Conley explains his own interpretation of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, learned in the context of the hospitality industry. As an entrepreneur, he realized that just as people strive to "be all they can be", so too can companies. Conley suggests that there are three steps toward elevati...
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In an offsite retreat, Joie de Vivre Hotels asked their housekeeping staff to describe an alternate title for their jobs. Rather than being called a "maid", the staff described themselves as "a mom away from home" or the "piece of mind police". Employees who focus the higher calling, r...
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Though Conley had a great experience in business school, an area of study that has become very useful for him as an entrepreneur is psychology. The dot-com bust and other outside forces presented an unforeseen challenge in a time of uncertainty. Searching for answers, Conley came across...
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Indian Curry Shrimp caused a restaurant patron to purchase the business and open a second one closer to home. Terri takes us inside the pub that puts terrific tasting influences from far overseas onto plates in two parts of West Michigan.
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Though Expedia was able to address the base of Maslow’s pyramid, they did not address the customer's higher needs. Using technology, Conley's company was able to meet customer desires by tracking customer preferences in much the same way that Amazon and Netflix do. Upping the ante, Joi...
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During the economic downturn of 2002, instead of distributing dividends, Joie de Vivre was forced to ask investors to help out the company financially. Rather than approaching investors in a completely solemn manner, Conley explains how approaching his investors with a sense of humor he...
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During the economic downturn that followed the dot-com bust, there were many travel bargains to be found through new websites such as Expedia and Priceline. In what is called an efficient market, customers had a flood of bargains at their fingertips. Joie de Vivre Hotels was forced to ...
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