Check-In with Bryan
Welcome to Check-In with Bryan, your essential podcast for staying ahead in the dynamic world of hospitality. Hosted by Bryan Fish, CEO of Reliance Hospitality and a highly sought-after keynote speaker, this podcast dives deep into the strategic insights, evolving trends, and transformative ideas driving the hospitality and travel industries forward.
Drawing from Bryan’s extensive background in hospitality management, strategic planning, and business innovation, each episode features compelling discussions with influential industry leaders, hotel executives, investors, asset managers, and expert consultants. You’ll gain valuable insights into operational excellence, market developments, investment opportunities, asset optimization strategies, and relevant travel news influencing the hospitality landscape.
Designed specifically for hotel owners, operators, hospitality investors, travel professionals, and industry leaders, Check-In with Bryan empowers listeners to elevate their business strategies, harness industry-leading insights, and navigate the ever-evolving intersection of hospitality and travel.
Stay informed, inspired, and ahead of the competition with Bryan Fish and Reliance Hospitality.
Episodes
59 episodes
The Rise of Travel in the Digital World with Scott Eddy
What happens when you walk away from a mapped-out life and bet everything on curiosity, connection, and a one-way ticket to Bangkok? In this episode of Check-In with Bryan, host Bryan Fish sits down with global travel personality Sc...
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56:37
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Christmas Movies, Chaos & Cold Weather
Christmas is sneaking up fast and we are very much in the thick of it. In this week’s Check-Out Friday, Bryan and Tyler talk last-minute holiday shopping, shipping chaos, brutally cold weather, and of course—Christmas movies (yes, incl...
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31:51
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Making Workspaces Feel Like Hospitality with Jill Szmanda of Forward Tilt
What happens when you bring true hospitality thinking into offices, schools, hospitals, and corporate HQs—not just hotels? In this episode of Check-In with Bryan, Bryan sits down with Jill Szmanda, Director of Sales at Forward Tilt, a Scottsdal...
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58:10
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Black Friday Travel Hacks, Hilton Deals & The Sonder Fallout
Black Friday isn’t just about TVs and gadgets—this week we’re talking travel deals, Hilton’s huge sale, and what the Sonder–Marriott mess really means for guests.In this Check-Out Friday episode of Check-In w...
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33:09
Stephen Barth on Hospitality Law & the Sonder–Marriott Mess
When a brand implodes overnight, is it just a contract dispute—or a hospitality failure?In this episode of Check-In with Bryan, host Bryan Fish sits down with Stephen Barth—founder of HospitalityLawyer.c...
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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1:11:50
Check-Out Fridays: NYC Trip, QVC Holiday House & Holiday Hustle
Happy Friday and welcome back to Check-Out Fridays on Check-In with Bryan This week, Bryan is coming to you from New York City, catching up with Executive Producer Tyler Alexander for an end-of-week deb...
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38:29
Inside Luxury Hospitality & Travel Trends w/ Sarah Dandashy
We’re officially kicking off a brand-new season of Check-In with Bryan — and we couldn’t start with anyone better than global concierge, travel expert, and best-selling author Sarah Dandashy.Sarah is one of the most recognizable voices ...
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42:14
My Place Hotels CEO: The Extended-Stay Playbook
This week, Bryan sits down with Ryan Rivett, CEO of My Place Hotels of America, to unpack how a lean, owner-friendly brand is scaling nationwide in extended stay—without the bloat. From small-footprint prototypes and vertical inte...
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57:49
The Customer Isn’t Always Right (Hotel Tales & Fixes)
This week’s Check-Out Fridays gets real (and hilarious) about guest behavior, staff sanity, and the messy truth behind “the customer is always right.” From viral hotel-review segments to a wild Bonefish Grill incident and a Chick-fil-A d...
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35:28
Buyers, PIPs & a Cooler Head: Ryan Bodine on 2025 Deals
What separates smart hotel deals from painful ones in 2025? Hotel broker Ryan Bodine (NewGen Advisory) joins Bryan to unpack what buyers/sellers keep getting wrong—overpaying under 1031 pressure, ignoring transfer PIPs, and underinvesting in st...
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Episode 10
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46:41
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Hotel Reviews, Missed Flights & Outback Debates | Check-Out Fridays in Scottsdale
It’s another Check-Out Friday — and this week, Bryan and Tyler are kicking back from Scottsdale, Arizona, recording out of the gorgeous NextSpace Studios while reflecting on a wild production week.From h...
