Mike Messeroff spent three decades in hospitality and was JetBlue’s first intern before swapping corporate partnerships for a life of travel and a career behind the bar. A low point in paradise led him to mindfulness, daily meditation, and ultimately leadership coaching for hospitality executives. Today, he’s launching the Self Hospitality Collective, offering bite-sized audio guidance and practical practices for leaders. Susan and Mike talk about meditation, mindfulness, and modern management.

What You'll Learned About:

• JetBlue’s first intern by “accident”? Mike turns a chance aisle chat with the CEO into a career.

• Daydreaming of beach life? Mike says you’ll pack your baggage either way, so do the inner work first.

• Breckenridge paradox: daily skiing + dream town ≠ joy; anxiety became the wake-up call.

• “Happiness is uncaused.” (Yes, that line stops the show—and your doom-scroll.)

• Self Hospitality = treating yourself like the VIP in your lobby: restocked, respected, and not running on fumes.

• Meditation is non-negotiable. Even 3 minutes builds that “magic gap” between trigger and response.

• Gratitude hack: you can’t be stressed and thankful at the same time.

• For the “no-woo” crowd: real-world ROI—lower cortisol, better focus, fewer dish-smashing meltdowns.

• Micro-practices for brutal days: one conscious breath, a three-minute reset, a mindful reminder (“I’m here to solve problems”).

Our Top Three Takeaways

1. Inner Work Comes Before Outer Change

Mike’s story shows that changing your surroundings, whether by moving to a beach in the Caribbean or skiing daily in Colorado, doesn’t guarantee happiness. Wherever you go, you bring yourself with you. True fulfillment comes from addressing patterns like negative self-talk, stress, or self-medication. External shifts may feel exciting, but without the inner work, they won’t resolve deeper struggles.

2. Self-Hospitality Is Essential for Leaders

Mike’s concept of self hospitality is about treating yourself like your most honored guest. Just as hoteliers go above and beyond for VIPs, leaders should extend that same care inward: practicing consistent meditation (even for just three minutes), cultivating gratitude, setting clear boundaries, and pursuing personal passions. When leaders nurture themselves, they can give from a place of overflow rather than depletion—ultimately benefiting their teams, guests, and organizations.

3. Joy and Happiness Are Our Natural State

Mike emphasizes that happiness is “uncaused," meaning we are born joyful, but stress, fear, and external pressures layer over it. Through mindfulness practices like meditation and gratitude, leaders can reconnect with that natural state and create a “magic gap” between stress and response. This not only prevents burnout but also models healthier, more sustainable leadership in an industry prone to overwork and high stress.

Mike Messeroff on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemesseroff/

The Carpe Diem Company
https://www.mikemesseroff.com/

Other Episodes You May Like:

130: Guard Dog Negotiations with Melissa Maher
https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/130

88: Dating App Surprise with Karen Laos
https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/88

192: Fluff and Fold with Shelley Brown
https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/192

Josh Kremer is the co-founder of Paradero Hotels, a Baja-born luxury brand blending boutique resorts with destination management to create immersive, off-grid experiences. A classically trained chef who pivoted into real estate private equity, Josh brings both palate and P&L to building small-scale, high-touch hospitality. Susan and Josh talk about remote resorts, resourceful resourcing, and refined service.

What You’ll Learn About:

• From chef whites to term sheets: Josh Kremer’s zigzag from kitchens to Blackstone to founding Paradero Hotels.

• Why “experiential luxury” beats “bikinis + margaritas," and how Paradero designs trips that spill far beyond the property line.

• Off-beach on purpose: picking a site framed by five ecosystems to unlock creative freedom (and way better adventures).

• Oasis IRL: how Baja’s mountains create desert lagoons—and a top birdwatching haven—without cartoon mirages.

• The unsexy backbone of remote hospitality: fiber pulls, buried power lines, backup gen, daily procurement runs, and a fleet of guide-led vehicles.

• Scale by listening: adults-only → groups/events → families → homes; growing to 92 keys while keeping density low.

