Guests, Teams, Results: Todd Felsen’s Trust-Driven Formula

In this Leadership Lounge conversation, Cindy sits down with Todd Felsen, CEO of OTH Hotels & Resorts, to trace a 40-year arc in hospitality from falling in love with the show of Disney’s Polynesian Village as a kid, to starting as a doorman, to leading multi-property operations across the U.S. and Caribbean and ultimately running a hotel platform. Todd unpacks the operational heartbeat of great hotels, why he teaches teams the “circle of trust” (every function affects every guest touchpoint), how to hire better, and what today’s younger talent expects from leadership. He also shares lessons from island postings (Puerto Rico, Aruba), the link between guest delight and financial performance, and a surprising source of inspiration: the entertainment-driven reinvention of the Savannah Bananas a reminder that brand, community, and experience win.What you’ll learnThe formative spark: seeing hospitality as theater and why showtime still matters.Todd’s path: doorman → front-of-house → GM → multi-unit leader → CEO.The Circle of Trust: how housekeeping, F&B, concierge, finance, and maintenance rise or fall together.Island leadership: operating as a guest in someone else’s country cultural humility, consistency, and standards.Hiring correctly: the selection discipline and interview questions that prevent costly misalignments.Developing Gen Z/younger teams: meeting them where they are (social platforms, rapid feedback, growth signals).Metrics that matter connecting guest experience to COGS, labor, RevPAR, and owner outcomes.Brand & experience: lessons from the Savannah Bananas on turning a business into a movement.MentionedDisney’s Polynesian Village & Contemporary Resort (the early “showtime” spark)The Savannah Bananas story (Jesse Cole’s “fans-first” philosophy) as a branding/experience case studyAbout our guestTodd Felsen is the CEO of OTH Hotels & Resorts, leading strategy, operations, and growth across a portfolio of properties. His leadership DNA blends hands-on operations, rigorous selection, and a guest-first, owner-aware mindset.ConnectIf this episode resonated, follow the show, share it with a hospitality leader, and drop us a note with the toughest leadership challenge you’re facing we may feature it in a future episode.