Sitting with her answers, a pattern emerged: she kept returning to people and places that refuse to be one thing. She mentions:

• A city hotel that feels like the countryside.

• An art museum where you can spend the night.

• A train that’s simultaneously transportation and destination.

• A hotel that’s also a wellness retreat.

• A beach club that’s also a fashion brand.

None of these are singular identities.

From a marketing point of view, that intrigued me. Especially in the age of AI, some might encourage brands to lean into their distinct, concrete mission. That’s partially correct, but clarity alone isn’t enough. What they’d be missing is that you also need expansion, a way of living, or as we’ve been increasingly calling it - worldbuilding. And perhaps that’s where the juxtapositions come in.

What Sarah is really describing are thresholds.

As a Producer & Reporter for Bloomberg Pursuits, the publication’s luxury lifestyle arm, she’s built a career documenting what happens when people cross them: when a tourist becomes a temporary insider; when a hotel becomes a cultural institution; when a stranger becomes someone worth telling the truth to.

Sarah says access is a real luxury; I suspect what we’re all really seeking is the transformation that begins once we’re inside.

You’ve been welcomed into some of the world’s most extraordinary hotels, homes, restaurants, and destinations. What separates the places people photograph from the places they genuinely remember?

What matters more than world-class design or square footage is how a place makes you feel. And that’s down to the staff and an environment where they can make you feel welcome and relaxed.

I was recently at Casa Angelina in Praiano on the Amalfi Coast. The hotel was beautiful, and the views were spectacular, but what I took away more than anything was the kindness of the staff. When we were out by the pool, a bee flew into my spritz, and I’m a little terrified of them, so I sadly counted my drink as a loss, and the pool attendant went out and got me a new drink without being asked to. He noticed and didn’t make me feel silly about my little phobia.

The warmth and care in a place is everything!

Speaking of warmth, how do you make a stranger feel at ease within the first few minutes of an interview?

It’s something I try really hard to do! I speak to a lot of people who aren’t always comfortable with press interviews, and I try to make them feel at ease by asking them genuine questions about themselves and their businesses and actively listening. It’s silly, but I do appreciate a little bit of small talk at the start of a conversation as well. I’m happy to talk about your recent holiday or weekend to warm up a little!

The most important thing, though, is to take a genuine interest in the topic. People can tell if you’re being fake, and I do genuinely care about every interview I do.

Most of the topics you cover seem to overlap these days. Why do you think travel, fashion, art, and hospitality are converging?

These worlds are becoming intertwined as consumers, especially younger ones, are increasingly spending on experiences over things.

According to a recent Bain report, luxury spending has largely shifted away from, say, a status handbag to travel and wellness, with experiences outperforming by some 150% in 2026. I wrote a fun piece a few years ago where I came up with the phrase ‘resort-core,’ where tote bags from glam hotels were becoming status symbols in their own right!

So luxury brands are hitching their wagon to travel brands, hoping things like branded beach clubs and one-off shops will inspire customers to drop a little more cash. The experiential luxury economy is such an interesting growing sector!

If experiences have already eclipsed objects, where’s luxury heading next?

Wellness is pretty unstoppable. I’ve seen so many hotels add reformer pilates, infrared saunas, and cold plunges in the past few years. But beyond just a plush spa, the smartest operators are incorporating it into other programming. Maybourne, for example, has celebrity nutritionist Rose Ferguson’s healthy menus on offer - but of course you can still get a club sandwich and a martini sent to your room.

Beyond wellness, private access and personalization are huge. By this I mean getting after-hours museum tours or private lessons with a chef or behind-the-scenes look at tradespeople’s crafts.

When on the La Dolce Vita Orient Express, I got to meet with local artists in Siena who worked on art for the famous Palio horse race, and that was such a unique, memorable experience that I would have had a hard time arranging access for myself.

Access is a real luxury!

Who’s a person redefining luxury hospitality in a way you find particularly inspiring?

I’m a big admirer of Valentina de Santis, the hotelier behind Passalacqua and Grand Hotel Tremezzo. Her family also just opened the art museum Casabianca in Lake Como, which has three elegant suites to stay the night - I love the ‘night at the museum’ type concept.

I met her for the first time at the inaugural 50 Best Hotel Awards and loved how she accepted the best hotel award in a glamorous gown like she was accepting an Oscar! Hospitality skews male, so it’s inspirational to see a woman achieving success at this level. But her attention to detail and vision for what Italian luxury can look like is fantastic, and she keeps on striving for excellence.

We always leave space for our houseguests to share a few recommendations - what are a few recent discoveries you’d love to pass along?

• Collegio Alla Querce in Florence, Italy, for the stunning views of the Duomo and the best-of-both-worlds combination of being a city resort within walking distance of a town that still feels like you’re in the middle of the Tuscan countryside.

• This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews. A gorgeous, spell-binding fantasy book with a twist that actually managed to shock me.

• This hand lotion by Wildsmith. It smells amazing, with these gorgeous cedarwood notes. It’s also created from the people at Heckfield in the English countryside, and is a super sustainable brand.

• I’m a ‘sweet treat’ girlie, and the new bakery Turntable in Muswell Hill has fabulous pastries and great music with vinyls playing during the day. Nothing better than a baked good and a good vibe.

Before Our Houseguest Leaves…

In my own life, I’ve always been drawn to the in-between: to seasons that haven’t quite arrived, places that resist easy definition, the feeling of becoming rather than simply being. One of my favorite Spotify playlists is built around exactly that mood - impossible to name, constantly evolving, suspended somewhere between where you’ve been and where you’re headed.

So I find it interesting that Sarah seems to describe luxury in much the same way - that time and space just before a desired transformation (whether conscious or unconscious) takes place.

Whatever industry you work in - hospitality, events, or otherwise - the lesson is simple to say and hard to do: make transitions feel gentle.

Whether someone is moving between meetings, homes, identities, routines, or seasons of life, the greatest acts of service don’t rush people through those moments. They shepherd them through with care. That’s where personalization stops feeling like a strategy and starts feeling like genuine thoughtfulness. It’s where kindness matters most - and according to Sarah’s anecdotes - where it’s remembered longest.

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Advising luxury hospitality and event brands on their visibility and positioning, we’ve always had to understand the practice of, and value in, discretion. Lately, I’ve been watching the principle shape media itself. I’ve found myself thinking less about where our clients can earn the largest audience and more about where they can earn the deepest trust.

Here’s why.

One in three journalists in the U.S. now have a personal media outlet.

They’re writing newsletters, hosting podcasts, building communities, and developing audiences that follow them - not just the traditional publication they happen(ed) to write for.

Thanks to Kelsey Ogletree’s Pitchcraft community, our team recently had the opportunity to sit in on a private conversation with Liz Kelly Nelson, founder of Project C, who offered a definition for this evolution: creator journalism.

She explained that a creator journalist is someone who practices journalism - reporting original stories, adhering to journalistic ethics, and building credibility - but does so within the creator ecosystem, cultivating a direct relationship with readers along the way.

As someone who majored in Journalism, that distinction stood out to me. We were taught that the story was the product. Increasingly, it feels like the story is one expression of something larger: an ongoing relationship between journalist and reader.

The most interesting part to me is that 40% of these ‘creator journalists’ said they make no money at all from self-publishing. And nearly 80% of them have less than 10,000 subscribers, meaning that they are still “nano influencers” without the promise of making ‘passive’ income.

So why do they do it?

Small, trusted followings have always held their own power. What feels different now is the deliberateness of it - journalists with institutional credibility are choosing small-and-owned over big-and-borrowed.

That shows how value is shifting: less about size, more about depth, autonomy, and ownership (because that’s what really compounds).

For the last decade plus, much of PR and marketing has been about broadcasting - not just in the traditional TV sense, but in the pursuit of visibility across public feeds.

Increasingly though, the highest-value recommendations aren’t happening publicly at all. They’re happening inside whisper networks: paid newsletters, subscriber chats, WhatsApp groups, private communities, invitation-only Slack channels, and comment sections where you have to be opted in.

Luxury consumers have operated this way for years. They rely on private bankers, trusted travel advisors, estate managers, family offices, and introductions made quietly between friends. In their world, the most valuable recommendations have rarely been the most visible ones. Which leaves me wondering, is the best media becoming private, too?

Imagine you’re trying to reach estate managers responsible for multi-million-dollar properties. What’s more coveted: a passing quote or mention in a publication read by millions… or in a newsletter that a couple hundred target audience members read religiously? One certainly has less noise, less competition, and more inherent trust.

That’s not to diminish the importance of legacy media. Quite the opposite - many of the most respected publications are embracing this evolution themselves. Just as journalists are bringing audiences with them into their newsletters, Chloe Malle is bringing trusted Substack voices like , , and in-house for Vogue commentary and columns, while Chloe Moore at Forbes is leaning into ‘creator-led’ storytelling with an entirely new network. And when traditional outlets disappear, the journalists behind them are often creating something new themselves, working to “revive old publications in a new way - for a different generation,” as one industry insider put it. The former Departures team launching Dossier was an early example. More recently, the former Teen Vogue team created La Fronde - and it’s unlikely they’ll be the last.

The takeaway: Loyalty is becoming mobile, and power is transferring. For decades, publications owned audiences. Since the rise of the creator economy, audiences have belonged to people. That’s ‘creating’ a very different media landscape.

Even LLMs like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI, Copilot, and Claude are citing creator posts the same way they’d cite a media outlet. ( and just had a fascinating conversation about this in ICYMI.)

In an upcoming issue, we’re going to dive into the notion of owned platforms, and why narrative and audience control have never mattered more. Until then, I’ll leave you with this: you don’t need to become a creator journalist, but your focus should shift. Just like our issue on exclusivity discussed - it’s one thing to be named and recommended in a closed circuit; it’s another to be the host and facilitator of that circuit.

That’s the kind of influence no algorithm can take away.

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Below are five practical tips to start engaging with creator journalists and community-first media, including where to find them and contact information to help you begin building relationships.

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Our last Houseguest, Lisa Holladay, reflected on the power of collective wisdom - even in the most accomplished rooms. She spoke about the people who shaped her own understanding of hospitality as well, from her mother to her mentor, Hervé Humler. A reminder that the best work is rarely ours alone.

