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Step into the captivating world of ITB with Rob Napoli as your guide, joined by Olga Rodriguez, the esteemed Director of Global Alliances at IDeaS. Olga's fervor for the event radiates as she highlights the transformative potential of automation, AI, and data in shaping hospitality's future.
Her insights, enriched by IDeaS' contributions to revenue management and partnerships like CloudBeds, paint a vivid picture of industry evolution. But amidst the professional discourse, Rob and Olga share intimate travel tales, reinforcing the value of human connection in a digital age.
Join us for an enlightening dialogue on the horizon of hospitality and the collaborative spirit propelling innovation.
Don’t forget to subscribe, like, rate, and review!
Timestamps
00:00:00 - The Importance of Automation and AI
00:00:39 - Introduction to Hospitable Podcast at ITB
00:01:02 - Olga's Experience at ITB
00:01:52 - What is Ideas and the Role of Global Alliances
00:03:22 - The Role of Automation in Hospitality
00:04:47 - Behind the Scenes of Data-Driven Decisions
00:06:09 - The People, Processes, and Systems Triangle
00:07:54 - The Evolution of Hospitality Experiences
00:08:09 - Olga's Journey into Hospitality
00:09:12 - The Unique Aspects of the Hospitality Industry
00:10:58 - Ideas' Impact and Goals for the Year
00:11:17 - The Importance of Ecosystem and Partnerships
00:13:35 - Excitement for Industry Changes in 2024
00:14:09 - The Significance of Open APIs and Standards
00:15:05 - Simplifying Processes with Standards
00:16:24 - Ideas' Big Announcements and Growth
00:17:14 - The Impact of MICE on the Hospitality Industry
00:18:28 - Personal Goals and Impact in the Industry
00:19:07 - The Importance of Trade Shows in Hospitality
00:20:17 - Preparing for ITB and the Value of Face-to-Face Interactions
00:22:23 - A Memorable Travel Story
00:25:16 - Connecting with Olga
00:25:53 - Closing Remarks and Podcast Outro
Quotes
- 00:00:21 - "But the purpose of it is you give more time to people to focus on their strategy, to focus on how do we work with the teams, integrate the different disciplines to really drive performance for the hotels."
- 00:03:43-00:03:54 - "The goal behind automation is not to replace something. It's to speed up something so you can creatively think and work on bigger solutions and solve bigger problems."
- 00:06:19 - "one of our missions is to give humans time back"
- 00:10:03 - "hospitality only works with the customer experience."
- 00:13:46-00:13:56 - "I love the term cooperation where competitors cooperate, because when you collectively are working to solve problems in the space and you talk openly, that's where things really get interesting."
- 00:15:55-00:16:05 - "How do we democratise revenue management? How do we bring this discipline that really makes a difference, but how do we bring it to the independent hoteliers."
- 00:19:28 - "I think growth is It's amazing that there's opportunity for large-scale growth and there's opportunity"
- 00:21:45 - "And nothing beats that, the energy of being in a room with somebody across the table or over a microphone."
- 00:25:04 - "No questions asked, just you need this. We will do it for you. Do not worry."
Connect
- Omniboost: www.omniboost.com
- Rob Napoli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robnap/
- Olga Rodriguez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olgarodrigues/
- IDeaS: https://ideas.com/
Filmed on location at ITB Berlin: https://www.itb.com/en/itb-berlin-for-visitors/itb-convention/
Show Produced by: Niranjan Deshpande (Nick), Broken Frames Studio, www.brokenframesstudio.com
Creators & Guests
What is Hospitable?
Hospitable is a podcast that discusses how to make hospitality MORE human through technology.
Hospitable focuses on discussing the leading challenges facing the hospitality industry and to explore the latest trends, technologies, and best practices that are shaping the industry. Each episode features interviews with hoteliers, restaurateurs, chefs, industry analysts, and other experts who share their insights and experiences on topics such as customer experience, sustainability, innovation, staffing, and more.
Hosted by Rob Napoli
00:00:00:02 - 00:00:20:04
Olga Rodriguez
So I think for us, automation and A.I. and all of those things are critical because you have so much data today, there's so much data that is useful to drive insights and then actions from that data, right? And to drive actions from the data. You need power, you need analytics, you need automation, right? All of that is behind the scenes.
