The Baker Program in Real Estate would like to thank our distinguished speaker, Sean Worker, for leading a captivating discussion and engaging students on a wide range of topics. As President and CEO of BridgeStreet Global Hospitality, Worker is recognized as a leader in the serviced apartment industry. With his collaborative style, and a penchant for involving his audience, Worker was able to share valuable insights with students regarding the direction of his company, and broader trends in the hospitality industry.
Throughout the discussion, Worker was able to explain the complex business of serviced apartments and aparthotels. He described trends showing that people want experiences, not more square feet. By making the point that people would rather have a latte in a city park, than at the end of cul-de-sac in suburbia, he underscored his company’s commitment to “giving the people what they want.” Worker went on to describe how BridgeStreet’s core strategy caters to this need, and how market trends favor his company’s position.
A variety of interesting topics were discussed during a reception held at the Statler Hotel. Among the topics were the influence of Airbnb in the hospitality industry, and the effect of millennials on the multifamily housing sector. Worker also explained how his company uses data analytics to facilitate a 95% occupancy rate throughout its portfolio.
If data driven analytics are the future of hospitality, then Worker is on the cutting edge. Throughout the evening, he was able to talk shop with students, and describe how he has turned his hospitality firm into a lean, nimble, data-driven enterprise. Worker talked about using big data to streamline the relocation process for his customers, and create efficiencies throughout the value chain. This, in turn, allows Worker to forecast demand and outmaneuver the competition.