Today’s Houseguest, Meghan Grimm, carries that same spirit.

As Founder and CEO of Clyde Staffing Ventures and host of the Clyde Confidential podcast, Meghan spends her days helping extraordinary people build the teams around them.

Yet, while surrounded by some of the world’s most discerning individuals and families, Meghan speaks less about technical expertise than she does the virtues that sustain it: humility, curiosity, and a willingness to welcome feedback long after you’ve become an expert in your field.

Before we talked about that philosophy and how Meghan applies it to the world of private staffing, I wanted to begin with a question that’s become a tradition around here - because the answer is almost always about more than the gift itself.

The Houseguest is rooted in the idea that the best guests always bring something with them. What’s your favorite thing, tangible or otherwise, to contribute to a celebration or gathering?

If I’m staying as a houseguest, one of my favorite hostess gifts is a beautiful cheeseboard the host can keep, paired with gourmet cheeses and crackers to enjoy together during sunset or happy hour - especially in the summer.

I also love giving a custom guest book, where friends and family can leave personalized notes and memories each time they visit. It’s a thoughtful keepsake that only becomes more meaningful over the years.

In a professional sense, you’re known for bringing unfiltered advice and perspective for driven individuals growing a career in the professional services industry. What is one character trait people rarely account for, but that matters enormously for building a successful career?

The people who go the furthest aren’t usually the ones who think they’re above certain tasks - they’re the ones willing to do whatever needs to get done. They ask questions, admit when they don’t know something, take feedback without getting defensive, and aren’t afraid to roll up their sleeves.

Especially in professional services, clients and colleagues remember how you make them feel. Being talented matters, but being humble, reliable, and easy to work with matters even more. The person who leaves their ego at the door earns trust, builds stronger relationships, and creates opportunities that skill alone can’t.

Ego can get you attention. Humility builds a lasting career.

Speaking of relationships, who taught you how to make people feel welcome?

Honestly, a book. Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara completely changed the way I think about making people feel welcome. One of my clients actually recommended it to me.

It taught me that hospitality isn’t just about restaurants - it’s about making people feel seen, valued, and cared for in every interaction. Whether it’s a candidate interviewing for a job, a client, or a friend walking into my home, I try to create an experience where they feel like they matter. That mindset has had a huge impact on both my personal life and my career.

What’s a dealbreaker in those interactions when you’re supporting ultra-high-net-worth, private individuals and their families?

Lack of discretion. In this business, trust is everything. You’re often privy to incredibly personal information, sensitive conversations, and the inner workings of someone’s life. If you can’t keep that confidential, nothing else really matters.

The best assistants and support staff know that professionalism isn’t just about doing the job well - it’s about protecting your principal’s privacy at all times.

What would you say is a big misconception about how your clients actually live?

I think the biggest misconception is that their lives are glamorous all the time. Yes, there are incredible homes, travel, and opportunities, but at the end of the day they’re still people dealing with the same things everyone else does: family dynamics, health, relationships, parenting, stress, and trying to balance it all.

The biggest difference isn’t that their lives are easier - it’s that they have more complexity and a lot less privacy. That’s why having the right people around them is so important.

What’s one major shift you’re already seeing with your clients and the next generation of wealth?

I think we’re going to continue seeing a major shift from traditional wealth to creator wealth.

More and more of our clients are founders, influencers, YouTubers, athletes, and digital entrepreneurs who have built incredible businesses around their personal brands.

What’s interesting is they have many of the same staffing needs as traditional ultra-high-net-worth families, but they operate much faster. They need people who are adaptable, tech-savvy, understand social media, and can wear multiple hats.

The definition of a “principal” is evolving. It’s no longer just CEOs and celebrities, it’s people who’ve built influence online and turned it into thriving businesses. We’re already seeing that shift in who we’re placing talent with, and I think it’s only going to accelerate.

Who is someone - in hospitality, leadership, or community-building - that you admire right now, and what do they do particularly well?

I’d say Jason Weinberg (Founding Partner of Untitled Entertainment). I’ve had the opportunity to work with him, and one of the things I admire most is the relationships he’s built over the years.

He’s known as one of the industry’s great connectors. People genuinely trust him, and he’s created a network that’s built on authenticity, generosity, and long-term relationships - not just transactions.

That’s something I really aspire to. At the end of the day, this business is all about people, and the strongest careers are built on trust, kindness, and showing up consistently for others.

We always leave space for our houseguests to share a few recommendations - anything reflective of your taste or what you’re returning to lately.

A recent discovery I’d love to pass along is Miraval Arizona Resort & Spa. I went there recently with the intention of unplugging, and one thing that really stayed with me was their designated no-phone areas.

At first, it felt like a challenge - a reminder of how often we instinctively reach for our phones. But it became such a valuable self-check. It encouraged me to be more present, more connected to my surroundings, and more intentional with my time.

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Before Our Houseguest Leaves…

You might have glossed over Meghan’s favorite hostess gift, but it’s actually what stood out to me most: a custom guest book.

Maybe it’s because I’ve given them myself. I’ve filled one with photographs for my sister, watched visitors add notes over the years, and seen how something so simple quietly becomes irreplaceable.

Or maybe it’s because I have a soft spot for keepsakes and heirlooms - the kinds of objects that seem to matter more with time, not less.

Sure, a guest book is beautiful the day it’s given. But that’s never really the point about the best gifts we can give someone. Their value comes from what they collect over time.

That feels a lot like what I hope we’re building here. Not simply a collection of interviews, but an archive of generous perspectives. A place where inspiring people each leave a page behind - a lesson, recommendation, or question that someone else might carry with them - and at the same time, remain curious enough to keep reading themselves.

That might just be what the best hosts have in common: they never stop learning from the people who walk through their door.

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That’s the spirit behind our work at In Good Company PR, and the reason The Houseguest exists.

Each conversation invites someone whose work has shaped the way others gather, travel, celebrate, lead, or simply feel cared for. Together, we explore the philosophies, experiences, and people that have quietly shaped how they show up in the world - and how they show up for others.

Today, we’re honored to welcome Lisa Holladay, Chief Experience Officer at TIGER 21, to our table.

As Chief Experience Officer at the exclusive global community of ultra-high-net-worth entrepreneurs, investors, and executives, Lisa helps cultivate environments where trust, candor, and meaningful conversation can flourish. Before joining TIGER 21, she spent years at leading brands Mercedes-Benz and The Ritz-Carlton.

With how she’s spent her career, it felt fitting to begin where every meaningful experience does: with trust.

At TIGER 21, the “experience” isn’t about aesthetics. It’s about connection, candor, and collective wisdom. What’s one behind-the-scenes detail that makes that kind of environment actually work?

The honest answer is that the magic isn’t in the room or the setting - it’s in a single agreement we make before anyone speaks: everything shared in a Group stays in that Group.

That confidentiality is the quiet engine behind everything else. Our Members are people who are used to being “on” - advising, leading, being looked to for the answers - so a space where they can set that aside and simply be honest is rare and precious.

The detail that surprises people is what we call a ‘Portfolio Defense.’

A Member will sit down and walk their peers through their entire financial picture - the holdings, the decisions they second-guess, the personal story behind the numbers - and then invite candid feedback. That degree of openness is almost unheard of among people at this level.

It works for two reasons: no one in that room is selling them anything, and everyone there has been just as vulnerable themselves. When you remove the sales motive and add real trust, candor stops feeling risky and starts feeling like a gift.

In your view, what separates an experience that’s simply luxurious from one that feels genuinely meaningful or transformative?

I spent years in worlds - Mercedes-Benz, The Ritz-Carlton - devoted to perfecting the luxurious: the flawless detail, the anticipatory service, the beautiful room. Those things matter; they’re the price of entry.

A luxurious moment can be admired from a little distance - a stunning view, a perfect meal. A transformative one reaches something personal: it makes you feel seen, shifts how you think, or connects you to a person or a purpose you carry with you long after.

At TIGER 21, a Member once told me that a single conversation with a peer changed a decision affecting three generations of his family. No amount of polish creates that. It comes from connection and candor - from an experience built for that person, and only that person.

Who taught you how to take care of people - in life or in work?

Two answers, one personal and one professional.

The first is my mother. She built a successful career of her own and then passed away unexpectedly, not long after she retired. Losing her reordered everything for me.

It taught me that taking care of people isn’t a strategy - it’s the point - and that the well-being of the people around you matters more than any result on a page.

I lead differently because of her.

The professional answer is The Ritz-Carlton. Their motto is “Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen,” and what stayed with me wasn’t really about service - it was about respect. Everyone, at every level, is treated as worthy of the same care.

I also grew up in Charleston, where graciousness is simply how you move through the world. So in a way I was taught it young, reminded of it by loss, and then shown how to carry it at scale.

It all comes back to the same belief: people can tell when they’re genuinely seen, and that’s the whole job.

Who is someone - in hospitality, leadership, or community-building - that you admire right now, and what do they do particularly well?

The first person I thought of is Hervé Humler, who was my leader and mentor at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.

I had the privilege of working inside the culture he helped build, and what he does better than almost anyone is treat dignity as the foundation of service rather than a finishing touch.

His belief that “We are Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen” was never about formality. It was about respect flowing in every direction, so that the person checking you in and the person checking in are seen as equals. He also trusted his people with real responsibility, giving anyone on the team the authority to solve a guest’s problem on the spot.

What I admire most is that he understood culture is the product. Get the people right, give them a purpose they truly believe in, and the experience takes care of itself. That conviction still shapes how I lead today.

We always leave space for our houseguests to share a few recommendations - anything reflective of your taste or what you’re returning to lately.

A place: I just returned from a Member event we hosted in Milan, Italy, where we’ve recently started a new Group. The city is having a real moment right now and is arguably the global capital of design and craftsmanship, a city where beauty, hospitality and the art of living come together. TIGER 21 partners with the recently opened Carlton Milano, which has a great location, restaurant, and spa.

A ritual: my morning meditation. I started the practice during the pandemic. It has become the quiet few minutes that set the tone for everything else in my day.

