From Olympic Trials to Losing Millions—And Bouncing Back With a Boutique Hotel Empire

In this episode of Hotel Investor Playbook, Mike and Nate are joined by Adam Dailey, a former 5x All-American athlete turned hospitality investor. Adam shares his wild journey—from building a multimillion-dollar business, losing it all in a matter of weeks, to bouncing back stronger with a growing portfolio of boutique hotels, hostels, and STRs.

We unpack:

•How championship-level discipline translates to high-performing hotel operations

•The mindset shift from solo business owner to team-driven investor

•Tactical ways to spot hidden value in underperforming hospitality assets

•Why your exit plan needs a backup plan

•What it really takes to raise capital from friends, family, and investors

•The future of self-check-in models vs high-touch hospitality

This one’s honest, gritty, and packed with lessons you won’t find in a textbook.

About Adam Dailey:

Adam Dailey is a serial entrepreneur, real estate investor, and former elite athlete with a passion for adventure and business. As the CEO of Bronco Surf Capital, he specializes in boutique hotels, hostels, and mixed-use projects in San Diego.

Adam founded Ludus Sports, a multimillion-dollar company that catered to sports tourism at global events like the Olympics, landing on the Inc. 500 list before facing a major financial setback. He later sold the business and wrote a book about his experience and about his travels: How to Run Away From Home (and Take Your Family With You).

A former five-time NCAA All-American and SEC Champion at the University of Arkansas, Adam also competed in the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 10,000 meters. Today, he balances real estate, coaching his kids’ sports teams, and leading the San Diego chapter of Entrepreneur Organization (EO).

Connect with Adam Dailey:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamdailey/

Connect with Mike and Nate:

Instagram: @the_hotel_investor_playbook

Website: www.hotelinvestorplaybook.com

Contact Us: info@hotelinvestorplaybook.com

Interested in investing with Mike and Nate? Visit Malama-Capital.com for more information.

What happens when two young investors decide to buy a rundown motel, renovate it themselves, and document the entire journey online? For Brett and Casey McManus—creators of the viral Instagram account Innvestors—it led to a booming boutique hotel business and a wildly loyal following.

In this episode, Brett joins us to share how they went from industrial real estate to short-term rentals, and ultimately into purchasing a hotel—with a storytelling approach that’s as entertaining as it is effective. We dive into how they’ve built real brand equity through content, why they’ve avoided the traditional syndication path, and how SBA loans helped them get in the game.

We also get into the unsexy side of operations, what it really takes to run a hotel day to day, and how documenting the journey—flaws and all—turned into their biggest asset.

Whether you’re building a hotel brand, raising capital, or figuring out how to create content that actually connects, this one’s full of gems.

Connect with Brett:

Instagram: @innvestors

Website: https://apresinnkillington.com/

Connect with Mike and Nate:

Instagram: @the_hotel_investor_playbook

Website: www.hotelinvestorplaybook.com

Contact Us: info@hotelinvestorplaybook.com

Interested in investing with Mike and Nate? Visit Malama-Capital.com for more information.

Could you really buy a hotel development site in Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco—at a fire-sale price—and turn it into a boutique hotel with a projected value over $11 million?

That’s the plan today’s guest, Mike Demson, is working on. In this episode, Mike breaks down how he’s finding undervalued hotel opportunities, increasing density, reducing construction costs, and creating Instagram-worthy experiences with lean operations and smart design.

We challenge the assumptions, dig into the numbers, and talk about what it actually takes to pull off a project like this.

You’ll also hear about his second hotel project in Sonoma wine country—including a planned 67-unit expansion and brand partnership with IHG’s Vignette Collection.

If you’re thinking about hotel development—or you just want a behind-the-scenes look at a real-world deal—this one’s for you.

Connect with Mike:

Website: https://www.demsonconsulting.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedemson

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mike.demson

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michael.demaria.1987

Connect with Mike and Nate:

Instagram: @the_hotel_investor_playbook

Website: www.hotelinvestorplaybook.com

Contact Us: info@hotelinvestorplaybook.com

Interested in investing with Mike and Nate? Visit Malama-Capital.com for more information.