Hospitality Lifestyles

5 Steps to Go From Paycheck to Profitable Hospitality Entrepreneur

Chat with Doug: From Paycheck to Profitable Entrepreneur: How to Replace Your Salary as an Independent Consultant For many hospitality professionals, the ‘dream’ is clear: trading the corporate grind for the freedom of being independent. But then reality sets in. You...

The Importance of Building a Support Group in the Hospitality Industry

Chat with Doug: The Importance of Building a Support Group It is important to join an organization that provides the support services needed to achieve success while also creating your own! The key to success is YOU…you are creating your own circumstances,...

How Do I Find My First Client When Starting My Independent Meeting Planning Business?

Here are five steps that are a part of the blueprint we use to guide you in landing that all-important first client.

Onboarding and Training for Independent Meeting Planning Consultants

Chat with Doug: Will There Be Onboarding and Ongoing Training? As I was exploring my options to make the transition from employee to independent meeting planning consultant, I wanted to make sure I affiliated with an organization that provided both onboarding support...

Why I Affiliated With an Existing Meeting Management Company

Chatting With Doug As we move through the series of questions on becoming an independent meeting planner in the hospitality industry, I want to answer the two I receive most often on why this has been the right career choice for me. Why I decided to leave the safety...

Ask Doug About the Hospitality Industry – With Team Baarman@ConferenceDirect

Over the next few weeks, I am going to answer a series of frequently-asked questions I get when people reach out to me about pursuing entrepreneurial opportunities in the hospitality industry and potentially joining Team Baarman @ConferenceDirect.

Freedom, Flexibility and the Gig Economy for the Hospitality Independent Professional

The latest job reports may tell us how many positions were created or lost, but they don’t answer a more important question: are people satisfied with how they work and live? For many professionals, the traditional 9-to-5 and having to be in the office no longer provides the flexibility or fulfillment they’re looking for.

Thinking About Becoming an Independent Meeting Professional?

If you’re considering a path to business ownership in the hospitality industry but are not sure where to begin, you deserve a simple blueprint and a guide who helps you make the right decision.

Open to Work? 3 Steps to Creating Your Dream Hospitality Career

Have you ever dreamed of running your own business in the hospitality industry? Lately, we’ve seen many professionals post that they’re “open to work.” But here’s the truth: being open is only the first step. To land the opportunity you really want — the one that...

3 Steps to Take Before Making a Hospitality Career Change

Feeling Stuck in Your Hospitality Career? Let's Talk! Are you looking to elevate your career in the hospitality industry but feel uncertain about your next steps? You're not alone. We're navigating a challenging time, and many of us are impacted in different ways....

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Entrepreneurship in the Hospitality Industry

Entrepreneurship in the Hospitality Industry

As independent hospitality management professionals, we live by the quote I am sharing below. We choose to embrace this philosophy and pursue our dream of being an independent business owner within the meeting and event planning industry. “Entrepreneurship is living a...

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Hospitality Industry Professionals: A New Resource

Hospitality Industry Professionals: A New Resource

This item is specific to my hospitality industry partners. Do you want to book more group business? Do you have the resource available to generate the leads that will help you reach your goal? There is a new company in our industry that has helped my team and may be...

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The Value of Attending Hospitality Industry Events

The Value of Attending Hospitality Industry Events

I’ve recently attended a few of the larger industry events that took place in Nashville, Las Vegas and Atlanta. Being in the same location with so many of my hospitality industry peers reminded me of why I am so proud to be a part of this industry: Great people - We...

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Passion and Hospitality of a Small Business Owner

Passion and Hospitality of a Small Business Owner

By Doug Baarman On a recent trip to Europe, I had the pleasure of visiting hotels and spending time in beautiful towns throughout western Italy. Upon meeting the owner of a small shop in Sorrento, Italy – I realized he demonstrated what all small business owners must...

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