• Where guests are pointing next: Riviera Maya (not in Cancun), Riviera Nayarit, plus eyes on Oaxaca, San Miguel, and Valle de Guadalupe.

• Hiring where others won’t: local-first, import managers when needed, and invest in great staff housing for a “soft landing.”

• The 10x Rule: whatever effort you think it’ll take, multiply by ten (site selection alone jumped from ~20 to 800!).

• A perfect Paradero day: sunrise views → surf coaching → chef-driven breakfast → pool + temazcal → farm tasting → cliffside sunset → stargazing net.

1. Expect 10x More Work Than You Think

Josh stresses what he calls the “10x rule”: however much effort you think a project will take, multiply it by ten. From evaluating 800 sites before selecting one to interviewing 20 architects before choosing a partner, the reality of launching a hospitality venture is far more demanding than anyone could have anticipated. The lesson applies broadly: if you’re starting something ambitious, prepare for an order of magnitude more persistence, patience, and problem-solving than your first instinct suggests.

2. Culture Shapes Business—and Guest Experience

Having lived in both Mexico and the U.S., Josh highlights how family-centric culture in Mexico contrasts with the U.S.’s emphasis on individualism. Understanding and respecting those differences helps him build both teams and guest experiences. The broader takeaway: Leaders who work across borders, or even within different communities, need to tune in to local cultural values. This can guide not only how you manage staff but also how you design meaningful customer experiences.

3. Operating in Remote or Nontraditional Locations Requires Creative Infrastructure

Running a semi-remote property is as much about mastering logistics as it is delivering luxury. Josh described pulling fiber from a distant city, burying power lines to protect the guest experience, and organizing daily supply runs. The big lesson is that unconventional opportunities often require unconventional solutions. If you’re drawn to an out-of-the-box idea, success may depend on investing early and heavily in the unglamorous operational backbone.

Josh Kremer on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-kremer-bb904a26/

Paradero Hotels
https://www.paraderohotels.com/

Other Episodes You May Like:

159: 15-Day Career with Gustavo Viescas
https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/159

165: Purple Flower Luxury with Florence Li
https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/165

74: Calm and Nurturing Ghost with Trisha Pérez Kennealy
https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/74

Happy anniversary, Top Floor!

Calvin Tilokee is the founder and creative director of RevPAR Media, blending 20+ years of revenue management and marketing with a sharp creative streak. Known for illuminating hospitality brands and roasting industry quirks with his beloved hotel-meme persona, @revparblems, Calvin bridges data, strategy, and humor. On this anniversary episode, he flips the script as guest host, guiding a lively tour through pandemic pivots, podcast production, and personal pet peeves.

What You'll Learn About:

• Where Susan found the nerve to launch a business without a cash cushion or safety net.
• Calvin’s own origin story: furlough → pandemic pivot → RevPAR Media, full steam ahead.
• The birth of Top Floor: from “Going Up” to the brand you know (and why the original name got nixed).
• Why the show expanded beyond marketing, and why that makes it more fun (and nosier).
• Production secrets: heavy prep, tight edits, and Susan’s biggest guest pet peeves.
• The fan favorites everyone mentions: the sister episodes (aka laugh tracks with plot).
• What’s next: more episodes, collabs, maybe a digital magazine, and some video—selectively.
• Dream guests: Cindy Gallop and Sara Blakely (manifesting!).
• Big swings Susan wants to try: investigative series + hospitality history deep dives.
• Legacy goal: helping pros discover dream roles they didn’t know existed.
• Three Loading Dock stories for the price of one… but you’ll have to listen for that.

Our Top Three Takeaways:

1. Entrepreneurship isn’t about perfect timing or eliminating all risk.

Susan launched Hive Marketing in 2009 without savings or a safety net, betting that the chaos of the financial crisis made “failure” reputationally safe, and she’s never looked back.

2. Top Floor’s edge is curiosity + craft.

The show evolved from a marketing niche to a “curiosity cabinet” for the entire hospitality industry, staying audio-first with tight editing and meticulous preparation, and measuring success by growing influence and genuine relationships.

