Redefining Luxury: Growth, Impact, and "Leader-ment" - with Panos Almyrantis

18:25Jeannette:And that goes back in the very beginning of the 90s. Now, that to me, being 17 and a half years old at that time, that was really an astonishing experience because I found myself from the school walking into an environment that was completely different, an environment that it looked a bit frightening, but also respectful. It gave me means of understanding the change, the constant change of life. So I went from a wild boy to someone who had to dress up with a tie and a suit and shave myself twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. I had to do duties. So I entered into this fascinating world and then I understood that it's all about people and it is all about people.

19:17Jeannette:Regardless of who you serve, of which standpoint you see the industry, of whether you will become a hotel general manager because I entered into a hotel management school, but that does not mean you become a GM. And then once I graduated from hotel management school, I furthered my studies in the United States. And that was the time, thankfully, that I started, you know, thinking of numbers. And then I did a master's in business administration with culture and economics. And that helped me a lot. And that's what stimulated my interest. And to be very frank and fair, this is what has helped me a lot in this evolving environment.

20:00Jeannette:I mean, hotel general managers 20 years ago were the keepers, were the guest relations. They were the ones who had to see the guests and so on. Hotel general managers today have to make sure that KPAs are achieved. They have to comprehend what numbers are and they have to stimulate their sales team much more than they would stimulate the waiter or the housekeeper. simply because it is all about numbers and somebody that goes out and sells the hotel does not have something tangible in hand. You don't just go and show some, it's not a product. You press on this button, you do this, you do that. You just go and describe an experience.

20:42Panos Almyrantis:So it's not an easy thing to describe an experience.

20:45Jeannette:So again, it's a great balance. That's what I saw when I entered the school. Then so when I started doing my in-service training and I was very lucky to do an in-service training in Eastbourne, close to Brighton. So I got a fantastic experience back in 1991, which really helped me a lot to understand what a true five-star property is.

21:08Panos Almyrantis:Well, that's really fascinating. Eastbourne, a five-star property in Eastbourne. My gosh, does that exist? I'm not sure it exists today, Panos. Maybe back then, who knows?

21:18Jeannette:35 years ago. So that's quite far behind. but it was a fantastic experience to be there really. I mean, really it was second to none. It was an experience that made me comprehend what luxury means and what is expected from people who understand luxury from aristocracy, I would say.

21:45Panos Almyrantis:It's interesting because I think luxury is often an overused term in multiple sectors, not just hospitality and, you know, whatever it might be. But what do you think defines luxury then, Panos? You spend a lot of time in this industry, but what's luxury to you when you talk about luxury and in the context of your world?

22:06Jeannette:You know, this is a fantastic question. Everybody believes that luxury are, you know, the golden doorknobs and the amazing chandeliers and so on. back in 2009 I attended an international meeting of hoteliers and the president of the leading hotel of the world hotels of the world at that time Ted Tank said luxury is something that everybody has a need for but everybody understands it differently and can afford different things so at that time I couldn't really understand what he what what he said and then I started seeing it in the day-to-day operations. Today's luxury is authenticity. It's lifestyle, I would say, which is why at Ella Resorts, we don't say we have luxury resorts.

22:59Jeannette:We say we have lifestyle resorts because everybody has a need for a different lifestyle. When you're talking to families, regardless of if it's a family of one, two, or three or five kids, they have their own lifestyle and this is how they have developed and evolved their lives. Adults, pretty much the same. Different activities, different things to do, and different experiences. It's all about experiences, Jeanette. It's not anymore that the luxury experience is considered an amazing champagne or a fantastic wine that was produced like 35 or 40 years ago. Authenticity and lifestyle is what luxury means today.

23:42Jeannette:And that's what is expected. Think about it, for example. let's say that you live in London. You run the whole day around being busy and so on. You don't have time. You want to switch off. So what is luxury to you? What would probably luxury to you? Walking barefoot on the sandy beach, right next to a beautiful tavern that we have in one of our properties in Rhodes, for example. And you, you, you, you know, you have some local messe platters, as we call them, the tidbits between, you know, local produce and, you know, the chef who is there and he's cooking in front of you, doing a nice ceviche of a fresh fish that was brought by a fisherman.

