SMACK Hospitality

Author: SMACK Hospitality

Welcome to SMACK! Just like our name, everything we do here is a little different and yet youll probably have more fun here than elsewhere. SMACK Hospitality Media is your one-of-a-kind source for hospitality and tourism-related edutainment. It is our mission to provide fun and engaging content for industry professionals in modern media formats. With our podcast we aim to give everybody around the world the chance to meet key decision-makers and trailblazers of the hospitality industry. Chasing that ambitious goal, our hospitality podcast airs twice a month between September and July. So, join the conversation, tune in and never ever lose your curiosity. Enjoy the show!
Be a guest on this podcast

Language: de

Genres: Business, Careers, Management

Contact email: Get it

Feed URL: Get it

iTunes ID: Get it

Get all podcast data

Listen Now...

Jan Heringa - Leonardo Hotels | From Brand Launches to Construction Curveballs
Episode 115
Wednesday, 18 February, 2026

"Projects always go wrong." That’s not us being cheeky, that’s a direct quote from a VP of Development. This week, Florian’s got Jan Heringa, VP Development and Project Management at Leonardo Hotels, in the SMACK spotlight. From kitchen chaos at 15 to masterminding the launch of iconic brands like NYX Hotels by Leonardo Hotels across Europe, Jan’s career is pure, unfiltered hotelier grit. But trust us, it’s not all smooth openings and clinking champagne glasses. They’re tearing down the curtain on: - The investment strategy that powered Leonardo Hotels’ massive Central Europe expansion, fifteen new properties in just one year - The absolute chaos of hotel construction, and the learning process behind budget overruns, timeline nightmares, and finding five layers of tiles during a renovation - Why sustainability became a must in the hospitality industry—it’s gone from “nice-to-have” to the only way to sign new deals and secure financing in today’s market Now, here’s Jan’s unvarnished advice for young hoteliers: forget shortcuts. Walk the talk, get your hands dirty in every department, and build that solid foundation. Ready for the truth about building a hospitality empire, straight from the guy who lives it? Enjoy the show!