About this episode
Chris Russell discusses his career journey and insights on the hospitality industry with Susan Barry.
Chris Russell is a hospitality executive and CEO of Spire Hospitality, known for building and scaling hotel management companies from the ground up. A Culinary Institute of America graduate who pivoted from the kitchen to operations, he's spent decades shaping teams, launching platforms, and leading growth across the industry. Susan and Chris talk about career choices, company building, and culture shifts. What You'll Learn • How a potato-peeling job sparked a career pivot • Why "builders vs. maintainers" think differently about growth • Why chasing knowledge beats chasing money • How hospitality offers unmatched upward mobility • How tech is reshaping hiring (and what's getting lost) • Why attitude still matters more than experience • How to balance hustle with real work-life boundaries • Why job-hopping too early can stall your growth • How to ask for more without sounding entitled • Why self-promotion is a skill you can't ignore • How success is shifting from hours worked to impact made • Why the future requires both tech skills and human touch *** Our Top Three Takeaways 1. Build for Learning, Not Just Advancement Chris's career wasn't driven by titles or salary bumps, but by…
People in this episode
Host: Susan Barry
Guest: Chris Russell
Topics covered
- hospitality
- career development
- company culture
- growth strategies
- technology in hiring
Keywords
- hospitality
- career choices
- company building
- culture shifts
- upward mobility
- tech skills
- self-promotion
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Spire Hospitality, Culinary Institute of America
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