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Nathan Kaplan left his family's real estate business to build something closer to the life he wanted to live. That decision led to Grotto Baths, a social bathhouse preparing to open in Miami's Wynwood neighborhood. In this episode of The Hospitality Mentor Podcast, Steve Turk sits down with Nathan to explore how the idea became a business. Nathan shares how CrossFit changed his relationship with wellness and community, why he stepped away from a familiar career, and what it took to find a location, secure financing and bring the right partners together. They also get into the guest experience: sauna rituals, cold plunges, an outdoor café, and the challenge of growing a membership community while protecting access for the people who join. Nathan closes with a reminder for anyone building a business: approach the work with “I get to” instead of “I have to.” What you will learnLeaving a family business to pursue your own directionTurning an interest in wellness and community into a hospitality conceptFinding a Miami location and financing the projectBuilding a team with complementary skillsHow six parking spaces helped shape the café conceptBalancing membership growth with the guest experienceStaying grounded through the pressure of opening Grotto was preparing to open when this conversation was recorded in September 2026. Visit its website for the latest opening and membership updates. Chapters00:00 Meet Nathan Kaplan of Grotto Baths 01:48 How CrossFit sparked a wellness shift 04:05 Growing up in a real estate family 05:09 Leaving the family business and finding support 08:16 How the Grotto Baths idea took shape 11:01 What makes a social bathhouse different 13:25 Finding a Miami location and financing the vision 15:58 Building the hospitality team and guest experience 19:51 Growing Grotto’s founding member community 21:09 Balancing membership growth and the guest experience 22:18 Sauna rituals, cold plunges and the outdoor café 25:06 Nathan’s advice on approaching the work LinksGrotto Baths Nathan Kaplan on LinkedIn Presented by Lodgify. Subscribe to The Hospitality Mentor for conversations with the people building and leading hospitality businesses.

How do you build a luxury resort on an island most travelers have never visited? Michael Tibbetts shares the story behind Salterra in South Caicos and the decisions that made it possible. Michael is the founder and CEO of Salterra, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa. Before committing fully to hospitality, he was an ophthalmologist balancing patient care with responsibility for his family's resorts in the Cayman Islands. In this episode of The Hospitality Mentor Podcast, he joins Steve Turk to discuss what medicine taught him about trust, how he made the decision to change careers and what it took to turn an existing property into a luxury resort with a clear sense of place. We get into: What caring for patients taught Michael about caring for guests and leading teamsWhy outside experience can make you a stronger leader in a family businessHow South Caicos' salt history shaped Salterra's design and guest experienceThe shipping, staffing and access challenges behind a small-island resortWhy he chose Marriott's Luxury Collection for SalterraWhy a major hotel affiliation still requires personal sales and relationship workThe human skills Michael believes future hospitality leaders should develop Explore Salterra: https://www.salterra.com/ Presented by Lodgify. Use promo code THM60 for the show's Lodgify offer. See Lodgify for current terms and eligible plans: https://www.lodgify.com/ Subscribe to The Hospitality Mentor for conversations with the people building, operating and leading hospitality businesses. 00:00 Welcome and Lodgify 00:44 Meet Michael Tibbetts 02:33 A first job on the landscaping crew 03:16 His family's Cayman Islands resort legacy 04:51 Choosing a career in medicine 07:10 What patient care taught him about hospitality 10:22 How to handle difficult conversations 13:02 Choosing between medicine and the family business 17:01 Finding the South Caicos opportunity 21:28 Rethinking the project during COVID 23:19 The story behind Salterra's design 27:35 Partners, construction and island logistics 29:00 Making South Caicos easier to reach 31:28 Staff housing and a global team 33:12 Why join Marriott's Luxury Collection? 34:50 Why the owner still has to build relationships 37:34 Gelato, family and the moments guests remember 39:04 Michael's vision for Salterra's next chapter 41:07 Advice for future hospitality leaders

