Today we’d like to introduce you to Rick Mansur.
Four hospitality colleagues who had been together for over 15 years decided to strike out on their own and become business partners. The startup occurs in 2007, the worst possible time to start a business as the crash of 2008 came shortly after formation. With lots in between, after 10 years in business, the collaboration has resulted in a successful hotel management company with 24 hotel projects, primarily in the lifestyle segment of the industry.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not a smooth road, but certainly an educational one. You never learn more about business than during difficult times. Our trials were a combination of the economic climate and not realizing how much we did not know about some of the nuances of our industry.
Azul Hospitality Group – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
AZUL manages hotels primarily in the western United States, that have a strong lifestyle component. Our hotels typically include unique design elements, innovative food & beverage concepts, specialized amenities, and programming. We aspire to create hotels that are better curated and provide an elevated guest experience. We are most proud of our team talent and their ability to execute our vision. We also seek colleagues and associates who are just good human beings and are ultimately most proud about that!
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
My proudest moments are when a new hotel is opened in collaboration with a client, creating a completely new economy, providing career and job opportunities for individuals to provide for themselves and their families. …And as a bonus, our hotels are typically cool places for people to meet, eat, drink, sleep, and whatever else happens that we are not supposed to know about.
Contact Info:
- Address: 800 W Ivy St Suite D
- Website: azulhospitalitygroup.com
- Phone: 619 223 4200
- Email: info@azulhg.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/azulhg
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AZULhospitalitygroup/
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