The Modern Hotelier

What The Modern Hotelier does

The Modern Hotelier is a hospitality-industry-focused podcast and media company founded in 2022 and headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. The company produces a long-form interview podcast featuring hotel executives, hospitality technology founders, and industry thought leaders, covering topics ranging from hotel operations and revenue management to emerging technology adoption in the lodging sector. The podcast is distributed across multiple channels including Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and the company's own website, with a monthly newsletter supplementing the audio content. As of 2026, the company has published more than 300 episodes at a cadence of 2-4 episodes per week, building a sizable content archive in the hospitality niche.

The core product is editorial content — interviews, commentary, and industry coverage — rather than a software platform. The company operates with a lean team of seven employees, including co-host and CEO David Millili, host and head writer Steve Carran, and producer Jon Bumhoffer. Revenue is generated primarily through podcast sponsorship, with a portfolio of 14+ hospitality technology and service companies sponsoring the show, including Cloudbeds, Mews, GAIN, ILC Congress, HOVR, SHR Group, Curator Hotels, SmartBrief, ProCell, React Mobile, Avendra, StayFlexi, Clean the World, Audacy Broadcasting, and BirchStreet Systems. The company's go-to-market is therefore two-sided: it monetizes audience attention through sponsorships from B2B vendors selling into the hospitality industry, while providing those vendors with a credible editorial channel to reach hotel decision-makers.

Name

The Modern Hotelier

Website

https://themodernhotelier.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Modern Hotelier is a hospitality industry podcast platform that produces weekly interviews with hotel executives and technology innovators, monetized through sponsorships from more than 14 hospitality technology and service companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospitality Media and Podcast

NAICS

Other Sound Recording Industries (512290), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)

akta.pro primary industry

Podcast Networks & Studio Platforms (MPAIADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Podcast Ad Sales Networks & Monetization Platforms (MPACADAD), Audio Production & Podcasting (BPAFAIAE)

Keywords

• Hospitality podcast
• Hotel industry media
• Hospitality thought leadership
• Hotel technology insights
• Hospitality executive interviews

Headquarters

HQ city

Not explicitly stated

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Podcast Sponsorship: The Modern Hotelier generates revenue through podcast sponsorships. The Sponsors page lists a diverse portfolio of hospitality technology and service companies including Cloudbeds, Mews, BirchiStreet Systems, ProCell, React Mobile, and others who pay to sponsor the podcast and reach the hospitality professional audience.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Modern Hotelier produces and distributes a hospitality industry podcast featuring interviews with hotel executives, technology innovators, and industry thought leaders, plus a monthly email newsletter and YouTube video channel. Episodes cover hospitality trends, AI adoption, leadership, operations, guest experience, and revenue strategy. The company monetizes primarily through podcast sponsorships sold to hospitality technology and service vendors.

Product overview

The Modern Hotelier is a podcast platform focused on hospitality industry education and thought leadership. The core product is The Modern Hotelier Podcast, distributed across major podcast platforms (Apple Podcasts, YouTube) and the company's own website. The platform also includes a monthly newsletter subscription service and a YouTube channel for video distribution. Episode topics span hospitality leadership, technology adoption (including AI in hotels), operations, marketing, and industry trends, featuring interviews with executives from major hotel brands, independent properties, and hospitality technology companies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hospitality Hot Topics: A segment/episode format where hosts discuss monthly hospitality industry news and trends

