Episode
Connecting the Room - Michelle Finn - Defining Hospitality
- Podcast
- Defining Hospitality
- Published
- Jul 15, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3774
- Processing state
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- https://share.transistor.fm/s/008fcce3
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Summary
In this episode, Dan Ryan sits down with Michelle Finn, longtime industry fixture and the driving force behind Alis Design Plus, to trace the evolution of hospitality trade events from HD Expo's chaotic 1990s launch (earthquakes, riots and all) to today's design and investment ecosystem. Michelle unpacks her "dinner party" philosophy of hosting, the power of relationships over transactions, and how she scaled that intimacy from a dozen guests to thousands of attendees without losing the human touch. The conversation moves through mentorship, the rise of owner involvement in design, the new Alis Cala expansion into the Caribbean, and even a few fun detours into what a Vogue or Garden and Guns hotel might look like. About the Guest: Michelle Finn heads The BHN Group's hotel design and construction events, including the launch of Alis Design Plus. Previously, she led the management and development of Hospitality Design Expo, HD Boutique, HD Summit, HD Awards, Hospitality Design, Boutique Design NY, Boutique Design West, the BD Forum Series, Boutique Design and Senior Lifestyle Design Match events, the Gold Key Awards, and more. A dedicated, long standing member of NEWH, she has earned numerous awards for innovation spanning trade fair development, publishing, leadership, and service, and is firmly established as a notable presence in Chicago's hospitality landscape. Chapters: 00:00 Defining Hospitality Intro 00:35 Meet Michelle Finn 01:47 What Hospitality Means 03:38 Hosting Lessons Early On 06:00 Launching HD Expo Origins 08:48 Riots Earthquakes and Vegas Pivot 13:42 Winning Leadership Buy In 22:41 Why ALIS Design Plus Exists 25:21 Growth Plans and Industry Shifts 33:38 Analog Event Magic 34:36 Word of Mouth Wins 35:08 Hospitality Shifts 36:19 Product Categories Boom 37:…