244: Pigeon Shoot Out
Zack Gharib is the President of Red Roof, bringing decades of leadership experience across Marriott, Wyndham, Vacasa, and beyond. From a chance encounter with a hotel GM in Athens to leading one of hospitality’s biggest tech transformations, Zack shares what it really takes to succeed in today’s lodging landscape. Susan and Zack talk about AI automation, franchisee profitability, and vacation-rental versatility.
What You’ll Learn:
• What vacation rentals taught him about operational chaos
• How AI is reshaping economy and mid-scale hotels
• Why hotel websites suddenly matter way more
• How ChatGPT is changing hotel booking behavior
• What hotels can learn from Airbnb-style personalization
• Why internal communication systems still fail teams
• Learning when to say “no” to shiny new tech
• Why smiles and room inspections still win
• Predictions for the future of non-luxury hotels
• The franchisee-brand relationship problem nobody solves
• What real alignment between brands and owners should look like
The Takeaway:
Hospitality fundamentals still matter most, but the operators who win will use technology and AI to make those fundamentals faster, cheaper, and more personalized.