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Meet Jay Singh of The Guest Lodge

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jay Singh.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
As a first generation immigrant, I have always believed in the American dream. I always wanted to work for myself and in 2004 I was presented with the opportunity to buy a hotel which is now The Guest Lodge.

Initially, I opted to be a part of a franchise system but I felt that something was lacking. The franchise system is good but I wanted my customers to dictate what they will like to see from us rather than someone sitting in corporate headquarters of a big franchise chain.

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?
The road for many years has been anything but smooth. Initially, things were great and then we were stuck in the great recession.

The struggle of surviving the great recession took a mental and physical toll. The recession did prepare me for any other struggle ahead, which was to establish my own brand name.

Establishing my own name in a world where most economy to mid-scale properties are franchised was another struggle but thanks to a wonderful community, loyal guests, and a strong team we were able to illustrate our strengths.

The Guest Lodge – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
The Guest Lodge Gainesville is located centrally in downtown Gainesville. We are well known to be a sports person lodge of choice, we understand the needs of our guests.

Not sure where I came across this but our team at The Guest Lodge lives by, “Come as a guest, leave as a friend”.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
There are so many, each one its own milestone.

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Image Credit:

Coach Gregg Hartsuff, Frank Biller

Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

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