BLLA Podcast: Affordable Luxury with Ernest Lee
Season 1, Episode 3 of “The Unfamiliar Shift with Ariela”
Overview
Ernest Lee of citizenM is based in New York City and has an extensive range of business experience in investments, real estate, finance, strategy, and even operations. It’s safe to say in the bustling city that never sleeps, he’s truly doing it all. As the Chief Growth Officer for the famous citizenM Hotels, Ernest is responsible for implementing new growth initiatives, products, and programs, pursuing strategic partnerships, and developing long-term commercial strategy in collaboration with the Chief Commercial Officer. To top it all off, he’s recognized for guiding the complex multi-regional expansion of citizenM’s North American portfolio.
These luxury properties, or proud misfits of traditional hotels, are satisfying the modern traveler’s desire for affordable luxury and brilliantly shifting the status quo of hospitality as we know it.
What You Will Hear:
- How Ernest built a career in the hospitality industry
- Chief Growth Officer explained
- Learning by looking at other industries
- citizenM ethos
- Creating a new category, Affordable Luxury, in the boutique hotel industry
- Building a boutique hotel portfolio based on transparency
- The 360 experience
- Advice and tips on owning and operating a boutique hotel
- Authenticity and the importance of listening
- Choosing locations
- What boutique means to Ernest
Season 1 is sponsored by Solonis, the new property management system designed for hotels. Solonis is also a premier partner member of BLLA!
About BLLA
The official organization for the world's independent boutique lifestyle hotels and leaders who are entrepreneurs themselves, promoting capital, resources, connection, education, and advocacy. As a pioneer in forecasting the boutique movement, BLLA's boutique community currently extends to more than 10,000 verified boutique and lifestyle hotels. BLLA is a catalyst for trends and the future of the boutique lifestyle, exactly what today's traveler is embracing. BLLA.org / Stay-Boutique.com. BLLA is also a capital/partner matchmaker via its Boutique Money Group division.
The corporate manifesto is: Experience the intention behind the brand.
