The Luxury Item with Scott Kerr

Scott Kerr speaks to Ben Trodd, CEO of Four Seasons Yachts, a new venture by Four Seasons designed to bring the brand's renowned ultra-luxury hospitality to the high seas. The inaugural vessel, Four Seasons I, officially launched in March. Trodd, a 25+ year veteran of Four Seasons, explains why ultra-luxury yachting is a natural extension of the Four Seasons brand and outlines how ultra-wealthy guests are shifting from overt opulence to intentional, hyper-personalized travel experiences. He also breaks down Four Seasons Yachts' competitive lens, how he preserves Four Seasons’ brand integrity while operating at sea, and using deep guests insights to anticipate preferences and design itineraries. Plus: Trodd unpacks the economics and KPIs behind the Four Seasons Yachts asset-light modelFeaturing: Ben Trodd, CEO of Four Seasons Yachts (fourseasonsyachts.com)Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone ConsultingAbout: The Luxury Item is the leading podcast on the business of luxury, and an important resource for global industry decision makers who want to stay one step ahead. Listen to insightful conversations with leaders of the world's most influential luxury brands as they share the latest trends, insights, and strategies that are helping them forge a strong path forward.Let me know what you think of the show. Email me at scott@silvertoneconsulting.comListen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!

Scott Kerr sits down with Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos, one of the most influential figures in luxury real estate and hospitality. Dayssi is co-founder, president, and COO of Flag Luxury Group, a prominent New York-based hospitality real estate development firm specializing in luxury hotels and residences, known for projects like The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad and others. Dayssi discusses the firm's longtime development partnership with The Ritz‑Carlton brand, what goes into studying customer lifestyle patterns when developing a luxury hotel or residence, and how Flag Luxury thinks about building for the next generation of luxury guests. She also talks about the surging demand for hospitality-led branded residences and creating brand narratives around each luxury development. Plus: Why Daysii and her daughter launched the Women’s Power Series leadership and networking platform for women.Featuring: Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos, Co-Founder, President, and COO of Flag Luxury Group (flagluxury.com)Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone ConsultingAbout: The Luxury Item is the leading podcast on the business of luxury, and an important resource for global industry decision makers who want to stay one step ahead. Listen to insightful conversations with leaders of the world's most influential luxury brands as they share the latest trends, insights, and strategies that are helping them forge a strong path forward.Stay Connected: scott@silvertoneconsulting.comListen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!

Scott Kerr sits down with Chris Norton, chief executive of Equinox Hotels, the hospitality brand that promises to give guests the same experience its high-end gyms provide: "the ultimate high-performance luxury lifestyle." Norton, who joined Equinox Hotels as CEO in 2016 after a long tenure at Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, discusses how the hotel is rewriting the playbook of luxury hospitality and guest experience, the challenge of designing a luxury hotel that matches the Equinox ethos, and why health is the new wealth for affluent consumers. He also talks about how Equinox Hotel is embracing the longevity trend and why community is a core pillar of its strategy. Plus: Is AI slop eroding the core signals of luxury?Featuring: Chris Norton, CEO of Equinox Hotels (equinox-hotels.com)Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone ConsultingThe Luxury Item is the leading podcast on the business of luxury, and an important resource for global industry decision makers who want to stay one step ahead. Listen to insightful conversations with leaders of the world's most influential luxury brands as they share the latest trends, insights, and strategies that are helping them forge a strong path forward.Stay Connected: scott@silvertoneconsulting.comListen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!

Scott Kerr is joined by Cliff Robinson, chief executive officer of Revo, the iconic premium eyewear brand renowned for high-performance polarized lenses rooted in NASA technology. Cliff discusses how after being owned by several companies (including Luxottica) since its founding forty years ago, Revo is undergoing a significant revitalization through new collaborations, store openings, and strategic initiatives. He also talks about the challenges of making a heritage brand culturally relevant again, strategies to appeal to younger audiences, why he chose Barcelona, Spain for its first European flagship store, and its exclusive eyewear collaboration with Universal Music Group that begins with The Rolling Stones. Plus: Will Revo be playing in the AI glasses arena anytime soon?Featuring: Cliff Robinson, CEO of Revo (revo.com)Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone ConsultingAbout The Luxury Item podcast: It's a podcast on the business of luxury and the people and companies that are shaping the future of the luxury industry.Stay Connected: scott@silvertoneconsulting.comListen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!

