The Lights On Podcast

Emanuel Moura is the Director of Growth at Lights On, where he leads a holistic approach to hotel marketing that blends paid acquisition, lifecycle email, organic traffic, and data infrastructure into one connected system. Based in Honolulu, he built his career in growth out of college at a Bay Area drone startup before moving into hospitality, and now works across independent and boutique hotels from Hawaii to the mainland. He's an operator-minded marketer who treats growth as a compounding cross-functional effort tied directly to revenue. In this episode… Hotel growth in 2026 doesn't come from one channel. It comes from building a connected system where paid ads, organic traffic, lifecycle email, and clean data all feed each other — and then keeping that system aligned with revenue management as the market shifts. That's the case Emanuel Moura, Director of Growth at Lights On, makes in this episode when Chad Franzen of Rise25 flips the script and interviews him. Emanuel walks through how he thinks about growth across a hotel's full digital footprint: Google and Meta for reach, email automations for returning guests, organic search as properties mature, and a data stack (Google Analytics, Tag Manager, Meta Pixel, plus booking-engine integrations with platforms like SynXis and Skipper) that lets the team see what's actually working. He explains why the current down market is separating buttoned-up properties from ones that coasted on OTA distribution, and why luxury is the one segment still gaining share. He also gets practical about AI. Claude is his daily tool — not to automate away strategy, but to compress the time between data and decision. And for hotels just starting to build direct bookings, he gives a clear sequence: understand your property story first, start with Google and Meta plus a returning-guest email program, stand up the data infrastructure, tie marketing to revenue, and expect compounding — not instant — results. By month three you'll see traction; by month six the volume steps up; by year one, year-over-year growth is meaningful.

Brent Shiratori is the Founder and CEO of Aidia Marketing, a branding and strategic marketing firm that helps organizations build brands that drive growth. With more than 25 years of experience, he has led brand and marketing initiatives across multiple industries, including hospitality, tourism, and technology. Brent previously served as Vice President of Global Brand at Outrigger Resorts & Hotels, where he oversaw brand strategy and marketing for a global portfolio of properties. A triple major in marketing, accounting, and management information systems, he holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and has received multiple industry awards. In this episode… In the competitive world of hospitality, finding a unique voice can be a game-changer. With so many options available, why do some hotels effortlessly capture attention while others blend in? Is it simply the quality of the amenities, or is there something deeper that draws guests in and makes them loyal fans? For Brent Shiratori, a seasoned expert in marketing and branding, the answer lies in storytelling. He believes that every hotel has a unique narrative, and it's this story that sets them apart in a crowded market. This story can be as simple as showcasing a special feature of the hotel or a unique historical element tied to the property's location. By embracing their own distinct story, independent hotels can transform themselves from just another place to stay into a destination guests won't forget. In this episode of The Lights On Podcast, Kin Sio is joined by Brent Shiratori, Founder and CEO of Aidia Marketing, to discuss brand differentiation and storytelling for independent hotels. Brent explains how uncovering a property's unique narrative can strengthen its brand and help smaller hotels compete with larger chains. He also shares practical insights on building memorable guest experiences and developing brand strategies that don't require massive marketing budgets.

Jesse Stein is the Global Head of Real Estate at Airbnb, a global travel platform that connects guests with unique places to stay and experiences worldwide. He joined Airbnb in 2020 and has played a key role in building partnerships that expand supply, from multifamily housing initiatives to hotel collaborations. Prior to Airbnb, Jesse was a Principal at KHP Capital Partners, where he invested in boutique and independent hotels. He also held senior roles at leading hospitality companies, including Kimpton Hotels, Wyndham Hotel Group, and Starwood Vacation Ownership. In this episode… Boutique hotels have always had personality, but getting that personality in front of the right traveler has been the real challenge. In a world dominated by massive brands and OTAs, how can independent properties compete without losing what makes them unique? For Jesse Stein, a longtime hospitality investor and operator, the answer lies in rethinking distribution entirely. He believes independent hotels don't need to outscale big brands. Instead, they need to lean into their strengths and meet guests where they already are. Jesse points out that success isn't about one channel or tactic, but about combining data, storytelling, and access to demand in a way that unlocks hidden value. Ultimately, it's about shifting from trying to compete like everyone else to competing in a way that actually fits the property. In this episode of The Lights On Podcast, Kin Sio and Keri Brown are joined by Jesse Stein, Global Head of Real Estate at Airbnb, to discuss redefining hotel distribution for independent and boutique properties. They explore how Airbnb is evolving beyond homes, what independent hotels can learn about competing at scale, and how storytelling impacts conversion. Jesse also discusses the future of hotel partnerships and distribution strategies.

