Hospitality Industry Entrepreneur Shares Secrets: Inside Business Success Interview: Doug Baarman

Written by on April 24, 2020 / Inside BS Podcast

Each week we bring you interviews with some of the most successful people in business. We do this to share their insider business secrets and take you inside business strategy. This week we are going inside the Hotel, Hospitality and Convention business. Our discussion is with Doug Baarman of Conference Direct. Season 2 Show 15 Episode 137

Doug Baarman Interview Show Notes

Each week we bring you interviews with some of the most successful people in business. We do this to share their insider business secrets and take you inside business strategy.

This week we are going inside the Hotel, Hospitality and Convention business. Our discussion this week is with Doug Baarman.

Doug Baarman is Senior Vice President / Team Director with Conference Direct.  He has 25+ years of sales, marketing and meeting planning experience within the hospitality industry. He has worked on both sides of the industry giving him an insider’s perspective with experience from some of the largest hotel companies – Marriott International and Gaylord Hotels and from the buyer’s side – National Trade Productions.

Here’s how you can contact Doug:

Doug Baarman, CDS
Senior Vice President/
Team Director
6 Sotweed Court
Potomac, MD 20854
Office: (301) 605-7011
E-Fax: (240) 238-9898
Mobile: (240) 994-8599
Doug.Baarman@conferencedirect.com

https://hospitalitylifestyles.com
http://doug-baarman.go-conferencedirect.com

Here is your guide to this wide-ranging interview:

3:00     What does Conference Direct do? What is Doug’s Role?
5:35     How Doug works with clients (companies planning events) while partnering with hotels.
6:28     Doug describes the business model used to compensate him and his team.
7:54     How does Doug organize his sales team? How to they set up “territories?”
9:52     How does Doug recruit new people?
13:07   How did Doug become an entrepreneur?
14:40   The Stages of a Crisis and How Businesses Get Through Them
18:50   What are the biggest concerns for hotels and convention centers?
26:40   Face-To-Face meetings will become a competitive advantage.
30:20   What does the future look like for conventions – short term and long term?
35:03   What does the future look like for Las Vegas?
38:16   Where should people go for information on the current state of business travel?
41:30   What hospitality companies are handling this well?
44:45   Doug sees great opportunity for people who want to book meetings in a year or two. Here’s how to take advantage.
48:40   Dave and Doug make predictions.