Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and is stepping out and making big waves during Black History Month.
The hotel franchisor has taken great measures to continue being a leading force with Black hotel ownership. A grand opportunity to be a leading authority made them established the first DEI program of its kind three years ago, which offered more than just incentives to minority members and being a gold star standard.
We recently had a fantastic opportunity to talk to Galen Barrett, VP, Strategic Franchise Initiatives, who is at the helm of the Wyndham Black Owners and Lodging Developers.
BOLD is part of a profound movement in the industry and worthy of this insightful conversation.
Can you explain the top things that Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is doing to further advance diversity with ownership? The concept is wonderful and long overdue.
From sponsoring Affinity Business Groups for team members of many backgrounds to adopting hiring practices that pull from a diverse talent pool and requiring training that promotes ant-iracism and allyship – we believe at Wyndham that unique, diverse backgrounds make us stronger. That commitment to creating an inclusive environment is at our core, and it guides the work we do and the decisions we make. When it comes to hospitality, it’s an incredibly diverse industry – but only two percent of owners are Black. Our decision to do something about that came directly from our team members – an ABG called SPECTRUM that empowers the Black community.
They said we can do more outside our walls to help Black owners. Rather than just standing up a program based on our own conversations, though, we had conversations with Black owners directly to better understand their challenges and intentionally build something that helped tackle those challenges – things like providing educational materials to outline how to become an owner, a network to tap into for support and access to capital, to name a few. That’s where BOLD by Wyndham was born – and today we have about 30 hotels in our pipeline. Hospitality is about welcoming people into your community. What I think is special about the origin story of BOLD is it came from a group of people who cared about making our industry more welcoming. That passion is what drives us forward. Whether it’s about ownership or a guest’s experience, we hope that our commitment to inclusivity makes hotel travel more enjoyable and more welcoming to all.
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts today launched BOLD by Wyndham, a new program designed to engage and advance Black hotel ownership.
What makes you standout when it comes to being the leading source of Black hotel ownership? Why is this incredibly important to the brand to hold this recognition?
At Wyndham, we invest a lot in our owners. They come first in all that we do because the more support and resources we put behind our owners, the more time and energy they have to make a guests experience more memorable. BOLD by Wyndham is a direct reflection of that investment, and we really take the time to listen to our owners and potential owners. In the six months I’ve been overseeing BOLD, I’ve talked to people who are at varying points in their journey. In some instances, they don’t know anything about hotel ownership – and that’s ok.
That owner first investment and one-on-one relationship we’re committed to building is really what sets us apart. It’s all about individual attention and helping their dream to fruition, and that might look different from one owner to the next. There are other things like Wyndham’s scale and size that set us apart. Wyndham is the world’s largest hotel franchisor with 24 brands around the globe. Guests on a roadtrip might recognize some of our most iconic brands – from Days Inn to Super 8 and Baymont and more. That scale, size and recognition brings opportunity for owners to find a brand that fits their dream and gives them access to a global network of resources and relationships we can tap into to make hotel ownership a reality.
How do upcoming entrepreneurs find out about BOLD? What is the process for someone to get involved?
Conversation and community building is key. For some Black entrepreneurs, they never considered hotel ownership because it was never something they were exposed to. Building that awareness and laying that foundation is one of our main pillars because there’s so much untapped opportunity for Black entrepreneurs in hospitality. Today we have about 550 engaged BOLD members, and we’re doubling down on continuing to build that network as well as a network of supporters – financing partners, lenders and more.
We’re doing our part to keep the conversation going and ensure as many people as possible know these opportunities exist. Whether you’re a longtime entrepreneur or someone who is just exploring what it takes to succeed in hospitality, an easy way to get started is by visiting www.boldbywyndham.com and reaching out.
Why do you think that Wyndham Hotels & Resorts continues to hold the gold standard in the industry over other brands and companies in the same field?
Our mission at Wyndham is to make hotel travel possible for all. That means helping sisters take their first vacation together or giving families a comfortable place to stay when they take a road trip. But it also means giving opportunity to entrepreneurs to thrive in an industry that can provide generational wealth to their family. Believing in that mission and doing our part – big and small – to deliver on that is ultimately what sets us apart.
Signing deals for BOLD is incredibly important because each deal is another step towards making hospitality more diverse, but from top to bottom we care about living out our values and serving – what our industry is all about – a community that for a long time didn’t have that opportunity. That belief in service and support from the top of Wyndham’s organization is really what moves BOLD forward.
What is your favorite thing that is part of the new initiatives and mentorship aspects?
I think what makes me most proud about BOLD is that we’re making a difference in our industry today by helping owners realize their dream. I think about supporting the growth of a community that will open doors for people like my two daughters and their generation.
When I was growing up, my family was part of Jack and Jill of America Inc., an organization founded by Black mothers meant to strengthen children through leadership, volunteering and more. Where I grew up, there were few Black families in my near vicinity. Within Jack and Jill I interacted with Black parents of all types – lawyers, businessmen and women, doctors. Because of that organization I was aware of the opportunities I had to succeed because I saw other Black people succeeding. It’s important to me to bring that awareness to hospitality. I want young people like my daughters to see Black men and women succeeding in hotel ownership – to have that representation and open the door for young people to have more opportunity in hospitality than ever before. It’s a long-term goal, but that’s the difference I think this program can make.
There is so much positive happening this year for the chain. What are the goals for next year and beyond?
Wyndham is a huge, dynamic organization. We’re constantly opening new hotels all around the world and we’re bringing unforgettable travel experiences to travelers of all kinds. BOLD is one of many pieces of what we’re doing daily, but it’s one that really has a lasting impact. We know that community building takes time. We’re incredibly focused on building that community, driving awareness and visibility to Black owners and the opportunity they have and continuing that journey of listening to what owners need – because as their needs change, we must also evolve. With the 30 hotels in our pipeline and 550 BOLD members, those are numbers I want to see grow.
Perhaps more importantly, though, is seeing those hotels and those 550 members open and succeed one day as hotel owners who can welcome guests into their communities and like us, continue making hotel travel an experience that can be had by all.