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.
Pillow Talk Sessions
Global Student Housing Trends with Joe Persechino (Yugo)
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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 demand.
💡 Highlights from the conversation:
🌍 Why student numbers are rising from 240M to 400M by 2050
📊 Why markets like the UK are 30% penetrated while Italy lags at only 5%
🏢 How Yugo blends global brand consistency with local market nuance
🤝 Why partnerships with universities and parents are critical for trust and growth
🌱 How Gen Z expectations around sustainability and wellbeing are reshaping the student experience
Joe explains why PBSA is no longer a niche “alternative” but a core asset class attracting global institutional capital — and how Yugo is leading the way.
Meet the host of Pillow Talk Sessions
Jessica Gillingham is the Founder and CEO of Abode Worldwide, a strategic public relations agency dedicated to elevating the profile of transformative technology solutions in global hospitality, lodging, and rental living. An established industry thought leader, Jessica is a frequent conference speaker and author of Tech-Enabled Hospitality, a new book exploring the innovations shaping the sector.