It's Personal Stories, A Hospitality Podcast

07/06/2026

NEW INTERVIEW ALERT!! 🎙️ 🎙️

“Keep trying new things until you have proven to yourself you cannot do it.” Indy Adenaw, Senior VP & General Manager Upscale Brand Division, Choice Hotels International

https://www.itspersonalstories.com/interviews/indy-adneaw

Adenaw’s story, as shared with Dorothy Ann Dowling for It’s Personal Stories, A Hospitality Podcast, reflects leadership shaped by curiosity, adaptability, and a willingness to embrace uncertainty. His experiences demonstrate the value of listening, continuous learning, and seeking understanding before drawing conclusions.

His advice to future leaders is both practical and enduring.

He reminds us that meaningful accomplishments rarely belong to one individual alone. The strongest results come from teams united by purpose, trust, and shared effort. In the end, the power of the team is greater than the power of the individual.

Indy Adenaw, Sr VP & General Manager Upscale Brand Division at Choice Hotels, shares their hospitality journey with Dorothy Dowling on the It's Personal Stories Podcast.

07/02/2026

ICYMI: Thank you to June’s Guest Advisors for sharing your personal stories and insights –

These and other incredible Interviews from leaders are now available at www.ItsPersonalStories.com.

Listen as they share their personal journeys and offer insights to empower your own personal success – thank you to these leaders for continuing to serve the hospitality industry and inspire us all.

Karen Stephens: https://www.itspersonalstories.com/interviews/karen-stephens

Robert Mandelbaum: https://www.itspersonalstories.com/interviews/robert-mandelbaum

Colin Macdonald: https://www.itspersonalstories.com/interviews/colin-macdonald

Thomas Penny III: https://www.itspersonalstories.com/interviews/thomas-penny-iii

Duane Overgaard: https://www.itspersonalstories.com/interviews/duane-overgaard

It's been another great month -- thanks for tuning in! And if you don't Follow Us here on LinkedIn, we hope you will - you don't want to miss any of the great Interviews with our upcoming Guest Advisors!



David Kong Dorothy Ann Dowling Lan Elliott IHG Hotels & Resorts Revinate Donohoe Hospitality Services DerbySoft

06/29/2026

NEW INTERVIEW ALERT!! 🎙️ 🎙️

“Rather than thinking ahead to the next question, or where's this going to lead, or I need to get to that 4 o'clock appointment, be in the moment now, and pay attention to the person that's talking to you because you're going to learn from them more, and you're going to remember their name. And in this industry, boy, remembering the name is so important.” Robert Mandelbaum, Hotel Researcher & Consultant

https://www.itspersonalstories.com/interviews/robert-mandelbaum

Robert’s career, as shared with Lan Elliott for It's Personal Stories, A Hospitality Podcast, shows what happens when passion, self-knowledge, and service converge over time.

He found his niche in hotel data and leaned into it fully building tools that transformed how the industry benchmarks performance.

His advice: Follow what energizes you, surround yourself with people you can learn from, and show up for your network the way you hope they will show up for you. Do that consistently, and the rest tends to take care of itself.

06/22/2026

NEW INTERVIEW ALERT!! 🎙️ 🎙️

“I'm named after my grandfather. I was in my early 20s. My grandfather asked me, what did I have going on? And I thought that he wanted to know more about what I was doing professionally. And he asked the question three different times, and I was trying to answer the question, but to no avail. And then he said, ‘Son, I don't want to know what you're doing. I want to know who you're helping.’ And so I would say that he significantly planted the seed that ultimately success in this life is about what we do for others.” Thomas Penny III, President, Donohoe Hospitality Services

https://www.itspersonalstories.com/interviews/thomas-penny-iii

Thomas shares with Rachel Humphrey for It's Personal Stories, A Hospitality Podcast some of the many leadership lessons he's learned from his nearly 30 years with Donohoe and his path from dishwasher to president.

He discusses his purpose-driven leadership, why representation matters, his commitment to shaping the industry's future, and how AI can be a valuable tool for breaking down traditional barriers to career growth.

Thomas talks about his public speaking journey, what he's optimistic about, what people don't know about him, and why adversity is a gift.

06/15/2026

NEW INTERVIEW ALERT!! 🎙️ 🎙️

“How would you feel if you were a star performer and someone didn’t let you be a star?” Karen Stephens, Chief Marketing Officer, Revinate

https://www.itspersonalstories.com/interviews/karen-stephens

Karen details with Rachel Humphrey for It's Personal Stories, A Hospitality Podcast her journey from French professor to Chief Revenue Officer and Chief Marketing Officer of a hospitality technology company, including many of the leadership lessons she's learned along the way.

Find out how adaptability is a consistent theme for her and why she seeks out team members who can thrive in ambiguity.

Karen discusses wellness, balancing time, the benefits of living internationally, comfort in public speaking, and what aspects of her leadership have evolved the most over time, among other great lessons.

Karen Stephens, Chief Marketing Officer at Revinate, shares their hospitality journey with Rachel Humphrey on the It's Personal Stories Podcast.

