The archive
No guests with talking points. No sponsors dictating topics. Just two industry veterans saying what everyone else is thinking.
Jim and Stephen tear apart the standard franchise agreement clause by clause — who it protects, who it doesn't, and what every owner should negotiate before signing.
Soft brands promise independence with distribution. The reality is more complicated. Jim and Stephen examine whether soft brand collections actually deliver on their pitch.
Management contracts heavily favor operators. Stephen breaks down the fee structures, termination clauses, and performance tests that leave owners holding the bag.
Construction costs are up. Debt is expensive. Brands still want keys. Jim and Stephen look at which development deals still pencil — and which ones shouldn't.
RevPAR is the industry's favorite metric — and possibly its most misleading one. A conversation about what owners should actually be measuring.
Independent boutiques get the press. Flags get the distribution. Jim and Stephen lay out the actual financial and operational trade-offs for owners making the call.
The hotel industry handed OTAs enormous leverage two decades ago. Stephen and Jim examine how that happened, what it costs today, and whether direct booking campaigns actually work.
Good asset management is the difference between a hotel that performs and one that bleeds. Jim explains what it actually means to manage an asset — not just own one.
Brand standards exist to protect the flag. But who decides what the standards are, and who pays for them? A blunt look at the PIP process and what it really costs owners.
Loyalty programs are sold as owner benefits. Stephen breaks down the actual cost of points redemptions, the contribution fees, and whether loyalty really drives incremental revenue.
The process of selling a hotel is messier than most owners expect. Jim walks through the timeline, the due diligence traps, and the moments deals fall apart.
Jim Alderman and Stephen Kallaher introduce themselves, explain why the hospitality industry needs a podcast with no agenda, and lay out what Blunt Hospitality will cover.
New episodes every Tuesday. Available on all major platforms.