1014: Wahlburgers CEO on What They Fixed to Grow

A speakeasy bar with an actual vault door sits off the casino floor at Wyndham Grand Rio Mar. I walk in, meet Michael "Mac" MacDonnell, Vice President of F&B & Entertainment with LionGrove, and we turn it into a "quick chat" that somehow includes popcorn in a martini. #NoVacancyNews 🍸 Mac breaks down the Vault Martini: Belvedere vodka, yellow Chartreuse, orange bitters, popcorn, plus a tableside pour 🧠 He talks "threshold of pain" pricing—how far you push before the guest taps out 🪑 He explains why the Vault runs different than the other outlets: 55 seats, niche vibe, connoisseur guest 🥃 We get into rum country decisions: rare bottles, allocated product, and why relationships matter 💰 He drops the kind of number that makes operators blink: a $300,000 opening liquor order 👀 He shows what "details matter" looks like: glassware, presentation, bartenders who command attention 🕺 He talks training: a full month of coaching so the team performs, not just pours 🌴 We pivot into tropical fun with a tiki-style drink inspired by the Soggy Dollar Bar in the BVI ☕ Then the closer hits: "The Fortified" — local coffee + butter-washed rum + 24-hour prep… and it becomes the #1 seller 🧪 And yes, I taste everything "for scientific purposes" because I take research very seriously

Black Desert Resort shows what "demand drivers" look like when you actually build them. Today we look at Modern luxury on #NoVacancyNews I walk the property with Nicholas Gold, Managing Director, in Ivins (greater St. George / greater Zion), Utah. 🏨 Nick gives the basics: ~600 keys, restaurants/banquets, pool, spa, and a serious golf operation ⛳ They opened just over a year ago and already hosted two PGA tournaments and an LPGA tournament 🏌️‍♂️ Nick says three more 18-hole courses are coming, plus a practice facility 🌊 They're building a $60M, 4.5-acre water park for guests and members only 💰 We talk why that "velvet rope" access helps residential sales and supports premium transient pricing 🍽️ Nick's F&B rule stays simple: make it good, then match concepts to the guest profile and the local market 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Hiring: Nick hires attitude and personality over skills and uses the eye-contact/smile test as the price of entry 🧗 The adventure program creates differentiated experiences (including 4x4 access up to a via ferrata) 🧖 The spa leans into recovery: cryo, salt inhalation, recovery lounge, sauna/steam, plus outdoor options 🏗️ The resort uses multiple buildings, bell rides, and guest bikes to keep circulation easy at scale Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com.

Hotels train teams to spot human trafficking and other suspicious activity. Training alone doesn't solve the handoff problem. #NoVacancyNews I talk with Georgine Muntz (CEO) and Patty Jefferson (Chief Revenue Officer) at Visual Matrix about building reporting into the workflow so staff can act fast without leaving their job to go hunt down a manager. 🧠 Georgine says customers asked for better tracking and reporting of suspicious activity on property, including human trafficking 🧾 She points out the gap: training ends with "report it to your manager," but real life turns that into a paper form or a forgotten conversation 🧹 They build a quick "suspicious activity" alert so a housekeeper or maintenance tech can tap a button, add a note, take a photo if relevant, and move on 🔁 Patty emphasizes shift continuity: the alert carries forward so the next shift stays informed instead of starting cold 🌍 We talk language barriers and how tech can help with translation so details don't get lost 🚨 They already include a panic button inside the same application 🚬 The beta users pushed it beyond trafficking: smoking in rooms, pets, and other issues where you need documentation and follow-through

I'm recording this from a hotel room because that's where I live now. I keep hearing "AI" in every hotel conversation, so I pulled in Kevin Duncan, Executive Vice President, Product at Cendyn to talk about what actually works—especially at the front desk.  🤖 Kevin explains how Cendyn connects guest data across CRM, CRS, and other systems so teams work from one guest profile instead of disconnected records 🧠 He talks about using AI to add predictability: what the guest will do next and how the hotel can respond 🛎️ He breaks down front-desk modules that sit on top of the PMS and prompt agents with what the guest prefers so personalization happens in the moment 🏃 He uses a simple example: he runs and uses fitness centers, but hotels still miss that preference even after repeat stays 🍷 We talk privacy and where "helpful" turns into "creepy," plus why opt-in matters 💰 We connect personalization to loyalty and revenue: guests come back when the hotel gets the personal touch right 🧩 He explains Cendyn's content hub concept: keep branding and messaging consistent across digital touchpoints

Wahlburgers cleans up the messy parts of growth so quality stays non-negotiable.  I'm in Las Vegas with Randy Sharpe, CEO, President, and board member of Wahlburgers. He breaks down what he changed, what he cut, and how he plans growth without letting the brand drift. 🍔 Randy talks about meeting Mark Wahlberg through a luncheon tied to a tequila investment—and how that turned into the CEO role 🧑‍🍳 He ties the brand back to Chef Paul Wahlberg, Alma Nove, and the burger-first obsession behind the concept (15-year anniversary later this year) ✅ He explains the reset: new ops leadership, tighter standards, and cutting franchise operators who didn't meet the bar 📋 He describes the cleanup that mattered: 17 different menus down to a clearer core 🏪 He connects restaurants to retail (I first tried the burgers at Stop & Shop) and why he refuses frozen 🧭 He lays out the four models: full-service bar & grill, counter service, captive markets (casinos), and airports 🛫 He talks airports specifically: Logan, Detroit Metro, Sarasota-Bradenton next, and more in the pipeline 📦 He explains pricing by market—but keeps quality consistent everywhere, including a single standardized burger patty supply nationwide 🧰 He shares how retail follows expansion (including a Florida partnership with Home Depot locations driving grocery interest) Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com.

