{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Unchecked-In Podcast","title":"15 Years of Hotel Turnarounds: What Actually Works vs. What Doesn't | with Benjamin Gray","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1917,"description":"How do you turn struggling hotels into market leaders?In this episode, Bobby Marhamat sits down with Benjamin Gray, co-founder of Henlopen Hospitality and a seasoned hotel operator with more than 15 years of experience transforming underperforming properties into thriving businesses. Recognized as the AHLA National General Manager of the Year and featured in outlets like The Wall Street Journal and CNBC, Ben shares the real operational strategies behind successful hospitality businesses.Ben’s journey into hospitality started unexpectedly—after leaving law school and landing a part-time night audit job at a Hampton Inn. Just eight months later, he became a General Manager, launching a career built on leadership, culture, and operational excellence.In this conversation, Ben breaks down what actually drives hotel performance—from aligning ownership vision with frontline teams to identifying overlooked revenue opportunities that can dramatically improve profitability.In this episode, you’ll learn: How Ben went from front desk to General Manager in 8 months The biggest leadership mistakes hotel operators make  Why people and culture matter more than systems alone  Simple operational tweaks that can add major revenue The importance of aligning ownership vision with the teams executing itBen also shares unforgettable stories from the field—including the realities of hotel operations, lessons learned from early career mistakes, and why every GM should keep a “go bag.”Connect with Benjamin Gray: Benjamin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-gray-16703b142Company website: https://henlopenhospitality.com/Connect with Bobby Marhamat:Website: https://bobbymarhamat.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bobbymarhamat/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbymarhamat/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyhabaneroAI Hotel Revenue Management Software | TakeUpTakeUp: https://takeup.ai/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/takeup-ai/Instagram:...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/yf4O7zpPiSdQWyqw7a6NI7uqu1ocb6Jg5lKLgAddFW0/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9kNzM2/MjZkZmNmM2ZiNDc0/NzBkMDFhNTMxMDUz/ZDgwMi5qcGVn.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}