24:22Jeannette:That's luxury. That's what you need. You've probably eaten so many places like Zuma's, Hakkasan, Dinner by Plumental and so on. But what you want to do 10 days that you're in Greece, leave this luxury. This is what you will take back. And this is what you will be talking with your family around the Christmas table.

24:41Panos Almyrantis:I think that's right. It's experiences, isn't it? Creating memories, really.

24:46Jeannette:Absolutely.

24:47Panos Almyrantis:Yeah, especially I think when, you know, in today's world, this is a question for you, Panos. Obviously, we're in a world of tech, you know, and have been for God knows how long. but the pace of change and AI and all of these great tools that enable us to go further faster, right? I mean, AI is just mind-blowing, isn't it? The capability. How do you, as a hotelier, because you are a hotelier at heart, how do you blend technology and AI with the human aspect of hospitality? How's it working for Ella Resorts? And what's your perspective on how AI is going to transform, you know, the business, the industry?

25:32Panos Almyrantis:What do you think?

25:33Jeannette:Well, first of all, I have to say that with the AI, we are trying as hoteliers to educate ourselves. Because to us, AI up until five years ago used to be all inclusive. Today, AI is artificial intelligence. So, you know, we need to distinct that amongst us to understand what we're talking about. Listen, I see technology and AI very clearly as an opportunity, provided that we approach it with intention and responsibility. Used well, AI can enhance how we understand our guests, improve our decision making, optimize operations, and free up time from repetitive tasks. in an industry as complex and fast moving hospitality that ability to gain clarity and anticipate needs is is really incredibly powerful and and technology gives us better tools to be more precise more personalized and i would say more agile and agility and volatility is something that is very much needed in this hospitality terrain now that said obviously hospitality will always be a deeply human business and again that's what people have a need for

26:44Jeannette:sorry go ahead yeah i would say that the real risk is not ai itself but it's actually the temptation to use it as a shortcut at the expense of connection empathy and judgment so ai should never replace the warmth of a genuine welcome or the intuition of an experienced leader its role is to support people not overshadowing them allow teams to focus on creativity care and meaningful interactions. And when technology amplifies humanity rather than diluting it, it becomes a true competitive advantage.

27:18Panos Almyrantis:Yeah, I agree. And it's trying to get the right balance, isn't it, really, between what's appropriate and used as an enabler for growth and speed and efficiency, but to allow the resources to be diverted to where the guest really values that human element, I think. And, I mean, we're seeing it a lot. I know you're very passionate about sustainability panels, you know, and it's a shocking statistic.

27:44Jeannette:I think one third of all food is thrown away in the world.

27:49Panos Almyrantis:One third of food that's produced. I mean, can you imagine? I mean, it's mind blowing, isn't it? When you think about the abject poverty that exists in some countries where to have one meal a day is a luxury, never mind, you know. So I think in the hospitality space with sustainability, I'm seeing a lot of hotels using AI in order to the data to reduce food waste. And then it's obviously an operational cost benefit, but it's also shaping the experience and the offering in the restaurants, for example, of certain hotels. So I don't know, on the sustainability side, and when it comes to food, in particular Panos, Ella, you know, given that you are so focused on sustainability, is that an area that you're exploring as well as a group of hotels?

28:36Jeannette:Absolutely. We're exploring it and we respect it and we're trying every single year to evolve on that. And, you know, Jeanette, you know, it's very easy to talk about sustainability. And sometimes, you know, what is astonishing is that we're talking, we're sitting in panels and we're talking and we're talking about sustainability. But then we have plastic bottles of water in front of us serving ourselves. And, you know, that's when I see that, I always say, well, thank you for being here. But you want to talk about sustainability. And this is our kickoff. Food waste, very important. This is something that I have to say that the hospitality industry is really picking up on a daily basis.

