Bashar Wali
It is Monday, October 11. Summer is over, and I am excited to start season 6 of “Monday motivation – Felix asks” today with a passionate and distinguished hospitality expert.
In season 3, Episode 6, I had the pleasure to interview Abdul Baghil, the CEO and Co-Founder of Harvest Cotton Tale. Being asked which industry expert he would like to see featured, he referred to our guest today.
Our guest describes himself as a founder, father, and hotel fanatic. He is a pragmatist—hungry to experience life, not as it is packaged and sold, but as it is. His vested interest in hospitality, culture, and design is molded with the curiosity of what is possible, beyond the status quo. Let me introduce you to Mr. Bashar Wali, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of “This Assembly” and “Practice Hospitality".
Bashar has more than 30-years of experience in the wonderful world of hospitality and is an expert in the lifestyle space.
Bashar has done every job in a hotel—from frying an egg to negotiating a deal—working for Starwood Hotels before leading acquisitions and development globally at Grand Heritage Hotels. Before launching the two entities, This Assembly and Practice Hospitality, Bashar served as President/CEO of Provenance Hotels for the past 15 years, where he still is a partner. He saw the company grow from five to 15 hotels with 1,500 members and spanning from the Pacific Northwest to an award-winning national brand with annual revenue of over $150 million.
Whenever you have the time, I highly recommend watching Bashar's Tedx Talks “A hotel is just a building” from 2017.
Bashar’s message is unwavering: “service is what you deliver, hospitality is how you make people feel.”
He is always looking for that spark—that perfect symmetry of an idea and its physical manifestation—to make human experiences as we know them, better. He is the host of the soiree—ever in pursuit of shared humanity among friends, colleagues, and total strangers. His greatest gift: bringing together a group that is more inspiring than the sum of its parts.
“My People used to say, when a stranger appears at your door, feed him for three days before asking who he is, where he comes from, and where he is headed. That way, he’ll have strength enough to answer. Or, by then you’ll be such good friends, you don’t care.”
In today’s episode, we talked about the start of his career and his definition of hospitality. I love that he takes his team members out for lunch to break bread and get to know them. He also shared his advice to the younger generation plus his favourite travel destination – and Bashar is traveling a lot.
When Bashar isn’t traveling to 50+ countries and 45+ states, he’s home in Portland, Oregon with his wife and kids, dreaming up the hotels of tomorrow.
I hope you will enjoy today's read. Have a fantastic week, and do not forget to share positive stories.
Question 1: Where did you start your career? What do you love most about your current role?
Bashar Wali (BW): “I’m a lifer who went to university to study hospitality and began my career straight out of hotel school. My first job was in Boston as a PBX Operator. Many won’t even know what that is – hint: it has to do with connecting incoming calls to the right room or department. Yes, I had a cool headset but, no, I didn’t have to plug cables into a terminal on the wall.
What I love most about Practice Hospitality and my role in this start-up phase is the freedom I must spend time on the ground with my teammates. I know from experience as we get bigger there will be more demands on my time. It’s really special to be able to engage with the team and focus on building our company culture.”
Question 2: What does hospitality mean to you?
BW: “People often confuse hospitality with service. Service is doing a task. Your mechanic, your accountant, your dry cleaner – they all provide a necessary and valuable service. Hospitality, on the other hand, is how you make people feel. It’s deeply rooted in who we are as humans. It’s the instinct we have to welcome and care for others. To make them feel comfortable and appreciated. It’s anything but transactional.”
Question 3: Can you please share an anecdote you experienced, that shows the variety and beauty of our industry?
BW: “The diversity, kindness, and resilience of the people of hospitality never fail to inspire me. Often, immigrants, move through the world and across the globe, welcoming travellers and making them feel at home. This is an industry made up of countless individuals. I make a habit when I’m visiting my hotels, to take my team out to lunch and break bread and get to know them. I’m not talking just about the hotel GM and her leadership team, though facetime with them is vital. I love to take our housekeepers out to lunch and learn about their lives, their families, and their aspirations.”
Question 4: Have you had a mentor in your career? Who was it and did she/he give you a piece of advice you still follow?
BW: “I didn’t have a mentor but there are a few leaders in this industry that I look to for inspiration. Bill Kimpton practically created the lifestyle hotel and his approach to placemaking, storytelling, and design laid the groundwork for so much that we do. And Chip Conley famously became part of the family and forged lasting, deep relationships with the owners of his hotels.”
Question 5: What would you like to say to a hospitality/ tourism student/professional who recently started his/her career, at this right moment?
BW: “Hang in there, it gets better! This is a tumultuous time in the world and our industry but, take it from someone who has been around the block, this too shall pass. The economy and, the fortunes of the industry are cyclical and can be a little chaotic at times but, the urge to travel and instinct to welcome and care for one and another is deeply rooted in our very humanity. So, things will right themselves and, right now, you have the unique opportunity to get in on the ground floor and make a big impact in a short amount of time. Our industry needs smart, innovative, driven people right now more than ever. Be one and do big things.”
Question 6: Do you have a book recommendation - this could be everything from a novel to an autobiography, etc.
BW: “I recently picked up a copy of “Boom: Mad Money, Mega Dealers, and the Rise of Contemporary Art” by Michael Shnayerson. It’s fascinating to peek behind the curtain of the art world.”
Question 7: Which industry expert would you like to see to answer these questions as well?
BW: “John Grossman, CEO, Classic Hotels & Resorts.”
Question 8: What is your favourite travel destination, and where would you stay there?
BW: “Tokyo. There is simply no place like it. And I always recommend checking into a traditional ryokan for a truly unique hospitality experience. The oldest hotel in the world is a ryokan, and it is humbling to think that these inns have been offering travellers respite for more than a thousand years.”
Dear Bashar, thank you so much for taking the time and for sharing your insights with us. I hope that we will have the pleasure to meet in person soon, somewhere around the globe.