A book: “Into the Magic Shop” by Dr. James R. Doty, for the way it pairs the science of the brain with the wisdom of the heart. Lately, I’ve also returned to “The Good Life” by Dr. Robert Waldinger, which argues, with decades of data behind it, that the quality of our relationships is what most determines a life well lived.

A host gift: monogrammed linen cocktail napkins. My grandmother always set out the prettiest ones for her bridge club, and they remain my favorite way to bring a little Southern hospitality into someone’s home.

Before Our Houseguest Leaves…

Every so often, a conversation leaves behind a single sentence that eclipses everything else.

For me, it was this: “Taking care of people isn’t a strategy - it’s the point - and the well-being of the people around you matters more than any result on a page.”

Not because it’s revolutionary, but because it can be so easily forgotten in the day-to-day of a world obsessed with outcomes: revenue, growth, efficiency, visibility, and performance.

Those things matter; but they’re also temporary.

The way you make people feel is what stays. It’s what your colleagues and clients remember, it’s the culture your team carries forward after you’ve left the room, it’s the legacy that can’t be measured on a spreadsheet.

I couldn’t help but think of Natalie and the way she’s built In Good Company PR after that simple reminder. It’s never felt rooted in tactics or transactions - it’s always been about showing up, caring well, and believing that how you treat people is every bit as important (if not more so) as the work you do.

What does ‘taking care of people’ look like in your corner of the world?

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What happens when ‘exclusivity’ reaches its max capacity?

It’s a genuine structural question. The global ultra-wealthy population (individuals with $30M or more) grew by 21% in the last two years alone, and is projected to expand by another 31% by 2030. The ranks of people who can afford exclusivity are growing faster than exclusivity itself can be manufactured.

For years, luxury was defined by the obvious markers - the box seat, the front row, the private terminal, the velvet rope, the suite upgrade, the members-only door. But markers only work when the gap between those who can access them and those who can’t is wide enough to mean something. When the top tier becomes a market and the access point itself gets oversubscribed, the question isn’t who gets in… it’s:

“What comes next?”

Take the Knicks, for example. In case you missed it, the New York Knicks just won their first NBA championship in 53 years. Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner were courtside at MSG for nearly every game. Jordyn Woods, Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler, Spike Lee - the front rows were full… and fully photographed.

Which had me wondering less about who was in those seats, and more about who wasn’t.

Because here’s what the courtside seat has become: either the most watched position in the arena, or at least evidence that you didn’t mind being watched. For some, that visibility is still the point. Not the seat itself, but the broadcast that comes with it. But for many of today’s HNW and UHNW individuals, the goal has shifted from being seen in the right place to something harder to commodify - the power to choose when, where, and whether to be seen at all.

Beneath that known shift is a more significant one: the difference between being in the room and being the one who assembled it.

The boldest move at this level isn’t opting out of visibility, it’s arriving at a position where you control the terms of the room entirely.

The guest list, the environment, the downstream conversations, and the ideas and relationships that leave with people when the evening ends. At a certain level, exclusivity stops being about access and starts becoming about authorship, which helps explain why some of the most interesting luxury projects today are organized around a similar premise - you don’t buy access to the experience, you buy ownership inside it.

At Escapade Silverstone, sixty villas are stitched into the infield of Britain’s most storied F1 circuit. Not near the track, but inside it. Close enough that you feel the downforce rattle your martini glass. The appeal isn’t in a hospitality package or a suite with a good view. It’s that the venue already belongs to you before the event begins.

Outside Charlotte, North Carolina, a $50 million private community is rising around a four-mile road course and dragway, where residents watch racing from their own rooftops and a waiting list is already forming.

In Wellington, Florida, a 400-acre residential club anchored by Wellington International, the world-renowned winter equestrian circuit, will draw residents for whom the sport isn’t a weekend hobby but a year-round world.

And, fittingly, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, luxury residences surrounding Los Angeles’ sports and entertainment district were designed so residents can walk from their lobbies directly into VIP entrances at SoFi Stadium and the Intuit Dome.

The pitch is remarkably consistent: history will happen here.

Do you want to watch it, or do you want to live inside it?

Branded residences are pointing in a similar direction. Rosewood, Aman, Auberge - but also Porsche, Elie Saab, FC Barcelona, and Nobu are all investing in them. The promise is permanence within a distinct world.

Of course, people have always bought properties to be near the things that matter to them. Maybe the difference is in what’s being promised: not just financial appreciation, but emotional appreciation too. And not only in the personal sense of the memories made inside it, but the appreciation that comes from proximity to something the whole world was watching, yet only those inside could say what it actually felt like. The championship, musical residency, or gathering everyone’s talking about, hosted in a place where you held the keys.

The rarest thing now might not be getting in.

It might be never having needed to ask.

For those who design high-end weddings, celebrations, and events for a living, you might already understand this better than most. Because the best work in this industry was never exclusive in the traditional sense, it was about personalization taken to its logical conclusion - where the experience isn’t valuable because others can’t have it. It’s valuable because it could only belong to you.

And perhaps that’s always been the point.

What it means for the people who build these rooms is worth naming directly.

The role of the ultra-luxury event provider is shifting away from execution and toward something closer to fluency in a specific person. Their history, their relationships, their aesthetic instincts, the way they move through a room, and who they become when the right people are around them. Now more than ever, the event is an expression of a particular person’s taste and worldview: the scent of the room custom-blended to something the host carries privately, the parting gift a rare first edition that changed the way the host thinks, accompanied by a note in their own register.

A provider who has worked with a client across five years, three homes, two children’s milestones, and one significant professional transition carries something no new hire can replicate: tacit knowledge.

A deep understanding of who someone is and how they want to be experienced. And for the client, the experience of being known that completely - without explanation, repetition, or translation - may be one of the last true luxuries available.

The best providers at this level have always understood that the wedding or the celebration is one moment in a much longer relationship.

Irreplaceability isn’t built in the planning or the service, it’s built in everything that comes before and after.

Lisa Holladay, Chief Experience Officer of TIGER 21 - the private peer membership organization for ultra-high-net-worth entrepreneurs and investors - put it more precisely than I have:

“Luxury, at its best, is something you enjoy.

Meaning is something that changes you.

The dividing line is whether the experience is truly about you.”

That line has stayed with me because it anchors the entire conversation, from not just being closest to the moment, but being connected to it in a way that is personal, memorable, and uniquely your own.

We’ll be sharing our full conversation with Lisa on The Houseguest soon.

Note: Our beautiful header image is by Anya Kernes and Rebecca Yale for Callista and Company.

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Reputation is rarely made or lost in a single moment. It accumulates - pressure point by pressure point, micro-decision by micro-decision - in ways that are nearly impossible to see from the inside. Deciphering what truly matters to your clients and partners takes a trained perspective and the distance to see the full picture. Brands playing the long game understand this. They invest in strategy, storytelling, and cultural fluency. They build worlds around themselves. And they know when it’s time to bring an outside voice into the room.

Much of that work lives outside a scope of work, quarterly report, or press feature. It’s the introduction made months before it becomes valuable, the reputational risk identified before it escalates, the messaging adjustment that prevents confusion, or the late-night audit that uncovers a vulnerability before someone else does. These moments rarely attract attention, but they are often the difference between a brand that simply operates and one that endures. They create momentum quietly, long before their impact becomes visible.

Here are a few examples of what that work looks like in our practice.

Being in the zeitgeist.

One of the most valuable things we do is listen. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve struck up a conversation with an agent, estate manager or executive assistant in an airport lounge or over lunch while I’m catching up on emails at a private membership club. You learn so much about priority and choice by listening to people you don’t know well, and hearing about the people, places and spaces that bring them value. For instance, you may think text deals are unprofessional, but they are the way that ultra-high-net-worth individuals do more transactions today than ever before. Speed and convenience have become more valuable than traditional protocol. Part of our role is informing clients about these shifts in behavior and preference, but also bridging long-held assumptions about positioning with the realities of how influence, trust, and engagement are built today.

Reconnaissance.

Continuous, deep web research on our clients has helped us correct things that may have been oversights of the past (for instance, finding a client proposal link on the public web) or neglect in the age of AI (structurally vacant websites without any optimization). We assess what should be rectified and educate our clients on why those improvements are needed to stay competitive. Sometimes, this means teaching a client the ins and outs of web development, so they can see the technical advantages to being on the offense. This could also mean training our clients how to best utilize threads like Reddit - to genuinely participate in relevant communities without the risk of astroturfing.

Adopting voice, separating emotion.

Clients rarely call advisors when everything feels easy. They call when something feels uncertain. Picture this: A client texts us on a Saturday asking for advice on how to navigate a negative review, an emotionally charged social message, or advanced notice of an executive leadership change. What they’re often seeking in those moments isn’t tactical advice but rather protection and reinforcement by a trusted team who will evaluate the situation calmly, consider second-order consequences, and help them move forward, worry-free. In a culture increasingly driven by reaction, our role is often to create space for response, to offer perspective where there is anxiety, and to bring clarity where there is noise. Our team navigates all of these situations regularly - and even with a playbook that has been refined over a decade, each situation is unique.

Understanding macro trends, to help clients make micro decisions.

Currently, we are living in a K-Shaped economy. The wealthiest individuals are spending more on experiences and white-glove service in a more meaningful way. The ‘High-Net-Worth Elite’ are categorized by the youngest individuals in higher-paying regions earning multiple six-figure annual salaries. Those individuals (and their wealthy Boomer parents) entrust their inner circle (estate managers, executive assistants, concierge teams) with even more power to architect their lives, make key decisions and craft this ecosystem of ‘living well’ for them. Understanding the priorities, pressures, and preferences of these trusted gatekeepers has become just as important as understanding the principals themselves. At the same time, the next generation of wealth is emerging with different expectations around communication, discovery, and influence. On the other end, there’s a widening gap between ultra-high net worth and the lower half of Gen Z who continue to rely on their wealthy parents to support their living costs because of stagnant salaries, rising inflation and cost of living. Being able to bridge the gap between G2 and G3 audiences often requires shaping stories and messages to suit both audiences. This article in Barron’s explains the emerging ‘G-shaped’ economic structure starting to manifest, where the ‘Great Wealth Transfer’ will significantly impact economic patterns we see today. On the daily, we are gathering information like this and helping our clients make informed refinements to their sales processes.

