The Hospitality Mentor

Join me, Steve Turk, on the Hospitality Mentor podcast as we dive into the personal stories of some of the world's best Hospitality Professionals. We follow the journey of their ups, downs and wild turns and find out what it truly takes to make it in the amazing world of hospitality.

The Hospitality Mentor is a business podcast hosted by Steve Turk, with 185 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Steve Turk hosts The Hospitality Mentor, a business show with 185 episodes published.

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  Episode #186

  Why Nathan Kaplan Left Real Estate to Build Grotto Baths

  Sep 30, 202630 min

  Nathan Kaplan left his family's real estate business to build something closer to the life he wanted to live. That decision led to Grotto Baths, a social bathhouse preparing to open in Miami's Wynwood neighborhood. In this episode of The Hospitality Mentor Podcast, Steve Turk sits down with Nathan to explore how the idea became a business. Nathan shares how CrossFit changed his relationship with wellness and community, why he stepped away from a familiar career, and what it took to find a location, secure financing and bring the right partners together. They also get into the guest experience: sauna rituals, cold plunges, an outdoor café, and the challenge of growing a membership community while protecting access for the people who join. Nathan closes with a reminder for anyone building a business: approach the work with “I get to” instead of “I have to.” What you will learn Leaving a family business to pursue your own direction Turning an interest in wellness and community into a hospitality concept Finding a Miami location and financing the project Building a team with complementary skills How six parking spaces helped shape the café concept Balancing membership growth with the guest experience Staying grounded through the pressure of opening Grotto was preparing to open when this conversation was recorded in September 2026. Visit its website for the latest opening and membership updates. Chapters 00:00 Meet Nathan Kaplan of Grotto Baths 01:48 How CrossFit sparked a wellness shift 04:05 Growing up in a real estate family 05:09 Leaving the family business and finding support 08:16 How the Grotto Baths idea took shape 11:01 What makes a social bathhouse different 13:25 Finding a Miami location and financing the vision 15:58 Building the hospitality team and guest experience 19:51 Growing Grotto’s founding member community 21:09 Balancing membership growth and the guest experience 22:18 Sauna rituals, cold plunges and the outdoor café 25:06 Nathan’s advice on approaching the work Links Grotto Baths Nathan Kaplan on LinkedIn Presented by Lodgify . Subscribe to The Hospitality Mentor for conversations with the people building and leading hospitality businesses.

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  Episode #186

  From Bartender to Private Club GM | Giuseppe Castiello at The Moore Miami

  Sep 24, 202652 min

  What does it take to go from working in Italian fruit markets to leading a private members club in Miami? Giuseppe Castiello, general manager of the Member Social Club at The Moore, joins Steve Turk on The Hospitality Mentor to share his journey through hotel room service, bartending, restaurant management and private club leadership. Giuseppe shares the early lessons that shaped his approach to guest service, what starting over taught him, and how he adapted by launching a food truck during the pandemic. We also discuss leading by example, building relationships that open doors, and making guests feel recognized. Whether you work in hotels, restaurants or private clubs, this conversation offers practical lessons for building your hospitality career. CHAPTERS 00:00 Meet Giuseppe Castiello 00:51 Lessons from Italian fruit markets 05:52 First steps into hospitality 09:04 Miami and the tipping lightbulb moment 12:56 Starting again in room service 19:30 Building a career in restaurant leadership 25:23 The COVID food-truck pivot 28:23 Growing with Pummarola and Motek 35:55 The relationships that opened the next door 41:13 Becoming GM at The Moore 46:12 Hospitality is human connection PRESENTED BY LODGIFY Thank you to Lodgify for supporting The Hospitality Mentor. Learn more about Lodgify EXPLORE THE MOORE Visit The Moore Subscribe to The Hospitality Mentor for more conversations with the people building careers and businesses in hospitality. What moment helped move your hospitality career forward? Share your story in the comments.

