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HomeHotelExpotel President Mike Nixon Has Developed a Multifaceted Profession

Expotel President Mike Nixon Has Developed a Multifaceted Profession


Mike Nixon

As a university pupil, Expotel Hospitality President and Chief Growth Officer Michael Nixon was contemplating completely different careers—drugs, legislation, and particularly, espionage—whereas working summers at a resort. Describing his journey from his faculty days, he informed LODGING, “I had majored within the Russian language and minored in worldwide affairs, with ideas of becoming a member of the CIA or the NSA, that’s, till I factored within the beginning wage.” With a younger household to contemplate and years of progressively extra accountable positions in hospitality beneath his belt, upon commencement, he deserted ideas of changing into a spy to as an alternative grow to be normal supervisor of the resort the place he’d lower his hospitality tooth.

Nixon mentioned he by no means regretted that call since hospitality suited him, because it does many others who possess the “hospitality gene.” “I’m in love with all of the issues that make good hoteliers—being with individuals, workers, and constructing groups,” he defined.

Early Mentorship

All of it started for Nixon at Mark II Seaside Resort (now Seahaven Seaside Lodge), in Panama Metropolis Seaside, Florida, the place he remained for almost eight years, beginning as an evening auditor whereas in faculty and changing into GM simply two years later. Then got here almost 25 years with Innisfree Lodges, beginning as GM of Beachside Resort and Convention Middle, additionally in Panama Metropolis.

At Innisfree, he acquired “25 years of mentorship” from founder Julian MacQueen, who he locations on the “high of the listing” of those that taught him the resort enterprise. “So far as the nuts and bolts of resort operations, resort growth, resort purchases, and so forth.—I realized all that from him.”

In fact, Nixon was clearly desperate to be taught, proper from the beginning. “I used to be that man at all times asking for extra tasks, so Julian informed me to search out some motels that should be managed,” he mentioned. “So, despite the fact that I didn’t know actually what I used to be doing, I might make the calls, and typically stumbled throughout offers, lots of which labored out.”

He mentioned Innisfree was then a younger firm with only a few motels, which it owned and managed, and there was a lot to do and be taught. “I helped develop a whole lot of the instruments that they used to handle and monitor motels—I taught myself Excel—and in addition helped to construct the tradition inside the firm.” Whereas he was being mentored by MacQueen and because the firm grew through the years, he employed, mentored, and promoted others, a few of whom are nonetheless there in high-level positions.

Becoming a member of Expotel

Nixon mentioned of the transfer to Expotel after almost 25 years with Innisfree, “I cherished the individuals and my time at Innisfree, however after I was recruited by Expotel, I used to be on the level in my life that I needed to determine whether or not or to not stay there for the remainder of my profession.” The supply, he mentioned, additionally included a partnership place, one thing not obtainable to him at Innisfree. Given the chance to grow to be an proprietor and tackle a brand new problem, Nixon accepted the place.

He described the change from being president of what had grow to be a big firm that owned the properties it managed to imagine that title at a comparatively small third-party administration firm. “It was undoubtedly a studying expertise. As a result of we’re a small firm, we don’t have an enormous infrastructure, which makes us agile,” he defined. The brand new function has additionally meant “sporting many hats,” he mentioned. “For instance, I underwrite motels, search for financing, and mission income and internet incomes out over 5 to 10 years. I additionally advise on websites and markets—that’s, the strengths and weaknesses of motels, which of them to go after and which of them to keep away from, which of them are overpriced, which of them are underpriced.”

Figuring out with Homeowners

He mentioned Expotel’s small measurement additionally allows him to attach with homeowners of the managed properties at a unique stage, one thing he relishes. “I discover making these connections with the completely different homeowners, with all their completely different particular person personalities, to be a problem and a thrill, too. We’re not simply working for only one particular person; now we have roughly 10 homeowners,” he associated.

Nixon mentioned of his chief growth officer title, “I do have a knack for what’s concerned in growth—figuring out the main points alone or in conferences with others.” Nonetheless, he added, “I’m an operations man at coronary heart. If I had my druthers, I’d at all times be on the market assembly individuals, like on the entrance desk.” He added that being an proprietor has coloured his view of the place he holds. Though he at all times regarded each job as greater than a paycheck, being an proprietor has made him conscious of how “every little thing I do may gain advantage me personally sooner or later,” he mentioned.

Reflecting on his personal climb from evening auditor to president and companion, Nixon considers himself a chief instance of the rewards obtainable in hospitality—for these with the hospitality gene, that’s. “It’s probably not a 9-to-5 factor,” he asserted. “Individuals who view hospitality extra as a vocation, a calling, serve themselves and people round them greatest.”


The Private Strategy to Prospecting: Making Connections the Proper Means in a Publish-Pandemic World

Expotel President and Chief Growth Officer Michael Nixon remembers his early efforts to snag third-party administration contracts by chilly calling potential purchasers, however mentioned there’s simply no substitute for in-person conferences at what he referred to as “the precise exhibits.” “Folks need to promote me lists of resort executives, however I’ve discovered that one of the simplest ways to get third-party contracts is thru face-to-face conferences,” he mentioned. Emphasizing the significance of seeing these faces, he commented on how that essential connection was impacted through the pandemic: “It was horrible. All these 2020 conferences acquired canceled, after which through the first a part of 2021, we have been all strolling round in masks and we didn’t know who anyone was.” That’s why, he mentioned, he’s now desperate to go “the place the persons are”—primarily homeowners—such because the franchise homeowners’ conferences, the annual Hunter Convention in Atlanta, and the Lodging Convention in Phoenix. At such occasions, he enjoys the contact and comradery. “Even when they don’t rent us as a administration firm, I like giving free recommendation, I’m joyful to assist—I suppose it’s that hospitality factor.” EM

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