Top Floor

Like many startup founders, Stephanie Daniel used to be an investment banker. As CEO of Legends, she is investing in a zero-paty data future by creating a way for consumers to share their travel DNA with brands. Susan and Stephanie talk about pitching, privacy, and personalization.

Sarah Saffari was a fitness influencer before realizing she could put what she'd learned to better use as a consultant and agency founder. As CEO of InfluencerNexus, Sarah helps hospitality companies and other brands create powerful campaigns without fraudulent followers. Susan and Sarah talk about why marketing is like a bank account and how to swim out of a riptide.

Alex Sharpe has been a luxury travel executive for most of his career, but he has found renewed purpose in using travel for good. As President and CEO of Signature Travel Network, Alex created Travel Elevates, a foundation that funds important projects around the world and gives travelers unique experiences that elevate their memories. Susan and Alex talk about travel advisors, Hawaii, and bridge.

Anita Francois studied television production and archeology at university and used the money she earned to fund a pretty serious travel habit. Anita's deep knowledge of the often overlooked history of Black travelers and personal discovery of the Black travel movement on Instagram came together when she created the Black Travel Summit. Susan and Anita talk about pneumonia, heart attacks, and the Maniq of Thailand.

Tracy Prigmore is a real estate investor, hotelier, and educator of women who want to become hotel owners. As creator of She Has a Deal, Tracy is teaching women how to do hotel deals, introducing them to powerful industry networks, and searching for the capital it takes to make it happen. Susan and Tracy talk about the latest season of She Has a Deal and SHaDTalk.

Annie Sloan was a TV producer, writer, and director, then transitioned her creative skills to marketing and advertising for tech companies like Twitter and Facebook.

Her side gig as a short-term rental host start with Craigslist but ultimately became The Host Co. Susan and Annie talk about fake reality, real opportunity, and surreal neighbor behavior.

Nima Anvar is a former scientist, a past hotelier, and a current start-up founder. After a somewhat forced science education, Nima joined his wife's family business in Grenada and learned to manage a hotel on the job before pivoting to start GuestChat, his hotel chatbot. Susan and Nima talk about finding inner peace, searching for home, and being nice.

Tamina Wuerth is a world-traveling free spirit with a thirst for learning -- on her own terms. After almost a decade of hotel jobs and freelance social media gigs, Tamina synthesized all of her experience and her ability to understand technology quickly into AIvolution, her artificial intelligence company that makes solutions for hotels. Susan and Tamina talk about waiting tables, making friends, and fleeing spiders.

Jeanelle Johnson is the voice hotel companies listen to about upgrading legacy technology. As leader of PwC's travel, transportation, and hospitality practice group, Jeanelle is able to meld her love of travel with a deep background in finance and M&A to give advice about planning for the future. Susan and Jeanelle talk about arrogant celebrities, keyman risks, and degree programs.

Mandy Murry has done so many cool jobs in travel and hospitality that her life story would make a great anthology series on TV. After running the Olympic Torch in Rhode Island, working on a private island in the Bahamas, and owning a hotel in North Carolina -- among many things -- Mandy has turned her extraordinary experience into a new type of consulting as the hospitality mentor for independent hotels. Susan and Mandy talk about the stumbles of staffing, the fluidity of fine dining, and the ickiness of a dead body on ice.

Elysia Burns had to stop a guy from cutting up the server room with hedge clippers, and that was at her first job. As co-founder of Friendly Like Me, Elysia is creating a way for people with access needs to figure out what they can expect at the restaurants, hotels, and attractions that they want to visit, and a way for those businesses to get more customers. Susan and Elysia talk about caved in ceilings, motorized beds, and untapped billions in spending power.

Cue the confetti -- it's episode 100! Susan Barry is joined by her sister, Cat Meek, to recap their recent Cherish Tours trip to Alaska. Learn what it's like to travel with a group of strangers who become friends with an amazing itinerary that you don't even have to plan! Susan and Cat talk about packing anxiety, the Paper Plane cocktail, and crampons. Thank you for listening, and here's to 100 more!

In this solo episode, Susan Barry shares content ideas for three real hospitality start-up businesses to use on LinkedIn. Big picture, you should think about three key messages or topics that you want your business to be associated with, and create content that hits on those messages over and over. If you want to see how well Susan does this in the real world, follow her and the show on LinkedIn!

Craig Everett came close to running out of water in a Mongolian desert, and that's not a metaphor. A serial entrepreneur with a penchant for packaging travel experiences in new and novel ways, Craig is CEO of Holibob, a technology platform that links experiences with travelers. Susan and Craig talk about humility, confidence, and tow ropes.

This is Part Two of our Loading Dock stories from the HITEC show, held in June 2023 in Toronto. There are some great ones here, so listen up!

In memory of Dylan Beaumont, one of the greats, and with thanks to HFTP, we bring you Part One of this year's Loading Dock stories from HITEC in Toronto.  Stay tuned for Part Two in episode 97.

Megan Grant is a lifelong solo traveler with a talent for executing details. Having visited 35 countries and planned events for hundreds of thousands of attendees, Megan put her particular combination of skills into action as founder and memory creator of Cherish Tours, a travel company that plans adventurous vacations for women. Susan and Megan talk about finding the entrepreneur inside, traveling with priorities rather than agendas, and packing in a carry on. This episode is part of a collaboration between Top Floor and Cherish Tours.

Jordan Locke has priced everything from water balloons to oil and gas, but he now spends his time setting revenue strategy for short-term rental property portfolios. After military service and a degree from Columbia University, Jordan learned what we all do -- hospitality has the magical power to suck you in and never let go. Susan and Jordan talk about what is similar and different about how hotels and short-term rentals set prices and manage inventory.

Unclaimed Baggage in the country's only reseller of lost luggage, and Sonni Hood has worked there since high school. As public and community relations manager, Sonni sees all of the luxury and loony things that people leave in their luggage. Susan and Sonni talk about taxidermy rattlesnakes, ancient artifacts, and celebrity needlework.