Past Speakers

Over the years, we’ve welcomed more than 100 speakers to the Welcome stage — each one chosen not just for what they’ve accomplished, but for their unique approach to taking care of others.

Some come from hospitality: restaurateurs and chefs who’ve helped shape the service industry. Others have joined us from far beyond it — CEOs and authors, artists and athletes, magicians and musicians, even an FBI hostage negotiator. What they all share is a belief that how we treat people matters. That hospitality isn’t reserved for restaurants and hotels; it’s something we can bring into everything we do.

Their stories, their lessons, and their perspectives have helped make Welcome what it is today. Explore a few clips and bits below that capture the spirit of the messages shared over the years.

  • “I often think about service vs. hospitality. Service doesn’t demand that you care. In hospitality it is necessary that you care - you can’t fake it.”

    Bobby Stuckey — Restaurateur, Sommelier, Frasca Food and Wine

  • “The best way to use a policy is to think of it as a guideline, and to use it as an opportunity to break that policy in the name of hospitality.” 

    Danny Meyer — Restaurateur, Union Square Hospitality Group

  • “If you are never prepared to be wrong, you’re never going to do anything original.”

    Sarah Robbins — COO, 21c Museum Hotels

  • “We want to become a part of the story of people’s lives… important enough in those individual experiences that if those people wrote an autobiography, we would be featured a little bit in it.”

    Thomas Kochs — Hotelier, Claridge’s

  • “If we can have the courage to not act out of self preservation but to actually turn towards them, you can call someone to greatness.”

    Brian Canlis — Restaurateur, Canlis

  • “You actually can teach people to be nice.”

    Gabrielle Hamilton — Chef, Prune

  • “How you say something is more important than what you say.”

    Gary Noesner — FBI Hostage Negotiator

  • “Opportunity is missed by most because it's disguised in overalls and looks like work.”

    Syrita Steib-Martin — President & CEO, Operation Restoration

  • “There is no such thing as winning. There’s only ahead and there’s only behind, and in the infinite game the only true competitor is yourself.”

    Simon Sinek — Author

  • “Don’t forget where you came from, but don’t you dare ever let it solely define you. Our truth and our history are our roots, but our past must not be our anchor.”

    Kat Cole — COO Athletic Greens

  • “All of you in the hospitality industry are parents to the public… And what I say to the parents is do to yourself what you want your children to do to others.”

    Dr. Wendy Mogel — Psychologist, Author

Speaker Videos

Below are just a few speeches from the Welcome stage that share some pretty compelling perspectives. If these spark interest, we recommend diving into our full catalogue of past Welcome speeches HERE.

There are only two types of games: finite and infinite. In a finite game, the players are known, the rules are known, and there’s a clear end with a clear winner. In an infinite game, there are both known and unknown players, the rules are changeable, and the objective is to perpetuate the game. Hospitality is an infinite game. The goal is not to beat the competition; it’s to outlast them. Simon shares his guidance on how to do just that.

Gary Noesner's speech, "Moving from Conflict to Cooperation," offers profound insights into the art of negotiation, drawing from his extensive experience as the FBI's first Chief of the Crisis Negotiation Unit. Noesner's key themes revolve around the importance of empathy, active listening, and emotional regulation in resolving high-stakes conflicts.

David Chang's speech, titled "Rust Never Sleeps," delivered at the 2017 Welcome Conference, offers a candid reflection on the relentless pursuit of excellence in the culinary world. Drawing from his personal journey, Chang delves into the challenges of maintaining passion and innovation amidst the pressures of the restaurant industry

Dr. Becky is the clinical psychologist and mom of three behind the breakthrough parenting company, Good Inside. She specializes in helping parents become sturdy leaders in their homes by sharing the skills and strategies parents need to raise resilient kids. In this discussion with Will Guidara, she shares how some of her lessons for raising children directly apply to leading teams.

After serving time in prison, Steib-Martin co-founded Operation Restoration, an organization dedicated to supporting women and girls affected by incarceration. In her talk, she discusses the challenges faced by formerly incarcerated individuals and emphasizes the importance of providing opportunities for reintegration into society. Her story highlights the power of personal resilience and the impact of community support in fostering positive change.

Kevin Boehm's speech, "Restoration of Your Own Soul," delivered at the 2018 Welcome Conference, offers a deeply personal reflection on the emotional toll of the hospitality industry and the importance of self-care. Drawing from his own experiences, Boehm delves into the challenges faced by those in the service sector, emphasizing the need to replenish one's own spirit to continue serving others effectively.

Kat is an inspiring leader and operator known for guiding teams through change, high growth and turnarounds. She’s built brands, teams, and businesses over two decades. As President & COO at Athletic Greens, Kat focuses on driving organizational scale, accelerating business growth and global expansion, innovation, and more. In her speech from 2022, she shares her lessons in leadership that provide actionable takeaways.

Hamdi never got an MBA or a fancy degree, but he’s now the CEO of a multi-billion dollar, #1-selling yogurt company. His education came from growing up in Turkey, raising sheep, and then learning from the farmers and individuals he worked with during his first seven years of building Chobani. In this enlightening interview with Priya, Hamdi reveals how he creates a diverse work environment and supportive culture.

In the hospitality industry, being right is less important than doing what's right. Meyer illustrates this by sharing experiences from his career, highlighting the importance of empathy, understanding, and prioritizing the guest's experience over personal ego. He underscores that true leadership involves listening, adapting, and fostering a culture where the focus is on making others feel valued and heard

Speaker Submissions

Each year, we hand-pick and thoughtfully curate the speaker lineup for The Welcome Conference. There’s no formal submission process — it’s something we build internally with intention, conversation, and care.

If there’s someone you believe we truly need to know about, you’re welcome to send us their name, a bit about who they are, any relevant speaking examples, and the key takeaway you think they’d bring to the stage.