29:18Jeannette:Yes, we have thrown a lot of food over so many years as a hospitality industry globally, and we probably continue doing it. But I would say that it really has to do also with the targeted clientele. The UK, the British guests, they're very educated on that. The German guests, the same. so you will see them in buffet style restaurants they're not going to go and take a plate and just do a pyramid of different food items they will they will put in their plates the food items that they wish to to eat and if they wish more then they will go back to the buffet and and help themselves and you know when you see that you get inspired because whatever we put in place as a company whatever SOPs we write and whatever certification we have and don't get me wrong we even have BRIM, which is the top-notch certification.

30:11Jeannette:It's all about people and people will apply. So when our server or when our cook sees a guest doing that, they will also be very careful in what they put in their plates. So it's a combinational exercise, I would say. One guest inspires the personnel and vice versa. And of course, we use AI tools to help ourselves and to, let's say, to ensure that we have a system in place. We have hazard analysis and critical control point systems, which used to be just for the hygiene of the food. But now we blend in specific elements of following, you know, food preservance and food waste. But this is all about culture.

31:01Jeannette:It's all about the culture that you develop internally. It starts from the staff cafeteria, from when our teams go and eat in the staff cafeteria. That's where the cultural elements start to build up and build a concrete base, all the way to reaching the guests and serving them.

31:19Panos Almyrantis:Yeah, you're right, actually. And different cultures have different approaches as well. Right. You know, if I've spent a lot of time in Russia back in the day, I set Tui up in Russia and Ukraine. So I find it horrible seeing what's happening now. But, you know, the the cultural experience of a Russian customer is very different to a German, is very different to a British, is very different to an American, etc. And I guess, you know, as an international destination, which, you know, Greece is, you have to be able to adapt to the different cultural requirements of all of your guests, Panos. And what sort of percentage of nationalities would you say you have in the hotels if you look at the split across the different cultures that you serve?

32:01Jeannette:So the reason of why I mentioned the English and the German markets is because the vast majority come from these two markets. And I mean, it makes perfect sense because Greece traditionally over the last 60 years is known as a destination for the English and the Germans. They're both very lucrative markets. They are both markets could travel on a seven month basis, if not on 12 months. But, you know, I mean, Greece, approximately 95 percent of our hotel operations are in the islands. So they operate on a seasonal basis from five to seven months. So the vast majority of clientele comes from there.

32:40Jeannette:I would say the combination between the two countries is at about 70%, 7-0, which is quite a higher number. And then other feeder markets are from Central Europe, some from the United States. It used to be, as you very rightly mentioned, Russia and Ukraine. Obviously, with the unfortunate war conflict that is going onward, we do not have, or the percentage of those clientele have really dropped to single digit numbers. And there are some Middle Easterners who also travel. But I strongly believe that the English and the German markets will always be on the top of the feeder as feeding markets of Greece.

33:26Panos Almyrantis:And Hannes, you mentioned earlier about the expansion plans that you have for Ella and you're actively, proactively in very serious discussions, I guess, an investment around Sardinia, you mentioned as a destination. Why the diversification outside of Greece?

33:43Jeannette:Because we don't want to remain as a Greek company in inverted quotes. That's what we are considering right now because we think that Greece has so many treasures and beauties that are not just specified on the beautiful sun that we have and the nice beaches and, you know, the element of hospitality. There is a Greek word that is called phyloxenia. Not very easy to translate, but it pretty much talks about hospitality. It is hospitality. So we wish to extend this phyloxenia to the Mediterranean region because we see similar opportunities to destinations like Italy, France, Spain, Portugal. and there are examples of even Greek companies who did the same very successfully.

34:33Jeannette:So we think that for us as Greeks, it is very natural to be in the hospitality industry and we feel that what we do in our country can be extended in other markets. Sardinia that I mentioned earlier is a very well-known destination, but it's a destination that is either well-known mostly for the four-star village-style resorts or for very, very top-notch resorts in the area of Porto Cervo. And it's a huge island. If I recall, it's the seventh biggest island of Europe. So you're talking about a great destination with so much fresh produce, with beautiful terrain, with amazing landscape, with great seascape, with fantastic culinary and local products offer.

