Joining the show this week is an award-winning brand innovator who is responsible for the design and experiences across most of IHGs family of brands. Please welcome to the show A Director of Design Strategies at IHG, Kristen Freeland!

Kristen joins Host Dan Ryan to dive into the nuances of telling stories. Kristen shares the importance of mentorship programs, the best ways to get customer feedback, and the need to cater to different audiences.

Takeaways:

• Hospitality is all about telling a story. Regardless if you are creating a new story, or breathing life into an old one, the intent is to tell a story and deliver it successfully to your guests.
• To effectively cater to your audience, first understand their needs by gathering insights, and then develop and test solutions. Ensure your projects are guided by clear, focused briefs that align with your success metrics to avoid losing direction.
• To better understand customer preferences, engage directly with your target audience to gather valuable insights. Real-life dialogue and firsthand observation are crucial in confirming whether your strategy and design efforts meet customer needs.
• Seek opportunities where you can work closely with industry leaders and immerse yourself in real-world business environments that aren't taught in college. The hands-on experience gained from these situations will boost your professional courage.
• Nurturing and maintaining relationships is crucial in hospitality, as they form the foundation of your professional network. Make it a priority to stay connected, meet new people, and keep learning about new things to thrive in the hospitality industry.
• In the strategy world, continual innovation prevents work from feeling monotonous and keeps things exciting. Embrace the idea that nothing is off the table, as new challenges constantly emerge once solutions are found.

Quote of the Show:

• “When your target guests and target audience are telling you, ‘Hey, there's other ways that you could appeal to me.’ It's important that we listen to that and that we evolve with them.” - Kristen Freeland

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristen-freeland-19b4b54b/
• Website: https://www.ihg.com/

Shout Outs:

• 21:47 - Hilton: https://www.hilton.com/en/
• 29:19 - Larry Traxler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrytraxler/
• 33:43 - Scott Galloway: https://www.linkedin.com/in/profgalloway/
• 37:57 - Crowne Plaza: https://www.ihg.com/crowneplaza/hotels/us/en/reservation
• 43:47 - Dr. Chloe Carmichael: https://www.drchloe.com/
• 46:38 - Karen Gilbride: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-gilbride-379b976/

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPX
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386
• Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1s
• Amazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419

In this engaging episode, Dan sits down with Eran Chen, renowned architect and the founder of ODA. Chen discusses his journey from starting his own firm in 2007 to becoming an influential figure in urban design, teaching at Columbia and NYU. The conversation dives into the significance of hospitality in architecture and the importance of saying 'yes' to various opportunities. Eranalso explores his innovative concepts like the 'Flying Dormer' and shares insights into his books.. They discuss the importance of understanding zoning laws, balancing creativity with regulations, and envisioning a more sustainable, connected future for urban living.

Takeaways:

• Hospitality has evolved from offering a uniform "home away from home" experience to providing authentic, culturally rich interactions that reflect local customs and traditions. Embracing this cultural authenticity in designs creates unique experiences for visitors.
• Embrace the journey of unknowns in your professional pursuits, as it can lead to amazing and impactful work. Stay true to your core beliefs and principles despite challenges and assignments, as they refine and strengthen your practice.
• When running a firm and taking on new clients, it's crucial to ensure mutual respect and collaboration, seeing clients as partners in the creative process. Decline projects where clients do not value this process of discovery, even if they offer the biggest commissions.
• The key to defining yourself in a noisy world is to genuinely understand what drives you, and then find effective ways to convey that authenticity. Embrace the gaps in your creative journey, as these transitional spaces are where true innovation occurs.
• Intergenerational collaboration fosters personal growth and enriches project outcomes. By acting as both leader and collaborator, one can guide and provide valuable feedback, mirroring the relationship between a good professor and their students.
• Don't be discouraged by regulations. Instead, understanding the rules allows you to creatively break them. Mastering the tools at hand is essential for architects, regardless of location.

Quote of the Show:

• “As we go along we don't know where we're going and we love that.” - Eran Chen

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eran-chen-465b446/
• Website: https://oda-architecture.com/
• Book Link: https://a.co/d/9W28Zsk
• Book Link: https://a.co/d/9MIzAL4

Shout Outs:

• 6:00 - Perkins Eastman: https://perkinseastman.com/
• 29:14 - NYU: https://www.nyu.edu/
• 29:16 - Columbia: https://www.columbia.edu/
• 29:49 - Harvard Graduate School of Architecture: https://www.gsd.harvard.edu/architecture/
• 44:47 - 15 Renwick: https://oda-architecture.com/projects/15-renwick
• 56:11 - Bard College: https://www.bard.edu/

Ways to Tune In:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPX
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386
• Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1s
• Amazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419