00:00:20:04 - 00:00:38:04
Olga Rodriguez
But the purpose of it is you give more time to people to focus on their strategy, to focus, and how do we work with the teams, integrate the different disciplines to really drive performance for the hotels
00:00:38:06 - 00:00:59:01
Rob Napoli
All right. We are back again for another episode of Hospitable. I'm your host Rob Napoli, and today is really exciting because we are at ITB. We are at our booth. They got activity around us and here we are recording a podcast. Olga I'm excited to have you on. How is ITB been for our day two
00:00:59:06 - 00:01:02:14
Rob Napoli
How is day one and day two so far has been.
00:01:02:16 - 00:01:24:16
Olga Rodriguez
I was selling today. I love ITB. People look at me like big eyes. No this is my seven times. We like the big eyes. I love the energy. It goes fast. You go from one conversation or another, there's a buzz around. There's nothing like ITB. It's big, It's just fabulous. So I love it. And I have meetings, meetings, meetings, meetings and I love it
00:01:24:18 - 00:01:52:08
Rob Napoli
I love it as well. This is my first time at ITB so I've been to like web summit and I've spoken at some bigger events and things, but I didn't realize how big and how much energy is here. And I just it's been amazing. So Olga I appreciate coming in. So you are director of Global Alliances that IDeaS talk to me a lot about what is what do you do, what is IDeaS and what do you do as a global alliance director?
00:01:52:10 - 00:02:13:08
Olga Rodriguez
So let's start with IDeaS. IDeaS is the leader in revenue management ideas has been around for over 30 years and really started this discipline makes a huge impact for all the hoteliers and the clients that use our system because with our systems they increase their revenue, their profitability and it really drives performance for the year to year.
00:02:13:08 - 00:02:40:19
Olga Rodriguez
So that's an amazing system that we have to that system to work well. We need also data from other systems, but we also send data back to those systems because everything is about automation, everything is about how do we empower the year two years to be defined strategy while the systems can do right and deliver the pricing based on the strategy that the design and the leaders have to do a lot of manual tasks for that to work.
00:02:40:19 - 00:03:09:02
Olga Rodriguez
Well, automation is critical. Yeah, and data driven decisions, right? We do decisions, We deliver them to all of the systems. We do billions of decisions every day. So for us, making sure that there's a good connection and everything works well with that partners is critical. So that's where I come in. Our team looks after the partnerships with our technology partners and we make sure that we are well connected, We work well and we continually increase the ecosystem in this industry.
00:03:09:04 - 00:03:21:16
Olga Rodriguez
And the other thing that is important for me is we can innovate with our partners. Yeah, I know innovation requires all of us to work together. And for me, the exciting piece sometimes is driving innovation and moving forward with all of our partners.
00:03:21:18 - 00:03:45:07
Rob Napoli
You know, I love that you show that because I think automation is a term that's used a lot, and we talk about it a lot, but what is automation and how does everyone automate? And we talk about that. The whole theory of this podcast is how to make hospitality more human through technology. Yeah, I love when we get into that because sometimes scary, it's like, AI and automation is going to take all our jobs away.
00:03:45:07 - 00:04:11:19
Rob Napoli
No, go on automation is not to replace something, it's to speed up something so you can creatively think and work on bigger solutions and solve bigger problems. Hence the partnership approach and some of the stuff that we're working on right. And I think that to me is the most really amazing things because we think about guest experience, whether you're going to a hotel or business or pleasure for a little bit of both, you're booking a hotel with an experience in mind.
00:04:11:19 - 00:04:47:07
Rob Napoli
So how do we allow the hotel staff to give the best experience or the experience that user wants? Maybe they want to go to an all automated hotel and what no interaction. They can still have that. I think that's really important. How do we give them the best experience? And one of the things I noticed about this ITB is being here and talking to everybody is just how fast the market is innovating to really create seamless experiences behind the scenes so that on the front end the customer has the best experiences and it's just been volt of energy here the last two days.
00:04:47:09 - 00:05:08:17
Olga Rodriguez
Absolutely and you're right, it's behind the scenes, right? So I think for us, automation and AI and all of those things are critical because you have so much data today, there's so much data that is useful to drive insights and then actions from that data, right? And to drive actions from the data. You need power, you need analytics, you need automation, right?