35:26Jeannette:So you have very many similarities with Greece. So we want to take the Greek phylloxenia and infuse these elements into other Mediterranean areas because we think there is a great opportunity to do so.

35:39Panos Almyrantis:Yeah, I think it's... And at the end of the day, it diversifies the risk as well, right? Because if there's one situation in one island and all of your properties are there, then obviously that's going to have a bigger impact. Whereas if you can diversify and spread the risk and the opportunity, then that makes business sense, right? Commercially, clearly.

35:59Jeannette:Diversification commercially is really great. I mean, once upon a time, it was a fear. Why should we extend? Why should we go out? We're safe here. Not anymore the case. And don't forget, Jeanette, that the world has become smaller and it's becoming smaller and smaller every single day. Everybody can travel everywhere. it's not about how much money you have what's your disposable income because there is a great opportunity for everybody to travel there are flights around we always talk about how a destination runs and if it's successful or not and the first thing I always say even to our commercial teams is what about the flight capacities who flies there what's the closest airport how many flights do they have when do they start when does the season finish so yes indeed diversification is important particularly if you let's say put a specific tag on and our tag is that we're a Mediterranean company so we're not looking for an opportunity in you know I don't know in the Caribbean we're not looking for an opportunity in the Middle East we want to stay in Mediterranean focus on Mediterranean because don't forget that Greece and particularly places like Crete are the mothers of the what we call the Mediterranean diet which is you know olive olive oil, wine, meat, poultry, fish, and so on.

37:23Panos Almyrantis:Yeah, well, it's going to be an interesting few years ahead for you, Panos. I'm very excited about what's going to happen. And obviously, in your role, you've got the opportunity to kind of lead that development and that growth outside of Greece. So that's super, professionally, it will be a satisfying thing to do for your own development, won't it in terms of your career as well so amazing amazing and and panos i you know when it comes to personal development and mentorship and and that that aspect you know i think you you've you you will have had inspirational mentors in your life i'm sure is there any sort of advice that guides you today that you've received from a mentor or someone that has really had a positive influence in you?

38:13Jeannette:Listen, mentors and coaches have played a defining role in my journey. I've been fortunate to have five mentors, each shaping a different dimension of who I am today. One guided me in management, helping me understand structure, discipline and execution. Another shaped my leadership, challenging how I show up for people and how I make decisions under pressure. The third one helped me beat financial acumen, which is important, teaching me to respect numbers, not as constraints, but rather as enables. The fourth grounded me in ethics and culture, reminding me that how you achieve results matters just as much as the results themselves.

38:54So together, they helped me see leadership as a craft,

38:58Jeannette:one that requires balance, humility, and continuous leadership. But the most important influence of all was my late father. So at that time, I didn't always appreciate fully the lessons he was giving me. but with perspective, I now understand how profoundly he shaped my values and mindset. So if I'm honest, I would give everything I've built back without hesitation for the chance to spend just two hours with him to talk, to listen, and to ask his opinion on what I've done so far. That thought keeps me grounded. It reminds me that success is temporary. Titles are irrelevant. And to be honest, the true measure of a life and a career is the integrity with which it is lived.

39:41Panos Almyrantis:Yeah, I agree. My father's passed away as well. And it's only really with hindsight that you think, if only I'd listened a little bit more, if only I'd asked the questions, if only I'd had more time or created more time. And it's a great piece of advice to give to other people, actually, that, you know, our parents, those people around us are not going to be here forever. And, you know, once they're gone, they're gone, unfortunately. But they live on, don't they? They live on through us, through the advice and everything. And it's one of the reasons I love doing the podcast panels, to be honest.

40:19Panos Almyrantis:And I've had guests where, you know, sometimes people are a little bit reluctant to maybe, you know, come on and be interviewed. and I had one particular guest and it was actually the reason he agreed. I was three years trying to convince this gentleman to come on the podcast. I won't name him. But the reason why he eventually agreed was because his daughter said to him, oh, go on, Dad, because when you're dead, at least we'll have something to listen back to. And it was a stark reality for him to say, actually, yes, you know, I need to capture this advice, this knowledge that I can share with the world, with my family and my loved ones.