Storytelling as our number one.

Bold statement coming: Every brand on earth should be spending 20% of their media dollars on organic social or ‘owned’ content for world-building. Why? We as human beings seek belonging. In a world where generations are even more nuanced, fragmented, and diverse, everyone sitting at your dinner table wants something larger than a transaction: stability, personalization, and a sense of community in something bigger than themselves. Simply put, when a brand is virtuosic, you naturally create the social currency for the person sharing or recommending you to the outside world. For our team, this means that we are constantly assessing what we can do to help our clients create this sense of taste, identity, and ethos - rooted in long-term value, not the short-term sell. The conversation shouldn’t be earned media versus owned media. The strongest brands are investing in both. Muck Rack’s May 2026 Generative Pulse analyzed 25 million links across ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. Earned media drove 84% of citations, reinforcing the continued importance of third-party validation. At the same time, owned journalism - blogs, branded journals, newsletters, and Substacks - accounted for 27% of citations, demonstrating that brands willing to consistently publish thoughtful content are increasingly shaping the conversation themselves. Before declaring either version of media dead, take another look. The opportunity isn’t to abandon one channel for another. It’s to build an ecosystem where earned, owned, and real-world experiences reinforce one another over time. Take a read at our latest blog post about how to start your first Substack if you’re feeling lost.

Crafting a historical legacy.

Written features, consistent social presence, and strong website optimization all carry their own weight, but PR has changed quite a bit over the last decade. The real value comes when a diversified approach is applied to brand building: being a guest on a panel, a podcast, hosting private events, and pursuing the right kind of brand partnerships. Being invited into real-life rooms is the new PR. Even for the most splashy announcements, authentic endorsement and long-tail visibility should always be the goal. And it’s our job to make sure that a client’s limited time is deployed in an exacting and specific way.

Beyond these examples, the most important thing in life is to have a system planted firmly with people you trust. Longevity demands you as a business owner to have agility, but also a bench of individuals who help push you to consider new perspectives, take risks, and move forward with confidence in any decision you have.

Fast Five: What’s inspiring our team

I’m keeping tabs on Martha Stewart and her new startup, Hint, which aims to revolutionize home management by using AI to provide homeowners with proactive advice. With $10 million in seed funding led by venture capital firm Slow Ventures, Hint will launch this summer - just in time for my family’s big move to an almost 200-year-old home (wish us luck). What’s unique about this launch is not necessarily the product but the positioning. It’s brilliant. In a LinkedIn post, Martha wrote, “For more than 40 years I have been documenting how a well-run home should work: the standards, the seasonal routines, the small decisions that prevent expensive problems. Think of it as a digital extension of the trusted teams that have helped me care for my homes for decades, the contractors, the plumbers, the gardeners, the designers, now available to every homeowner.” It’s the presentation of virtue, access, and personal value to the homeowner that feels really special. The thought of getting information and guidance from specialists we wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to feels not only desirable but more so an exercise in building equity in something we all covet: home. Speaking of home, I also came across this fascinating story of an LA-based couple who wanted a destination wedding and decided to purchase a private home they’d be hosting at instead! The story in The Playbook is short and sweet, but sparks the question - will more clients opt to invest in private venue properties as a way to diversify their real estate portfolios and maintain more control and customization through their own wedding planning process?

Carly listened to a conversation with the CEO of Airelles, Anne-Laure Ollagnon, on Nadine Choe’s The Stanza’s podcast, which offers a refreshing take on hospitality and why more hotels are missing the landing entirely. Anne-Laure explains how Airelles manages to operate their boutique properties profitably without volume - an important lesson to all who are yearning for a lighter business churn.

Mary Collins is fascinated by a great article by Amy O’Brien in Vogue Business on the virtue of restraint and uncompromising discernment about what actually shows up online. Trust for social media is diminishing, so brands are finding ways to feed the machine only what’s vital, while keeping the most interesting campaigns and partnerships for a select few viewers. Going Viral Isn’t Cool Anymore. How Should Brands Show Up?

We recently helped a client with a special piece of snail mail - so we are sharing a few other favorite designs that may inspire your own summer gift series, or event guest kits for events. Madeline kept a tab on Bose’s launch of the butter yellow speaker, noting their divine and clever packaging by CNC Agency that’s worth every calorie. Miu Miu leaned into theatrics with the launch of their new Fleur de Lait fragrance, inviting creators to uncover the scent through an immersive, hands-on unboxing, scooping kinetic sand sculpted to resemble melting ice cream. Same goes with retail - which is about to be one of the next biggest investment categories for brands in hospitality and lifestyle. Take Harvard University for instance (a place that’s never been a ‘destination’ lie it is today for influencers and tourists). They’ve revamped their COOP to be a world-class curation retail store that is fresh, inviting and fun. These activations reflect the brands’ understanding that today’s consumers crave imaginative, sensory campaigns that surprise and delight.

Psst…. Speaking of world building, we’re launching our Signature Series this Summer. We will interview some of the most thoughtful people in creative and hospitality industries. Private aviation, fashion, cultural institutions, real estate - the worlds that quietly shape what a truly extraordinary celebration looks and feels like. The Houseguest is rooted in a simple belief: the best guests always bring something with them of value - a point of view, a quiet insight, an unexpected detail, or the proverbial perfect bottle of wine.

Our interest is to spotlight the work that nobody sees - the moments without an audience, the conversations without an agenda, the time spent not performing, but building. Stay tuned!

Contact our team

I’ve been thinking about that a lot while preparing for a trip to England. London, yes. But also the countryside. Long walks through neighborhoods I’ve only known through books and films, countryside hotels that feel more like a lived-in cottage, train rides where the slow rumble of journeying turns meditative. I’m hoping for the kind of trip that feels less like a tour and more like an excavation.

A new country means entering an entirely new perspective, ripe for observation. What I’m most eager to study isn’t even the stay itself. It’s the post-stay system. The relationships built from the places and spaces I move through, and the people I meet along the way.

High-touch hospitality has always sold the room - the view, the thread count, the butler service. But the brands capturing attention right now are building something much harder to replicate: environments that extend well past checkout.

Whether through branded residences designed for permanent living, considered retail and hotel merchandise that builds identity for the guest, or properties tied together by a shared emotional language, what the leading brands are constructing is not simply a hotel portfolio. It’s a universe - one capable of following the guest home.

They recognize that the modern buyer wants consistency across markets (the guest who loves you in Paris expects you to understand them in Palm Beach). They want wellness, dining, residences, entertainment, service standards, aesthetics, and atmosphere all folded into one coherent universe where the same discretion, familiarity, and care are embedded into every touchpoint. Continuity so deep it removes any guesswork. And in a world where time is the one thing money can’t manufacture more of, that kind of frictionless familiarity might be the most honest definition of luxury left.

For those reading, the biggest takeaway is this: your real growth engine shouldn’t be the stay, the service, or the product itself. It’s what surrounds it. The realm in which your offering even exists, and the relationships that carry it forward (especially to adjacent industries and generations). The planners, travel advisors, family offices, executive assistants, and members club regulars whose recommendations convert quietly and efficiently, usually entirely off-feed. That’s where your attention should live in 2026. Not in impressions, followers, or subscribers; in closed rooms, deliberate cultivation, and the kind of influence that moves through a text thread or trusted word of mouth rather than a tagged post. That’s what compounds.

The same logic of extension and ecosystem is playing out in development, too. The markets emerging share a particular combination: proximity to where power and influence actually live, discretion as currency, and the operational fluency to convert curiosity into deep loyalty.

Take the Hudson Valley and upstate New York for a domestic example. It stopped seeing itself as a destination and started being an extension - of the city, of a certain kind of life, and of a certain kind of person. One&Only, 1 Hotel, and Six Senses all planting a flag there isn’t a bet on a trend; it’s a bet on the permanence of the kind of guest who doesn’t want to fully disconnect, just recalibrate. The sensation of escape without the sacrifice of access or convenience. Boutique concepts like The Six Bells, INNESS, Emerson Hospitality’s Black Creek Barns, and Soho House’s upcoming 250-acre Rhinebeck estate reflect the same appetite from a different angle: intimate, personality-led hospitality that feels less like checking in and more like being welcomed into a cultured friend’s country home. The property type doesn’t matter as much as the feeling of being let into something.

That feeling is most viscerally created with tangible experiences, and leading brands across industries understand that dimensionality. Hotels Above Par moving into print, Wallpaper* relaunching their travel guides - these are based on the knowing that luxury travelers still want curation they can hold. Depth and point of view, beyond aggregation or nostalgia. Content and lived experience, when combined, build anticipation and community - the kind that draws people in long before arrival and lingers long after. It’s something the celebrations and events world has always understood intuitively: The best events don’t just mark a moment, they create the kind of memory that makes people want to gather again and again.

The question isn’t how to deliver a better stay, product, or service. It’s how to become something someone returns to, again and again, without quite being able to articulate why.

Natalie’s philosophy makes more sense to me every year. Belonging isn’t something you can design from a distance. You have to have felt it first - that specific warmth of being anticipated, considered, welcomed before you’ve even arrived. The best hospitality knows this. The best events know this. I suspect England will remind me of it, too.

The Fast Five: A few openings shaping how we’re thinking about “world-building” in hospitality right now -

• Belmond Villa San Michele - Who approached its renovation not simply as a refresh, but as a redefinition of modern La Dolce Vita: slower living, emotional richness, and deeply sensory hospitality rooted in place.

• Rosewood Courchevel Le Jardin Alpin - Rosewood’s first alpine resort, bringing its particular language of intimacy and residential-style luxury into the French Alps, where continuity of care across global markets increasingly matters to luxury travelers.

• Zannier Île de Bendor - Less a hotel than a self-contained coastal ecosystem, this private island renovation folds together multiple accommodation styles, a holistic wellness spa, a beach club, a diving center, and layered dining experiences for total environmental coherence.

