{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Defining Hospitality","title":"Connecting the Room - Michelle Finn - Defining Hospitality","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":3774,"description":"In this episode, Dan Ryan sits down with Michelle Finn, longtime industry fixture and the driving force behind Alis Design Plus, to trace the evolution of hospitality trade events from HD Expo's chaotic 1990s launch (earthquakes, riots and all) to today's design and investment ecosystem. Michelle unpacks her \"dinner party\" philosophy of hosting, the power of relationships over transactions, and how she scaled that intimacy from a dozen guests to thousands of attendees without losing the human touch. The conversation moves through mentorship, the rise of owner involvement in design, the new Alis Cala expansion into the Caribbean, and even a few fun detours into what a Vogue or Garden and Guns hotel might look like.\n\nAbout the Guest: \nMichelle Finn heads The BHN Group's hotel design and construction events, including the launch of Alis Design Plus. Previously, she led the management and development of Hospitality Design Expo, HD Boutique, HD Summit, HD Awards, Hospitality Design, Boutique Design NY, Boutique Design West, the BD Forum Series, Boutique Design and Senior Lifestyle Design Match events, the Gold Key Awards, and more. A dedicated, long standing member of NEWH, she has earned numerous awards for innovation spanning trade fair development, publishing, leadership, and service, and is firmly established as a notable presence in Chicago's hospitality landscape.\n\nChapters:\n00:00 Defining Hospitality Intro\n00:35 Meet Michelle Finn\n01:47 What Hospitality Means\n03:38 Hosting Lessons Early On\n06:00 Launching HD Expo Origins\n08:48 Riots Earthquakes and Vegas Pivot\n13:42 Winning Leadership Buy In\n22:41 Why ALIS Design Plus Exists\n25:21 Growth Plans and Industry Shifts\n33:38 Analog Event Magic\n34:36 Word of Mouth Wins\n35:08 Hospitality Shifts\n36:19 Product Categories Boom\n37:47 Launching Alice Cala\n39:59 Measuring Referrals\n43:56 Hosting Like a Pro\n48:11 Newcomer Event Playbook\n52:22 Future Plans and Farewell\n\nQuote of the Show:\n\"Identify a need, see something that...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/jOMZku2zhfiEl2keEgoTu9dN4zv3kAryH7e0rdfDrqM/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzM5MzU3LzE2ODE4/MjI1NTUtYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}