40:57Panos Almyrantis:So I love to do these things. And, you know, because it's a way for people to capture those precious moments as well and to pass that advice on.

41:06Jeannette:You know, if you think about it, it is so fascinating. 30 years ago, when someone was dead, they were dead. Today, when we're going to be dead, our kids, our, you know, grandkids, and so they will be able to see who we were, what we said. they will have a full footprint of our lives. And that's an amazing example you just gave.

41:30Panos Almyrantis:Yeah, it is. It is. It's really inspiring, actually. And Panos, you know, I mean, you will have had highs and lows, I'm sure, through your career. You know, we've touched on a lot of the success that you've had and the impact you've made and the people you've met. But it isn't easy in business. It's not easy being a leader. It's not easy being a manager. It's not easy being a GM. It's not easy starting your career and building a career or building a life. What do you think when you look back has been one of the most challenging times for you where you've really had to, you know, dig deep in terms of dealing with a situation or dealing with a crisis?

42:07Panos Almyrantis:What's been the most challenging time for you professionally, do you think?

42:13Jeannette:Listen, again, you know, the life of a hotelier is pretty much a lifestyle. So on one side, I say it's passion, but at the same time, it's lifestyle. It's a way of life. So whatever happens, first of all, you're always in the hotel for the good and for the bad. You know, when there's a major, when there's a global event or a global disruption, you're there. When something personal happens, you're there. So you have to play a role always to keep balance and so on. obviously there's always success and there's failure and you know there are so many things that I have as take backs let's say for example if we talk about success success has taught me confidence struggle has taught me wisdom some of the most defining moments of my career came during periods of uncertainty you know projects that were delayed strategies that had to be rethought moments when external conditions shifted overnight and hospitality is particularly exposed to global events, as we said, and you really learn quickly that control is often an illusion.

43:24Jeannette:One major lesson has been learning to separate identity from outcome. So early on, failures felt personal. Over time, I learned to see anything that would come across as part of the process. So success too can be dangerous if it leads to complacency or ego, but then opportunities often come disquised as problems so when resources are limited creativity expands when markets tighten clarity sharpens so leaders or managers who thrive are those who stay grounded and adaptable that's what I would say as a takeaway yeah 100 % agree with you

44:07Panos Almyrantis:and actually it's normally when we when we failed at something or there's been a disaster or we've We haven't got a promotion or the investment case didn't get approved or we've had to deal with an extreme situation. Anything can happen in a hotel. We have to deal with deaths. We have to deal with all sorts of terrible things that can happen as well because what happens at home can happen overseas, I always say. But I think you're right. It's in those moments where tough things happen and maybe you're, you know, it can be quite a dark place sometimes when these things happen. But actually, what do you learn from it?

44:44Panos Almyrantis:How do you learn and grow? And that's where we develop most, I think. Not when the times are good. We develop most when the times are difficult. That's what I think as leaders and as people, as human beings as well, right?

44:56Jeannette:Definitely. Definitely. We learn from challenges. We learn from crises. We learn from what... And, you know, we saw that, I mean, over the last at least six or seven years, every single night that we sleep, when we wake up the next morning, something new comes that we said, how can it be? So it's all about disruption. It's all about changes. And it's all about, you know, understanding that these changes will always occur in order to be able to protect ourselves, our families, our mindset, our communities. but above all the way that we approach life if you don't do that then you know you will always face challenges on a day-to-day basis that you know the global economies the global communities anything that goes on in today's world will affect you and that's something you have to understand it's as simple as that and face it yeah i always think the biggest problem that people have is thinking that they won't have any problems and when once once once you think that you sold something there's another problem coming up so that you have to solve right it's it's like Nelson Mandela said uh once you climb one mountain there's another mountain to climb and then another one and then another one it's it's as simple as that exactly well what happens is we raise our

46:18Panos Almyrantis:standards don't we we get to a certain point here then we go that's great but if you're ambitious or if you want more for your guests, if you want more for the business or for society, then you go again. You raise the standard and then you get there and then you want to go there. And it's not about dissatisfaction, I don't think. I think it's about progress. And I think as human beings we are happiest when we're progressing. You're either growing or dying, right? And I think with what you're doing with your role, Panos, this is a great example where you're taking a fantastic portfolio of hotels you have now, but it's the next thing.

