About this episode

Jelani Millard discusses the realities of travel media and the hospitality industry.

Jelani Millard is the founder of the Wapechi Collection, a travel-focused investment platform blending hospitality, real estate, and emerging tech ventures. With roots in finance, he's carved a unique lane exploring how travel really works—from boutique hotels in Ghana to "Pay Me in Plane Tickets." Susan and Jelani talk about unpacking travel's hidden truths through stories, systems, and sacrifices. What You'll Learn: How a Ghana hotel project turned into a community-powered success story What travel influencers aren't telling you about their lifestyles Why building a media brand takes patience before profit What separates forgettable content from truly resonant storytelling Why facts—not fluff—win in modern media How involving your audience sharpens your voice and vision Why travel media is shifting from "pretty pictures" to deeper truths Why hospitality storytelling needs more transparency and less gloss *** Our Top Three Takeaways 1. The "travel influencer dream" is far less glamorous than it looks. Behind the curated images is a reality defined by hustle, financial instability, and trade-offs. Many creators are making conscious sacrifices—like forgoing traditional milestones…

People in this episode

Host: Susan Barry

Guest: Jelani Millard

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Wapechi Collection

Places: Ghana

More episodes of Top Floor

• 240 | Strange Bedfellows 🐒 · April 21, 2026 · 35 min
• 239 | Karma is a B · April 14, 2026 · 28 min
• 238 | Knuckle Sandwich Bride · April 7, 2026 · 39 min
• 237 | Spring Pick-Up Lines · March 31, 2026 · 25 min
• 236 | Godfather of Las Vegas · March 24, 2026 · 26 min
• 235 | Lucky Breakdown · March 17, 2026 · 45 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Top Floor podcast page.