Host Steve Turk interviews Melissa Blettner, CEO of Boyd Hollow Resorts and Ancient Lore Village in Knoxville, Tennessee. Melissa explains founder Tom Boyd’s book inspired mission to create a fantasy village where only good exists and guests leave happier, kinder, and friendlier. She shares her hospitality start from an XL Inn front desk job to studying hospitality management, advancing through roles in front office, sales, and leadership, and spending 20 years at Great Wolf Lodge building brand culture, openings, and a large call center with strong standards. After Great Wolf’s culture shifted following Blackstone’s acquisition and a corporate move to Chicago, she consulted before joining Boyd Hollow. Ancient Lore Village offers 14 themed dwellings on 67 acres, day passes, dining, axe throwing, archery, events, retreats, and weddings, and is expanding with Boki’s Trek Experience and an Ancient Lore Wellbeing Retreat. 00:00 Show Kickoff 00:31 Sponsor Lodgify 01:34 Meet Melissa 02:23 Ancient Lore Origin 04:03 First Hospitality Job 06:08 Breaking Into Hotels 07:51 Career Steps Forward 10:18 Great Wolf Breakthrough 12:44 Growing at Great Wolf 16:13 Call Center Culture 17:41 Brand Building Playbook 21:19 Leaving After 20 Years 22:12 From Mars To Buyout 22:49 Dream Big Consulting Reality 24:24 Finding Boyne Hollow 26:19 What Ancient Lore Offers 28:23 Managing Crowds And Groups 30:39 Small Resort Big Opening 32:20 Guests Define The Magic 34:41 Future Attractions And Wellness 36:02 Luxury Not Kitschy Design 40:13 Team Growth And Mentorship 42:10 Advice And Farewell

Host Steve Turk introduces Josef Forstmayr, managing director of Round Hill Hotel and Villas in Jamaica. Forstmayr shares growing up working in his parents’ Austrian farm restaurant, attending hotel school in Salzburg, and arriving in Jamaica in 1979 as a German tutor before quickly becoming an assistant manager and advancing to GM roles, including rebuilding Trident after Hurricane Allen. Hired in 1989 to convert Round Hill from a winter-only operation to a year-round resort, he describes evolving the property into a family- and group-friendly luxury destination guided by “timeless elegance, understated luxury, warm Jamaican heart,” with design input from shareholder Ralph Lauren and tech perspective from Bob Pittman. He emphasizes Jamaica’s authentic luxury, staff legacy across generations, strong community investment and charity work, rapid recovery after Hurricane Melissa, and advises young hoteliers to learn multiple languages to build international careers. 00:00 Welcome to the Podcast 00:31 Sponsor Lodgify Message 01:34 Meet Josef in Jamaica 01:57 First Job and Jamaica Move 04:13 Hurricanes and Career Growth 06:11 Transforming Round Hill Year Round 09:02 Growing Up in Family Restaurant 11:23 Why He Stayed in Jamaica 14:27 Round Hill Owners and Design 19:08 Evolving with Core Values 23:53 Real Jamaica Beyond Cruises 29:52 Community Hikes and Belonging 31:27 Running Long Term with Locals 33:32 Giving Back and Hurricane Recovery 36:33 Future of Authentic Luxury Jamaica 39:27 Advice Learn More Languages 42:04 Wrap Up and Where to Visit

In this “random show” episode of The Hospitality Mentor Podcast, Steve Turk shares a multi-generational Miami Beach staycation at the Marriott Stanton South Beach, highlighting the South of Fifth location, Michelin star-winning The Den inside Azabu, and strong beach service and guest acknowledgment as a key hospitality lesson. He also recommends the Loews Miami Beach Hotel’s Sushi Bar inside Bar Collins, praising Chef Khaleel Ali and the value of standout culinary “hidden gems” in big hotels. The family then takes the Brightline train from Miami to Orlando for a Disney trip, emphasizing assigned seating, onboard amenities, and the productivity and low-stress benefits versus driving. In Orlando, he reviews the Signia by Hilton (connected to Waldorf Astoria) as a strong value with great rooms, pool, restaurants, and fireworks views, noting slower bus transport to the parks, and shares a Disney day tip: book an air-conditioned sit-down meal like the Brown Derby. He announces the launch of staybaya.com for Baya, his upscale resort on a tropical fruit farm in Miami’s Redland area targeting a mid-year opening next summer with a $50 VIP program offering 40% discounts, and he confirms plans for a Hospitality Power Breakfast series, with the first eight-person event hosted at The Moor in the Design District. Thank you to this episode's sponsor, Lodgify. Make sure to use promo code THM60 for 60% off. 00:00 Welcome and Topics 00:39 Sponsor Lodgify 01:25 Miami Beach Staycation 02:37 South Beach Service Lesson 03:54 Loews Sushi Find 05:28 Brightline to Orlando 07:31 Signia Hotel Review 09:41 Disney Dining Tip 11:05 Train Back and Florida Travel 12:08 Baya Resort Announcement 13:31 Hospitality Power Breakfast 14:14 Wrap Up and Subscribe