• Cambridge House, Auberge Resorts Collection - Auberge’s first UK property, blending hotel, private members club, and theatrical destination dining into a singular cultural space. The collaboration with Major Food Group feels especially telling: hospitality brands increasingly understand that restaurants, social infrastructure, and identity are inseparable.

• Amanvari - with only 18 rooms, a private golf experience, and a spa rooted in regional traditions, Aman continues to double down on extreme discretion, emotional calm, and the understanding that uncompromised care can be expressed through even the most restrained designs.

Note: Our beautiful header image is by Taralynn Lawton of LUÁGO Agency.

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Our tendency to dismiss the influence of younger generations with a saying like this isn’t just shortsighted, it’s costly. Gen Z and Gen Alpha are reshaping culture and spending habits at a scale previous generations simply couldn’t. And in a world this interconnected, ignoring what they want isn’t just out of touch, it’s how you lose the room entirely.

Curated offline experiences, and intimate micro-communities built around shared interests are where influence is being relocated. At the center of this shift is a generation most marketers are still underestimating: Gen Alpha, now entering their tween years, who have been dubbed “mini bosses” for good reason. With direct spending power and a growing seat at the household decision-making table, their influence can’t be ignored. Young consumers are increasingly prioritizing spends on experiences over things, which has forced the luxury brand to rethink their playbook.

Contrary to what some might assume, this isn’t a generation chasing status. Gen Alpha and Gen Z engage with premium brands as a form of self-expression, less interested the traditional status symbol hierarchy and more about memory and meaning they are creating in synergy with the brand itself. They expect to have an experience that is fresh and exciting and crafted for pleasure, not profit. Brands that getting this right are the ones bringing their digital universes to a physical experience.

Take SET Active and Dairy Boy for example. Two lifestyle clothing brands that have taken these generations by storm in the past year through creative world-building that doesn’t stop at their audiences’ screens, but extends seamlessly into real life shopping experience for their customers. Most recently, both hosted wildly successful Miami pop-ups this past March, where their online identity became fully immersive, meticulously designed weekend experiences. Each generated enough earned media to dominate social feeds featuring on-brand food and drink vendors and thoughtful activations that felt like an extension of the brand’s soul. SET Active and Dairy Boy aren’t just winning loyalty through these moments, they’re embedding themselves into the identity of these generations, a far more powerful and long lasting place to exist.

Brands that understand this shift aren’t just tapping into enthusiasm; they’re entering a relationship where fans behave like stakeholders, reshaping business models entirely. It mirrors a broader shift in how youth participation is being redefined, more like European cultures that have long embedded and valued young people within the fabric of society, rather than treating them as a separate audience altogether.

Because of this, hosts and community event leaders now wield an incredible amount of cultural power often being referred to as the “new influencers.” They are the curators of the spaces Gen Z and Gen Alpha are eager to occupy, ultimately shaping how and where brands are integrated into people’s lives in deeply personal and private ways.

Fast Five: What’s inspiring our team

In a world that is increasingly digital, the impact of physical impressions have never been more important.

Natalie is watching this evolve with the rise of unique dining experiences. Cocktail dinner parties have become a legitimate event format (a great read penned by Alexa Brazilian), blurring the line between hosting and brand activation in a way that feels effortless and social. Meanwhile, a new restaurant in the iconic Breuer Building on Madison Avenue is redefining the dining destination with a museum-like experience where art and cuisine are equally on display (brilliantly composed by ).

is excited to get her hands on W Magazine’s upcoming teenage sister publication W Youth, a prime example of how these younger generations have an appetite for and are actively reviving physical media. She is also seeing a rise in wedding-focused content within men’s media, particularly in titles like GQ where they are increasingly being positioned as moments for male style, and self-expression.

is noticing how the smartest brands are breaking through the noise by showing up everywhere at once. Alix Earle’s skincare brand launch is a great representation of how to build anticipation with grassroots storytelling, with style.

As the analog trend continues to dominate, offline experience reigns supreme. So, say yes to conversations not seen or accessed online - that’s where you next best relationship may be built.

P.S. This post was inspired and conceptualized by In Good Company PR’s Intern (and rising star), Madeline Michalowski. She’s bright and perceptive and is part of the generation we’re all excited to learn from, now than ever before. Until next time, friends!

Psst…. Speaking of stories, we’re launching our Signature Series this Spring. We will interview some of the most thoughtful people in creative and hospitality industries. Private aviation, fashion, cultural institutions, real estate - the worlds that quietly shape what a truly extraordinary celebration looks and feels like. The Houseguest is rooted in a simple belief: the best guests always bring something with them of value - a point of view, a quiet insight, an unexpected detail, or the proverbial perfect bottle of wine.

Our interest is to spotlight the work that nobody sees - the moments without an audience, the conversations without an agenda, the time spent not performing, but building. Stay tuned!

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She paid attention. She kept tabs on what people enjoyed and logged it as a thoughtful mental note. She had cabinets full of antique glass dishes and bowls with unique detailing and scalloped edges. Some would call it unnecessary or over the top, but I knew there was a system to it - an intention behind the way she served, arranged, and welcomed people into her home.

It was surely methodical - the way she dressed the table and set the scene (but was very much the opposite in reality). These memories shape much of the work we do - and why we believe so deeply in what you do, too.

You are the protectors, the documentarians, the architects. You create the unexpected meaning and richness in these once-in-a-lifetime occasions. And whether you’re in hotel services, restaurants, event design and production, or creative arts, you are the ones creating this original, deeply layered ecosystem. You’re designing not only the experience, but a sensory pathway - one that offers exploration, emotional resonance, and neurological delight for your clients; all of which exist for just a brief period of time, but leave an unforgettable impression.

The event industry has been ripe for disruption: new pacing, new variations, new interpretations.

The good news is that events are being reprioritized in industries that have not traditionally been known for design-forward, multifaceted celebrations. Experiential, private events are getting more attention than ever, especially in the tech and consumer space. Carly Long, our Brand Director, keeps our team and clients apprised of what’s happening in adjacent spaces, and we’re tracking this evolution very closely.

What we’ve found is that next-gen leaders across sectors have realized the significance of architecting premium, in-person experiences that supersede anything the digital world has to offer. Event platforms Partiful, Posh, and Luma have raised a combined $60M and are exploding. Eventbrite was acquired for $500M by Bending Spoons to accelerate the growth of the live event industry.

But what separates the amateurs from the pros is the expertise required to articulate a client’s concept and develop it into a well-composed event that lands with the people in that room, one that surprises them and enriches their perspective long after the event is over.

Just as my grandmother quietly noted what people loved and treated those details as worthy of remembrance, the strongest event professionals know that this kind of hyper-personalization is what turns guests into lifelong clientele for decades to come.

The Fast Five: What’s keeping our team informed this season

Natalie is fascinated by celebrity dealmakers and loves the commentary on brand ambassadorship by Alison Bringé, CMO of Launchmetrics. “We’re operating in a time of hyper-saturation: more content, more collaborations, more launches. In that environment, differentiation doesn’t come from volume; it comes from clarity of identity,” she says. “The brands that are winning are those crystal clear on who they are, what they stand for, and who they are speaking to. And that’s precisely the role of a modern ambassador: to shape, signal, and reinforce brand identity.”

• This month, the focus was unmistakably on women. Not just as a seasonal narrative, but as a sustained strategy. From F1 Academy’s partnership with Sephora, challenging outdated stereotypes and redefining who and what belongs in motorsport, to Allworth Financial - a $34 billion firm - launching the Women’s Collective initiative to accelerate the growth of its female client base and talent, to Paris Hilton’s Back in Business Recovery Fund supporting women-owned small businesses affected by natural disasters, and brands like La Ligne’s capsule with Lily Aldridge benefiting Mother to Mother, these are all examples of how brand clarity is increasingly reflected in where companies invest their capital, attention, and support.

All aboard: We’ve also been listening to a conversation between Belmond’s Arnaud Champenois and Dan Rubenstein on The Grand Tourist’s podcast on the Venice Simplon Orient Express Train. When revitalizing the Golden Age of travel, preserving time is the highest objective. Crafting a journey that’s elevated and thoughtfully designed is where we will see private aviation, train, and sea travel expand. For centuries, these high-touch modes of transportation have been reserved for ultra-high-net-worth individuals only, but new operators in the space have made this more accessible and more appealing. Time is the most valuable and finite resource we all have, and the most innovative brands are embracing the opportunity to craft a strong narrative in every moment along the journey.

If you can win on relevancy through the content you create and distribute into the world, you’re capturing the attention and intent of clients effectively. Traditional media may spark awareness, but interview-style, socially native series are increasingly what build affinity - creating repeatable formats through which brands, founders, and collaborators can become known for how they think, not just what they sell. Take our work with Brigade Events on The Fine Line, their series championing working motherhood and the idea that women do not have to choose between family and ambition - alongside Coach’s Front Row Book Club and its spin-off series with Gen Z outlet Sunnie - as layered examples of this in practice, each one pointing back to that importance of brand clarity and audience discernment. In this environment, well-skilled writers, conversationalists, and true storytellers are now the most valuable talents in the market - and we support it. An articulate, original thinker will win every race against the expedient AI machines, especially for luxury brands who are prioritizing authenticity above all else. Being able to form a thoughtful, well-explored opinion and standpoint - and knowing which voices, stories, and collaborators to tap to bring that perspective to life - will continue to be the strongest armor against AI displacement.

When you can articulate your point of view well, you crystallize your value as a complex, highly operating thinker; someone a discerning client or partner will want on their bench. If you’re not naturally someone who embraces the art of the written word, try the simple exercise of writing down one thing at the end of each day that you feel you want to remember. Over time, you may find that your stories increase in depth of detail and naturally become more dynamic.

Contact our team

Psst…. Speaking of stories, we’re launching our Signature Series this Spring. We will interview some of the most thoughtful people in creative and hospitality industries. Private aviation, fashion, cultural institutions, real estate - the worlds that quietly shape what a truly extraordinary celebration looks and feels like. The Houseguest is rooted in a simple belief: the best guests always bring something with them of value - a point of view, a quiet insight, an unexpected detail, or the proverbial perfect bottle of wine.

