028: Marilyn Bushnell and Eliot Dalton, Innkeeping Consultants and Brokers, Discuss the State of the Lodging Marketplace in the Face of COVID-19
Frictionless Innkeeper Podcast
Release Date: 09/16/2020
038: Jim Snediker, Co-Founder and CEO of Stock Mfg Co., Discusses Branded Workwear for Differentiating Your Offerings
Frictionless Innkeeper Podcast
Lodging professionals can differentiate their offerings by the use of branded workwear to project an ideal brand image, reinforce a consistent guest experience, and bolster overall employee morale. Jim Snedicker and his team at Stock Mfg Co. are experts at the aesthetics of clothing for the hospitality industry. Since 2012, Stock has designed and manufactured custom workwear for some of the best bars, restaurants, and hotels in the world. With roots in the fashion industry, the company offers a wide-range of stylish branded uniforms, including shirts, blazers, light jackets, aprons, and...
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037: Richard Aday, Founder, CEO & Principal Engineer at ThinkReservations, Discusses the Evolution of their Offering
Frictionless Innkeeper Podcast
Sometimes company origin stories can be the most inspirational, especially when an entrepreneur’s love for travel translates into the creation of a next-generation property management and booking system. When Richard Aday was working as a computer engineer at Amazon in 2012, he went on vacation to Puerto Rico, and on the fly, he pitched the idea of a next-generation reservation system to the hotel manager, which would ultimately become ThinkReservations. We are very thankful to Richard Aday for sharing his insights with us. You can learn more about ThinkReservations at Our podcast is...
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036: Paul Wegert and Jenifer Neptune of Boutique Hotel Professionals Discuss Boutique Lodging Differentiation
Frictionless Innkeeper Podcast
When it comes to creating a truly unique boutique property, it’s vital to provide a one-of-a-kind luxury experience that is individualized, and offers local market flare for sophisticated travelers.
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035: Karen Thorne, Owner of the Bed and Breakfast Academy, Discusses Training for Innkeepers
Frictionless Innkeeper Podcast
The secrets to successfully running a bed and breakfast can often be elusive, especially for aspiring innkeepers. Fortunately, Karen Thorne, the owner of the UK-based Bed and Breakfast Academy, provides a wide-range of tools, trainings and courses to enhance marketing, operations, and increase overall bookings for any innkeeper.
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034: Darci Bartlett, President of the Non-Profit Interim Innkeepers Network, Discusses Temporary Staffing Options
Frictionless Innkeeper Podcast
Being an innkeeper is a 24/7 job that can be all encompassing, where taking time off is a luxury that does not happen very often. Whether you need to attend an important event, supplement your existing staff during peak periods, or simply get away to recharge, the Interim Innkeepers Network connects innkeepers with experienced temporary staff across the United States and provides a seamless transition for a wide range of needs.
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033: Wendy Kelly, Owner of Wall Street Suites and the Agate Beach Motel, Discusses Her Unexpected Innkeeping Journey
Frictionless Innkeeper Podcast
It's often the unexpected things in life that can both challenge you, and provide a path to long-term prosperity. When Wendy Kelly and her husband acquired the Agate Beach Motel in 1990, they had zero experience in hospitality, and the property required massive renovations for it to even be guest ready.
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032: Emily and Matthieu Monnier, Managers of Trapper’s Rendezvous, Discuss Increase in Bookings
Frictionless Innkeeper Podcast
Sometimes location and timing can play a major role in gaining new guest bookings. For Trapper’s Rendezvous, this was the case when managers Emily and Matthieu Monnier noticed a rise in local guests during the summer 2020 days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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031: Christa Freeland, Manager of the Founder House Austin, Provides Insights Into the Millennial Traveler (Part Two)
Frictionless Innkeeper Podcast
Much has been covered in the media about millennial travel trends, but it’s not often that you get to hear directly from an influential member of this generation. Christa Freeland is certainly on the cutting-edge of travel in her role managing the Founder House Austin’s co-working and co-living property for entrepreneurs.
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030: Wild Man Dan Tatarka and Terri Tatarka, Owners/Innkeepers of WildManDan’s Beercentric Bed and Breakfast, Discuss Their Passion for Beer and Pleasing Guests
Frictionless Innkeeper Podcast
For Wild Man Dan Tatarka and his wife, Terri Tatarka, the owners/innkeepres of WildManDan’s Beercentric Bed and Breakfast, success comes from their passion for beer and being around great people. After having careers in both fiber optical engineering and hospitality, they decided to launch a unique beercentric B&B in 2015 in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.
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029: Christa Freeland, Manager of the Founder House Austin, Discusses Her Innovative Shared-Use Lodging Concept
Frictionless Innkeeper Podcast
With the cancellation of SXSW in Austin, TX due to COVID, the owners of Adina Austin decided to get creative and partnered with entrepreneur Christa Freeland to offer a portion of the property as the Founder House Austin, which is a co-working and co-living place for entrepreneurs that opened in May.
info_outlineThe COVID-19 pandemic is having a varied impact on innkeepers around the U.S. In rural areas, there is plenty of activity – both from increased guest bookings and the buying and selling of inns – while urban environments are being challenged.
There are also an increased number of prospective buyers looking to acquire rural properties, and start their lives as innkeepers away from larger cities. In addition, mortgage rates are ideal right now, and some smaller inns are being marketed to large families that aren’t looking to be innkeepers, but looking to live and work remotely in these properties.
For Marilyn Bushnell and Eliot Dalton, who are innkeeping consultants and brokers working with property buyers and sellers, the COVID-19 pandemic has been an interesting time. They have a real “feet on street” perspective on the state of the marketplace, which they share in this podcast.