- HerOwnership Conference held Sept. 27-28.
- Sessions covered financing, operations and AI.
- Simi Shah discussed her AAHOA community roots.
AAHOA HELD ITS fifth annual HerOwnership Conference Sept. 27 to 28 at the Delta Hotels Nashville Airport in Nashville, Tennessee. The event brought women hotel owners and hospitality leaders together for sessions on financing, operations, technology and portfolio growth.
Masterclass sessions covered legal issues, hotel financing and lending, bookkeeping, wills and trusts, and daily hotel operations, AAHOA said in a statement. Other sessions focused on leading with purpose, long-term hotel value, brand building, AI technology and portfolio diversification.
The association launched the conference in 2022 for women in hotel ownership.
"HerOwnership continues to show what is possible when women in our industry have a place to connect, share their experiences, and learn from one another," said Rahul Patel, AAHOA chairman. "We heard honest conversations about ownership, leadership, business growth and the challenges that come with building a career in hospitality. The connections made here will continue long after the conference, and that is what makes HerOwnership so valuable to AAHOA and our members."
The conference included a roundtable on leading with purpose hosted by the AAHOA Charitable Foundation. Sponsored sessions covered hotel financing and lending by Bridge, building a brand with purpose by Red Roof, AI technology by M3 and portfolio diversification by Primrose.
The program also included discussions on creating long-term hotel value and a Boots & Beats reception featuring country singer Molly Lovette.
Keynote and association leaders
Simi Shah, South Asian Trailblazers' founder and CEOPhoto credit: AAHOA
The keynote speaker was Simi Shah, founder and CEO of South Asian Trailblazers, a media platform, community and advisory agency focused on elevating South Asian voices, the association said. Shah, who grew up in the hospitality industry, discussed her path to creating the company, her family’s role in her career and media platform, personal branding and the importance of AAHOA to the hospitality community.
"I would not be the person I am today if I had not grown up in this industry," she said. "I am so glad I grew up in the AAHOA community."
She also recognized the influence of AAHOA's founders on her work. She described them as the "giants on whose shoulders I stand" as she builds a podcast highlighting the achievements of South Asians.
"Being in Nashville, it was hard not to think about Dolly Parton and the example she has set as a woman who built something of lasting value and stayed true to her vision," said Laura Lee Blake, AAHOA president and CEO. "That same confidence came through at HerOwnership. Women hotel owners know the value of what they have built, and they are making decisions every day about how to grow and protect it."
Arti Patel, AAHOA Women Hoteliers director for the Western division, spoke about women supporting others who enter the industry.
"Opening the door for other women is one of the most important things we can do,” she said. “If each of us opens the door for five women and helps them find their place in this industry, the impact can continue long after this conference. We have an opportunity to make sure the next woman has someone willing to open that door for her."
Purnima Patel, AAHOA Women Hoteliers director for the Eastern division, said informal talks were an important part of the event.
"HerOwnership gives women a place to share what is really happening in their businesses and learn from each other," she said. "Some of the best conversations happen between sessions, when women are talking about the challenges they are facing and sharing ideas and solutions. Those connections are a big part of what makes this conference special."
The program closed with a Boots & Beats reception featuring country singer Molly Lovette.
AAHOA leaders met lawmakers seeking higher SBA loan limits and other policy changes.
