2025 Session Descriptions 

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This empowering session is designed to help you define and confidently express your authentic self in both personal and professional spaces. Through guided reflection and practical strategies, you'll learn how to build a personal brand that aligns with your values, strengths, and unique identity.

Please Note: This session is open to all associates and leaders regardless of gender. This content is applicable to all.

Heart pounding. Palms sweating. Pacing. Mind racing. Looking for the door. Does this sound like you before, during, or after a difficult conversation? Ever found yourself avoiding tough discussions for fear of conflict?

Join this interactive and “funny-because-it’s-true” session about developing proactive skills to navigate tough conversations, conflict, and more. You’ll leave the session with tools to raise self-awareness and manage your reactions under stress, plus practical tips to embrace positive polarization and resolve conflicts with confidence.

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Independent and unique lodging operators face both challenges and opportunities in today’s evolving hospitality landscape. Guests expect a seamless, personalized journey from the moment they begin searching for accommodations until long after they’ve checked out. Technology plays a crucial role in meeting—and exceeding—those expectations.

This interactive fireside chat will explore how Unique Lodging of Ohio (ULO) owners and managers can:

• Leverage technology to streamline the booking journey and set the right first impression.
• Enhance the on-property guest experience through communication tools, personalization, and local touches.
• Use post-stay engagement and guest reviews to strengthen reputation, drive repeat bookings, and fuel word-of-mouth growth.

The session will also feature special guest Jake Ryan, owner of Book Hocking, who will share his hands-on perspective as a ULO operator. Jake will highlight practical tools, strategies, and “tricks of the trade” he uses to elevate guest satisfaction, manage expectations, and turn reviews into business growth.

Attendees will walk away with actionable insights on how to align technology and human hospitality to deliver unforgettable guest experiences at every stage of the journey—before, during, and after the stay.

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"Next-Level Marketing: AI Tools for Image-to-Video Storytelling" explores cutting-edge AI platforms that transform static visuals into dynamic, engaging video content. This session will equip you with practical skills to elevate your brand storytelling and captivate audiences across digital channels.

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This session explores innovative strategies to drive revenue by leveraging modern sales tools and techniques beyond traditional metrics. This session will guide hospitality professionals in using social media for lead generation, mastering effective prospecting, and improving forecasting accuracy to boost overall sales performance.