00:05:08:21 - 00:05:32:19
Olga Rodriguez
All of that is behind the scenes. But the purpose of it is you give more time to people to really focus on, you know, this for the revenue managers, the commercial leaders is really to focus on their strategy, to focus on how do we work with the teams, integrate the different disciplines to really drive performance for the hotels when it's, you know, in France that gives more time for people to welcome the guests wherever they are, right?
00:05:32:19 - 00:05:50:11
Olga Rodriguez
So we're seeing more and more about having a tablet you welcome of guests with a tablet wherever they're walking into your hotel and then you allow for that. So it's really giving more time to the people that are there for the guests and with the guest or that in the behind the scenes and part of the guests, you are to deliver the right experience.
00:05:50:11 - 00:06:08:12
Olga Rodriguez
So that's really where we see it. It's really we always say it's people with the system and the processes, right? So you have a system automated, fully functional, but it has to work well with the people. And as doing what were the processes, the three pieces out to be there to really deliver the experience you wanted to deliver for guests.
00:06:08:12 - 00:06:30:17
Rob Napoli
I love that. I mean, the triangle effect of people processing systems and I resonate talking about giving time back. You know, one of our missions is to give humans time back, to be more creative by automating the mundane manual, repetitive tasks and I think of time that is linear, but like that creativity to be as solutions oriented, problem solving.
00:06:30:19 - 00:06:45:00
Rob Napoli
And it to me that's amazing. And so I love it. You know, my, my wife is actually an interior designer, and so she works for a interior design company. And one of the things that they did was some there of recent property, so you go to the front desk, they hide all the tech so you don't actually sit.
00:06:45:00 - 00:06:58:12
Rob Napoli
So you have the face to face. They have the computer, they have the tablets, they have what they need. But you don't see it as a consumer, so you feel like you're being greeted. It's such a really cool experience. So when tech works the process, people I love that resonate with it so much, it's really good.
00:06:58:12 - 00:07:17:03
Olga Rodriguez
It's interesting you said I remember going, I think it was last year to a hotel and I walked in and there was looking for the desk. There was no desk. They were like welcoming you in a different way. But my I was so used to looking for what I was looking for it. And then I realized someone came to me and work on this whole new world.
00:07:17:05 - 00:07:19:02
Olga Rodriguez
This is great
00:07:19:04 - 00:07:37:07
Rob Napoli
It's such a unique experience. But I get resonate with that whole thing because I want and I love that customer. I love when I travel, I'm kind of like kind of boujee a little bit like I like to feel treated. And when I travel, I just I want it to be done for me.
00:07:37:07 - 00:07:52:12
Rob Napoli
I want it to be easy. I want to be seamless. I don't want it to be complicated. And sometimes in the old days it was very complicated, a ways to check and it just feels it feels like it's moving so much faster. And some of the stuff I've been seeing here walking around these all is just absolutely amazing.
00:07:52:17 - 00:07:53:14
Olga Rodriguez
Absolutely.
00:07:53:16 - 00:08:08:20
Rob Napoli
So I want to get into something with you, because when you and I were met for the first time and we're talking IDeaS was your first time in the hospitality space and for me, OmniBoost was the first time. How did you, like, fall into this hospitality space and what's kept you in this space?
00:08:08:22 - 00:08:29:20
Olga Rodriguez
So really, by chance, I was just looking for an opportunity and like I did the old fashioned way, I applied for a job, I just applied for it. And then I got I was hired by to work with IDeaS. And that's been great. And I've been with IDeaS for the last seven years and I truly love it.
00:08:29:22 - 00:08:51:01
Olga Rodriguez
I think there's a couple of elements that why I'm still here. One is really IDeaS. It's a great company. It still has a very innovative, very creative, very driven company, and at the same time you have a family feel to it. Yeah, it's, you know, it's no reason we've been here over 30 years and people I work with people that I've been way with the company for like 30 years, right?
00:08:51:02 - 00:09:10:13
Olga Rodriguez
They're still here. And then you have a lot of new people. So that mix of having a history, but at the same time, bringing in and continually innovating is really very special, I think, in the industry and that's definitely get me here. And then the other piece is the hospitality industry. There's quite unique. I don't know what about you and what you think, but I think it's quite unique.
