In this episode, David and Steve sit down with Carmen Almos, Founder & CEO of Ashburton Hospitality, for a powerful conversation about resilience, entrepreneurship, and the evolving world of hotel ownership and asset management.

Carmen shares her remarkable journey—from growing up in South Africa and moving to Tennessee as a teenager, to discovering her passion for hospitality through her family's motel business. She opens up about lessons learned from navigating cultural transitions, surviving the 2008 financial crisis, and finding her way from finance and law aspirations into hotel ownership and asset management.

The conversation dives into:

• What hotel asset managers actually do—and why ownership is one of hospitality’s most influential seats
• Why should hotels use creative strategies to drive revenue and improve guest experiences?
• The growing tension between hotel owners, operators, and brands
• How AI’s impact on hotel operations and the future of hospitality

Plus, Carmen shares stories about her family's American dream, her father’s motel turnaround strategy, and why she believes self-advocacy is essential for success.

Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/iDOFWvqSQvY

Links:
Carmen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmen-a-581b02183/
Ashburton Hospitality: https://www.ashburtonhospitality.com/

For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/279

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Connect with Steve and David:
Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...
David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.