Good Evening Everyone is a space for both guests and professionals in the hospitality industry—a place where observations are shared, ideas exchanged, and conversations unfold with those who delight in delivering unforgettable dinners and stays. Here you’ll find reflections, interviews, and discussions (including podcasts) with the individuals who make hospitality work—from the kitchen to the floor, from the executive suite to the guest table. And yes, you’ll also hear from guests themselves—because their truths deserve a seat at this table too.
If you’ve spent any time in hospitality, you already know: it’s a highly competitive world. Every sector is engaged in a dynamic dance toward equilibrium, with operators both leading and responding to shifts in tastes, demographics, technology, and culture. Hospitality is a living system—always evolving, always refining. And just as in other industries, it is markets that shape its progress.
Operators compete with a familiar set of levers: creativity, process, price, location, and time. And now with AI these levers may finally begin to interoperate better. These are the tools with which we craft the bundles of experience (our product) that must both attract and retain guests, or said more correctly, help them experience the pleasures of food, friends, and family —conviviality. New entrants and seasoned incumbents alike take their shots on goal.
Hospitality is always about people. The talent of an operation, from those who greet the guest, to those who select and design the spaces, train the staff, fine-tune the operations, design the menu, manage compliance, and shape the brand’s voice; the humans make all the difference. A great team is the foundation for attracting more great people. It’s magnetic. Culture, not HR, is the true attractor. HR’s role is to coordinate, uphold, and protect that culture, screening for potential toxicity, ushering ethical alignment across the board.
In truth, the best people in hospitality want to work with others like themselves: generous, curious, grounded, and skilled. They tend to flee environments burdened by politics or compromised by free riders. When great operators lose talent to culture-related dysfunction, they often see a second loss not far behind: loyal guests who follow the vibe—and know when it’s off. Because in hospitality, culture is not an internal artifact. It’s visible. It shows up in the guest experience, for better and for worse.
Since the endgame of hospitality is to leave guests with a vivid, felt memory of delight, anything that consistently interferes with delivering that moment gracefully and reliably jeopardizes the P&L. An occasional misstep can be forgiven, sustained turbulence cannot. Truth-seeking becomes not only acceptable but essential. Every individual, at every level, should feel both empowered and safe to help surface constraints or faulty processes as if the operation’s profitability depends on it —because it does.
Culture is the wellspring. It’s where talent comes from, where technology decisions are made, and where behaviors take root. And when that well is tainted, trouble’s approaching. Some of the worst cultural breakdowns begin with hiring decisions, when individuals who erode morale slip past safeguards there goes the metaphoric well. Once inside, they weigh heavily. Their impact is corrosive, and often extends beyond the workplace. Tricksters never sleep.
That’s why leadership must own cultural integrity. It’s not a one-time task or annual offsite; it’s our daily responsibility. It’s our job to keep listening, to stay attuned to what’s really going on. Talented individuals often choose to join an organization based on a belief: that we will provide a healthy environment where they can do their best work, with pride, professionalism, and mutual care. We owe them that.
So yes, I’m looking forward to posting ideas and sharing notes and conversations here on Good Evening Everyone. I hope you’ll join in. Bring your questions, suggestions, guest ideas, or even just a nudge to go deeper on a topic you care about. If anything in an episode resonates and you think a follow-up would be helpful, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your care, and look forward to the conversation.
Warmly,
Osmar
By the way, and in the spirit of truth-telling: all the words you read and pod-listen to across the Good Evening Everyone episodes, including this one, are simply impressions and thoughts pulled from my own mind. Nothing herein should be construed as representing the policies, processes, cultures, operators, individuals, events, or venues —past or present— associated with any of my employers, or clients.
