders who know how to find great people, grow them, and keep them. Candid conversations on hiring, retention, leadership, culture, operations, and growth, with ideas you can put to work right away. Because taking care of people is what hospitality does best.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 3 days ago54 min
Ep. 6 - Why Great Leaders Matter More Than Great Companies (Guest:Ryan Minton)
In this episode of Hospitality Connection, we sit down with keynote speaker and hospitality leader Ryan Minton to talk about the people, purpose, and perspective that shape successful careers. Ryan shares lessons from his own hospitality journey, the importance of finding great mentors, why you should “choose the leader, not the company,” and how taking a long-term view can change the trajectory of your career. We also explore why hospitality remains fundamentally human in an increasingly AI...
- 3 days ago45 min
Ep. 5 - How to Reach the C-Suite in Hospitality: A COO's 35-Year Path (Guest: Justin Fowler)
What does it take to build a hospitality career that reaches the C-suite? In this episode, Cohosts Scott Samuels and Alex Gould talk with Justin Fowler, Chief Operating Officer of Sage Hospitality Group as Justin traces his path from scooping ice cream in a family restaurant to running a restaurant division, and lays out the habits that move someone from manager to executive. With more than 35 years in hospitality, Justin explains why financial fluency (reading a P&L cold) is the ...
- 3 days ago41 min
Ep. 4 - The Science Behind Great Bars (Guest: Ben Potts)
What makes a great bar program actually work? In this episode of Hospitality Connection, Scott and Alex sit down with Ben Potts of Unfiltered Hospitality to talk about the systems, standards, and service mindset behind successful bar and beverage programs. Ben shares his path from finance and investment banking into hospitality, then breaks down what operators often get wrong when building cocktail programs. From greeting and guest engagement to menu design, training, checklists, batching, ...
- 3 days ago30 min
Ep. 6 - Hospitality Career Growth: Retention and Talent Strategy (Guest: Claudia Guzman)
Retention in hospitality starts long before the offer letter. Claudia Guzman, Head of People at a luxury hotel group, breaks down how interviews, 30/60/90 day training, and honest career conversations keep your best people from leaving. What makes a hospitality employee stay, and what quietly pushes them out the door? In this episode of Hospitality Connection, Claudia Guzman, Head of People at a luxury hotel group, shares the people strategy behind retaining talent across six properties. Cla...
- 4 days ago22 min
Ep. 2 - Hiring For Hospitality (Guest: Alissa Thomas)
Alissa Thomas didn't plan on becoming a recruiter. She was managing restaurants when an opportunity landed in her lap, and now she's a Vice President of Recruiting at Horizon Hospitality. Turns out, the skills that make someone great at hospitality translate perfectly to finding the people who'll be great at it too. Here's what Alissa knows that most recruiters don't: personality beats qualifications almost every time. A resume can tell you where someone's been, but it can't tell you if they...
- 4 days ago39 min
Ep. 3 - Corporate Operator to Entrepreneurship (Guest: Kevin Timmons)
What does it really take to leave the corporate restaurant world behind and build something of your own? In this episode of the Hospitality Connection Podcast, hosts Scott Samuels and Alex Gould sit down with Kevin Timmons to explore his journey from corporate restaurant leadership to independent restaurant ownership. Kevin shares his perspective on the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship, the transition from managing within a corporate structure to making decisions as an owner, and ho...
- 4 days ago38 min
Ep. 1 - "Redefining Luxury Hospitality" (Guest: Bernardo Neto)
Luxury hospitality isn't what it used to be. And according to Bernardo Netto, that's a good thing. Bernardo has worked his way through some of the world's most prestigious hotels, and he's watched luxury evolve from pure opulence to something more interesting: connection, authenticity, and entertainment. We talk about why personalization matters more than thread count, how cultural differences shape what luxury actually means, and why empowering your staff is the only way to create experience...
- 2 weeks ago1 min
Trailer- The Hospitality Connection: Real Talk About Hospitality Leadership
What happens when your executive chef walks off the job on a Friday night? Who do you call, and how do you keep your operation running? Welcome to The Hospitality Connection, where we tackle the real challenges, tough decisions, and everyday realities of the hospitality industry. Join Scott Samuels, CEO of Horizon Hospitality, and Alex Gould, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Marketing, as they bring decades of experience in hospitality leadership, executive recruitment, food and beverag...
About The Hospitality Connection
Every great hospitality business is built on people. On The Hospitality Connection, Scott Samuels, CEO of Horizon Hospitality, and Alex Gould, Director of Strategic Partnerships, sit down with the executives, operators, and HR leaders who know how to find great people, grow them, and keep them. Candid conversations on hiring, retention, leadership, culture, operations, and growth, with ideas you can put to work right away. Because taking care of people is what hospitality does best.
Customized Recaps
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Straight to Your Inbox
Get key takeaways from The Hospitality Connection in a 5-minute read.
Save Hours Every Week
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Podzilla's The Hospitality Connection daily summary?
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of The Hospitality Connection as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
How does the The Hospitality Connection podcast summary work?
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
Is this an official The Hospitality Connection product?
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by Scott Samuels and Alex Gould.
Can I get summaries of other podcasts too?
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts, any in the catalog. Basic raises that to 15, Pro to 40 and Max to 100. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
How often does The Hospitality Connection release new episodes?
The Hospitality Connection publishes daily. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
What topics does The Hospitality Connection cover?
The Hospitality Connection covers topics including Business, Management, Careers. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Start getting The Hospitality Connection summaries tomorrow morning.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.