46:56Panos Almyrantis:It's the growth. It's the expansion. It's the refinement of the customer proposition, et cetera. All the great things you're doing. It's progress, right?

47:03Jeannette:And actually, this is what sets the bar for also the teams. You know, as I always say to my teams, I say, listen, every time that I have changed a job, it was in the morning when I woke up and when I was having a shower, shaving, preparing myself, I would say, why do I have to get to go there today? That was the moment that I understood I have to move to the next one. So I always say to our teams, let us all make sure that we stimulate our interest and we grow together with the company and we lead the growth of the company because that means that we will wake every single morning stimulated by so many different things that we accomplish on a daily basis, on a monthly basis, on an annual basis.

47:46Jeannette:That's what fascinates in this industry. the hospitality industry is always evolving. Once you think you've done something, there is another thing to do. And once you think that you have set a new experience, there's a new experience that comes across that you want to be part of. And that's what makes you walk and that makes you dream. And dreaming is very important in today's world.

48:09Panos Almyrantis:I agree, I agree. And Panos, you know, just because obviously you've shared lots of amazing advice and knowledge and insights in our conversation. So thank you for that. If you were to give a business person, someone who's building their career, or maybe they're actually well progressed with their career, what's the sort of the one big piece of advice that you would give to a leader that wants to grow? What's the big, bold move that they should do? What's the biggest thing you think they can work on to, you know, to really progress and to expand and grow?

48:43Jeannette:I think, Jeanette, I would talk about four things. First, be patient. Be patient, first of all, with yourself. Mastery takes time and there are no shortcuts worth taking. The second is build depth before scale. Whether it's a business, a skill or a network, depth creates resilience. The third would be surround yourself with people who challenge you. You know, not just those who agree with you. Comfort is the enemy of growth. I mean, you don't just want to say something, see everybody nodding and saying, yes, we agree with you. No, you should be challenged because once you get challenged, then you start, you know, thinking of new concepts and ideas.

49:27Jeannette:And finally, this is something I always say to myself, friends, family, to my teams and so on. Stay curious. Curiosity keeps you relevant, humble and open to opportunity. you.

49:42Panos Almyrantis:Wow, fantastic. So I didn't get one piece of advice. I got four panels. This is really good value you're giving here. I love it. I love it. Leading with value always. Fantastic. So panels, you know, just coming to sort of the best piece of advice that you've received yourself. Obviously, you shared some amazing, you know, insights from your father and obviously, you know, the various people. But what would be the one piece of advice that you return to time and time again do you think?

50:10Jeannette:Again I would go back to my late father. Once he said you know he advised me on something at that time I probably needed more than I realized. As I said I wasn't a particularly good student at school and you know like many young people I struggled to see where I fitted or how I would even define success. So one day he said something that has stayed with me ever since. He told me, choose any profession you want without prejudice. You could become a sanitation worker if that's what makes you happy. Just make sure that if one day you don't turn up to work, your colleagues will say, God, Panos isn't coming today.

50:48Jeannette:How are we going to get the job done? What he really was teaching me at that time was that dignity doesn't come from the title you hold, but from the value you create. It's that excellence, reliability, and pretty much commitment that matters far more than any label. That advice shaped everything for me. It removed fear. It replaced it with responsibility and pretty much gave me permission to focus on impact rather than status. And I think in many ways that mindset has guided my entire career.

51:19Panos Almyrantis:I love that. That's a really great piece of advice. What was your father's name, Panos?

51:24Jeannette:Peter.