Our interest is to spotlight the work that nobody sees - the moments without an audience, the conversations without an agenda, the time spent not performing, but building. Stay tuned!

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The definition is endlessly debated, and endlessly evolving. Every few months, there’s a new attempt to pin it down - what luxury is now (cc ), who gets to claim it, whether the term still means anything at all.

Even internally, I’ve found myself questioning our own use of the word. When is “luxury” the right frame versus HNW, UHNW, or simply best-in-class? (I haven’t figured out where I’ve landed yet.)

But I have noticed one thing: the 2026 definition of luxury is leaning hard into selectivity. Tighter, slower, more intentional.

The real luxury brands are quietly fabricating ‘controlled access.’

A fun example: It’s long been known that Raoul’s only serves 12 burgers a night, and the c’est tout concept still generates buzz today. Taking a page out of their book, The Corner Store debuted a similar Hermès-like concept on Valentine’s Day with their own flair.

Their ability to turn ordinary pleasures into a ‘luxury’ through the simple act of constraint prompted me to pause. Not because the tactic is new, but because the appetite for it feels newly intense. I wondered, why? Who’s driving the demand for this kind of engineered scarcity?

In large part, the answer is Gen Z. A cohort that all wedding professionals cannot afford to ignore, as they now represent 41% of the $100B wedding market (cc ).

Like the word in question, they’re just as contradictory. Digitally native yet experience obsessed, budget conscious yet willing to splurge. Highly online, yet increasingly protective of what feels meaningful and real.

What looks inconsistent on the surface really comes down to one core behavior: ruthless prioritization.

They’re trading down on everyday goods, embracing secondhand, vintage, and value categories - while fiercely protecting spending around experiences, milestones, and social-currency events. They’re not spending less. They’re just spending narrower and deeper.

In a way, this decisiveness was forced upon them. This is the first generation to grow up with near-infinite access to everything, all the time, at the tips of their fingers. And while many older playbooks still assume technology should drive abundance - to create more, better, faster - Gen Z seems to be onto something different. When inspiration and options become infinite, discernment becomes the real flex.

Layer in AI, and this concept only accelerates. As generative tools compress the distance between idea and execution - across aesthetics, backend systems, and even elements of service - differentiation erodes. It’s like when iPhones came out, and suddenly everyone became ‘a photographer.’ What once felt rare became widely replicable. We’re in a similar spot of parity now.

That’s precisely why the advantage is circling back and doubling down on something far older: visible effort.

Time intensity, handwork, materiality, real artwork, intentional details. This kind of effort is becoming scarce. And therefore, newly valuable.

This isn’t a reinvention of luxury so much as a return to one of its oldest pillars. What’s changed is the contrast. True craftsmanship is more distinct against the speed and smoothness of AI-generated everything. The brands gaining ground are not optimizing for maximum output. They are increasingly comfortable with fewer finer - in service of higher quality and more visceral meaning.

Look closely across categories, and it shows: More capped guest lists, gatekept drops, intentionally constrained calendars, and retail spaces that feel more like private residences than open marketplaces. They’re just a few examples of restraint in practice.

These rooms are also where cultural power has migrated to. Less through traditional gatekeepers, media or influencers - more through curated gatherings in offline spaces: Intimate dinners, private installations and pop-ups, limited-edition collections, invitation-only weekends. But not just as one-off activations. The influence lives in the form of repeatable, signature, recognizable ‘experience IP’ - designed to build rhythm, memory, and sustained demand for access over time.

This is why we are watching publishing houses build event divisions (cc ), retailers transform into experiential hubs, entertainment crossing over into real-world moments, and more brands successfully opening cafés and physical concepts. Investment is flowing back into physical environments redesigned to tell stories, not just host transactions. Because the internet and technology, for all their reach and efficiency, cannot manufacture one critical ingredient of luxury: situational uniqueness. The kind where whatever happens belongs to that room, that night, those people, that exact moment in time. When everything is infinitely shareable, the most valuable experiences become the ones that are not fully transferable.

Which brings us, perhaps unsurprisingly, back to weddings.

If we’re still asking what luxury means now, the answer (at least in this moment) appears to be in the art of the ephemeral. And it’s what the best weddings have been operating on all along: moments that are highly intentional, deeply personal, and most important - fundamentally impermanent. Fleeting by design, yet leaving memories that last forever.

Endlessly observing,
IGC

Note: Our beautiful header image is by Studio Mondine and M.K. Sadler.

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• Architect intelligent business systems

• Return to the values that ground the work

• Build an iron-clad, trusted bench of advisors

Let’s get into it…

Build with intention (and an intelligent system)

Another resource that has helped our team sharpen focus and prioritize what really matters is The One Thing by Gary W. Keller and Jay Papasan. This book is a personal favorite that we have returned to at key moments, especially when feeling pulled in too many directions. The central idea is simple but powerful: instead of spreading your attention across multiple tasks, zero in on one thing that will drive the most impact.

Though straightforward in concept, it’s easy to get caught up in doing too much at once. Especially when the landscape continued to change and reform at a rapid, neck-breaking pace. AI is here to stay and we’re watching its progression and adaptation closer than ever. We’ve building tailor-made systems who know how to leverage and mold these technologies into something we can use to accelerate our client programs in focused ways - lightyears beyond what small teams are typically capable of. Leaning into the “one thing” mindset helped us identify the tasks that truly matter to our clients, act intentionally and make meaningful progress - exactly what Keller and Papasans’ book encourages.

Reinforce values above all else

Expressing confidence is an energetic exchange when you’re with a client - and that conviction stems from an unwavering adherence to your why. Truthfully, the most notable individuals and brands we’ve worked with are less concerned with selling their service to clients but rather focused more on communicating how their business values fuel their every move from the inside out. Above all - we remind ourselves daily that people crave an emotional, resonant connection with the brands they bring into their lives. Client loyalty isn’t a result of fresh branding or a constant churn of social media content, but rather a relentless pursuit of excellence and a genuine curiosity of how to make the experience better and better for the client. In an overexposed social-digital landscape, the challenge isn’t how to achieve interest, it’s how to maintain it, in congruence with your mission as a brand. It’s about establish true credibility and upholding the reputation as a leader creating something that outlasts ourselves.

Fortify the castle

We worked with Magi Fisher of East & Bay Law to mark our 10th year in business with trademark protection. Magi was the steward of a process completely out of my purview. For years, I thought ‘I’ll file when the business grows to ‘X,’ but honestly, that’s a moving target and the reality is that most legal conflicts happen for small businesses who have just waited too long. Magi was perfect for us - not only is she a diligent lawyer, but because as a photographer herself, she also understands the nuances of the creative field. Magi also helped us refresh our Service Agreements through her sister brand, The Artists’ Lawyer, to protect our business as our team and client network continue to grow. The Artist’s Lawyer is a one-stop-shop for all your legal needs as a creative entrepreneur, photographer, designer, planner or service-based business owner. None of the complexity or overwhelm - just simple, customizable templates done for you (and done right). Browse The Artist’s lawyer templates with our exclusive link here.

Today, I’m happy to share some of the wisdom Magi imparted on me that pointed to one key practice of all mindful business owners; stack up. Stack your bench with smart specialists and consider yourself fortunate when they share with you what they know.

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There was a quiet around this time last month where the inbox thinned, all urgency loosened its grip, and the calendar dissolved. For me, that pause meant finally having time to read everything I subscribe to. (Okay, not everything. I’m currently subscribed to 311 Substacks alone.) But that steady external pulse, staying satiated on what’s happening in the world so we can better inform how our clients show up in it, is still what I love most about this work.

Normally, I read in fragments. A newsletter here, a headline there. But when consumed in bulk, I was able to sense a few patterns about what this year may hold. And with the first few weeks of January already off to the races with campaign launches, media moves, and trends like ‘2016’ coming out of left field, those patterns have only further taken shape.

Here’s what emerged in my eye, and what we’ll be watching more closely.

Hospitality is slowing down, yet moving more than ever

In hospitality, movement itself is becoming the experience. Aman’s first vessel, Amangati, has opened reservations ahead of its 2027 debut. Engage! is setting sail on its first onboard experience. Meanwhile, The New York Times declared trains the most luxurious way to travel, and newcomer Halloway is designing exclusive-use private rail journeys across the American West’s most scenic routes. There’s something about transit becoming more than a means to an end, and really leaning into its ability to slow time and transport, in every sense of the word.

That same sensibility is also shaping the destinations themselves. Properties like White Elephant Aspen, Casetta Hotels’ Hotel Lucile in Los Angeles, Oetker Collection’s The Vineta Hotel in Palm Beach, and Ameyalli in Park City (designed with Deepak Chopra), are leading with service philosophy, sense of place, and a kind of intimacy that feels almost pre-digital. Soho House’s Sonoma Ranch House announcement, slated for 2027, leans even further into that idea: destinations as retreats, guided by a feeling that’s more home than hotel.

How people travel to, and through, a place is becoming as important as the destination itself. The brands that will win here aren’t adding more features, they’re auditing friction. They’re practicing restraint and designing for ease - creating journeys that are familiar, unhurried, and human.

Operating like an institution

That instinct to slow down and design with intention is also extending beyond hospitality, reshaping how power, credibility, and influence are structured.

For years, influence was measurable and easy to spot: followers, coverage, reach. In 2026, it will be less about visibility and more about position. It’s about where you sit, not just who can see you.

Family offices are a clear example. Once quiet, back-office entities, they’ve become shorthand for seriousness - reflecting multi-generational thinking, stewardship, and continuity as priorities amongst the most discerning clients. Wealth managers estimate that more than 7,000 family offices now operate in the U.S., quietly reshaping capital and culture as they’re used to manage everything from investments to personal affairs.

Brands are also quickly turning to family offices instead of VC funding because the diligence is typically less stringent and more heavily based on the personal connection and belief in the brand. Family offices are looking for an eventual exit, of course - but they are investing their own money (not a portfolio of money from outside investors). If you’re curious about the inner workings, motivations, and next generation of family offices, give Family Office Exchange a listen.

