#279: Increasing Hotel Profitability: Inside Asset Management | with Carmen Almos

About this episode

David and Steve discuss hotel profitability and asset management with Carmen Almos, exploring her journey and insights into the hospitality industry.

In this episode, David and Steve sit down with Carmen Almos, Founder & CEO of Ashburton Hospitality, for a powerful conversation about resilience, entrepreneurship, and the evolving world of hotel ownership and asset management. Carmen shares her remarkable journey—from growing up in South Africa and moving to Tennessee as a teenager, to discovering her passion for hospitality through her family's motel business. She opens up about lessons learned from navigating cultural transitions, surviving the 2008 financial crisis, and finding her way from finance and law aspirations into hotel ownership and asset management. The conversation dives into: What hotel asset managers actually do—and why ownership is one of hospitality’s most influential seats Why should hotels use creative strategies to drive revenue and improve guest experiences? The growing tension between hotel owners, operators, and brands How AI’s impact on hotel operations and the future of hospitality Plus, Carmen shares stories about her family's American dream, her father’s motel turnaround strategy, and why she believes self-advocacy is essential for success. Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube…

People in this episode

Hosts: David Millili, Steve Carran

Guest: Carmen Almos

Topics covered

• hotel profitability
• asset management
• entrepreneurship
• hospitality
• AI in hospitality
• cultural transitions

Keywords

• hotel ownership
• revenue strategies
• guest experiences
• financial crisis
• self-advocacy
• hospitality industry

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Ashburton Hospitality

Places: South Africa, Tennessee

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