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Pillow Talk Sessions
Pillow Talk Sessions is a podcast about modern hospitality operations and how guest experience is operationally delivered in a tech-enabled world.
Hosted by Jessica Gillingham, author of Tech-Enabled Hospitality, and produced by Abode Worldwide, the show features in-depth conversations with leaders building, operating, and scaling modern hospitality across hotels, short-term rentals, serviced living, and flexible living models.
Each episode explores how hospitality is evolving beyond traditional hotels. From the hotelization of real estate to the rise of platform-driven and automated operations, we unpack how technology, systems, and organizational design are reshaping how stays are designed, delivered, and experienced.
Pillow Talk Sessions goes deep on hospitality operations, technology, and strategy. Topics include new operating models, guest experience delivery, AI and automation, platform ecosystems, and the convergence of hotels, short-term rentals, and serviced living.
This podcast is for hospitality operators, founders, owners, and technology leaders who want to understand the future of hospitality beyond trends, and how modern hospitality actually works on the ground.
About your host
Jessica Gillingham is the author of “Tech-Enabled Hospitality – Strategies to Elevate Guest Experience and Operational Efficiency,” and is also an industry speaker, adviser, and the CEO of Abode Worldwide, a global strategic communications and PR agency for the tech transforming hospitality.
The podcast is brought to you by the team at Abode Worldwide.
Episodes
41 episodes
How CitizenM Mastered Hospitality Automation with Mike Rawson (Formerly CitizenM)
Mike Rawson spent seven years as CIO of CitizenM, one of the most tech-forward hotel brands in the world. His biggest lesson? Technology comes last.In the latest episode of Pillow Talk Sessions, Mike joins me to break down wha...
The Rise of Agentic AI in Hospitality with Tim Major (Operto)
In this episode of Pillow Talk Sessions, Tim Major, CEO of Operto, joins host Jessica Gillingham to explain how agentic AI is shifting hospitality from automation to autonomous execution.Through Operto One, Operto is building an...
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Privacy, Safety & the Future of Rentals with Nils Mattisson (Minut)
In this episode of Pillow Talk Sessions, Nils Mattisson, CEO & Co-Founder of Minut, explains how privacy-first technology is solving one of hospitality’s most complex challenges. Balancing guest privacy with host s...
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Building Sustainable Hospitality with Marc Laros (The Usual Hotels)
In this episode of Pillow Talk Sessions, Marc Laros, CTO of The Usual Hotels, explains how sustainability, technology, and guest experience can be designed as one integrated operating system.The Usual Hot...
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Curated Hospitality with Cathrine Reimann (Landfolk)
In this episode of Pillow Talk Sessions with Jessica Gillingham, Cathrine Reimann, Co-Founder of Landfolk, explains why disciplined curation, not scale alone, is the foundation of a successful short-stay marketplace.Landfolk has...
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Reinventing Hotel Standards with Adam Tuttle (Yipy)
In this episode of Pillow Talk Sessions with Jessica Gillingham, Adam Tuttle, Co-Founder and CEO of Yipy, explains why hospitality’s approach to standards management has remained fundamentally outdated and how digitising standards can ...
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Professionalising Short-Term Rentals with Merilee Karr (UnderTheDoormat)
In this episode of Pillow Talk Sessions, Merilee Karr, CEO of UnderTheDoormat Group, explains how short-term rentals have evolved from fragmented, alternative accommodation into a professional, institutional-grade asset class operating...
Scaling Short-Stay Living with Laurenz Schwarzhappel (Global Living Apartments)
In this episode of Pillow Talk Sessions, Laurenz Schwarzhappel, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Global Living Apartments, explains how the company consistently achieves around 92% occupancy across nine German cities by doing what most hospitality o...
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Hospitality’s Digital Reset with Ulrich Pillau (Apaleo)
In this episode of Pillow Talk Sessions, Jessica Gillingham sits down with Ulrich Pillau, Co-founder & CEO of Apaleo, to explore how AI and API-first technology are redefining what modern hospitality looks like beh...
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Scaling Hospitality Through Automation with Alexander Limpert (RentalReady / GuestReady)
In this week’s Pillow Talk Sessions, Jessica Gillingham and Kristian Lupinski speak with Alexander Limpert, the founder behind RentalReady and GuestReady, to unpack how automation, data, and AI are transforming operati...