In a solo “random show” episode, Steve shares recent travel experiences and hospitality takeaways. He recaps six weeks of travel from HITEC in San Antonio to San Francisco with the Baya team, a visit to One Thread Farm, scouting land in Desert Hot Springs, and a last-minute trip to St. John in the US Virgin Islands, noting “island time” and the national-park beaches. A highlight is chartering to Jost Van Dyke to swim ashore to the Soggy Dollar Bar, home of the original Painkiller, and lessons on memorable arrival, history, and premium branding. He previews upcoming stays at Marriott Stanton Miami Beach and a family trip to Disney via Brightline, discussing hotel and Disney upsells and reducing purchase friction. He announces a new Hospitality Power Breakfast launching next month at The Moore in Miami, and gives a Baya Miami update, including site work, a 2027 opening plan, and an upcoming website launch. This episode is brought to you by Lodgify with code THM60 for 60% off yearly products 00:00 Solo Random Show 00:25 Sponsor Lodgify 01:36 Travel Whirlwind Recap 02:34 Island Time St John 03:24 Soggy Dollar Adventure 04:33 Painkiller And Vibes 07:06 Lessons And Branding 08:07 Miami Beach Birthday Stay 09:01 Brightline To Disney 10:14 Upsells And Disney Planning 12:05 Hospitality Power Breakfast 13:32 Launching At The Moore 14:47 Topics And Third Places 15:44 Baya Miami Update 16:17 Wrap Up And Farewell

Host Steve Turk interviews Mario Del Duca, Managing Director of Nuba, a 30+ year-old luxury travel company focused on high end outbound leisure that expanded into the Americas via acquisitions in Mexico and Miami. Mario oversees the Americas and says the business has nearly tripled under his leadership. Mario shares his nontraditional path from banking in London/New York to an MBA at IE in Madrid, entrepreneurship in Mexico, and a year and a half of world travel that led to social media driven hotel partnerships and eventually becoming an independent travel consultant before Nuba acquired his agency. They discuss serving high and ultra-high net worth clients, the importance of client profiling and problem solving, using technology and AI to enhance (not replace) advisors, growth plans across Latin America, and travel trends like Japan and slower, secondary destination travel. The Hospitality Mentor Podcast is sponsored by Lodgify (60% off yearly/bi-yearly plans with code THM60) 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:31 Sponsor Lodgify 01:34 Meet Mario Del Duca 01:53 What Is Nuba 03:31 From Banking To Travel 07:22 Quitting Banking For MBA 10:54 Entrepreneur Roots 12:02 Moving To Mexico 13:03 Remote Work World Travel 17:44 From Influencer To Advisor 20:50 Luxury Advisor Reality Check 22:31 Owning Client Problems 23:51 Perks and Lifestyle 24:48 Remote Discipline 26:25 Nuba Client Profile 29:51 Designing Bespoke Trips 32:38 AI Versus Human Touch 37:18 Growth and Hiring Advisors 40:48 Hot Destinations Trends 44:37 Career Advice Closing

Host Steve Turk interviews Nikheel Advani , co-founder and COO of Grace Bay Resorts, who shares how he entered hospitality at 16 after his father pushed him to work, leading to dishwashing, banqueting, and founding a small events company in Singapore. He trained at UMass Amherst, worked in restaurants and hotels, joined a Pizza Uno turnaround team, then spent years with Ritz-Carlton opening multiple properties and emphasizing mentorship. He became hotel manager at Singapore’s Raffles, helped elevate its global ranking, then moved to Turks and Caicos to build a hotel into Grace Bay Resorts, focusing on training, local talent, service excellence, food and beverage, airlift, and a luxury branded-residence model that funds development and gives owners hotel access and rental income. It's an amazing episode with fantastic stories and pieces of advice that you should listen to today. A big thank you to our sponsor, Lodgify. Make sure to use promo code THM60 when you sign up at Lodgify 00:00 Sponsor Lodgify 01:07 Meet Nikheel Advani 01:48 First Hospitality Job 02:08 Dad’s Tough Lesson 03:21 Starting a Company at 16 04:42 Choosing Hotel School 07:18 UMass and Working Through School 08:42 Pizza Turnaround Years 10:09 Breaking Into Ritz Carlton 11:48 Mentors That Changed Everything 14:42 Leaving for Raffles Singapore 16:24 Running an Iconic Hotel 17:28 Profit Meets Guest Experience 18:35 Leap to Turks and Caicos 20:57 Caribbean Service Reset 21:55 Risk and Ownership Leap 22:55 Partners and Fast Decisions 23:56 Awards and Signature Wins 25:43 Building Local Talent 28:29 Selling a New Destination 31:46 Airlift and Island Strategy 34:08 Next Projects Pipeline 36:06 Branded Residences Model 38:59 Advice and Farewell