Keri Brown is the Vice President of Commercial Strategy at Lights On, a company that helps independent hotels maximize revenue through expert pricing, distribution, and digital marketing strategies. Throughout her career, Keri has held senior roles at major hospitality brands, including Marriott, Hilton, and Highgate, as well as her most recent position as Area Director of Commercial Strategy at Outrigger. She is recognized as one of Hawaii's most decorated commercial strategy leaders, known for bridging the gap between operations, sales, and revenue management to drive holistic hotel performance. In this episode… Keri Brown, VP of Commercial Strategy at Lights On, breaks down how independent hotels can compete with branded properties by integrating revenue management, distribution, and digital marketing under one commercial strategy. She explains why a tech stack audit is always the first step with a new client and how OTA partnerships, done right, become a pipeline for direct bookings. Keri spent over a decade in Hawaii hospitality before joining Lights On. At Outrigger, she led commercial strategy across the Waikiki Collection and played a central role in the $30-40M repositioning of the Waikiki Beachcomber from an IHG property to an independent brand. That project meant rebuilding rate strategy, channel mix, and brand positioning from scratch while the hotel stayed operational. She compares the commercial strategy leader's role to Tim Cook running Apple's supply chain: you may not be the public face, but nothing works without you. The conversation gets specific about where independent hotels lose revenue. Keri talks about properties running disconnected systems where the PMS doesn't talk to the channel manager, rate updates take hours instead of minutes, and no one is tracking true cost of acquisition by channel. She argues that fixing those connections often matters more than any single pricing decision. On OTAs, Keri is direct: they were built for independent hotels that don't have a global brand driving demand. The play is to use them for visibility, then convert those guests to direct bookings on the next stay. She also makes a case for front-desk upsell programs, pointing out that a property with 15 different room categories has real margin sitting in upgrades and add-ons that most hotels never capture because operations staff aren't trained or incentivized to sell.

Jacob Messina is the CEO of Stayntouch, a leading hospitality technology firm that provides cloud-based property management systems (PMS) for hotels. Under his leadership since 2022, Stayntouch has achieved record growth and become one of the fastest-adopted PMS platforms in the industry, enabling hotel clients to implement new systems in as little as 48 to 72 hours. Jacob's diverse hospitality background began at age 15 in frontline restaurant and hotel roles, later building Loews Hotels' digital marketing practice from scratch and overseeing technology for 150+ properties at MCR Hotels. In this episode… Jacob Messina, CEO of Stayntouch, breaks down how a cloud PMS built by former hoteliers cuts implementation from months to days and staff training from weeks to about an hour. He explains why distribution is the most overlooked revenue function for independent hotels and what to do about it. Before leading Stayntouch, Jacob spent six months at Loews Hotels manually merging guest profiles in Opera V5. Forty hours a week of clicking through multiple screens for a task that should have been automated. That experience shaped his view of what hotel technology should do: give time back to the people using it, not create more work. At MCR Hotels, he oversaw technology across 150-plus properties. When a soft brand inspection failed a week before opening, his team had to stand up an entire independent tech stack in eight days. Stayntouch made it work. That scramble became the catalyst for productizing fast implementations. Today, Stayntouch can get a hotel live in 48 to 72 hours. Three principles drive the company under Jacob's leadership. First, customer support where you talk to a real person within seconds. No phone tree, no callback queue. Second, 1,200-plus integrations offered at no cost, with a fully open API for anything not yet connected. Third, intuitive design that gets a new front desk agent checking guests in within an hour, even if they've never worked in a hotel. One counterintuitive decision stands out: Stayntouch deliberately slowed its release cycle from every two weeks to every four to six weeks. Not because development couldn't keep pace, but because hoteliers are already tracking updates from six to eight other systems. Shipping faster than operators can absorb creates waste, not value. On distribution, Jacob's advice is straightforward. Stack your channels from lowest to highest cost of acquisition. If you know what you're paying Booking.com, put a portion of that spend toward driving direct bookings instead. In OTA-heavy markets like Hawaii, that channel shift is where the margin lives. The conversation also covers ancillary revenue. Stayntouch's upsell module is included free in the PMS subscription and runs inside the mobile check-in flow. Guests can upgrade based on room attributes and local experiences. Jacob points to Castle and MacNaughton in Hawaii as groups that have made this work by investing in clear room-type definitions and content that tells the story of what makes each property worth the upgrade.

