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It's Personal Stories, A Hospitality Podcast
At It’s Personal Stories, A Hospitality Podcast, we believe that leadership is shaped as much by setbacks and self-doubt as by achievements and accolades. That’s why we go beyond titles and résumés to uncover the personal journeys of hospitality leaders—the moments of vulnerability, resilience, and courage that define true success.
Since 2022, our mission has been to empower the next generation of leaders by sharing unfiltered stories of growth from across the industry. With more than 250 interviews and counting, we’ve built a library of candid conversations that reveal not only strategies for professional advancement, but also lessons in authenticity, balance, and perseverance.
Recognized each year by the International Hospitality Institute as a top hospitality podcast, It’s Personal Stories continues to inspire dreamers and doers to push boundaries, embrace challenges, and pursue their goals with confidence. Learn more and watch the Interviews at www.ItsPersonalStories.com and Follow Us here on LinkedIn.
It's Personal Stories, A Hospitality Podcast
Latest Episodes
Thomas Penny III, President, Donohoe Hospitality interviewed by Rachel Humphrey
Thomas shares some of the many leadership lessons he's learned from his nearly 30 years with Donohoe and his path from dishwasher to president. He discusses his purpose-driven leadership, why representation matters, his commitment ...
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Robert Mandelbaum, Hotel Researcher and Consultant, interviewed by Lan Elliott
Robert’s career shows what happens when passion, self-knowledge, and service converge over time. He found his niche in hotel data and leaned into it fully - building tools that transformed how the industry benchmarks performance. His advice: fo...
Colin Macdonald, Managing Director & SVP, US & Canada Operations, IHG Hotels & Resorts
Colin shares how his leadership has evolved over 12 years at IHG and the additional leadership skills he's developed through board service, his own curiosity, and lessons from his support system and mentors. He discusses using self awareness to...
Duane Overgaard, Divisional CEO, Derbysoft interviewed by Dorothy Dowling
Clarity, Discipline, and Global Perspective in Technology LeadershipDuane Overgaard’s leadership journey is grounded in a powerful combination of operational depth and global systems expertise. His formative years at Hilton provid...
Chris Hemmeter, Co-Founder & MD, Thayer Investment Partners, interviewed by David Kong
I recently sat down with Chris Hemmeter, Co Founder and Managing Director of Thayer Investment Partners, and one part of our conversation stood out because it applies to all of us, not just entrepreneurs.Chris pushed back on the i...