Rethinking UK Housing with Jason Hardman (CBRE)
In this week’s Pillow Talk Sessions, Jessica Gillingham and Kristian Lupinski sit down with Jason Hardman, Head of UK Living at CBRE, to explore how policy, planning, and private capital are reshaping the UK’s housing ...
The Future of Casual Living with Asli Kutlucan (TFE Hotels)
In this week’s Pillow Talk Sessions, Jessica Gillingham and co-host Kristian Lupinski sit down with Asli Kutlucan, CEO Europe at TFE Hotels, to explore how the company is bridging the gap between hotels and homes with ...
Community, Affordability & Long-Term Value with Stephanie Smith (Muse)
In this week’s Pillow Talk Sessions, Jessica Gillingham and Kristian Lupinski sit down with Stephanie Smith, Head of Residential at Muse, to unpack how thoughtful design, data, and collaboration are shaping the next er...
Global Student Housing Trends with Joe Persechino (Yugo)
In this week’s Pillow Talk Sessions, Jessica Gillingham and Kristian Lupinski sit down with Joe Persechino, COO of Yugo, to unpack the global growth trajectory of student accommodation and the strategies needed to meet...
Driving Building Performance with Jonathan Burridge (Utopi)
In this week’s Pillow Talk Sessions, Jessica Gillingham and Kristian Lupinski sit down with Jonathan Burridge, Founder & CEO of Utopi, to explore how his company is helping operators cut costs, reduce carbon, and i...
The Future of Smart Stays with Dr. Josef Vollmayr (Limehome)
In this week’s Pillow Talk Sessions, Jessica Gillingham and Kristian Lupinski sit down with Josef Vollmayr, Co-Founder & Managing Director of Limehome, to explore how the company is reshaping hospitality across Eur...
From Leases to Loyalty: Reimagining Rentals with Kevin Murphy (Renew)
In this episode of Pillow Talk Sessions, Jessica Gillingham and Kristian Lupinski sit down with Kevin Murphy, Co-founder & COO of Renew, to explore how multifamily operators can turn one of their biggest weaknesses...
Everything Is Hospitality – A Vision for Vertical Living with Philip Grace (Bob W)
In this week’s Pillow Talk Sessions, we go behind the brand with Philip Grace, CDO at Bob W, to unpack the company’s vision of hospitality-first, asset-light, and tech-forward living across Europe.💡 Insid...
Designing the Future of Urban Living with Nuno Jorge Trigo (FEEL GROUP)
This week on Pillow Talk Sessions, hosts Jessica Gillingham and Kristian Lupinski sit down with Nuno Jorge Trigo, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of FEEL GROUP, to discuss how the company is reshaping hospitality through its vertical building model....
A Vision for Flexible Living with Ed Ellerington (Packaged Living)
This week on Pillow Talk Sessions, hosts Jessica Gillingham and Kristian Lupinski welcome Ed Ellerington, Founder & CEO of Packaged Living, to explore what it really means to bring a customer-first, tech-smart, and...
Reimagining the Student Experience with Suraiya Comunello (Nido Living)
This week, we’re joined by Suraiya Comunello, CMO at Nido Living, for a deep dive into what truly matters to today’s students—and how operators can meet those expectations through service, design, and wellbeing.From ...
The Coliving Playbook with Mayank Pokharna (Everything Coliving)
The coliving industry is booming—but how you scale matters. In this episode of Pillow Talk Sessions, hosts Jessica Gillingham and Kristian Lupinski sit down with Mayank Pokharna, CEO of Fllat.com...
Live Special — Experience is the New Amenity
This week on Pillow Talk Sessions, we’re excited to release our first live-recorded episode, where we brought industry leaders together to unpack the future of resident experience in front of a live audience.Hosts Je...
Navigating Reform in Build-to-Rent with Rachel Hanniquet-Brooking (APO Group)
This week on Pillow Talk Sessions, Jessica Gillingham and Kristian Lupinski are joined by Rachel Hanniquet-Brooking, Managing Director of APO Group LTD, to explore the state of the UK rental market—and how Build-to-Rent operators can prepare...
Hospitality Rewired with Simone Puorto (Travel Singularity)
Jessica Gillingham and Kristian Lupinski sit down with Simone Puorto, Founder of Travel Singularity, to unpack how technology, empathy, and adaptability are reshaping the future of hospitality.💡 Tune in to explore:&n...
