From Hotel Front Desk to CEO | Bryan Fish

From The Hospitality Mentor · 43:09

Show by Steve Turk

Bryan Fish took a front desk job at Holiday Inn to save money for college. That job became a career that eventually led him to take over the company he worked for.In this episode of The Hospitality Mentor, Steve Turk sits down with Bryan, CEO and Managing Partner of Reliance Hospitality and host of Check-In with Bryan. They talk about his path from serving meals at a retirement community at 14 to becoming a hotel general manager, overseeing corporate operations, and helping take Reliance in a new direction.Bryan shares the difficult decisions behind that journey, including leading teams through COVID and reconsidering which businesses the company should pursue. He also explains how podcasting brought him back to his creative roots and opened doors he never expected.IN THIS EPISODE• Working toward his goal of becoming a general manager by 30• Why hotel brand standards only matter when they are enforced• The personal weight of leading teams through COVID layoffs• Taking over Reliance and shifting its focus toward consulting and other services• Building relationships through storytelling and podcasting• Bryan’s three tips for starting a podcast: stop overthinking, find the right production support, and look beyond your usual circle• Developing hosted travel experiences through Destinations by Reliance• Why staying calm matters when everyone around you is feeling the pressureCONNECT WITH BRYANReliance HospitalityCheck-In with BryanBryan Fish on LinkedInPRESENTED BY LODGIFYThank you to Lodgify for supporting The Hospitality Mentor.Lodgify helps vacation rental hosts and managers bring reservations, guest communication, and direct bookings together in one place.Visit our dedicated listener page.Use MENTOR65 for 65% off yearly and bi-yearly Ultimate and Professional plans, November 12–December 12, 2026.Prefer monthly? Use 20THM for 20% off monthly plans through December 31, 2026.BISCAYNE COFFEEEnjoy coffee roasted in Miami while supporting the preservation of Biscayne Bay. Visit Biscayne Coffee and use MENTOR for 10% off your first order.KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOINGSubscribe to The Hospitality Mentor for conversations with the people building, operating, and leading hospitality businesses.Explore more episodes at TheHospitalityMentor.com.00:00 Welcome and Lodgify01:00 Meet Bryan Fish04:00 Landing his first hotel job06:00 Building a career in hotel operations08:00 Why hotel brand consistency matters12:00 Becoming a general manager and setting career goals14:00 Corporate leadership and the impact of COVID17:00 Taking over Reliance Hospitality19:00 Rethinking the company’s direction24:00 How Check-In with Bryan began29:00 Three tips for starting a podcast31:00 Building a travel business and hosted experiences35:00 New projects and what’s next37:00 Investing in in-person podcast interviews40:00 Advice for his younger self42:00 Biscayne Coffee

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