Live from HITEC in San Antonio, the Steve Turk and Sarah Dandashy recap the inaugural Hospitality Creator Summit, created by Anna Blue and Anthony Melchiorri, which drew 200+ attendees for a full day of networking and creator-focused education. Sara shares first impressions of the high-energy event, meeting online peers in person, and the supportive, low-ego atmosphere. A panel on “behind the brand deal” featured Margaritaville and My Place Hotels discussing how brands choose creators, partnership paths from in-kind to paid, and the challenge of tracking bookings driven by content, including working with small-audience creators for fit and aesthetic. They note sessions on newsletters and podcasting milestones, HITEC’s creator booth with interview and green-screen setups, and floor trends like better booth experiences, fewer AI buzzwords but more specific integrations, data consolidation, and room automation savings, plus a push for brands to create personality-driven, value-first content. A big shout out to our sponsor Lodgify! Starting June 17th to June 30th, use promo code THM60 for 60% off 00:00 Live From HITEC 00:21 Sponsor Shoutout - Lodgify 00:58 Creator Summit Recap 02:55 Brand Deals Panel 05:09 Creator Growth Tips 05:50 Meet Tyler Behind Scenes 06:37 Content Booth Setup 07:31 HITEC Floor Highlights 08:27 Tech Trends And AI 09:57 Venue Vibes San Antonio 10:16 Creators Take Over 10:57 Booth Snacks and Vibes 11:24 Why Brands Need Content 12:55 Make Value Not Ads 14:19 One Post Big Impact 16:05 HCS First Day Energy 17:54 After Party and Wrap

Host Steve Turk interviews Milan Mijatovic, founder of SILA Miami. Milan explains SILA as a social wellness club in Upper Buena Vista featuring longevity services (float tank, hyperbaric oxygen, lymphatic suit, red light therapy, bioscan/bodywork), outdoor classes (yoga, Pilates, functional strength, kettlebells), and contrast therapy (cold plunges and a 14-person sauna). He recounts starting in hospitality as a dishwasher at Atlanta’s Dante’s Down the Hatch, moving to Chicago to become a bartender and competition mixologist, then relocating to Miami where he worked at the Versace Mansion reopening, Regent Cocktail Bar alongside Julio Cabrera, and as a cachaça brand ambassador. After nightlife management at Rockwell and reflecting on industry excesses, a trucking-business detour, and a renewed focus on recovery and nature, he launched SILA without a formal business plan, emphasizing community support, systems, and a goal of a second location and future beach flagship. 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:31 Sponsor Lodgify 01:34 Meet Milan 02:48 What Is Sila 04:13 Steve Joins Sila 05:17 First Hospitality Job 09:52 Chicago Hustle 12:13 Cocktail Roots 14:18 Mixology Rise 15:31 Miami Calling 17:31 Cuba Turning Point 20:58 Versace And Regent 22:32 Brand Ambassador Era 23:48 Nightlife Management 26:43 Surviving The Scene 28:59 Wellness Seeds 30:11 COVID Pivot to Trucking 31:34 Owning the Leap 33:17 Back to Nightlife Again 34:31 Wellness Aha Moment 35:35 Cold Plunge Origins 38:11 Third Shot at Business 40:25 CELA Vision and Nature 42:37 Finding the Perfect Space 46:08 Building Sila Community 50:08 Next 12 Months Vision 51:57 Trust the Journey 52:59 Closing and Sponsor