Scott Kerr is joined by Julie Bramham, global managing director of Diageo Luxury Group, a division that unites prestigious ultra-premium spirits brands such as Johnnie Walker, Don Julio, Port Ellen, and others in one portfolio. Julie discusses Diageo's thinking behind the formation of a luxury division, why Johnnie Walker's iconic 'Keep Walking" message and platform stays culturally relevant, growth opportunities in the face of a challenging global drinks market and consumers trading down from expensive products. She also talks about creating custom luxury experiences for HNWIs, a haute couture and fine whisky collaboration, and resurrecting a legendary Scottish 'ghost' distillery. Plus: Why brand storytelling is central to the success of its brands.Featuring: Julie Bramham, Global Managing Director at Diageo Luxury Group (diageo.com)Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone ConsultingAbout The Luxury Item podcast: It's a podcast on the business of luxury and the people and companies that are shaping the future of the luxury industry.Stay Connected: scott@silvertoneconsulting.comListen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!

Fraser Yachts is the world's leading yachting company. Anders Kurtén, CEO of Fraser Yachts joins Scott Kerr to talk about why the luxury superyacht market is experiencing continued growth, the strong and sustained appetite for larger yachts, expectations of the younger generation of superyacht owners, and how the 78-year-old company stays relevant in a highly competitive field. Anders also discusses what's driving the latest yacht design trends, the surge of luxury fashion brands partnering with yacht manufacturers, Fraser's highly regarded business intelligence team, and the measurable steps the company takes to reduce its environmental impact. Plus: How wealthy superyacht buyer are dealing with tariffs.Featuring: Anders Kurtén, CEO of Fraser Yachts (fraseryachts.com)Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone ConsultingAbout The Luxury Item podcast: It's a podcast on the business of luxury and the people and companies that are shaping the future of the luxury industry.Stay Connected: scott@silvertoneconsulting.comListen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!

Scott Kerr sits down with celebrated chef and global restaurateur Richard Sandoval, founder and executive chef of Richard Sandoval Hospitality, a company with over 60 locations across four continents specializing in contemporary Latin cuisine. Richard discusses switching from playing on the professional tennis circuit to enrolling in the Culinary Institute of America, what he learned about hospitality running his father's Mexico City restaurant, and how opening upscale Maya restaurant in New York City in 1997 became the seed of his global empire. He also talks about the rewards of introducing Latin cuisine in unexpected global regions and growing his licensing business with the leading luxury hotel brands. Plus: Richard Sandoval's mission to save the beesFeaturing: Richard Sandoval, Founder and Executive Chef at Richard Sandoval Hospitality (richardsandoval.com)Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone ConsultingAbout The Luxury Item podcast: It's a podcast on the business of luxury and the people and companies that are shaping the future of the luxury industry.Stay Connected: scott@silvertoneconsulting.comListen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!

Scott Kerr sits down with Sam Ioannidis, managing director of The Plaza, New York City's iconic hotel, to discuss how it achieved near-mythical status and what makes it so unique in the world of luxury hospitality. Sam also talks about recently joining The Plaza after a 30 year stint at The Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, how he keeps the 120-year-old hotel relevant and forward thinking, his strategies for creating a winning service culture, and why he's providing more curated experiences to guests than ever before. Plus: How The Plaza's Palm Court became a cultural touchstone of New York City's hospitality, history, and high society..Featuring: Sam Ioannidis, Managing Director of The Plaza Hotel (theplazany.com)Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone ConsultingAbout The Luxury Item podcast: It's a podcast on the business of luxury and the people and companies that are shaping the future of the luxury industry.Stay Connected: scott@silvertoneconsulting.comListen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!