Exploring Life & Business with Sebastian Bustamante Castillo of Open story life

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sebastian Bustamante Castillo.

Hi Sebastian, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story is one of evolution, intention, and legacy. I began my career immersed in hospitality and experiential work, naturally drawn to environments where beauty, service, and human connection coexist. From the very beginning, I understood that true luxury isn’t about excess — it’s about care, presence, and how people are made to feel.

I didn’t enter this industry from the top; I learned it from the inside out. Working hands-on in high-level hospitality environments gave me a rare perspective — I experienced excellence done right, and I witnessed where the industry often fell short, especially when performance was prioritized over people.

Six years ago, the company evolved into a family business — a pivotal moment that reshaped not only our structure, but our purpose. That transition grounded the brand in trust, values, and long-term vision. It also required me to step fully into leadership, building something sustainable, intentional, and designed to last beyond projects, seasons, or trends.

As my experience deepened, so did my clarity. I realized I wasn’t interested in replicating what already existed — I wanted to reimagine hospitality from a human-first perspective. That insight became the foundation for everything that followed, including the creation of HOST, a platform designed to elevate service culture through training, audits, and leadership development.

Today, my work lives at the intersection of luxury hospitality, leadership, and creative strategy. Through curated experiences, structured training, and immersive educational programs, we help brands and teams elevate not just their standards, but their mindset. Our approach blends structure with soul, strategy with storytelling, and operational excellence with emotional intelligence.

What began as a service-driven venture has grown into a movement centered on human-first hospitality. And while I’m proud of how far we’ve come, the most exciting part is what’s ahead — expanding our impact, shaping the next generation of hospitality leaders, and continuing to redefine what excellence truly means.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road has been anything but smooth — and that’s precisely what shaped the leader I am today. Every meaningful evolution in my journey has been preceded by a season of uncertainty, challenge, or reinvention.

One of the greatest challenges was learning how to scale without losing the soul of what I was building. As the company grew and transitioned into a family business, I had to balance emotional ties with professional structure, long-term vision with daily execution. Leading with clarity while protecting relationships required maturity, difficult conversations, and a deep commitment to values over convenience.

There were also periods of external pressure — market shifts, industry slowdowns, and moments when carrying a long-term vision felt heavier than the immediate results reflected. In those seasons, resilience mattered more than strategy. I learned to stay grounded, make clear decisions, and trust the process even when progress wasn’t visible.

Perhaps the most defining challenge was internal: releasing control. Letting go of perfectionism, learning to delegate, and evolving from hands-on operator to intentional leader wasn’t easy — but it was necessary. That shift transformed not only the business, but the way I lead people and build culture.

None of these challenges slowed the journey — they refined it. They reinforced my belief that sustainable success isn’t built on ease, but on intention, adaptability, and the courage to grow through discomfort.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Open Story Life was created with a clear intention: to elevate hospitality beyond service and turn it into a deeply human experience.

At its foundation, Open Story Life is a luxury hospitality and experiential company specializing in high-end events, service design, and operational excellence. We partner with venues, brands, and organizations that understand that modern luxury is not about excess — it’s about presence, precision, and emotional connection.

Our work lives at the intersection of service, aesthetics, and human behavior. Every experience we design is guided by one core philosophy: bringing humanity back to hospitality. This means training teams to be more aware, more intentional, and more connected — not robotic or transactional, but genuinely present.

Over the years, working closely with luxury events and hospitality environments, a clear pattern emerged: many beautiful spaces and strong brands were underperforming due to gaps in service culture, team alignment, and emotional intelligence. That realization led to the creation of HOST by Open Story Life.

HOST is a digital and in-person hospitality training and auditing platform designed to elevate service standards at a global luxury level. Through structured training programs, service audits, and leadership development, HOST helps businesses identify where service breaks down — and how to rebuild it with clarity, consistency, and purpose. It focuses not just on what teams do, but on how they show up: their presence, communication, mindset, and leadership.

What makes Open Story Life and HOST powerful together is their alignment. Open Story Life represents the execution and lived experience of hospitality at its highest level, while HOST provides the systems, education, and strategy that make excellence sustainable, scalable, and repeatable. One brings the vision to life; the other ensures it can evolve and endure.

Creativity and aesthetics — including my background in floral design — influence everything we do, not as a standalone service, but as a way of seeing, feeling, and designing experiences with intention. It’s about understanding flow, balance, detail, and emotion — the same principles that define exceptional hospitality.

What I’m most proud of is that these brands were built intentionally, with depth and long-term vision. We are not chasing trends or quick wins. We are building culture, raising standards, and helping hospitality teams reconnect with the human side of service.

What I want readers to know is simple:
Luxury is not what you offer — it’s how people feel when they experience you. And that is where real transformation begins.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
One book that deeply shaped my philosophy is Unreasonable Hospitality, written by Will Guidara. What resonated with me wasn’t just the stories, but the mindset: the idea that extraordinary hospitality isn’t about perfection or excess, but about intention, care, and making people feel genuinely seen.

Beyond books, I’m very intentional with what I allow to influence me. Meditation has been one of my most powerful tools — it sharpens my presence, grounds my leadership, and allows me to respond rather than react, especially in high-pressure environments. I believe the quality of our inner state directly shapes the quality of the experiences we create for others.

Rather than constantly consuming content, I prioritize reflection. Journaling, structured planning, and moments of stillness help me integrate ideas into real-life leadership, culture-building, and decision-making. I listen to long-form conversations around leadership, human behavior, and mindset when they add depth — not noise.

Ultimately, the resources that help me perform at my best are those that strengthen awareness, clarity, and emotional intelligence. Because for me, leadership — just like hospitality — starts from within.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.openstorylife.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openstorylife?igsh=MXJ4bnB3dzQ5cmxrcA==
• LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/sebastian-bustamante-castillo