00:09:10:14 - 00:09:31:05
Olga Rodriguez
There is something about, you know, always because I work with a lot of people that have worked in hotels and they think about the guests first and they look around. Then what would make a difference for that person and how can I give them just a seat so that way they're comfortable? There's really something about this industry that is quite endearing, and I think that's kept me.
00:09:31:07 - 00:09:50:16
Rob Napoli
Yeah, I resonate with that. I love the hospitality. One of the reasons I really wanted to get it passed out when opportunity arose for me was that is that hospitality is all about people and it's continuously changing. We saw over the last decade how that's changed through highs and lows, ups and downs and all the stuff in between.
00:09:50:18 - 00:10:11:00
Rob Napoli
People still want to go on vacation, they still want to do these things, but it looks differently and it's always innovating and changing. And also because hospitality is that it's hospitable, it's people that care. And it's easy to say that it was like that. But not every industry cares the way they do it. In the end of the day, hospitality only works with the customer experience, so we can do all this cool
00:10:11:01 - 00:10:29:11
Rob Napoli
Shit in the back end you can create cool products, but if it doesn't help make the customers feel at home, wherever they're going or feel some kind of way, doesn't matter. And so to me, that's what's so unique about this industry, is building the things and getting to be around those seven people, right? And so that's why I stuck at hospitality.
00:10:29:13 - 00:10:31:21
Rob Napoli
I would stuck. And it was just like, Yes.
00:10:31:21 - 00:10:32:08
Olga Rodriguez
Yes.
00:10:32:14 - 00:10:53:04
Rob Napoli
That's my beef with everything. And I love that that family feel it feels like that because, you know, so many, to be honest, so many founders that we have companies that we work with and partner with, starting this independent hoteliers that I grew up in the hotel space. And I there's got to be a better way to do that is and that's where some of these really equal companies have been born out of it.
00:10:53:04 - 00:10:57:18
Rob Napoli
I think that's why it is so unique about the space and what makes the space so much fun.
00:10:57:20 - 00:11:15:02
Olga Rodriguez
That no, that is very true. It's amazing how many founders, right, actually worked in hotels or travel. And then there has to be a better way of doing this. Let me do my part. And so something in that that creates something very unique in the industry for sure.
00:11:15:04 - 00:11:32:06
Rob Napoli
100% and what we think about being in this industry and we love these things that we just shared. What is the impact that you really are trying to make? Been with IDeaS for seven years there's a big announcements that you've been making and IDeaS is growing. It's a really cool stuff happening. Partnerships. I mean, we're doing stuff together.
00:11:32:06 - 00:11:40:14
Rob Napoli
What is the impact that not only these IDeaS make, but you as Olga, really want to make and your role and your piece of this puzzle.
00:11:40:16 - 00:12:06:22
Olga Rodriguez
So it's a for me really, when I started, it was all about the ecosystem that it's all about. It was really critical for me because we can't drive the guest experience like we want and be welcoming if we don't have all of our technologies that connect, talk to each other. Yeah. So for me, that was the first thing is I want to make sure that we grow ecosystem, that we collaborate, that we innovate together.
00:12:07:00 - 00:12:28:16
Olga Rodriguez
And one of the first things that actually I was part of and that we created when I joined was to actually have every time at ITB every year we have a partner breakfast, but we just invite the partners to come and speak openly. It's just partners. It's just technology people in the room and you talk about our challenges.
00:12:28:18 - 00:12:51:06
Olga Rodriguez
What do we see? How can we work better together? How can we collaborate? How can you innovate? So that just is really an example of the impact I wanted to make to actually have conversations between us, not just in our little companies and silos, but really together drive this industry forward and increase the connectivity and the ecosystem. So that really is the change and that's also what I just wanted to do, right?
00:12:51:06 - 00:13:11:14
Olga Rodriguez
And IDeaS has always been an innovator. And every time we innovate, we innovate for the industry. We want to make sure the industry benefits from it. And then we have our partners at Innovate with us, right? You cannot innovate on in your corner, right? Yeah. So that's really the difference. IDeaS has always been here to drive the hospitality forward, to make a difference.
