Hire Creatives to Elevate Hospitality

with Abdul Baaghil

Hospitality Daily is brought to you with support from Sojern’s new fully-managed email marketing service.

Today, we’re learning from Abdul Baaghil, co-founder of Harvest Cotton Tail, a hotel development and advisory firm.

The Big Idea: The best hospitality teams are built on soul, creativity, and personality. Hiring people with passions outside of hospitality creates more engaging, memorable guest experiences.

Why It Matters: Hiring from outside the industry can be a strategic advantage. In a competitive market where hiring remains tough, thinking beyond traditional candidates can delight guests, retain staff, and drive long-term success.

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“We said try to get people that never worked in the hotel industry before. Try to get writers, actors, musicians, because you need artists.

Abdul Baaghil

Want more? Listen to Abdul talk more about this today on the Hospitality Daily Podcast (available on Spotify or Apple Podcasts)

Today’s Takeaways:

Hire for personality, not experience: Recruit candidates with character, observation skills, and interests outside hospitality.
Create space for personal growth: Actively encourage your team to develop their non-hospitality interests and talents.
Build a supportive culture: Position yourself as a partner in your team’s journeys rather than just their employer.
Look beyond technical training: While efficiency matters, prioritize emotional intelligence and authentic engagement.
Foster individuality: Recognize that team members who bring their whole selves to work create the most memorable guest experiences.

A MESSAGE FROM SOJERN

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A few final things:

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-Josiah

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🍍 why you should hire more creatives (for every role)