Behind the Stays
A podcast for hospitality entrepreneurs by Zach Busekrus
LatestEpisode 302
How He Became Hospitality’s Most Interesting Voice on Social Media: The Making of @MrScottEddy
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How He Became Hospitality’s Most Interesting Voice on Social Media: The Making of @MrScottEddy
What Ian Schrager, Andre Balazs & Philippe Starck Taught Her About Hotels That Feel Different (with Erin Hosler)
The Wild Story Behind Joshua Tree’s First New Hotel in a Decade: Meet Ben Uyeda of the RESET Hotel
They Said a 5-Star Hotel Would Never Work in Nairobi. So He Founded Tribe and Proved Them Wrong
The State of Glamping in 2025: Trends, Premiums, and Predictions with the Godmother of the Industry
Building a Timeless Boutique Hotel by Hand (and Heart): The Story of The Outlier with Brandon Gore
The Journey Begins: Journey is Officially Live! Here’s How We’re Reimagining Loyalty (with Founder John Sutton)
How to Make Hotels Cool Again: What the Best Operators Know That the Brands Forgot (with Bashar Wali)
The Art of Growing a Hotel Brand Without Losing the Magic: The Story of Salt Hotels
Live From VRMA's Exec Summit: What the Smartest Operators Are Really Thinking About Right Now (Part 2)
Live From VRMA's Exec Summit: What the Smartest Operators Are Really Thinking About Right Now (Part 1)
Epic Stories & Insider Insights from Hospitality Legend James McBride (Co-Founder and CEO of Nihi Hotels)
The New Rules of Resort Marketing: Entertainment, Influencers & AI with Jason Kycek
How a Boutique Hotel Obsession Became a Global Travel Media Brand: The Story of Hotels Above Par
How They're Building the Next Great American Hotel Brand: The Story of Trailborn with Co-Founders Mike & Ben
How to Build Hotels With a Pulse: Carolyn Schneider, Co-Founder of Casetta Hotels, on Ditching the Copy-Paste Approach
Why Hotel Booking Engines Are Dying — And How AI Agents Will Replace Them, with Selfbook Founder Khalid Meniri
From Sales Guy to Hospitality Media Mogul: The Modern Hotelier Story with Steve Carran
From Instagram Fame to Industry Change: JourneyMore, Mike Will Travel, and the Rise of Creator-Led Hospitality
Is This the End of Direct Bookings? Everything You Need to Know About Airbnb’s New Off-Platform Policy
meet
Zach Busekrus
Zach Busekrus is the Head of the Alliance at Journey, a new kind of loyalty program designed for the modern traveler. In his role, he oversees the product, marketing and growth strategy for the company, building a best in className, first of its kind product that will allow guests to earn and redeem loyalty points on independent hotels, short-term rentals, unique stays and more.
Prior to joining Journey, Zach founded StayWatch, the internet's best place to find deals on stays across Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com. A talented growth marketer turned entrepreneur, Zach also launched Behind the Stays, a podcast and YouTube channel that he hosts personally, which features the stories of hospitality visionaries shaping the future of travel. Both companies were acquired by Journey in 2024.
Before StayWatch, Zach founded Enrollify, a niche media company serving higher education marketing, which was acquired by Element451 in 2023. Earlier in his career, he spent nearly a decade at Direct Development, a marketing agency specializing in nonprofit and higher education clients, where he honed his expertise in growth marketing and scaling businesses.
With a passion for the attention economy, Zach thrives at the intersection of storytelling, entrepreneurship, and innovation, building businesses that captivate audiences and redefine industries. He currently lives in Washington D.C. with his wife and two children. Connect with Zach on LinkedIn or stream his weekly podcast (Behind the Stays) on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
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