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  Episode #185

  What It Takes to Build a Luxury Resort | Michael Tibbetts

  Sep 7, 202650 min

  How do you build a luxury resort on an island most travelers have never visited? Michael Tibbetts shares the story behind Salterra in South Caicos and the decisions that made it possible. Michael is the founder and CEO of Salterra, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa. Before committing fully to hospitality, he was an ophthalmologist balancing patient care with responsibility for his family's resorts in the Cayman Islands. In this episode of The Hospitality Mentor Podcast, he joins Steve Turk to discuss what medicine taught him about trust, how he made the decision to change careers and what it took to turn an existing property into a luxury resort with a clear sense of place. We get into: What caring for patients taught Michael about caring for guests and leading teams Why outside experience can make you a stronger leader in a family business How South Caicos' salt history shaped Salterra's design and guest experience The shipping, staffing and access challenges behind a small-island resort Why he chose Marriott's Luxury Collection for Salterra Why a major hotel affiliation still requires personal sales and relationship work The human skills Michael believes future hospitality leaders should develop Explore Salterra: https://www.salterra.com/ Presented by Lodgify. Use promo code THM60 for the show's Lodgify offer. See Lodgify for current terms and eligible plans: https://www.lodgify.com/ Subscribe to The Hospitality Mentor for conversations with the people building, operating and leading hospitality businesses. 00:00 Welcome and Lodgify 00:44 Meet Michael Tibbetts 02:33 A first job on the landscaping crew 03:16 His family's Cayman Islands resort legacy 04:51 Choosing a career in medicine 07:10 What patient care taught him about hospitality 10:22 How to handle difficult conversations 13:02 Choosing between medicine and the family business 17:01 Finding the South Caicos opportunity 21:28 Rethinking the project during COVID 23:19 The story behind Salterra's design 27:35 Partners, construction and island logistics 29:00 Making South Caicos easier to reach 31:28 Staff housing and a global team 33:12 Why join Marriott's Luxury Collection? 34:50 Why the owner still has to build relationships 37:34 Gelato, family and the moments guests remember 39:04 Michael's vision for Salterra's next chapter 41:07 Advice for future hospitality leaders

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  Episode #184

  Melissa Blettner on Ancient Lore Village: Building a Fantasy Themed Boutique Resort with Hospitality Purpose

  Aug 20, 202644 min

  Host Steve Turk interviews Melissa Blettner, CEO of Boyd Hollow Resorts and Ancient Lore Village in Knoxville, Tennessee . Melissa explains founder Tom Boyd’s book inspired mission to create a fantasy village where only good exists and guests leave happier, kinder, and friendlier. She shares her hospitality start from an XL Inn front desk job to studying hospitality management, advancing through roles in front office, sales, and leadership, and spending 20 years at Great Wolf Lodge building brand culture, openings, and a large call center with strong standards. After Great Wolf’s culture shifted following Blackstone’s acquisition and a corporate move to Chicago, she consulted before joining Boyd Hollow. Ancient Lore Village offers 14 themed dwellings on 67 acres, day passes, dining, axe throwing, archery, events, retreats, and weddings, and is expanding with Boki’s Trek Experience and an Ancient Lore Wellbeing Retreat. 00:00 Show Kickoff 00:31 Sponsor Lodgify 01:34 Meet Melissa 02:23 Ancient Lore Origin 04:03 First Hospitality Job 06:08 Breaking Into Hotels 07:51 Career Steps Forward 10:18 Great Wolf Breakthrough 12:44 Growing at Great Wolf 16:13 Call Center Culture 17:41 Brand Building Playbook 21:19 Leaving After 20 Years 22:12 From Mars To Buyout 22:49 Dream Big Consulting Reality 24:24 Finding Boyne Hollow 26:19 What Ancient Lore Offers 28:23 Managing Crowds And Groups 30:39 Small Resort Big Opening 32:20 Guests Define The Magic 34:41 Future Attractions And Wellness 36:02 Luxury Not Kitschy Design 40:13 Team Growth And Mentorship 42:10 Advice And Farewell

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  Episode #183

  Josef Forstmayr on Building Round Hill Hotel and Villas in Jamaica into a Timeless Luxury Resort

  Aug 6, 202643 min

  Host Steve Turk introduces Josef Forstmayr, managing director of Round Hill Hotel and Villas in Jamaica. Forstmayr shares growing up working in his parents’ Austrian farm restaurant, attending hotel school in Salzburg, and arriving in Jamaica in 1979 as a German tutor before quickly becoming an assistant manager and advancing to GM roles, including rebuilding Trident after Hurricane Allen. Hired in 1989 to convert Round Hill from a winter-only operation to a year-round resort, he describes evolving the property into a family- and group-friendly luxury destination guided by “timeless elegance, understated luxury, warm Jamaican heart,” with design input from shareholder Ralph Lauren and tech perspective from Bob Pittman. He emphasizes Jamaica’s authentic luxury, staff legacy across generations, strong community investment and charity work, rapid recovery after Hurricane Melissa, and advises young hoteliers to learn multiple languages to build international careers. 00:00 Welcome to the Podcast 00:31 Sponsor Lodgify Message 01:34 Meet Josef in Jamaica 01:57 First Job and Jamaica Move 04:13 Hurricanes and Career Growth 06:11 Transforming Round Hill Year Round 09:02 Growing Up in Family Restaurant 11:23 Why He Stayed in Jamaica 14:27 Round Hill Owners and Design 19:08 Evolving with Core Values 23:53 Real Jamaica Beyond Cruises 29:52 Community Hikes and Belonging 31:27 Running Long Term with Locals 33:32 Giving Back and Hurricane Recovery 36:33 Future of Authentic Luxury Jamaica 39:27 Advice Learn More Languages 42:04 Wrap Up and Where to Visit

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