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Hospitality podcast veteran, Wil Slickers, has launched a new podcast network, Hospitality.FM, featuring shows and hosts across the hospitality industry. Wil is already familiar with this emerging audio landscape as the host of two successful podcasts on the network, Slick Talk and Good Morning Hospitality. Through the launch of this platform, Wil aims to not only broadcast other hospitality professionals, but provide a hub where listeners can gather insights to navigate their path to success. Read the interview below to learn more about the podcast network.
Breezeway: To start off, can you tell us a little bit more about Hospitality.FM and what shows, hosts, and topics the network will cover?
Wil Slickers: Hospitality.FM is a podcast network dedicated to bringing the best hospitality-focused podcasts to those in and around the industry. From Food & Beverage, Guest Experience, Diversity & Inclusion, Tech, Operations, Hotels, Vacation Rentals, and so many more, Hospitality.FM is passionate about giving the industry a prominent and louder voice to reach more listeners, all by “Going All In, On Audio.”
Breezeway: Well, we are all for that and are really excited that you're doing this! What inspired you to start Hospitality.FM and how can a hospitality media network impact the industry?
Wil Slickers: This was a project I started a while ago but felt like wasn’t the right time. The right time happened to be when I had the opportunity to meet so many of my industry friends and partners at VRMA. COVID brought a lot to the industry in terms of growth and pushing the industry forward but Podcasts also popped up out of nowhere and so many of them reached out to ask questions and learn from my failures and successes. With a line of creators (podcasters) and eager sponsors, I knew there was a need for an “All Audio” media network for the industry. Plus, I thought about myself at 19 when I was searching for good hospitality podcasts and could find maybe two? I want to provide the best hub of industry podcasts for the current and future generations to come.
Breezeway: That's so true, the industry has grown and changed so rapidly, especially during COVID, that it's hard to keep up, so it will be great to have a place like Hospitality.FM to tune into and hear from experts knowledge sharing across the industry. Resources like this will help all of us maintain our industry growth and continued professionalism. What do you hope Hospitality.FM brings to listeners and show hosts?
Wil Slickers: I hope this exposes the listeners to the true and real thought leaders in the industry. They could be a guest on a podcast or the host themselves. A listener should be able to listen to any show and receive nothing but value and a feeling of belonging/community. For the hosts, I hope this gives them the opportunity to create the life they get to live on their terms and to also feel that feeling of community. I know for myself, when I realized I was doing what I loved, it changed literally everything for me. My mental health, my self-worth, my feeling of not belonging changed to a feeling of home. Now, that might not be the case for every host but at the end of the day, there is something special about what we do, and not only do we get to see it but we get to share it with the world. Pretty damn cool if you ask me!
Breezeway: Agreed! Now we know that the whole industry is buzzing about this launch, but what are you personally most excited about in 2022 with your new podcast network?
Wil Slickers: I am excited for the community of podcasters and listeners to continue to grow and learn and discover things they or we have never thought about before and for the future developments for the brand. Our tagline is “Going All In On Audio” for a reason. Audio gives us the ability to access people at a different level than video or any other medium can. Things like Alexa, and others, will be a big part in our future investments.
Breezeway: That's Awesome! You're always thinking ahead Wil. What else do you think is in Hospitality.FM's future and what is your long-term goal for the network?
Wil Slickers: I could say many things for this question, but I would like to think this is something that will be around for a long, long time. So many things can happen and as we have seen in the last (almost) two years is the amount of investment that's come into travel/hospitality. I see HFM developing some groundbreaking tech in audio and acquiring some others along the way. Stay tuned to find out!
Breezeway: We will definitely stay tuned and look forward to listening!
For more information, visit Hospitality.FM, and stay tuned for more episodes to come on the network!