As we close out the year, this special episode of Check-In with Bryan is a moment to pause, reflect, and say thank you.

This episode is a curated recap of some of the most impactful moments, insights, and ideas shared on the podcast throughout 2025 — a year filled with thoughtful conversations around leadership, growth, brand, culture, and the evolving business of hospitality.

First and foremost, we want to extend a sincere thank you to everyone who has listened, shared episodes, reached out, and stayed with us throughout the year. Whether you’ve been with us since the beginning or discovered the show somewhere along the way, your support is what allows these conversations to continue.

Throughout this recap, you’ll hear highlights from conversations with industry leaders including Scott Clary, Sarah Dandashy, Scott Eddy, Jenn Parks, Tom Busch, Ryan Rivett, and Ryan Bodine — each offering unique perspectives on what it takes to build meaningful, resilient, and forward-thinking hospitality brands.

Whether you’re heading into the new year looking for inspiration, clarity, validation, or simply a reminder of why this industry is so special, this episode is designed to carry you into 2026 with intention and momentum.

We’re incredibly excited to continue bringing you thoughtful conversations, real-world insights, and diverse voices from across hospitality in the year ahead. Thank you for being part of this journey — and here’s to what’s next.

#HospitalityLeadership
#HotelIndustry
#HospitalityPodcast
#HospitalityProfessionals
#HotelDevelopment

This week on Checkout Fridays, Bryan and Tyler keep it unfiltered.

From a 47-minute drive-thru nightmare at a fast-casual restaurant to firsthand stories of bad management, burnout, and leadership failures, this episode turns into an honest, sometimes hilarious, and very real conversation about what happens when people at the top stop supporting their teams.

Along the way, they dive into:

• Why poor leadership destroys employee morale
• Real hospitality war stories from restaurants and hotels
• End-of-year exhaustion and holiday stress
• Why empathy still matters in service businesses
• And how not to run a restaurant (or any operation)

It’s a laid-back Friday conversation with real lessons for operators, managers, and anyone who’s ever worked in hospitality — especially heading into the holidays.

🎧 Subscribe for weekly hospitality insights

💬 Drop a comment with your own service-industry horror story

📆 New episodes every Tuesday + Friday

#Hospitality

#Leadership

#Management

#RestaurantLife

#CheckoutFridays

Hotel development isn’t just about picking a brand. It’s about relationships, market truth, and knowing when to say no.

In this episode of Check-In with Bryan, Bryan Fish sits down with Tom Busch, a seasoned hotel development executive with decades of experience across major hospitality brands. Tom shares an unfiltered look at how hotel deals really get done—from franchise selection and site viability to owner expectations, lender confidence, and navigating economic cycles.

This conversation goes deep into the realities behind hotel development decisions and why long-term success depends on honesty, experience, and trust.

In this episode, we cover:

• How relationships drive hotel development more than brand names
• Why not every project should move forward—and who needs to say it
• The role brands play in financing, risk reduction, and performance
• Market cycles, overbuilding vs. “under-demolishing,” and timing projects right
• Why owners, guests, and brands often want different things
• The real cost of bad assumptions in hotel design, location, and positioning

If you’re a hotel owner, developer, operator, or investor—or considering entering hospitality—this episode offers a grounded, real-world perspective you won’t hear in a pitch deck.

Subscribe for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of hospitality, travel, and real estate.

#HospitalityLeadership #HotelDevelopment #HospitalityIndustry #HotelInvestment #CheckInWithBryan