Host Steve Turk welcomes Larry Korman, co-CEO of Korman Communities and president of AKA Hotel Residences, to discuss his lifelong path in hospitality and residential real estate, from childhood work in the family business to leading a five-generation legacy. Korman explains how his father’s pie-shaped Philadelphia apartments sparked the furnished-apartment concept, later branded as Korman Suites, and how Larry and his brother built Korman Communities and evolved the model into luxury hotel residences under AKA, now spanning 16 properties over 22 years. He shares formative training in England, insights from Japanese hospitality, and a leadership philosophy centered on earning respect by doing frontline work, supporting teams and staying on property. Korman details AKA’s partnership with Airbnb that helped shape Airbnb Luxe, a strategy of optimizing cash flow, and plans to repurpose iconic hotels, expand in Florida, and grow globally with a strong health and wellness focus. 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:31 Sponsor Lodgify 01:34 Meet Larry Korman 02:03 Early Hospitality Roots 02:57 Five Generation Legacy 04:11 Birth of Furnished Stays 04:51 Branding Korman Suites 07:03 Design Passion Duke Days 08:17 Old School Training 09:28 Japan Hospitality Lessons 12:27 Earning Team Respect 15:21 COVID Leadership Onsite 16:29 Synergy And Marketing 20:31 Why Residences Win 23:14 Airbnb Luxe Partnership 27:07 Scaling AKA And Ave 30:03 Collaboration Culture 30:49 Leading Without Dashboards 31:28 On Site Hospitality 32:29 Home Away From Home 33:36 Brother Partnership Split 35:28 Growth Through Repurposing 38:34 Miami Florida Expansion 40:01 Global Wellness Vision 43:08 Hospitality Role Models 45:30 Keeping Teams Loyal 49:33 Advice To Younger Self 50:54 Wrap Up Sponsor Biscayne Coffee

Host Steve Turk revisits an archived Hospitality Mentor Podcast episode featuring award-winning chef and restaurateur David Burke, who shares his path from dishwasher at a Sheraton to culinary school, Europe, and major New York kitchens. Burke recounts being mentored by a country club chef named Jose, attending the CIA, traveling through Europe, and working in top French restaurants and pastry school despite language barriers. He describes returning to the U.S. to work with, Daniel Boulud, and Charlie Palmer, then becoming executive chef at The River Café, earning a three-star New York Times review with a notable photo and winning the 1988 Tokyo culinary Olympics. Burke discusses opening and expanding restaurants, learning business under Alan Stillman, fighting for signature dishes like his pork shank, navigating partnerships, mentoring teams, and advising young cooks to stay focused, learn constantly, document, embrace mistakes, and find balance. Thank you to our sponsor Lodgify for this episode. Make sure to try Lodgify with our promo code THM60. 00:00 Welcome to the Podcast 00:33 Sponsor Lodgify Platform 01:35 Chef David Burke Intro 02:19 First Kitchen Job 03:25 Jose Tough Lesson 06:34 Parents and Early Drive 10:14 Culinary School Path 11:21 CIA Mindset and Growth 12:57 Europe Opportunity 16:13 Chefs and Styles Abroad 18:59 Back to New York Rise 21:33 Leading River Cafe 24:48 Finding Personal Style 26:08 Critics and Pressure 27:37 Fearless Creativity Basics 28:23 NYT Three Star Breakthrough 29:21 Chocolate Butterfly Story 30:25 Park Avenue Cafe Deal 31:34 Miami Beach Opening Chaos 33:22 Pork Shank Menu Fight 35:13 First Restaurant Renegades 37:21 Expansion Partner Fallout 38:21 Choosing Business Partners 40:14 How Chef Culture Changed 43:52 Cookbooks Nightlife Pitfalls 45:56 Building Restaurants Today 47:08 Mentoring Creative Chefs 48:13 Advice To Young Dishwasher 50:45 Closing Thanks Sponsor

Host Steve Turk introduces an archived 2022 Hospitality Mentor Podcast episode featuring Raul Leal, then CEO of SH Hotels & Resorts (now CEO of Starwood). Leal recounts starting at Miami’s Everglades Hotel working with his Cuban-immigrant father, setting early goals to become a GM, and progressing through front desk and food-and-beverage roles, including managing a Sheraton with a major nightclub, before becoming a GM in La Jolla and later leading larger Sheraton properties in Denver, Chicago, Cleveland, and Miami. He describes launching and scaling Teton Hospitality and its boutique arm, Desires Hotels, driven by frustration with legacy-brand sameness and belief in internet-driven distribution. Leal shares how meeting Richard Branson led him to build Virgin Hotels from scratch, and why he later joined Starwood/SH Hotels to lead brands including 1 Hotels, Baccarat Hotels, and Treehouse, emphasizing sustainability, better back-of-house spaces, mentorship, clear goals, and kindness in leadership. Try Lodgify with a 60 percent discount on all their yearly and bi-yearly plans with our code THM60 , and that's THM60 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:33 Sponsor Lodgify 01:38 Archive Episode Setup 02:10 First Hospitality Job 04:12 Choosing Hospitality Career 05:18 Learning Without College 05:55 Climbing Into Management 08:21 First GM Move West 09:27 Mentors And GM Life 10:24 Big Hotels Career Ladder 11:59 Entrepreneurial Leap 14:10 Building Boutique Portfolio 15:47 Travel Reality Check 17:40 Why Launch Desires 20:26 First Boutique Wins 21:43 Lifestyle Hotel Edge 23:00 Richard Branson Connection 23:43 Meeting Richard Branson 25:12 Consulting Turns Into Leadership 26:41 Inside Virgin Culture 28:45 Building Virgin Hotels From Scratch 31:00 Choosing The First Property 32:24 Chicago Launch And Expansion 34:20 Leaving Virgin For SH Hotels 36:16 SH Brands And Sustainability 40:31 Growth Plans And Openings 41:28 Reimagining Back Of House 44:04 Advice For Young Leaders 45:46 Closing And Sponsor Message