3. The next chapter is expansion and experimentation.

Susan’s eyeing more episodes, collaborations, a digital Top Floor magazine, selective video/live moments, and investigative or history-of-hospitality series, aiming to surface hidden career paths and inspire listeners while the industry modernizes to match guest behavior.

Calvin Tilokee on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/calvintilokee/

RevPAR Media
https://www.revparmedia.com/

Susan Barry on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/susandbarry/

Hive Marketing
https://www.hive-marketing.com/

Top Floor
https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/

Female Founders in Hospitality
https://femalefoundersinhospitality.com/

Cindy Gallop's Brain-Altering HBR Article
https://hbr.org/2022/04/stop-criticizing-women-and-start-questioning-men-instead

Other Episodes You May Like:

03: Dude, Calm Down with Calvin Tilokee
https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/03

53: It's Your Birthday 🎂
https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/53

Playlist: Shenanigans
https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/category/Shenanigans

Laura Hawkins is the founder of Gamemasters Escape Solutions, a creator and operator of high-performing escape rooms for hotels and resorts. After a successful career making viral television advertising, she discovered escape rooms on a European trip. She turned a passion project into a 14-room operation and a turnkey hotel amenity business (including installs at Atlantis, The Bahamas). She joins us to talk revenue, resorts, and escape room design.

• Budget-season hot take: maximize social first and add hyper-targeted print ads if you have the cash.

• From receptionist to rainmaker: Laura hustled her way off the front desk and into award-winning ads.

• “Just Slow Down”: the graphic traffic-safety campaign that made her the Quentin TarantinA of Winnipeg.

• Vacation plot twist: one so-so Dublin escape room → Athens upgrade → Paris hook → new career.

• Resorts love it: low staff, durable props, and constant revenue.

• Corporate catnip: team-building, communication, respectful-collaboration—plus a true differentiator vs. the hotel next door.

• Design recipe: theme first → story → tactile puzzles (knobs, secret doors, scents)… and yes, limes.

• Player pro tip: communicate, inventory the space, and OPEN. THE. DRAWERS.

Our Top Three Takeaways:

1. Escape Rooms Are a High-ROI Amenity for Hotels and Resorts

Laura emphasized that escape rooms offer hotels a unique way to generate revenue while differentiating from competitors. Unlike spas or waterparks, escape rooms appeal to a wider demographic—from families with young kids to teenagers, grandparents, wedding parties, and corporate groups. They’re low-labor, durable, and cost far less to install and maintain, while still driving constant guest traffic and ancillary spending at restaurants and bars.

2. Immersive Entertainment Strengthens Guest Connection

For Laura, the heart of escape rooms is shared experience. Guests disconnect from screens, collaborate face-to-face, and leave with stories they’ll continue discussing long after the game. This creates a sense of joy and connection that builds loyalty and word-of-mouth—two of the strongest assets for hotels seeking repeat visits and community engagement.

3. Differentiation Requires Courage and Creativity

Laura challenged hotels to show more boldness in shaping guest experiences. Too many properties look the same, leaving price as the only deciding factor. By embracing immersive, playful, and customizable amenities—like themed escape rooms or even immersive dinner theater—hotels can stand out, create memorable stays, and deliver new revenue streams.

Laura Hawkins on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-hawkins-40543319b/

Gamemasters Escape Solutions
https://www.gamemastersescapes.com/

Escape Room Atlantis
https://www.atlantisbahamas.com/escape-room

First-Person Experience at Atlantis
https://www.tiktok.com/@znsdigital/video/7512226338397359365

Escape Room Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOcy5xGcHu8

Just Slow Down viral ad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HppFNyqVOI

Other Episodes You May Like:

168: Celery in the Hoodie with Paul Bishop
https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/168

172: Pandemic Survivor Couple with Geetika Agrawal
https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/172

101: Hedge Clipper Disaster Averted with Elysia Burns
https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/101

Agnelo Fernandes is the CEO of Cote Hospitality, a company blending resorts and heritage summer camps into unforgettable indoor-outdoor experiences. His career spans the Caribbean, Canyon Ranch, CoralTree, and beyond, where he’s built brands, launched properties, and reshaped cultures. Susan and Agnelo talk about culture, camps, and compassionate leadership.

