ABOUT THIS EPISODE
We lost industry icon Kirk Kinsell this past week, and I wanted to re-share this 2024 conversation because it captures who he was and what he meant to many of us: a generous leader, a calm force in the room, and one of the people who helped shape the way this industry thinks about leadership and relationships. In this episode of Icons and Experts with my co-host Doug Artusio from the Extended Stay Lodging Association. Kirk doesn't do chest-thumping. He does substance. 🤝 Kirk talks about relationships the way the best leaders do: build them, invest in them, keep them for decades 🏨 He calls hospitality a team sport—from the hotel level to corporate to the industry level 👥 He makes "develop your talent" the job, not a slogan 👨👩👧 He tells the Mike Levin story that says everything about his priorities: family first, integrity always 🎁 He gives one of the most useful leadership lines in the business: "Feedback is a gift," and he explains how to take it without getting defensive 🌎 He reflects on extended stay's early days and how the category grew from white space into a core part of the business 🧭 He closes with advice for younger professionals: widen your view of the industry, try different lanes, and find the work that fits you Want the weekly roundup of news, videos, and what you might've missed from hashtag#NoVacancyNews? Text HOTEL to 66866.