00:13:11:16 - 00:13:35:07
Olga Rodriguez
Obviously in the revenue management where we want to make sure that there is revenue generation profitability performance around revenue and we keep increasing not just in the rooms but as well in the meeting and event spaces and in how budgets are done. So we keep expanding, but it's definitely about driving, you know, hospitality, driving this industry forward and bringing the innovations are required.
00:13:35:09 - 00:13:55:20
Rob Napoli
And I think at doing the summit partner breakfast as we bring the partners in the room, even, you know, if the competitors, we talk about competitors cooperation. I love the term comperation where competitors cooperate because when you collectively are working to solve problems in the space and you talk openly, that's where things really get interesting.
00:13:55:20 - 00:14:08:13
Rob Napoli
That's where the true dynamic innovation happens. And to me, that's super exciting. So I love getting to be a part of those type of conversations and getting in those vibes like those are where the magic tends to happen.
00:14:08:19 - 00:14:30:05
Olga Rodriguez
Absolutely. And I think that's one area that I think is still very critical for us is around standards or open APIs is a lot of debates around, sharing and you have standards, but where you seeing a lot of collaboration is with an organization called A Shangi and they are bringing right all companies together to discuss and together.
00:14:30:07 - 00:14:52:17
Olga Rodriguez
Whether the committing or not competing together for this industry. Can we find standards, can we design standards together so that way, when we do integrations, maybe we don't have to do custom work every time and we can have something. So there's more conversations that they're driving. But I think that's the right approach. That's really an approach about, you know, being collaborative and making sure that we work together for the best of the industry.
00:14:52:23 - 00:15:17:02
Rob Napoli
Yeah, I think sometimes, going back to the people process and systems, all need to play sometimes as humans, we tend to overcomplicate our process in our systems and how do we create standards that simplify that is huge because has an effect. But if things are overcomplicated, all you're doing is creating more ways for things to go wrong.
00:15:17:04 - 00:15:33:03
Rob Napoli
Like it's short and simple and we are going to be fast. So I love that. What is we look at 2024, I know we're still early March coming up on end of Q1. What are you most excited about this year?
00:15:33:04 - 00:16:14:02
Olga Rodriguez
So this year I think we just announced a partnership cloud bids, and that's really exciting for us. It's the first of its kind terms of partnership where we'll have cloud bids work with us to send deliver it embed it for that client was really for me innovative is about how do we democratize revenue management, how do we bring this discipline that really makes a difference, but how do we bring it to the independent or hoteliers so that way they also can make sure that they increase their revenue and they benefit from the best advanced system on a platform that is really innovative as well.
00:16:14:07 - 00:16:22:22
Olga Rodriguez
So that that's super exciting for us this year. Really exciting. We can't wait to see how it impacts hoteliers and how it grows the industry.
00:16:23:04 - 00:16:56:23
Rob Napoli
Yeah, I think this year is going to be a big year for the industry. A lot of changes and acquisitions, partnerships, things are happening and it's super exciting, super exciting. It's like every week what happened this week, I guess it is. And that to me it's like I joke OmniBoost is a bit crazy. A lot of us, we thrive on solving, problems, being solutions oriented because we're all a little bit of drama dramatic in the fact that we love that kind of little bit, that chaos, because, well, we create losses out of gas.
00:16:56:23 - 00:17:12:23
Rob Napoli
So that's one of the things that we love. And I think you have that same vibe and feeling. I think this year is going to be a big year of that. I think it's going to be a bit of chaos and a lot of a lot of really cool solutions coming. So I'm with you that's what I find most exciting about absolutely this year.
00:17:13:01 - 00:17:32:22
Olga Rodriguez
I also think it'll be interesting to see what happens to me around groups by meeting spaces. We definitely hear that they're coming, that there will be a growth there and you'll be interesting to see what really happens. How do they shape up? What kind of groups, not groups. What's the you know, how how the change or no change changed since covid.
00:17:32:22 - 00:17:35:10
Olga Rodriguez
But I think that will be also a fascinating year for that.
00:17:35:11 - 00:17:52:18
Rob Napoli
I think so, too. I'm excited about that because I actually was just talking and if you're listening to this podcast, go back one. We had an episode with Ralph from Venuesuite and he was talking about the panel was on what's up with the impact and the change in MICE. And I was like, What is MICE? He's like, its the acronym for our meetings and events?
