What does it really take to scale from your first hotel acquisition to managing a hospitality portfolio worth tens or even hundreds of millions?

In this episode, Michael and Nate sit down with Suraj Bhakta, CEO of NewGen Advisory, a leading hospitality brokerage with offices across 12 states and transactions in 44. Suraj brings over two decades of commercial real estate experience, having closed $850 million in hotel deals and facilitated nearly $500 million in capital raises. He’s also Chief Legal Counsel at NewGen Worldwide and a former managing partner of his own law firm.

Together, we dive deep into the real-world playbook for growing a hotel investment business - whether you’re acquiring your first property or trying to exit a $15 million deal.

We cover:

– What makes a hotel market worth investing in

– How to raise capital beyond friends and family

– Why the real pros plan their exit before they even buy

– SBA loans vs CMBS vs local banks: financing pros and cons

– The risks and rewards of boutique hotels vs flagged properties

– Why extended-stay hotels are gaining momentum

– How top investors scale and what separates them from the rest

If you’re serious about building wealth through boutique hotels and experiential hospitality, this episode will help you play the game like a pro.

Connect with Suraj:

Email: suraj.bhakta@newgenadv.com
Website: https://newgenadv.com/
Linkedin: Suraj Bhakta
Instagram: @newgenadvisory

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.

In this special Saturday edition, we’re flipping the script. No guest today — just Mike and Nate giving you a behind-the-scenes look at what’s going on inside Malama Capital.

After a listener reached out asking to hear more about our journey, we decided to hit record and share where we’re at, what we’re focused on, and how we’re thinking about the road ahead.

We cover:
Why Q2 is all about acquisitions and our $10M purchase goal

How we’ve restructured our team to create more bandwidth

Using ChatGPT to refine our buy box and narrow in on target markets

Our take on the current investment climate — and why uncertainty might be the window of opportunity

If you’re building your own hospitality investment business (or thinking about it), this is a real-time look at what that actually looks like.

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 do you do when you get fired from your job and get escorted out with a cardboard box? If you’re Sky McLean, you build one of the fastest-growing hospitality brands in Canada.

In this episode, we sit down with Sky McLean, founder and CEO of Basecamp Resorts, owner of 14+ resorts, and operator of over half a billion in real estate. From bootstrapping her first hotel with a BMW loan to raising $40 million through Instagram, Sky’s story is a masterclass in grit, creativity, and bold vision.

We dig into how she scaled her adventure-focused hospitality brand, her unique capital raising strategy, why she avoids big-name hotel flags, and how she balances leading 500+ employees with being a full-time mom and mountain sports junkie.

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to scale your hotel portfolio, this episode is packed with insight, inspiration, and practical wisdom from someone who’s actually done it.

Connect with Sky:

Instagram: @skymclean

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sky-mclean-2299a420/

Website: https://invest.basecampresorts.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.