Catégorie : Strategy

I don’t enjoy talking about failures, but when a $𝟮 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗽𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁, it’s worth asking why. This week, Sonder Inc., once valued at over $2 billion and hailed as “the next Airbnb meets Marriott”, shut down. After 11 years, the company filed for bankruptcy just one day after 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘁𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽. At…

Sonder’s Fall: Tech Hype vs. Hotel Reality I’ve been reflecting on Sonder’s recent liquidation and the collapse of its Marriott deal. They branded themselves a “tech-enabled hospitality” disruptor, but peel back the layers, and it was fundamentally a hotel business… leasing blocks of rooms, sinking capex into renovations, and managing physical assets. Sound familiar? That’s…

Where’s our Narrative Director when we actually need one? I’ll say it loud and with my own personal intentions, Luxury is losing its plot. And no amount of HR training modules or glossy brand manuals will save it. If we want real luxury to survive, corporate ladders in hospitality and luxury brands need an immediate…

When Giants Forget What It Means to Be Hoteliers The Sonder–Marriott case is more than a failed integration. It’s a symptom of something deeper happening across the industry — the widening gap between corporate strategy and the true essence of hospitality. Sonder had a brilliant model: flexible stays, design-forward units, efficiency, and tech. Marriott had…

Accor just admitted what everyone else pretends not to see — you can’t mix a big brand OTA with a lifestyle brand. Accor’s board just approved exploring an IPO for Ennismore: home to The Hoxton, 25hours Hotels, MAMA SHELTER, SLS Hotels, and Mondrian Hotels. It seems like a financial move. It’s actually a confession. Accor…

In the world of luxury hospitality leadership, few professionals embody the balance of global perspective and local authenticity as well as Andreas Magnus, General Manager of Kempinski Palace Engelberg.With a distinguished career spanning major destinations like Dubai, Bangkok, and Beijing, Andreas brings a depth of experience and an innate understanding of how diverse cultures shape…

Mastering the economics of social shoppingWelcome to the Sociology of Business. In my last analysis, Lights, camera, IP, I unpacked how brands are adopting Hollywood’s production logic to build cultural portfolios, not just marketing calendars. If you are on the Substack, join the chat. With one of the paid subscription options, join Paid Membership Chat,…