Hillary Folkvord is the Founder of Lady H, a lifestyle and consulting brand focused on hospitality, entrepreneurship, and mentorship. She is the owner and operator of boutique hotels, including RSVP Motel, Farmers Daughters Cafe, and The Cottages at Bigfork, located in Montana. With over 17 years of experience in hospitality, she has expertise in property development, branding, revenue strategy, and independent hotel operations. Hillary also advises emerging hoteliers on marketing, financial management, and building guest-centered hotel brands. In this episode… Beautiful rooms don't pay the bills. Occupancy does. Hillary Folkvord built three Montana hospitality businesses — RSVP Motel, Farmers Daughters Cafe, and Cottages at Bigfork — by connecting story-driven design to revenue strategy. She grew occupancy from 40% to roughly 80% across her properties. Hillary Folkvord, Founder of Lady H Consulting and a 6th-generation Montanan with 17 years in hospitality, joins Kin Sio on The Lights On Podcast to break down what actually works for independent hotels. Her approach: every property needs a clear narrative. RSVP Motel leans into roadside nostalgia. Cottages at Bigfork plays up the lakeside retreat. That identity shapes design choices, local partnerships, and which guests you attract. When the brand is specific, the right travelers book direct and come back. They dig into the mechanics — using OTAs as a visibility tool without giving up long-term profitability, building partnerships with local businesses to drive occupancy in shoulder periods, and knowing when to stop doing everything yourself. Hillary founded Lady H Consulting to mentor emerging hoteliers through exactly these decisions: when to hire a revenue manager, how to think about ADR and channel mix, and where first-time operators waste the most money.

Kin Sio is the CEO of Lights On, a company specializing in digital marketing and revenue management for independent hotels and resorts. He grew up in Macau and transitioned from a successful tech career to entrepreneurship after acquiring Lights On in early 2025. Drawing on his background in technology and hospitality, Kin helps small hotel businesses optimize pricing, distribution, and their online presence. He leads his team with a focus on data-driven strategies that increase visibility and drive revenue growth for clients.  In this episode… Independent hotels have access to most of the same tools as major chains — but most don't use them. In this episode, Kin Sio, CEO of Lights On Digital, breaks down why smaller operators leave significant revenue on the table, and what changes when pricing, distribution, and marketing are run as one coordinated system instead of three separate vendors. Kin draws on his experience in tech — including product management at Microsoft and building Coinbase's international exchange — and his first year running a hospitality commercial strategy firm. The conversation covers why auto-pricing tools still can't replace human judgment, how to align marketing spend with rate strategy instead of running ads blindly, and why the first step isn't marketing at all — it's understanding how your property actually makes money. If you run an independent or boutique hotel and your revenue manager, marketing agency, and website vendor don't talk to each other, this episode explains why that's costing you more than you think.