00:17:52:18 - 00:18:10:17
Rob Napoli
Said, I was like, this is awesome. So talking with him on what they're doing and that impacts I love that you share that. And if you're listening to this episode and you're interested in the meetings in that space, take a look at the episode with Ralph from Venuesuite. But I think it's great that you brought that up because we were just talking about that not too long ago.
00:18:10:17 - 00:18:26:21
Rob Napoli
So it's going to be a crazy year. So what are your goals for the year? What is the thing that like you accomplish this personally this year that you're really excited about? You and your team, I should say.
00:18:26:21 - 00:18:54:01
Olga Rodriguez
Yeah. So for us it's we're growing the team so it's definitely about maintaining growing, right? The connections that we have, the partnerships that we have. There's also new types of partnerships that we have in store. So bringing different kinds of data, address system, ride and impacting is something that's going to be quite exciting as well. So again, new stuff, new data sources that we haven't used before.
00:18:54:01 - 00:19:06:04
Olga Rodriguez
So that's going to be quite exciting. And then there's another couple of big partnerships Will announced as well. So new things, a little different, a little new. So we're excited about that as well. But I can't give too much.
00:19:06:08 - 00:19:20:19
Rob Napoli
I was going to say you listed this you better check in and see what's happening because it sounds like it's going to be a big year and you got a lot on your plate. So exciting to see you. You do that. I love that you share kind of, you know, things that make your year a success are growing.
00:19:20:19 - 00:19:43:23
Rob Napoli
The team and what is growth looks like. I think growth is okay. It's amazing that there's opportunity for large scale growth is opportunity for these things to happen. And the partnerships and I hope we love partnerships like that. It's easy to talk about partnerships. It's different to be a true partner. And I think the embedded type of things and we can really align together with key partners and do really cool things, make a big difference.
00:19:44:00 - 00:19:51:10
Rob Napoli
I'm excited to see and I know that you talk about the partnership that's already Cloud Basin. An IDeaS is you have a big party tonight.
00:19:51:12 - 00:19:53:05
Olga Rodriguez
Massive party tonight, Yes.
00:19:53:05 - 00:19:54:16
Rob Napoli
Yeah, I'm looking forward to that.
00:19:54:18 - 00:20:04:04
Olga Rodriguez
It's 9 p.m right is we grab the DJ is very famous I've been told I didn't know that so it'll be a lot of dancing.
00:20:04:06 - 00:20:30:18
Rob Napoli
Okay. So will definitely make sure that the listeners know how that goes. Yeah other day. But I'm excited for the party tonight. ITB you've been here for seven years. Being a trade show is is obviously a big industry. When you go to a trade show, what is like what how do you prepare for it and why is it so important to be at an event like ITB and to be in the ecosystem at events?
00:20:30:20 - 00:20:58:10
Olga Rodriguez
So the way I mean, I prepare, I lined up all my meetings ahead of time. That's really what I do. But we also look at what can we do at the trade show. And we've done that for the last few years. That continues the conversation. Yeah, so we've done some fireside chats. Yes. So then today, and that's a way to engage with our partners, discuss about trends which share some information with people there.
00:20:58:10 - 00:21:17:22
Olga Rodriguez
ITB or they can not make it to ITB. So that's something we've done as well very successfully this year. But for me, it's really there is this everyone here is just everyone and anyone here. So I think face to face conversations, sometimes it takes an eye on the phone and it will take 10 minutes on a face to face.
00:21:17:22 - 00:21:36:11
Olga Rodriguez
So the it's fast, it's exciting. But really, most of the key people are here that we I want to talk to you. I want to work with. We develop relationships and meeting them. He is really critical and he just continues to foster good relationships and deepens the relationships that we because we don't really see before we travel. I mean, we work globally.
00:21:36:13 - 00:21:43:18
Olga Rodriguez
We travel with companies all over the world and having one place where we can at least once a year meet is really fascinating and critical.
00:21:43:21 - 00:21:59:02
Rob Napoli
And nothing beats that. The energy of being in a room with somebody across the table over a microphone, they talk about ahead of time. But we set this up literally yesterday afternoon and here we are the next day almost to the T recording an episode again.
00:21:59:02 - 00:22:00:10
Olga Rodriguez
So you can do that if you weren’t in ITB
00:22:00:11 - 00:22:02:00
Rob Napoli
No
00:22:02:02 - 00:22:02:22
Olga Rodriguez
It is fast. You know.
