.png)
It's Personal Stories, A Hospitality Podcast
Welcome to "It's Personal Stories, A Hospitality Podcast”, a new focus of DEI Advisors, a non-profit founded in 2022 by hospitality industry veterans David Kong, Dorothy Dowling, Rachel Humphrey, Lan Elliott, and Huilian Duan, who collectively bring over two centuries of experience to the table.
The podcast collects and shares the personal stories of accomplished hospitality leaders to inspire and empower others on their journey to success. Recognized by the International Hospitality Institute as one of the top hospitality podcasts for two consecutive years, "It's Personal Stories" offers rich advice and insights from the journeys of well-known industry icons.
Podcasting since 2023 • 213 episodes
It's Personal Stories, A Hospitality Podcast
Latest Episodes
Zack Gharib, President, Red Roof Interviewed by Rachel Humphrey
Zack discusses his journey from growing up in Lebanon to being the new President of Red Roof with various stops in between. He shares his personal mantra of 'people first' and his advice to his younger self to "trust in your path." Zack also ta...
•
30:18
.png)
Brian Barker, Executive Director, Alliance for Hospitality Equity and Diversity (AHED), interviewed by Lan Elliott
Brian shares advice on finding mentors, cultivating champions, and what it takes to nurture those relationships. He explains how leading with kindness is a key factor in his success and how it can help young people distinguish themselves....
•
29:07
Susan Barry, President & Queen Bee, Hive Marketing, interviewed by Lan Elliott
An entrepreneur by nature, Susan delves into how she approaches risk and why her tolerance for risk is getting higher. She shares the story of how she became an expert networker at a young age, and how she creates real connections. ...
•
34:38
Jim Burba, Co-Founder, Burba Hayes LLC, Burba Hotel Network (BHN), interviewed by David Kong
Jim Burba, well known co-founder of Burba Hotel Network (BHN) and former producer of ALIS, HICAP and other industry investment shows shares his career journey and credits mentors such as Tony Marshall, Bob Hazzard and his partner Bob Hayes for ...
•
28:50
Zach Demuth, Global Head of Hotels Research, JLL Interviewed by Rachel Humphrey
Zach shares his experiences with imposter syndrome and find out whether he's a risk taker or risk averse. He discusses his strategies for public speaking, how his curiosity drives him, and how he tries to combine his career and personal life in...
•
30:47