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Authenticity & Balanced Content

The era of single-note promotion is over. Audiences want a mix - real storytelling, practical value, and personality layered together. They’re looking for creators and brands who feel human, not transactional. A one-off hosted stay or single Instagram post no longer builds loyalty; it’s what surrounds that moment that matters.

The strongest strategies expand beyond Instagram and Facebook to meet audiences where they actually spend time thinking: TikTok for discovery, YouTube for depth, podcasts for trust, Substack for intimacy. The goal isn’t omnipresence, but resonance across the platforms that mean the most to your unique network. Build something that your client says ‘I have to send this to my friend.’ It takes thoughtfulness and expertise, but that’s it. That’s the strategy.

Founder-Led Brands

People want to follow a person/brand that they can connect with & that feels real, not just a faceless corporation. Personality is the most valuable asset that a brand can have in today’s age - no contest. We all want more connection to the brilliant minds behind the brand we’ve chosen to make a part of our lives - and it’s their ethos that distinguishes them from the sea of others. We’ve started to see many more thought leaders, editors and entrepreneurs take on larger equity stakes in treasured, iconic brands who see those talented individuals offering impact far deeper than a big brand can achieve with a corporate narrative. PR in 2026 is as much about supporting the personal platforms of trusted voices as it is about landing logos….

Private Influence & High-Trust Rooms

Not all influence happens in public feeds anymore - in fact, it’s about who you choose to give access to and who gets the first look what you’re sharing. Intimate dinners, phone-free salons, private memberships, exclusive group chats, and invite-only communities are becoming some of the most powerful PR environments. In the years ahead we are rooting for more magic, mystery and curiosity. Reserving more information for your closest comrades - not for followers who can only recognize you by your Instagram handle.

Earned - Owned - Shared Ecosystems

Coverage shouldn’t live and die on someone else’s platform. The smartest brands are building systems that translate earned media into owned content - newsletters, blogs, internal decks, sales tools - and then thoughtfully repurposing across meaningful channels.

Operational Excellence as PR & Internal Alignment as External Strategy

How a brand operates - response times, clarity, preparedness, respect for collaborators - is what separates the best from the rest. Editors, partners, and clients talk. Seamless execution behind the scenes often determines whether opportunities compound or quietly disappear.

AI-Aware Visibility & Reputation Management

PR is no longer just about human perception. AI systems are increasingly interpreting authority, relevance, and trust. Brands that understand how their narratives appear across GEO search, knowledge panels, and AI-driven discovery tools will be better positioned long-term. Psst… our team developed a comprehensive AI Whitepaper, with a step-by-step guide to staying ontop of the generative search leaderboard. If you’d like to get your hands on it, subscribe below.

Brands as Cultural Translators

PR is increasingly about helping audiences make sense of change - economic shifts, generational values, evolving definitions of luxury, success, and celebration. Brands that can articulate what a moment means (not just what’s happening) earn authority and trust.

Cross-Disciplinary Positioning

The most interesting brands aren’t confined to one vertical. Wedding professionals show up in culture, design, hospitality, business, and lifestyle conversations. PR in 2026 looks for adjacency, where a brand can naturally contribute outside its expected lane.

The Fast Five from the In Good Company PR team

• Experience: Carly is watching HURS, a new private membership club. “It feels like a response to the exhaustion of performative networking. It’s intimate, invite-only, and intentionally culture-forward - less about who you know, more about how you think. What makes it compelling is its emphasis on collaboration over clout: a space designed for tastemakers who want to build alongside one another, not just collect contacts. It’s a signal of where the modern community is heading - smaller, smarter, and values-driven.”

• Listen: The Grill Room Podcast with , Orchestra C.E.O. Jonathan and Jon Kelly talk about the power of individual brands and the subscription vs ad mix. Brands value qualified and engaged audiences and when someone subscribes to a CULTURED or FeedMe or Puck - they’ve almost instantly become a high intent buyer just by the nature of the content they are opting into. Brands will start to invest more in these heavily subscription based businesses proving the value of these niche editorial media outlets.

• Applaud: Rosewood has launched a progressive program called Rise to the Table - designed to offer mentorship to the next generation of female leaders in the hospitality and f&b industry which we think is pretty wonderful.

• Read: The Greatest Wealth Transfer in History is Here (oldie but goodie) in the New York Times.

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The most discerning clients - those planning seven-figure weddings, securing full-property buyouts, or coordinating multi-day retreats through their family office - still move through the world by referral. Introductions are made quietly. Trust is transferred discreetly. The names that matter circulate behind the scenes.

That hasn’t changed.

What has changed is what happens next.

When your name is mentioned - by a planner, a past client, or a trusted creative - the moment of discovery no longer ends with the referral. It continues in a prompt.

Today’s instinct isn’t to browse. It’s to verify.

And increasingly, that verification is happening through AI-powered search platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity - the new validation layer in every high-touch referral process.

• 1 in 3 generative AI users now describe the technology as a “good friend” or “confident advisor.” That means discovery, recommendation, and checkout are collapsing into a single pane - and clients increasingly trust that pane as much as, if not more than, individual voices or brand channels.

Before the email is sent or the inquiry form filled out, they want the full picture of: your presence, your press, your positioning. And AI delivers it in seconds.

Introducing our new AI Whitepaper; a tailor-made resource developed after months of research, testing and translation (because frankly, there is a lot to digest out there) with the hope of distilling the essentials for our clients - and you. This resource is customized for leading wedding and hospitality brands looking to optimize their digital strategy and captivate the attention of clients who rely on generative search to inform their most important choices.

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Building a brand requires a curiosity of who the client is, paying such close attention to what piques interest, what gets them excited, what truly matters to them and then creating an experience - almost surgically - for that exact client. It’s the depth of character, the expression and the sensibility of the brand that is the bridge between followers and longstanding, loyal ambassadors.

Take ELF’s acquisition of Hailey Bieber’s mega beauty brand, Rhode. Sammi Cohen of The Social Currency put it perfectly this week on Instagram: the quality of the product has very little to do with the quality of the brand. The company was a lean machine - spending only around 11% on marketing where average product marketing spends could be triple this figure for most. Why? Hailey was the marketing engine and helped the brand achieve 9x marketing efficiency - meaning for every dollar they spent, they got $9 back.

Similarly, Anna Andjelic of talks about how brands are adopting production strategies to build longevity - their ideas, sensibility and ethos expanding far past their core business. This is what is constant in a world of ever-changing tastes and trends. We see orchestrated releases of merchandise, books, private membership clubs, etc… All of a sudden, marketers are thinking like Executive Producers on a set creating these unique lifestyle touch points to elongate the brand experience (hint: more revenue). Ralph Lauren’s Holiday Experience is just the start - ever so timely for the season.

Thank you for joining us on The Houseguest. If you’ve enjoyed this post, tap the little heart button below which will help us know what content you want to see more of. If you would like an all-access pass to new and exclusive paid content, please consider upgrading - your support means we can continue to serve this growing community.

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Celebrating the moments

If I showed my younger self this life...⁠

.... I wouldn’t have believed where I am today. ⁠

⁠Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I’d have the honor to build a company that has had a positive impact on this industry, with the support and collaboration of an all-star team. I remember many years ago sitting at a tiny desk in my 2 bedroom apartment in Boston at 1 am - which had become a regular routine - thinking what am I doing? ⁠

And to do it with such a brilliant group of individuals, and work with the most incredible talent in the world - it all feels like a dream. Fast forward a decade, here we are celebrating being named an Inc. Magazine 2025 Power Partner. We were selected as a leading PR and Marketing firm serving small to midsized brands around the globe, as their secret weapon and strategic counsel. Truthfully, while we are humbled and grateful to be recognized in this big moment - it’s not about us. If nobody knows we exist, we’ve done our job really well. We’ve always set out to be a natural extension of the brands we represent so this achievement is dedicated to the clients who have entrusted us with their most important professional assets - their reputation. If you’re one of our clients or colleagues, we invite you to leave a comment, or reach out - we want to champion you and express our gratitude!

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We know that psychological buy-in begins when you truly trust the person delivering the message. That trust can be achieved in many ways - through vulnerability, through confidence, even through humor. Regardless of the approach, building brand loyalty relies on a strong and unwavering expression of one clear, easy-to-understand message. Let’s break it down a bit further.

Brand narrative = word choice + expression / feeling. This original composition is a brand’s love language.

Once that love language is architected and adhered to as a guiding light, then a whole world of opportunity opens up.

And here’s the thing - the digital world is finally catching up to that truth. As wrote this week, “There’s no such thing as a GEO strategy separate from brand building.” Translation: AI isn’t changing PR, it’s rewarding the brands that have already done the work to articulate who they are and why they matter. In an era where visibility is synthesized - not scraped - your brand narrative isn’t just for people anymore; it’s for the systems learning what to trust. The brands showing up most in generative search aren’t the loudest, they’re the clearest. The ones who’ve spoken consistently, been referenced credibly, and stayed true to a defined identity. That’s the kind of brand foundation that holds, no matter how the algorithms evolve. (Get in touch if you’re interested in learning more about our Brand Articulations, a special consulting offering available on a limited basis for 2026).

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Rosewood - a brand we’ve always admired - just unveiled their new brand identity that prioritizes this ‘sense of place’ philosophy, which will undoubtedly expand into retail-centric experiences on site (and online), dynamic editorial and storytelling, exclusive events, and more. Their brand kit states: “Anchored in a commitment to become a brand driven by purpose, Rosewood is stepping confidently into a new chapter, where hospitality becomes a bridge to culture, curiosity, and connection.”

Consider my knees weak(!) This, friends, is where luxury marketing is headed. Where legendary brands are combining experience and commerce into one controlled, private ecosystem for their most loyal clients.

Our best advice: Analyze the words, sentiment, statements, and overall perception of what your brand communicates to the outside world. Aim for a more minimal communication strategy that elaborates as a client or customer gets further into your ‘funnel’ - this approach leaves them wanting more.

Avoid generic language choices or overused words (we know them - intentional, authentic, etc…) that don’t differentiate your service or approach. Worse, your brand may get overlooked for being ‘trendy’ or ordinary.