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24:40
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Helping Build Maui’s Top-Rated Hostel with Michael Russell
From selling candy in grade school to running the #1 rated hostel in North America, investor Michael Russell shares how hustle, timing, and creative thinking turned risk into a multimillion-dollar hospitality portfolio.What you’ll learn...
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Episode 10
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53:22
Design That Pays: ROI, Brand Standards & Boutique Edge
From brand standards and PIPs to boutique independence, designer Tonya Almallah Schmitt shares how to deliver ROI without losing soul—plus why scent, sound, and “memory points” matter more than spec sheets.What you’ll learn:
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Episode 9
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47:09
Reddit Hotel Chaos, NI Recap & Hawaii Dreams
From wild Reddit hotel reviews to a cinematic recap of our Belfast “Come From Away” episode, this Friday wrap hits travel, hospitality, and a little GM-life chaos.What you’ll hear:•The Belfast episode drop: behind the drone shot at ...
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20:08
Hospitality, Humanity & “Come From Away” in Belfast
This week on Check-In with Bryan, we traveled to Northern Ireland to support St. Agnes’s Choral Society in their powerful production of Come From Away at Belfast’s Lyric Theatre.As the world reflects on the 24th ...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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38:56
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Back from Northern Ireland: Photos, Sleep Chaos & What’s Next
After two whirlwind weeks in Northern Ireland, Bryan and Tyler are finally back stateside (in two different cities), unpacking the trip, the late-night sessions, and why Nando’s x 3 became a ritual. We chat shooting a special onstage e...
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20:39
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Inside the Rise of Independent Hotels w/ Jenn Parks
What makes independent hotels thrive in a world dominated by the big brands? In this episode of Check-In with Bryan, Bryan sits down with Jenn Parks, Vice President of Member Development & Communication at Curator Hotel &...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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45:57
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Work-Life Balance Myths Every Leader Believes
Welcome back to Check-Out Fridays, our end-of-week series from Check-In with Bryan.This week, Bryan takes the mic solo to break down one of the most common struggles in leadership and hospitality: work-life balance. Drawing inspiration ...
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14:52
Red-Eyes, Rants & Belfast: Midnight Check-Out in NYC
It’s midnight in New York, but Bryan and Tyler are wide awake for this week’s Friday Check-Out.Fresh off a whirlwind week of filming, travel prep, and deep dives into hospitality, the duo sit down to talk about:Their r...
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22:50
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How Cody Adent is Transforming Hotel Management with Virtual GM's
What if your hotel could run seamlessly — with no front desk, no on-site staff, and 5-star reviews?In this episode of Check-In with Bryan, host Bryan Fish sits down with Cody Adent, President & CFO of Vibran...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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39:10
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Karaoke in Airports, Grape Jelly Meatballs & Travel Plans to Northern Ireland
From Instant Pot debates to airport karaoke fails, this week’s episode of Check-Out Fridays with Bryan and Tyler is full of laughs, updates, and future plans.Tune in as the duo catch up before their upcoming trip to New York and N...
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25:35
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Revolutionizing Hotel Development with AI – Brian Ahmes of Parafin
What if designing your next hotel could be done in minutes—not months?In this episode of Check-In with Bryan, we’re joined by Brian Ahmes, co-founder of Parafin, an AI-powered platform that’s transforming how devel...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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43:07
Jet Lag, Greek Food & Group Travel with Matthew Schueller
This week’s Friday Checkout is packed with laughs, travel recaps, and real talk. Bryan and Tyler reunite (with working Wi-Fi!) to reflect on their recent Greece trip—from late-night pizza missions and legendary taxi drivers to overeating on cru...
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22:48
How Group Travel Helped Matthew Schueller Build Community
“I’ve never felt more accepted or free to be myself.”That’s the kind of feedback Matthew Schueller gets from the travelers who join his global group trips — and in this episode of Check-In with Bryan, we explore exactly w...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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36:41
Greece Recap, Hospitality Reflections & Scott Clary Wisdom
From rooftop hammocks in Greece to hospitality soul-searching, Bryan takes us solo on this week’s Check-Out Friday.Hear all about a chaotic yet memorable group trip through Athens, Santorini, and Crete — with cruise surprises, internet ...
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24:55