- Why culture is less about ping pong tables and more about tiny, human moments.

- How planning a conference set him free.

- What he learned from Canyon Ranch: branding isn’t logos, it’s promises kept.

- Why kids are better at reviewing travel experiences.

- Where Agnelo spends 60% of his time.

Our Top Three Takeaways:

1. Culture Is Built Through Small, Human Moments

Agnelo says, "Mindset drives everything." He emphasized that workplace culture isn’t about perks or slogans but about how people feel when they aren’t being watched. Leaders should focus on the details: knowing employees’ families, celebrating milestones, listening during “culture rounds,” and replacing blame with curiosity. He believes culture grows out of conversations and small, consistent acts of care.

2. Authenticity and Empathy Define Great Hospitality

From his time at Canyon Ranch and beyond, Agnelo learned that branding is really about keeping promises and creating experiences. Whether with guests or associates, authenticity and empathy matter most. He stressed that leaders should train teams with real-life, situational examples and that the best way to ensure great guest experiences is by prioritizing and empowering staff first.

3. The Future of Hospitality Blends Purpose, People, and Outdoor Connection

Agnelo predicts strong growth in outdoor hospitality, with travelers seeking meaningful disconnection and reconnection with people they love. He also shared advice for leaders and entrepreneurs: cultivate the right mindset, listen deeply, embrace failures as part of growth, and remember that true hospitality is about enriching lives.

Agnelo Fernandes on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/agnelofernandes/

Cote Hospitality
https://www.cotehospitality.com/

Other Episodes You May Like:

77: GM in the Dumpster with Eleanor Erickson
https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/77

179: Bridal Suite Sweethearts with James Ferguson
https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/179

35: Ice Machine Bandit with Trina Notman
https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/35

Steven Moore is the CEO of Actabl, a hospitality operations platform uniting four hotel operations tools into one streamlined solution. From his early days as a catering busboy to leading Transcendent through the pandemic, Steven’s career has exposed him to more than one challenging situation. Susan and Steven talk about crisis leadership, labor challenges, and competition.

What You'll Hear About:

Why “over-respecting” a crisis beats pretending everything’s fine.

The unexpected CNBC debut that taught Steven the power of saying yes.

Why hotel tech can be a hot mess of fragmentation.

Why “no silver bullet” doesn’t mean labor problems can’t be solved.

How gamifying hotel engineering boosts employee retention.

Steven’s bold prediction: the death of single-workflow vendor tools in five years.

Our Top Three Takeaways:

1. Lead with data and quick wins when driving change
Whether selling tech to hoteliers or encouraging adoption inside a hotel company, success comes from proving ROI with clear, relevant data and starting small. One quick, tangible win builds credibility and opens the door to broader adoption.

2. Over-respect a crisis
Steven’s COVID-era CEO experience reinforced the need to anticipate that crises may be more painful and longer-lasting than expected, communicate more frequently, prepare for universal skills like clear thinking and empathy, and balance realism with inspiring optimism.

3. Balance long-term vision with near-term pressures
Steven’s time in a family office taught him to think in decades, planting “oak trees” today to enjoy the shade later. In a fast-paced, urgent hospitality environment, he stresses the importance of making sustained, compounding investments while still meeting short-term demands.

Steven Moore on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-moore-80b4ba1a/

Actabl
https://actabl.com

Other Episodes You May Like:

95: Human Chat Bot with Omri Shalev
https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/95

135: Giant Pink Eraser with Brian Miller
https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/135

11: Swedish Pastry Dreams with Tracy Judge
https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/11

Wil Slickers is a hospitality pro turned podcasting powerhouse. He launched Slick Talk in 2018 to scratch an industry itch, then turned it into a multi-show media empire with Hospitality FM, recently acquired by Skift. Susan and Wil talk about podcast pivots, media mergers, and the messy magic of microphone mastery.

