Hospitality Business Review: Specials Magazine

What factors determine successful alignment in complex hospitality real estate development projects? Hospitality real estate projects begin with vision but succeed through alignment. “Great hospitality does not just serve guests; it serves place,” says Adam Shindler, founder and managing director. Projects must bring together land use regulations, capital, operations, brand positioning and community impact. Each element carries its own priorities, and early decisions determine how effectively they work together. When alignment is not established at the outset, gaps become difficult to correct and surface later in performance. Wilshire Hospitality operates as a trusted ‘in-house’ advisor-partner, working with investors, developers, brands and operators to establish project alignment, to develop shared objectives and to translate creative vision into outcomes that can perform over time. This approach took form in Latin America, where real estate investors entering the hospitality sector required hands-on guidance to navigate the complexities of the industry and the region. Wilshire works as an extension of a client team from the earliest stages of a project and guides decisions on site planning, partner selection, capital strategy and operational positioning to secure stakeholder cohesion. “We focus on shaping how land is utilized and then how the place is experienced within the community,” says Shindler. Drawing on nearly 30 years of industry experience, Shindler approaches hospitality through stewardship rather than a narrow customer focus. Guest expectations are balanced with the broader impact of how spaces are designed, developed, experienced and sustained. The focus is also on tailored advisory services that create local economic impact and long-term community value. Structuring Projects from the Ground Up How does early-stage advisory involvement influence risk, planning, and execution outcomes? Wilshire is typically engaged early, when a site has been identified, already acquired, or is under consideration. This is followed by detailed analyses, robust pro forma assessments and careful evaluation of sustainable construction typologies. Land use constraints, zoning requirements and market conditions are assessed upfront, while financial models and development strategies are evaluated to ensure the concept can be delivered as envisioned. This helps surface critical considerations early to mitigate risk and prevent costly missteps, which is essential given the extended project timelines and non-linear nature of hospitality development. Client vision is stress-tested, concepts are right-sized and consistency is maintained across every decision. Ground-up developments can span five to seven-plus years, and renovations and adaptive reuse projects may be completed within nine to 18 months, depending on labor conditions and access to strong sub-contractor networks in destination markets. Planning, design and operational considerations often move in parallel, requiring coordination across multiple workstreams. Decisions made in one phase can shape outcomes in another, making continuity across the process essential. “Responsible development is where stewardship and financial discipline meet,” says Shindler. In many cases, responsibilities overlap. Asset management may continue while renovation planning is underway, requiring alignment between ongoing operations and future development. Wilshire manages overlapping responsibilities to ensure projects remain consistent with their original intent as they move toward completion. Partner selection is central to its approach. It adopts an unbiased perspective, prioritizing project-specific goals and cultural alignment over standardized preferences. Objectives related to brand positioning, investment strategy and stakeholder selection, including designers, operators and capital partners, are aligned through an iterative process of evaluation and refinement. A special emphasis is placed on the owner–operator relationship, often described as a “business marriage.” Built on shared vision and mutual accountability, “this relationship is akin to a ‘real’ marriage, where this partnership can unlock significant value when aligned, but will erode performance when misaligned.” To mitigate this risk, Wilshire advocates for a deliberate selection process, ensuring both parties share a clear understanding of objectives and values before rushing down the proverbial aisle together.

What challenges do independent travel advisors face when building sustainable business operations? The word “independence” for solo travel advisors can be ironic. The more self-directed the business appears on the surface, the more structure it usually requires to stay credible, competitive and profitable. Jackie Friedman, president of Nexion Travel Group , frames that reality in practical terms. “Advisors do not simply need help selling travel,” she says. “Many are learning, at the same time, how to think like owners, how to market themselves, how to plan for growth and how to stay on top of the regulations that come with running a business under their own name. What this creates is not just a capability gap, but a scalability challenge.” Nexion bridges that gap not by replacing an advisor’s independence, but by enabling it. It works behind the scenes to provide advisors with the support structure they would otherwise have to build on their own. With greater scale, a built-in community and ongoing access to tools, guidance and training, advisors are better equipped to grow sustainable businesses while keeping their brand at the center of the client relationship. That journey begins with Virtual Campus, continues through one-on-one coaching and carries forward through Nexion University. In the process, advisors gain both resources and a clearer path to building an enduring business. “We see ourself as an enabler,” says Friedman. “We are here to make independence more workable, more supported and ultimately more sustainable.” .