06/08/2026

NEW INTERVIEW ALERT!! 🎙🎙

“I think I'm generally very curious. So when you ask something about a topic, I want to go understand it, not just to come back to you, but I want to understand what's going on…A couple of leaders that I've really really trusted and have guided me in this space have just taught me how to care about other people and be accountable, go back to them with results or answers, and I think that's a big part of just being in life, right? Keeping your promises.” Colin Macdonald, Managing Director & SVP, US & Canada Operations, IHG Hotels & Resorts

https://www.itspersonalstories.com/interviews/colin-macdonald

Colin shares with Rachel Humphrey for It's Personal Stories, A Hospitality Podcast how his leadership has evolved over 12 years at IHG and the additional leadership skills he's developed through board service, his own curiosity, and lessons from his support system and mentors.

He discusses using self awareness to overcome self doubt, his strategies for public speaking and building relationships, and the importance of feedback.

Colin talks about wellness, something people don't know about him, and the important impact of knowing everything will turn out okay.

Colin Macdonald, Managing Director & SVP, US & Canada Operations at IHG Hotels & Resorts, shares their hospitality journey with Rachel Humphrey on the It's Personal Stories Podcast.

06/06/2026

Welcome to It's Personal Stories, A Hospitality Podcast Flashback Friday where we highlight a few of our past Interviews during which we’ve shared the incredible journeys of nearly 300 leaders.

ICYMI - check out these four and then head on over to www.ItsPersonalStories.com where you can find all of our Interviews.

Andy Kauffman: https://www.youtube.com/live/0eR-AgL5D2A?si=bgzKf5MAifrTHCg7

Calvin Stovall: https://www.youtube.com/live/dBvJDmuRPJo?si=bDkwxu9W8gXwklke

Laura Smith: https://www.youtube.com/live/LkdibYFD3Tk?si=F7AlO1hlCbqCimTB

Liz Dahlager: https://www.youtube.com/live/M7gNLPiM83A?si=PPMkL2Ixk4h707QT



Marriott International Hertz David Kong Lan Elliott Dorothy Ann Dowling

06/01/2026

“Clarity is a leadership responsibility, be direct so teams can move faster.” Duane Overgaard, Divisional CEO, DerbySoft

Watch Now: https://youtube.com/live/ZcKjt-9xbbI?feature=share

Listen Now: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2111645/episodes/19121397

Duane’s journey reflects leadership grounded in clarity, discipline, and trust.

His story, shared with Dorothy Ann Dowling for It's Personal Stories, A Hospitality Podcast, highlights the importance of combining experience with continuous learning. By staying focused on what matters and translating ideas into action, leaders can navigate complexity.

Duane emphasizes respect, clarity, and practical thinking in every interaction. Through discipline and alignment, teams can move faster and perform better.

Ultimately, his journey shows that effective leadership is both grounded and forward-looking.

Clarity, Discipline, and Global Perspective in Technology LeadershipDuane Overgaard’s leadership journey is grounded in a powerful combination of operational...

05/25/2026

NEW INTERVIEW ALERT!! 🎙️ 🎙️

“When you feel like you're coming from a place that's based on real integrity and you're speaking your truth and you show up as yourself, there's a degree of confidence and stability that comes through that is palpable. People will follow, people will trust… and it builds a culture where people feel safe, they feel seen, they can take risks… and that ultimately drives outcomes.” Chris Hemmeter, Co-founder and Managing Director, Thayer Investment Partners

Watch Now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIQTujwIyj8

Listen Now: https://itspersonalstories.buzzsprout.com/2111645/episodes/19114061-chris-hemmeter-co-founder-md-thayer-investment-partners-interviewed-by-david-kong

Chris shares with David Kong for It's Personal Stories, A Hospitality Podcast three qualities he consistently sees in high potential leaders: Integrity, Persistence, and Progress.

He also discusses why focus can be a defining inflection point, how to avoid getting stuck, and what it really means to be comfortable in your own skin.

If you are working toward something meaningful, you will find this conversation both practical and thought provoking.

Chris Hemmeter, Co-Founder & MD, Thayer Investment Partners, interviewed by David Kong

05/18/2026

NEW INTERVIEW ALERT!! 🎙️ 🎙️

“The temptation for a younger career: it's early, sometimes you want to optimize your growth, and you're ready to go to the next opportunity, and there are many examples of success, but there are a lot more examples of success of people doing it in a systematic, thoughtful methodology as opposed to jumping from location to location…Play the long game.” Aditya Bhoopathy, Managing Principal & Head of Capital Markets, Noble Investment Group

Watch Now: https://youtube.com/live/30Qr8m6l7rY?feature=share

Listen Now: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2111645/episodes/19028629

Adi’s career, as shared with Lan Elliott for It's Personal Stories, A Hospitality Podcast, demonstrates that lasting success comes from deliberate choices, not shortcuts.

He calls us to reinvent ourselves from within, advocate for our value with facts and preparation, and invest in relationships that deepen over time.

His advice to seek honest mentors, people who tell you the truth and challenge your blind spots, is a reminder that growth requires honest counsel. Play the long game because the compounding side of it is very hard to replicate.

Adi’s career demonstrates that lasting success comes from deliberate choices, not shortcuts. He calls us to reinvent ourselves from within, advocate for our ...