Products and services

• The Modern Hotelier Podcast

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 300 episodes published, with consistent multi-weekly publishing schedule
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• CloudbedsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCloudbeds, a hospitality management platform, is listed as a sponsor of The Modern Hotelier podcast. As a sponsor, Cloudbeds gains brand visibility and marketing reach among the podcast's hospitality professional audience.
• MewsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMews, a cloud-based property management system for hospitality, sponsors The Modern Hotelier podcast to reach hoteliers and hospitality decision-makers through audio and video content.
• ILC CongressminorGTM or Marketing PartnerILC Congress (International Lodging & Hospitality Congress) is listed as a Proud Sponsor of The Modern Hotelier, indicating a mutual promotional relationship within the hospitality industry.
• HOVRminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHOVR is listed as a sponsor of The Modern Hotelier podcast, serving the hospitality technology and services ecosystem.
• GAIN AdvisorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGAIN (Global Association for Innovation in Travel, Hospitality & MICE) Advisors is listed as a sponsor of The Modern Hotelier. David Millili serves as Chairman of the Board at GAIN. GAIN supports start-ups and scaleups in the travel, hospitality, and MICE industries.
• SHR GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSHR Group (hospitality revenue and marketing technology) sponsors The Modern Hotelier podcast.
• Curator Hotels and ResortsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCurator Hotels and Resorts, a hotel brand and management company, is listed as a sponsor of The Modern Hotelier podcast.
• SmartBriefminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSmartBrief (hospitality industry digital newsletter publisher) sponsors The Modern Hotelier podcast.
• ProCellminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProCell (hospitality technology) is listed as a sponsor of The Modern Hotelier podcast.
• React MobileminorGTM or Marketing PartnerReact Mobile (hotel safety technology) is listed as a sponsor of The Modern Hotelier podcast.
• AvendraminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAvendra (hospitality procurement and supply chain) is listed as a sponsor of The Modern Hotelier podcast.
• StayFleximinorGTM or Marketing PartnerStayFlexi (hotel revenue management technology) is listed as a sponsor of The Modern Hotelier podcast.
• Clean the WorldminorGTM or Marketing PartnerClean the World (hospitality sustainability/sanitation organization) is listed as a sponsor of The Modern Hotelier podcast.
• Audacy BroadcastingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSteve Carran mentioned that The Modern Hotelier works with Audacy Broadcasting, and a studio is being created in that building. Audacy provides broadcasting infrastructure and distribution support for the podcast.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• 4Hoteliers: A hospitality industry podcast and content network featuring interviews with hotel executives, similar in format and audience to The Modern Hotelier, including sponsorship-driven monetization.
• Hotel News Now: Published by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), Hotel News Now is a daily hospitality industry news and analysis outlet that targets hotel owners, operators, and GMs — directly overlapping with The Modern Hotelier's audience and content mission.
• Hospitality Net: A long-standing hospitality industry media and community platform covering hotel operations, technology, and leadership — comparable to The Modern Hotelier in its audience (hotel executives and tech vendors) and B2B content focus.
• HSMAI (Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International): An industry association that produces hospitality-focused content, events, and education for revenue, sales, and marketing professionals. Steve Carran serves on the HSMAI Southern Colorado board, creating direct ties; comparable in mission to educate hospitality professionals.
• Boutique Hotel News: A niche hospitality trade publication focused on boutique and independent hotels — overlapping with The Modern Hotelier's coverage of boutique hospitality (e.g., episodes featuring Evermore Hospitality and Town and Desert).
• Hotel Business: A hospitality trade publication covering hotel operations, technology, and industry news for hoteliers and vendors — directly comparable in audience and content scope to The Modern Hotelier.
• Lodging Magazine: The official magazine of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, serving hotel executives with industry news, trends, and technology coverage — overlapping directly with The Modern Hotelier's content and audience.

Broad incumbents

• Skift: A larger, more established travel and hospitality media company with research, newsletters, podcasts, and events. Skift covers the same executive audience as The Modern Hotelier but operates at greater scale across broader travel verticals, including airlines and tourism.
• Phocuswright: A travel industry research and media company producing reports, events, and content for travel and hospitality executives — comparable audience but with a research-and-data orientation versus The Modern Hotelier's interview-led content.
• Bloomberg's Checkin Podcast: A hospitality-focused podcast within Bloomberg's broader media portfolio, interviewing hotel and travel industry executives. Comparable format but operates as part of a much larger media organization with broader reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCIKkf548IuPWFwiWxxmn-vA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-modern-hotelier

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Modern Hotelier