00:22:02:23 - 00:22:19:22
Rob Napoli
You can try to set it up and whatever. But so that moment, it's the fact that it just happens naturally. That's the best conversations. And, you know, just walking into it with an open mind and open heart suggest, let's talk about what makes us excited and that's that to me is what these events are all about.
00:22:19:22 - 00:22:36:02
Rob Napoli
So Olga I appreciate having you on. I always like to ask that of a random question. So we're in hospitality, We travel a lot. We get to travel for events like you have a very key travel story, whether good or bad, that sticks out in your mind. Our favorite travel story.
00:22:36:04 - 00:22:57:15
Olga Rodriguez
So I'm going to talk. Yeah, I'm going to tell the story that time to tell. It's a good one. And it's so aligns with what we were talking about earlier, about really the guests and making the the journey of our guests extraordinary. So I was traveling in Japan, that was probably 2009. I was traveling in Japan and we had gone with a friend of mine who's Japanese.
00:22:57:15 - 00:23:20:23
Olga Rodriguez
We were in this beautiful island in the south of Japan that was inspiration for a movie called The Princess Mononoke from a designer called Miyazaki. So that was inspiration. Beautiful, beautiful island of green trees, a thousand years old. It was fantastic. And the moment that we were about to leave, right, we had we were staying in the bnb completely Japanese.
00:23:21:00 - 00:23:42:01
Olga Rodriguez
We had someone that came and was actually the owner of the BNB was picking us up and driving us to the airport right owner of the BNB. And on the way to the airport he decided that he was actually going to have a stop by a very spiritual place, which is where all people that are celebrating their ancestors go.
00:23:42:02 - 00:24:05:05
Olga Rodriguez
So it's really hidden. It was in the forest. It was very magical place you would not find if you are not brought by someone with a local person. Right There was like fascinating. And as we're doing this, I'm looking at my clock and I'm like, But we have a plane to catch and it looks like it's going to be in 30 minutes and we're still at the place, right?
00:24:05:05 - 00:24:24:13
Olga Rodriguez
This beautiful, magical place. But I'm looking at the clock a little stressed that we have 30 minutes before the plane is meant to depart. So we finally takes the car and we finally get to the airport. And I'm panicking right now. This is the doors are going to close. We arrive and it was a very small, small airport.
00:24:24:15 - 00:24:50:10
Olga Rodriguez
We arrived there and I saw the flight. I don't know what the flight attendants, but the people managing, obviously, the airport came to us, knew exactly who we were, grabbed our luggage and said, no worries, go over there. You can just go through the waiting room before your plane departs. They took a our luggage. They did all the check in.
00:24:50:13 - 00:25:08:23
Olga Rodriguez
We don't have to do anything. We just went into the room and then on the plane. And that's the best experience about meeting you where you are, right? Like no questions asked. Just you need this. We will do it for you. Do not worry. You can get on your plane. And that was back to what we're talking about, right?
00:25:09:04 - 00:25:14:17
Olga Rodriguez
Making the gas feel so welcome and so special. That's one of the best expensive ever had.
00:25:14:19 - 00:25:28:14
Rob Napoli
That's a great story and a great way to end. So I love that. I appreciate that. I mean, Japan's on my bucket list, so I might have to hit you up on some Japan tips. Olga how do if people want to get in touch with you, how do they find you? Where can they connect with you on?
00:25:28:16 - 00:25:33:23
Olga Rodriguez
They can continue on LinkedIn more LinkedIn, Olga Rodriguez. And that's the best way to connect with me.
00:25:34:01 - 00:25:48:10
Rob Napoli
Excellent. Well, I'll make sure to put your LinkedIn link in the show notes. So if you want to talk to Olga just grab the link connect with her and she's amazing. Well, Olga I appreciate you so much. Far out of nowhere, jumping in and sit down with me today. It is much appreciated.
00:25:48:10 - 00:25:51:15
Olga Rodriguez
I love it. This was a great, great conversation. Thank you.
00:25:51:16 - 00:26:03:05
Rob Napoli
You bet. And to all those out there that is this episode of hospitable if you like this episode like it, give it a thumbs up, give review. We appreciate you so next time stay well.