What You'll Hear About:

🎙️ Why wearing headphones matters, even with a fancy mic

🎙️ When a sponsor email changed everything

🎙️ Why Wil sold Hospitality FM to Skift

🎙️ What changes are coming to hospitality media

🎙️ How to launch a podcast that doesn’t sound like everyone else's

🎙️ Why smart money matters more than easy money

🎙️ What to avoid in marketing: stock photos, stuck messaging

🎙️ Where things got wild: a hotel checkout story involving blood, blow-up dolls, and a weird whisper

Our Top Three Takeaways:

1. Be Original

Whether you’re building a podcast network or a hospitality business, success starts with knowing who you are and what you stand for. Wil's experience growing and selling Hospitality.FM shows the power of having a clear, unapologetic point of view. Steer clear of the same old stock photos and podcast formats.

2. Long-Term Thinking Beats Short-Term Wins

In both content and hospitality, it's tempting to chase quick results, but real growth happens when you play the long game. Wil built trust with creators and brands by investing in consistency, quality, and relationships rather than shortcuts. Easy money can be surprisingly expensive.

3. Persist

When things weren’t going well, Wil focused on his “why” and gave himself permission to evolve instead of quitting. He believes persistence isn’t about pushing harder. It’s about being honest, staying curious, and adjusting your path while staying true to your mission.

Wil Slickers on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wil-slickers/

Hospitality.FM
https://hospitality.fm/

Acquisition Announcement on Skift
https://skift.com/2025/07/29/skift-expands-community-and-multimedia-offerings-with-two-strategic-acquisitions/

Other Episodes You May Like:

48: Go At It Boldly with Alex Husner and Annie Holcombe
https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/125

69: Our First AI Guest with Josiah Mackenzie
https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/125

03: Dude, Calm Down with Calvin Tilokee
https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/125

125: Stand in the Room with Michele Kline and Stephanie Leger
https://www.topfloorpodcast.com/episode/125

Sundip Patel is the founder and CEO of AVANA Companies, a financial services firm managing over $1 billion in assets. Born in Zambia and raised in the U.S., Sundip’s journey from CPA to impact-focused entrepreneur is rooted in resilience and purpose. Susan and Sundip talk about lessons in financing, failure, and forging a better future through hotel lending, job creation, and financial education for girls.

What You'll Hear About:

🏨 What exactly a "capital stack" is and why it matters.

💸 The difference between lenders and investors.

💔 What Sundip learned from his first startup flop.

🎓 How the Sunday Scaries pushed Sundip to pivot from public accounting to purpose.

🏗️ Why measuring social impact still feels like algebra.

💡 Sundip's next big idea? A gamified platform to teach girls how to invest in real estate (with real money!).

🔮 A bold vision for the future: tokenized hotel loans, AI-powered underwriting, and faster, fairer financing.

🧠 The “character check” lenders don’t talk about—but absolutely do.

🪄 What Sundip would change with a magic wand: every loan comes with a social impact score.

Our Top Three Takeaways:

1. Failure Isn’t Final. It’s Foundational.

Sundip Patel’s journey from bankruptcy to building a billion-dollar lending firm is a powerful reminder that setbacks are not dead ends. Learning from failure, especially early missteps in leadership, hiring, and funding, can pave the way for long-term success rooted in purpose.

2. Hotel Financing Is a Tool for Community Impact

A hotel isn’t just a building. It’s an engine for economic development. By prioritizing job creation and social equity in lending decisions, Sundip demonstrates how capital can serve communities, not just bottom lines.

3. The Future of Investment Is Inclusive and Fractional

From tokenized hotel loans to teaching teen girls about real estate, Sundip sees a future where access to investment is democratized. As technology evolves, so will the tools to make ownership and impact more widely available.