{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Defining Hospitality","title":"Hospitality the Sacred Duty - Colleen Rafferty - Defining Hospitality","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":3197,"description":"Hospitality has ancient roots, and this week's guest traces her own path in the industry back to something surprising: a master's degree in philosophy. What started as bartending to pay for grad school became a full blown philosophy of service, one built on presence, reciprocity, and treating every guest interaction as its own small act of care. From building a team that turned an old motel into a two Michelin Key destination to launching a groundbreaking childcare pilot for hospitality workers, this conversation covers what it really takes to scale a business without losing the soul that made it special in the first place.\nColleen Rafferty is the President of Tourists, an award winning hotel in North Adams, Massachusetts that has earned two Michelin Keys and national recognition from outlets like Vanity Fair. She rose through the ranks from guest experience manager to the top leadership seat, helping build a culture so strong that her own team members have collectively logged 40 years of tenure at a hotel that has only been open eight. Beyond the hotel, Colleen is leading a new pilot childcare program funded by the state of Massachusetts in partnership with the Governor's Office, built specifically for hospitality workers whose schedules don't run Monday through Friday, 9 to 5.\n\nChapters:\n00:00 Housekeeping Meltdown\n00:36 Podcast Mission Intro\n01:09 Meet Colleen Rafferty\n01:50 Berkshires Festival Vibes\n03:32 Defining Hospitality Xenia\n06:35 Philosophy to Hospitality\n13:57 Tourists Growth Michelin Keys\n19:28 Scaling Culture and Structure\n26:58 Childcare Pilot for Workers\n33:02 Funding and Coalition\n33:47 Red Tape Worries\n35:23 Pilot Program Unknowns\n36:10 Universal Pre-K Lessons\n37:14 Michelin Inspector Details\n38:10 Sing for Your Slumber\n41:01 Tourists Expansion Plans\n44:11 Scaling Without Losing Magic\n48:28 Mentors and Gratitude\n\nQuote of the Show: \n\"This isn't really about you. This is about this moment and what the space can provide and what the guest is...","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}