Brady Lowe is a connector, educator, and experience-maker who founded Taste Network and the nonprofit Piggy Bank, spending more than two decades building unforgettable collaborations between chefs, farmers, hotels, and brands. Through his Next 10 coaching and accelerator hub, Brady helps hospitality founders design smarter events, deeper guest relationships, and sustainable revenue with a focus on pairings, playbooks, and pre-visit engagement. Susan and Brady chat during this special in-person episode, recorded at The Pub at EAV.

• How to use Facebook groups, comments, and DMs to attract sports fans and turn them into faithful regulars
• Why "11 to 35 micro-interactions" often have to happen before a guest spends a dollar with you
• Ways to make your social media as personal and welcoming as your host stand or bar top
• The origin story of Taste Network and how a single wine-and-cheese pairing can shape an entire career
• How to think about guest engagement as "relationship currency" that carries your brand through tough times
• What a strong pre-visit engagement sequence looks like for restaurants, hotels, and bars
• Practical examples of surprise-and-delight moments that guests can replicate at home and rave about for months
• How to turn recipes, rituals, and house favorites into high-value digital giveaways that build your email list
• Why most hospitality social media fails (and what to ask your social media person about actual revenue)
• How to download your Instagram data and use AI to audit what's working and who your real audience is
• What to expect from the 2026 World Cup in terms of premium experiences, demand, and guest expectations
• The key non-negotiables Brady uses to design memorable F&B experiences: surprise, emotional sequencing, and human connection

***

Our Top Three Takeaways

1. Engagement before the visit is the new battleground for hospitality success.

Brady argues that guest engagement must begin long before someone walks through the door. Restaurants and hotels should treat Instagram and their websites as extensions of the front door—places where you start building relationship equity. A simple "hello," a thoughtful comment, or an acknowledgment of someone's interaction can fundamentally shift how guests perceive your brand once they arrive. Most brands post but don't connect, and that is the biggest miss today.

2. Hospitality operators need training, tools, and intentionality around social media—and most don't have it.

He's adamant that restaurants and hotels rarely train their teams to engage digitally. Social media isn't just a marketing channel; it's a hospitality channel. He encourages leaders to audit their digital presence, use tools like ChatGPT to evaluate Instagram data, create value-focused lead magnets (recipes, techniques, guides), and measure whether social efforts actually drive revenue. Without this skill set, the business model is incomplete.

3. First-time "transformational moments" are at the heart of memorable hospitality.

From his earliest career epiphany—watching a guest have a life-changing food experience—to building Taste Network and Next 10, Brady centers everything around delivering unforgettable moments. His non-negotiables: surprise, carefully sequenced emotional storytelling, and genuine human connection. These principles apply whether you're designing an event, launching a restaurant, or building community—and they're key to earning loyalty and sustaining brands through peaks and valleys.

Brady Lowe on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tastenetwork/

Taste Network
https://tastenetwork.com/

The Pub at EAV
https://www.eavpub.com/

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129: Boo-Boo Sugar with Jason Brooks
https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/129

86: Fist Bump Welcome with Mary Mattson-Quagliana
https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/86

85: Fake Wedding Officiant with Michael Cecchi-Azzolina
https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/85

Michael Broadhurst is the Chief Operating Officer at StepStone Hospitality, a lifelong hotelier who sprinted from dish pit to nightclub manager to senior posts with Marriott, Starwood, Crestline, and Crescent. He opened the Westin Reston, later led the Westin Arlington Gateway, and built a reputation for turnarounds driven by culture, coaching, and cross-discipline training. Susan and Michael talk about teams, transitions, and top-line revenue.

What You'll Learn About:

• Why quick, personal, and approachable service beats fancy food every time

• How learning Rooms turbocharges a hotel career

• The Westin Arlington Gateway story—and how to revive a once-beloved flagship

• Culture first: rebuilding teams before chasing scores and stars

• When to walk away from an owner deal and the integrity lines you don't cross

• Why management-company churn is rising, and how to avoid becoming a commodity

• A step-by-step takeover playbook that calms nerves and kills rumors

• Sales x Ops, not Sales vs Ops

• The full-service future: experiential stays, destination F&B, and activated spaces

• Solving owner–brand–operator misalignment

***

Our Top Three Takeaways

1. Culture Comes First in Turnarounds

When taking over a newly transitioned or underperforming hotel, Michael's first priority is always stabilizing the team and rebuilding culture. He emphasizes transparency, reassurance, and respect, meeting with associates early to address fears about job security, benefits, and pay. His philosophy mirrors the Marriott fundamental: take care of your associates, and they'll take care of your guests.

2. Integrity and Fit Matter More Than Growth

Michael insists that StepStone walks away from deals that don't align with their values. He's clear that integrity and impact outweigh expansion, rejecting "numbers on paper" deals or partnerships without shared ethics. His approach to ownership relationships is built on honesty, ROI clarity, and long-term collaboration. He'd rather under-promise and over-deliver than chase short-term wins.

3. The Future of Full-Service Hotels Is Experiential

Looking ahead, Michael predicts that full-service hotels will survive by becoming destinations, not just places to stay. Success will depend on differentiated experiences like vibrant F&B concepts, live entertainment, wellness and fitness activation, and localized service that connects emotionally with guests. He believes traditional "three-meal" models are obsolete; the new era of full service is about lifestyle, energy, and creating a sense of place that guests (and locals) seek out.

Michael Broadhurst on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-broadhurst-13626b5/

StepStone Hospitality
https://www.stepstonehospitality.com/

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193: Room for Trouble with Scott Roby
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112: No 7 AM Breakfasts with Leticia Proctor
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In this special episode of Top Floor, Susan talks with three founders whose products made this year's Hospitality Holiday Gift Guide. Michael Albert from Hotel Humor, Megan Grant Pederson from Cherish Tours, and Jim Higley from Puffer Hug each share the story behind their companies and why their creations make meaningful gifts for hoteliers, travelers, and hospitality pros. Tune in for cozy ideas, thoughtful experiences, and hospitality-themed treats for everyone on your list.

Michael Albert on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-a-albert/

Hotel Humor
https://hotelhumor.com

Megan Grant Pederson on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-grant94/

Cherish Tours
https://www.gocherishtours.com/

Jim Higley on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimhigley/

Puffer Hug
https://pufferhug.com/