Host Steve Turk welcomes Elizabeth Mullins, President of Evermore Hospitality, who shares her start as a server at New Hampshire’s Lobster Shack and her first hotel role as a Ritz-Carlton Boston management trainee after earning hospitality and business degrees. Mullins recounts being inspired by a childhood Ritz-Carlton visit, spending 28 years with Ritz-Carlton as it grew from six to 99 hotels, opening multiple properties across Asia, becoming a GM multiple times, and later an area vice president. Recruited to Disney, she led global hotel development, renovations, premium services, and worked through the pandemic including the NBA bubble. She then helped open New York’s Fifth Avenue Hotel as COO/Managing Director, learning independent distribution and culture measurement, before joining Evermore after being approached for her luxury-and-scale expertise. She describes Evermore’s “togetherness” concept, Conrad Orlando anchor, 300+ villas/homes around an 8-acre Crystal Lagoon, extensive amenities, and plans for growth, and closes with career advice on courage, speaking up, integrity, and hospitality as a lifestyle. This episode was brought to you by Lodgify. Use code THM60. 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:33 Sponsor Lodgify 01:38 Meet Elizabeth Mullins 02:00 First Hospitality Jobs 03:17 Ritz Spark at Five 05:44 Ritz Career Growth 09:28 Asia Expat Adventure 17:04 Service Lessons Abroad 18:54 Leaving for Disney 21:07 Disney Hotels Role 23:15 Frictionless Check In 26:14 Independent Hotel Leap 28:36 Independent Hotel Wins 29:17 No SOP Reality Check 30:06 Distribution Lessons 30:54 Agritourism Marketing Advice 32:34 Building Culture Systems 35:25 Evermore Recruitment Story 38:49 Togetherness Travel Concept 42:27 Evermore Scale and Amenities 44:53 Service Model Evolution 46:50 Growth Plans and Year Three 49:23 Advice to Younger Self 53:58 Wrap Up and Sponsor

Host Steve Turk interviews Jessica and Damien Zouaoui, founders of Oakwell Beer Spa in Denver, a social wellness concept combining a craft beer and wine self-pour taproom with four private spa suites featuring infrared saunas, rain showers, and hydrotherapy tubs infused with hops, malt, and herbs, plus optional zero-gravity robotic massage chairs and room-service refills. They share their hospitality backgrounds, leaving corporate jobs in New York City, and traveling to 25 countries to find a scalable U.S. concept after discovering a beer spa in Poland in 2018. They detail market research that led to Denver, funding challenges solved through Denver’s economic development loan program and a nonprofit SBA lender, difficulty securing a lease, and a DIY buildout using auctions during COVID. Oakwell opened February 26, 2021, emphasizing five-star yet non-stuffy service, adding non-alcoholic options, and aiming to franchise within a year. 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:33 Sponsor Lodgify 01:38 Meet Oakwell Founders 02:10 Beer Spa Explained 02:36 Suites And Addons 04:22 First Hospitality Jobs 05:44 Quitting Corporate Life 07:20 World Trip For Ideas 10:18 Discovering Beer Spa 12:34 Why It Clicked 14:49 From Idea To Plan 17:09 Funding And Finding Space 20:29 Landing the Space 20:52 SBA Loan Reality 21:35 From Church to Spa 22:39 DIY Build and Auctions 25:18 Opening Day Playbook 26:58 Michelin Casual Service 29:35 Touchless Spa Model 33:09 Wellness and Moderation 36:15 Franchise Plans Ahead 37:28 Leap of Faith Advice 39:09 Wrap Up and Sponsor