If you can paint a picture of the transformative journey you’ll take your client on, the destination becomes just as exciting as the path to getting there. And better yet - if you can bring those core pillars of your brand into exclusive, real-world applications like events and commerce through brand partnerships - you’re one step ahead of the competition.

Have you heard? G&G has published a brand new digital magazine that has reinvigorated our hope for the resurgence of new media in weddings. Use our code GGWED for your exclusive copy, as a friend of In Good Company PR.

We are honored to be moderating a panel for WedVibes to benefit the VOW for Girls Organization on November 10th. Join us and an amazing group of top-tier wedding industry professionals. Here’s where to snag your ticket.

We re-released the Essential PR & Marketing Field Guide this Fall, packed with new media pitch templates, digital advertising guides and our exclusive guide to all things AI and GEO visibility. Now is the time to design a targeted PR and marketing strategy for your brand that will support your objectives in 2026 and beyond.

Thank you for joining us on The Houseguest. If you’ve enjoyed this post, tap the little heart button below which will help us know what content you want to see more of. If you would like an all-access pass to new and exclusive paid content, please consider upgrading - your support means we can continue to serve this growing community.

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In Good Company PR’s Fast 5: A handful of interesting things inspiring us this season. A place for us to share the lesser-known but highly intriguing sources of ‘cool’ - from our world, to yours.

Natalie is reading The Silent Summit That’s Redefining Power via

Carly is keeping up with Gen-Z trends via LuxeGen

Mary Collins loves Tukernuck’s new Book Club Happy Hour concept.

Maddy is following a conversation on the ‘unplug culture’ where consumers are craving experiences that are crafted just for that distinct moment. There’s a growing interest in all things private - where experiences aren’t logged or fed through an algorithm, but rather simply enjoyed for one purpose without the underlying content agenda.

Courtney is watching Vette unfold for the creator community; a new shopping platform for creator-led storefronts launching in early 2026 from Condé Nast.

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The beautiful video above was created by Gooden Cinema, from a 3 day FAM trip our team produced for our client Middleburg Hospitality.

Be bold. If you’re going to invest in this kind of experience, it should feel distinctly special. This is the time to showcase the out-of-the-box ideas and illustrations of how your property is best-in-class. Take guests on a journey, introduce them to a new culture and way of life. Immerse them in the world you’ve created and make your mark known. Truthfully, these are the individuals who want to be wowed (and have a great time).

Understand the spiderweb effect. Your guests will become your brand evangelists if they can feel the thoughtfulness, care and refined touch your brand has put into the experience from start to finish. This means, every touchpoint should be considered because they’ll be analyzing whether the experience you offer them is up to par with what their clients expect; from the maintenance and upkeep of the product to the service from arrival to departure.

Thanks to social media, this experience that you’ve designed for a select few will be broadcasted to the world. Meaning, you can safely multiply the digital awareness of your brand by hundreds of thousands of other aligned event planners, travel advisors, executive assistants, tastemakers and ultra-high net worth individuals following your guests with every post. With the subsequent rollout of professional photo and video coverage, your property can maintain that social buzz for a longer period of time and use those assets for other marketing efforts, too. Working with a PR team who can secure a digital media feature will is when you can confidently add a few more zeros to the end of that growing figure of impressions. [Expert tip; integrate a private group experience at some point during the FAM that is just for them - not the world - to enjoy. Put their phones and cameras away and really allow them to be present without the paparazzi.]

Money out, money…in? The investment in a well-executed FAM trip extends far beyond the initial costs. These events should be considered part of the brand’s annual marketing budget. Investments can range from five to six figures based on the number of guests, number of days, excursion costs, ‘hard’ costs related to event design, multimedia costs, etc… When produced with the highest level of care, these experiences create a network of informed advocates who understand your property’s unique value proposition and can authentically communicate that to their clients - resulting in a quicker point of conversion for a property. In the meantime, your brand name is building social capital, recognition, trust and appeal.

If you’re still reading, thank you! You could be anywhere right now, but we are grateful you’re spending your time with us.

If you’ve enjoyed this post, tap the little heart button below which will help us know what content you want to see more of. If you would like an all-access pass to new and exclusive paid content, please consider upgrading - your support means we can continue to serve this growing community.

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Pillar 1: Strategic Pre-Trip Preparation

The foundation of any impactful FAM trip begins with selecting the right participants. Quality over quantity. Focus on alignment, not numbers. Resist the temptation to invite people based solely on follower count. Instead, prioritize participants whose values and branding complement your property. This strategic alignment ensures authentic content creation and genuine recommendations that resonate with both yours and their audiences. Recently, hotels and resorts have been opting out of influencer guest bases and instead going for Substack writers, photographers, chefs, planners, brand consultants and others in hospitality-surrounding industries that still maintain a substantial following themselves.

Your invitation sets the tone for the entire experience. Move beyond basic property descriptions to create comprehensive packages that include:

• Detailed itineraries with clear objectives

• Property highlights with unique selling points

• Exclusive experiences not available to regular guests

Pillar 2: Immersive Experience Design

Modern FAM trips must deliver the feeling of true hospitality—comfort and belonging that participants can authentically communicate to their clients. As so astutely points out - these kinds of experiences should trigger an effect in the brain telling your guest that perspective matters. It is your job to make that neurological reward system happen from the second they arrive.

Client Journey Simulation. Walk participants through actual guest experiences from arrival to departure. Give them the experience to identify potential pain points and highlight service moments.

Access Experiences. Provide some behind-the-scenes tours, meet and greet with the chef or exclusive after-hour access to facilities. These movements help your FAM guests to truly understand your hotel brand as a whole and what will go into the experience of their audiences.

Respectful Timing and Pacing. Give guests the time to digest. Understand that most attendees are running their businesses while traveling so build in some downtime for them to catch up in addition to structured networking opportunities between guests and hospitality management. Architecting some intentional white space to be present in the experience is mission critical.

Pillar 3: Strategic Post-Trip Follow-Through

The post departure phase often determines whether your FAM trip generates actual business results. Strike within 48 hours of departure—don’t smother guests, but don’t let them forget either. Timing is everything and, as I always say, the fortune is in the follow up.

Immediate Engagement Actions: Give guests everything they need to push out information to their viewers and audience. Write personalized thank you notes to each attendee referencing specific trip moments. Once you’ve touched on the personal aspects, you can talk business: provide them with a digital deliverable of all materials and resources with social media connections and a summary of discussed partnership opportunities.

Long-Term Relationship Maintenance: FAM trip success extends far beyond the initial visit. Implement a systematic approach to maintain relationships with quarterly touch points. In reaching out, include industry updates and property news, promotions and exclusive offers, performance feedback and booking reports, and invitations to future events. Making this extra effort years and months after their first visit will reignite that initial dopamine drive of importance.

Share this post with a bright and enthusiastic leader at your favorite property. Contact our team if you’re developing a high end wedding FAM trip and want to make the most of the experience with a trusted partner.

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Truth: marquee publications are cutting back their print runs in favor of editor-led Substacks. The rise and fall of affiliate-based roundups, and sweeping pivots to video tell us that the traditional media ecosystem is in a moment of profound transition. The familiar pathways to visibility are narrowing, even as new ones emerge. What was once a straightforward press landscape has become a mosaic of blurred boundaries, where journalists double as influencers, influencers act like media companies, and the very definition of “press” is being rewritten.

For luxury brands, this doesn’t mean fewer opportunities, it just means different ones.

With editors stretched thin, there’s a greater appetite for fully formed narratives that arrive polished and ready to publish. In many ways, this creates more space to shape the story on your own terms - when brands bring depth and clarity to the table, they earn not just coverage, but control of the narrative. At the same time, influence is diffusing far beyond the masthead. Reddit, once a niche forum, is now both a cultural barometer and a top citation source for AI-driven search engines like ChatGPT.

TikTok and Instagram have overtaken Google as the discovery platforms of choice for younger audiences, where credibility is built not through gloss, but through authentic community consensus. It’s a reminder that influence now lives in many places, and lasting impact comes from showing up with intention wherever the conversation happens.

Print, meanwhile, has taken on new weight as a symbol of heritage and trust, even as digital storytelling and video emerge as the validation layers that ensure visibility across both human and machine audiences. The future of luxury storytelling is unmistakably hybrid. Anchored in tactility and timelessness, yet fluent in digital, peer-to-peer, and platform-driven culture. Perhaps the clearest sign of this evolution is the erasure of boundaries between journalism and influence. Reporters are being encouraged to grow their personal platforms, publishers are launching storefronts, and influencers are creating Substacks and video essays that rival traditional magazines.

The brands that succeed will be those rooted in trust yet fluent in change, able to move seamlessly between legacy and emerging platforms.

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Want to continue the conversation with our team? Learn more about what we do? We would love to connect with you: https://www.ingoodcompanypr.com/

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What’s our why?

If you’ve followed along with In Good Company PR over the last decade, you know we prefer to be backstage. We like to think of ourselves as a natural extension of our client’s teams but also the kind of people who show up a few minutes ahead of schedule, always eager to lend a hand, and then stepping slightly out of frame so they can soak up the spotlight with their guests and community.

While you may have read The Houseguest via email, Substack will give us the opportunity to spark conversation amongst the greatest minds in this field - with people you may not know yet.

It will continue to be a place that sparks meaningful conversation on brand marketing in the high end hospitality, wedding and events world. Truthfully, we hope to see the comment thread buzzing - with the same kind of energy and openness that flourishes over the course of a great gathering.

What’s to come.

You can expect new posts monthly - but if ever you’re craving more, just head to our blog, or our Instagram. Each bite-sized post will be designed to fill your proverbial pockets with the knowledge we share amongst our team, and with our clients. Every so often we’ll drop a ‘Fast Five’ list of super interesting tidbits curated by our team. Favorited from far outside the premiere wedding industry, these are some of the people, places and happenings that are informing our work. You’ll hear from the incredibly bright human beings who work on our team (not just me) - because they’re truly the heart of this operation. There may be exclusive guides and tools to add to your rolodex along the way, too. Welcome, and thanks for joining us here!

A final thought: The Greek word for hospitality is philoxenia, which literally translates to “love for strangers”. At our table, all are welcome.

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