Hilton Launches Outset Collection: Giving Indie Hotels with Soul a Global Stage

Glenn: Hey, everybody. It’s your hospitality. Friend Glenn here on the show floor at the lodging conference before we talk to our friend Greg Presley over here. Presley hospitality. I want to thank our friends over at Integra. Guys, listen, I know you’re cash strapped. You’re going to want to tap into the power of a GPO to save some money. Check them out at Entegra.Com. All right, Mr. Presley, let’s talk about your business. You started three months ago. How hard was it for you to say I’m going to go out on my own and do it?

Greg: You know I would say it was a little bit a little bit of a challenge at first. But when I had all the support and all the relationships that I had with this industry, it was very easy. I had a lot of people that said, Greg, you know, this business, you’ve been in it for 39 years. Your integrity, your who you’re about, you can do this. So really, it was the ownership group that my relationships that really gave me the confidence to go out and do it. If it wasn’t for them, I’d probably be working for a big company.

Glenn: Yeah, totally. And you know me, I’m approaching my 10th anniversary of this company, and starting my own company was the hardest thing I ever had to do. That’s why I asked this question, because it really takes a lot of getting out of your own way and stop running. Scared to be able to take such a big leap. So congratulations and I’m really proud of you for doing that.

Greg: That’s awesome. Thank you. It’s been it’s a leap of faith. Yeah, I’m a faith based company and I believe in God and I believe in Jesus Christ. And I’m a walking testimony of faith.

Glenn: All right, so.

Greg: Here.

Glenn: We are. All right, so we got the the faith based guy and the non-religious Jews. So we’re gonna. Okay, we’re gonna go at it. All right. So let’s talk a little bit about how that informs the way that you do business and the way that you want to do business. And how did it connect you to. I think you said three properties you’ve already got and you’re just out the door.

Greg: Yeah, yeah. So it really just, you know, for me, it’s staying true to who I am, being honest, being, you know, real of who I am. And that’s kind of oozed on to the the owner, so to speak. So for me, it’s just about doing the right thing and being faithful to who I am.

Glenn: Right. That’s awesome. So how are you going to be taking care of your hotelier customers?

Greg: Just by doing, going back to the blocking and tackling, doing the basics. Right. And I think this industry really is lost to that a little bit. When you go out to hotels, where’s that service level at? Right. And I know I’m small and I’m going to be You know that new. But I’m going to bring something different. I think my training and the type of service that I’m going to be delivering is going to be a little bit different.

Glenn: What type of properties are you focused on?

Greg: More limited service hotels, smaller hotels? I want to focus on the smaller owner versus the larger owner. I think those are the people that need the help, right? That small?

Glenn: Well they do. They don’t have the systems in place. And I’m sorry, for the 20,000th time, they don’t know what they don’t know. That’s what you’re 39 years experience, right?

Greg: That’s right. And just bringing that back to the basics and putting that in place. And then really whatever brand you have is using the brand tools. I think a lot of these owners, sometimes they have all these tools, but they just don’t really put them into place. Right. Me, I’m going to roll up my sleeves, take the brand, do all the things that they should be doing and put it in place and it works. It’s just like magic. And I know it sounds easy, but it’s it is easy.

Glenn: So what’s the number one thing that you do the second you walk into a new hotel for you?

Greg: I when I walk in, I drive in first.

Glenn: I.

Greg: Walk, I drive around the outside. Yeah, that’s what I do. It’s the first impression. Yeah. So. And then when I walk in, I just walk in and read the staff and just like a normal customer and walk through the hotel. And I look at it from a guest perspective, not just an owner’s perspective.

Glenn: Great. And that’s really what’s important. I will tell you guys out there, one of the most troubling things I find in our industry is we don’t rely on our selves to inform us on how we should be running our hotels. Right? Like we never think about this is the way I, as an owner, would enjoy a hotel. That’s right. Let me now do that to my room. And then you go to a room and there are all these things that you think that shouldn’t be there. I mean, I’ve been staying in hotels for 30 years, and I still scratch my head at some of those things, you know? Yeah. All right. I’ll just throw out one complaint. Why can’t we get the desk chair to be the right height for the desk? That seems really easy. I got a lot more. I’ll be here all week. Anything that you want to say before?

Greg: I just want to say thank you. And I’m very blessed to be here and very excited. I actually signed a contract while I was here. No way. I got to tell you that. That’s what it’s all about.

Glenn: That’s awesome.

Greg: I appreciate your time.

Glenn: So let’s do an extra special plug for you. Since you’re a new company, tell us where we could find you.

Greg: Presley hospitality. I’m based out of Franklin, Tennessee. So WWE hospitality, that’s where you can find me and see what I’m all about.

Glenn: Awesome. And hey, if you call in, want to invite me down, maybe we’ll all go out for barbecue or something like that. I’m glad. Thank you so much for watching. Check out Entegra Entegra comm. Thanks, guys. Have an amazing day.