Host Steve Turk welcomes Sean McCarron, General Manager of Conrad Orlando at Evermore, to discuss Sean’s path through luxury hospitality and what it takes to lead and open award-winning resorts. Sean shares how he entered hospitality through a Ritz-Carlton management trainee program at Pentagon City (placed as a bartender), discovered hotel school in Switzerland after soul-searching in college, and committed his career to luxury service.

He explains his passion for food and beverage, his moves across cities and cultures, and his transition from Ritz-Carlton to Four Seasons via a recruited lateral move that led to 16 years with Four Seasons, multiple hotel openings, and progression into hotel management. Sean describes opening Four Seasons Baltimore as his first hotel manager role and later moving to Las Vegas, then leaving Four Seasons to become GM of Waldorf Astoria Orlando with Hilton, where he focused on training teams in luxury, building a people culture, improving service and guest loyalty, and achieving Forbes Four Star for the resort.

He details joining Conrad Orlando nearly 19 months pre-opening as the first employee, leading the opening within the broader Evermore Orlando Resort featuring a 17-million-gallon, eight-acre freshwater lagoon, beach areas, vacation rentals, golf courses, and a spa, and emphasizes leadership through daily walkthroughs, balanced meetings, guest and team engagement, and the principle of “inspect what you expect.”

Sean discusses Hilton’s focus on technology and AI to make team members’ jobs easier and free up time for guest relationships, how the resort differentiates itself as a destination beyond theme parks, and recent recognitions including AAA Five Diamond (2025), Forbes Four Star for the hotel and resort, Forbes Four Star for the spa, and a Top 20 ranking in Spas of America’s Top 100 for the second year in a row. He closes with career advice: excel in your current role while acting for the job you want, continually ask what could be done differently or better, and never forget to give back through mentoring and development.

00:00 Welcome to The Hospitality Mentor Podcast

00:33 Sponsor Break: Lodgify All-in-One for Hospitality

01:38 Meet Sean McCarran, GM of Conrad Orlando

01:56 First Hospitality Job: Ritz-Carlton Trainee to Bartender

02:27 Finding Hospitality: Hotel School in Switzerland & Love for Luxury

04:16 Why Food & Beverage: A Lifelong Passion for Cuisine

05:07 Moving Cities & Building a Luxury Career (Ritz-Carlton Years)

06:15 Switching Brands: Recruited to Four Seasons + 16-Year Run

07:55 From F&B to Hotel Leadership: Mentors, Openings & Becoming a GM

12:21 Vegas Chapter: Hospitality Epicenter & Celebrity Chef Scene

14:40 Leaving Four Seasons: Waldorf Astoria Orlando GM & Hilton Luxury

18:45 Waldorf Highlights: Culture, Team Growth & Forbes 4-Star Win

20:28 Building Conrad Orlando: Pre-Opening, Evermore Lagoon & Mega-Resort Vision

24:55 Leadership Playbook: ‘Inspect What You Expect’ + Daily Walks & Meetings

27:56 Tech, AI & the Future of Hospitality Teams

30:17 Standing Out in Orlando: Owning the ‘Off Day’ as a Destination Resort

32:41 Big Accolades: AAA Five Diamond + Forbes Four Star (Hotel & Spa)

35:21 What’s Next: Maturing the Resort & Raising the Bar

37:04 Advice to Young Sean: Act for the Job You Want & Keep Giving Back

39:34 Wrap-Up, Share the Episode + Sponsor: Biscayne Coffee

In this exciting episode of The Hospitality Mentor Podcast, host Steve Turk sits down with Alexander Kandalaft, the General Manager of the Intercontinental Seattle Bellevue. Discover how this all-in-one platform, Lodgify, can help short-term rental hosts and hospitality operators stay organized.

Alexander shares his journey in the hospitality industry, from his early days as a PBX operator at Boston University to managing luxury hotels in Singapore and the US. Learn about the unique offerings at the Intercontinental Seattle Bellevue, including their high-end culinary experiences and the innovative Saks Fifth Avenue personal shopping suite.

Don't miss out on Alexander's insights on building trust with your team, navigating international hospitality landscapes, and staying ahead in the competitive world of luxury hotels.

Make sure to check out this episodes sponsor Lodgify and for 20% off use code THM20

00:00 Introduction to Lodgify: The Ultimate Hospitality Management Tool

01:00 Welcome to The Hospitality Mentor Podcast

01:47 Alexander Kala's Journey in Hospitality

03:18 From Student to General Manager: Early Career Insights

05:30 Climbing the Ranks: From Stewarding to Management

09:23 International Moves and Leadership Lessons

13:09 Experiencing Singapore: Professional and Personal Growth

17:15 Navigating COVID-19: Challenges and Adaptations

20:52 Housekeeping Team's Return Post-COVID

21:51 Task Force Assignments in New York

23:53 Moving to Seattle Bellevue

25:24 Becoming a General Manager

30:03 Unique Offerings at the Bellevue Property

34:11 Balancing Hotel Guests and Residents

36:39 Intercontinental's Global Reputation

38:06 Excitement for the Upcoming Year

39:37 Advice for Aspiring Hoteliers

Join our host Steve Turk as we explore the dynamic and inspiring career journey of Deniz Dorbek, the founder of the Regulus Collective, in this episode of The Hospitality Mentor Podcast. Starting from her first job as a front desk agent in Istanbul, Deniz narrates her ascent through various roles in the hospitality industry across multiple countries.

Deniz shares her insights on revenue management, the importance of mentorship, coping with global crises, and her exciting new venture in hospitality technology and lifestyle branding.

Don't miss her incredible stories and invaluable advice for anyone in the luxury hospitality sector.

Special thanks to our sponsor, Lodgify, for supporting this episode. Use code THM20 for a 20% discount on all Lodgify yearly and bi-yearly plans!

01:08 Welcome to The Hospitality Mentor Podcast

01:18 Meet Denise Dobe: Founder of The Regulus Collective

02:27 Denise's Journey Begins: From Istanbul to Edinburgh

05:21 Exploring Revenue Management and Global Opportunities

07:13 Challenges and Growth in Thailand and Dubai

18:18 Navigating Crisis and Leadership in Jordan

20:49 Homecoming: Leading in Istanbul

23:36 A Warm Welcome Back Home

24:11 Golden Era of Turkish Hospitality

24:46 Transition to London and Wyndham Hotels

25:50 Building a Commercial Engine from Scratch

28:00 Promotion to Vice President

28:46 Navigating the COVID-19 Crisis

34:35 Stepping into Operations with Hyatt

39:22 Becoming a CEO in Hospitality Tech

40:50 Founding Regulus and Future Plans 44:53 Advice to Young Professionals