This week I attended CoralTree Hospitality's Leadership Forum at Black Desert Resort and spent time with Andre' Fournier, Chief Commercial Officer, about what this event should accomplish once people go back to their hotels on hashtag#NoVacancyNews. Andre explains why CoralTree brings its leaders together, how the company onboarded more than 100 new leaders this year, and how Affinity Teams share real-world ideas across properties. We also talk about why CoralTree puts owners and operators in the same room and what that changes at the property level. We cover: 👥: Why CoralTree uses the forum to align a fast-growing leadership team 🧪: How Affinity Teams work as hands-on learning groups 🏨: What changes when owners and operators sit in the same room 🧭: How "Serving from the Heart" shows up in daily work 🏆: Why recognition still matters 📈: How operational execution connects to financial reality

At CoralTree Hospitality's Annual Leadership Forum, I talked with Tom Luersen, President of CoralTree Hospitality, for hashtag#NoVacancyNews about what the company expects leaders to do once everyone leaves and goes back to their properties. We get into why they bring people together in the first place, how they use Affinity Clubs to keep projects moving, and how they track progress without turning it into theater. We also talk about how they set direction early in the year and where AI, the hashtag#guestjourney, and talent development fit into day-to-day operations. We cover: 🗂️: What leaders are expected to take back to their teams 🔁: How projects keep moving after the event 📊: How CoralTree tracks progress without dressing it up 🤖: Where hashtag#AI and guest experience show up in real work 👥: How leadership development plays out in practice 🏆: Why recognition still has a place

Friday Night Audit: the minisode where karma finally collects… with teeth. #NoVacancyNews   Craig Sullivan and Dr. Producer Suzanne Bagnera, PhD, CHA, CED join me for happy hour storytelling starting with "four time zones in one day" and ends with me getting bitten by something, I never even saw. After 200+ episodes of me slinging insults, I consider this a performance review from the universe.   🕒 I tell the story of bouncing through four time zones in one day and losing track of reality ✈️ I recap the $100-ish Vegas room directly under the takeoff path (my ceiling tiles know aviation) 📶 I admit I tried uploading a video and LinkedIn said "no" with zero compassion 🏨 I talk off-Strip value vs Strip pricing because I still like math 🧴 I ask the only question that matters at 1 a.m.: why does bottled water expire 🥤 I give Black Desert Resort credit for aluminum bottles + water/ice access 🛫 Craig unloads on LAX and names the airports he actually likes 🩹 And then we hit the ending: the mystery bite — sudden, unseen, and absolutely karma-powered   Friday Night Audit: cocktails, complaints, and one horror-movie ending I didn't order.

A $70M reinvestment only matters if guests feel it. I'm in Puerto Rico at the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar with Andro Nodarse-Leon, CEO of property owner Lion Grove, for #NoVacancyNews. Andro walks through how the team rethought this 30-year-old resort around how people actually spend time on property—what they do, where they go, and why they stay. Andro explains how the rainforest, beach, and golf course influence design and programming, and how the rebuild touches sustainability, wellness, and operations—not as buzzwords, but as decisions that change guest flow. We also talk F&B strategy: variety, authenticity, local sourcing, and how you build experiences that keep guests engaged from morning through night. We cover: 🌿: Using the rainforest, beach, and golf as part of the experience 🏗️: Translating $70M into changes guests actually notice 🍽️: Building F&B around variety, authenticity, and local sourcing 🎭: Creating day-to-night options that keep guests on property 🧘: Adding wellness in a way that fits the resort, not a trend 🚢: Managing logistics and supply realities on an island Special thanks to Actabl — Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com.

Luxury doesn't mean more steps. It means fewer problems before guests even notice them. Suzanne "Dr. Producer" Bagnera, PhD, and I spoke with Mourad Essafi, General Manager of Impression Isla Mujeres (a Hyatt all-inclusive), on #NoVacancyNews about what ultra-luxury actually looks like when you stop adding layers and start removing friction. Mourad talks about how his background in sales and operations shapes the way he runs the resort, why the arrival experience starts before guests ever reach the island, and how small operational decisions change how people actually feel about a stay. We also get into what "endless privileges" really means in practice, why convenience often beats opulence, and how guest feedback turns into real changes on property. We cover: 🚤: Why check-in now starts before guests board the catamaran ☕: How one simple coffee change improved guest flow 🛎️: Why luxury often means saving time, not adding steps 🍽️: How experiential dining and hands-on moments build loyalty 🌱: How sustainability and local partnerships shape the guest experience 👥: Why GMs with sales backgrounds see operations differently Special thanks to Actabl — Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com.