Host Steve Turk interviews Nikheel Advani , co-founder and COO of Grace Bay Resorts, who shares how he entered hospitality at 16 after his father pushed him to work, leading to dishwashing, banqueting, and founding a small events company in Singapore. He trained at UMass Amherst, worked in restaurants and hotels, joined a Pizza Uno turnaround team, then spent years with Ritz-Carlton opening multiple properties and emphasizing mentorship.

He became hotel manager at Singapore’s Raffles, helped elevate its global ranking, then moved to Turks and Caicos to build a hotel into Grace Bay Resorts, focusing on training, local talent, service excellence, food and beverage, airlift, and a luxury branded-residence model that funds development and gives owners hotel access and rental income.

It's an amazing episode with fantastic stories and pieces of advice that you should listen to today.

A big thank you to our sponsor, Lodgify. Make sure to use promo code THM60 when you sign up at Lodgify

00:00 Sponsor Lodgify

01:07 Meet Nikheel Advani

01:48 First Hospitality Job

02:08 Dad’s Tough Lesson

03:21 Starting a Company at 16

04:42 Choosing Hotel School

07:18 UMass and Working Through School

08:42 Pizza Turnaround Years

10:09 Breaking Into Ritz Carlton

11:48 Mentors That Changed Everything

14:42 Leaving for Raffles Singapore

16:24 Running an Iconic Hotel

17:28 Profit Meets Guest Experience

18:35 Leap to Turks and Caicos

20:57 Caribbean Service Reset

21:55 Risk and Ownership Leap

22:55 Partners and Fast Decisions

23:56 Awards and Signature Wins

25:43 Building Local Talent

28:29 Selling a New Destination

31:46 Airlift and Island Strategy

34:08 Next Projects Pipeline

36:06 Branded Residences Model

38:59 Advice and Farewell