51:25Panos Almyrantis:Peter. Peter's legacy continues on through you Panos what a wonderful thing to pass on to everyone listening and watching this as well so thank you for that great words from Peter Panos, this year has got an exciting year for you if you could describe this year in one word or one phrase if you have to have a phrase what would it be Panos and why?

51:52Jeannette:I'd love to give one word and then one phrase Alignment is the word because vision, people, and purpose are converging. So without alignment, you cannot meet your targets. But if I had to describe this here in one phrase, it would be one of my beloved phrases that I very often say to my teams. Pressure creates diamonds. It's a motto I truly believe in, and this year has embodied it. There has been intensity, strategic decisions, high expectations that are coming up. We will definitely have moments of complexity, but also an incredible sense of focus and clarity. So pressure, when embraced rather than resisted, has a way of stripping things back to what truly matters.

52:34Jeannette:For me, this year will be about turning challenges into refinement, sharpening decisions, strengthening teams, allowing growth to emerge, not despite the pressure, but because of it. So that's how progress happens and that's how diamonds are formed.

52:51Panos Almyrantis:Absolutely. So everything we were saying before about progress and it doesn't just come out of nowhere. We have to deal with the challenges and the pressure as well. So, no, that's a fantastic perspective. And Panos, we have a fabulous playlist on Spotify for all our wonderful guests that we've had on Brave Bar Brilliant. What would be your favourite song that we're going to add to our playlist, Panos?

53:18Jeannette:That again goes back very many years ago. Now, my favorite song, it might sound surprising to you, but it's We Are The World by USA for Africa. So I was 12 years old when it was released back in 1985. And it was the first time in my life I was completely overwhelmed by the music. So what struck me wasn't the song itself only, but also seeing so many legends, singing legends together. Michael Jackson, like Leonard Ritchie, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner, dozens more. all brought together in one room for an amazing cause, saving children suffering from famine in Africa. At that age, it really opened my eyes on how powerful music could be beyond just entertainment.

54:00Jeannette:And it really showed me that artists could use their voices, not just to perform, but to unite people. Ever since that time, I always go back and think of this song and I really, really love it. It really shaped how I view music, humanitarian work, but also life in general.

54:19Panos Almyrantis:Yeah, well, we've not had that one on the playlist. So that's a wonderful addition, Panos. There you go. You see, you are unique and special in your song choice. Absolutely. That's great. I love it. And Panos, my final question to you. What does brave, bold, brilliant mean to you?

54:37Jeannette:Being brave enough to stay true to yourself, bold enough to take responsibility and brilliant enough to lift others as you grow. That's where real leadership is.

54:51Panos Almyrantis:I love that. What a great way of looking at Brave Bold Brilliant. Panos, it's been an absolute joy. Thank you so much for coming on the show and I'm really excited for the future. So good luck with everything.

55:04Jeannette:Jeanette, thank you very much. And we look forward to seeing you in our properties because you need to experience first-hand LR resorts.

55:13Panos Almyrantis:I definitely do. Thank you. What an incredible conversation with Panos Almirantes, the Chief Growth and Commercial Officer of Ella Resorts. God, there was so much in there, wasn't there? But just a couple of the highlights to me, which I thought stuck out, which might actually resonate with you as you reflect on the conversation. You know, he talked about, Panos talked about leadermint, This connection between leadership and management. And he puts those two words together to create this whole new concept of leadement. So I thought I was a really interesting way of looking at leading and management.

55:54Panos Almyrantis:And here's a couple of other key phrases that he said. Comfort is the enemy of growth. Isn't that true? That's true for all of us. So if you find that you're in your comfort zone, then maybe take some advice from Panos and push out of that comfort zone so that you can actually grow. And, you know, Panos' word for this year is alignment. Alignment. And what he said in terms of, you know, the advice he gives his team as well and the kind of ethos that he lives by is that pressure creates diamonds. So it really is all about how we step up and grow. So what a wonderful conversation I've just had with Panos.

56:36Panos Almyrantis:I hope you've enjoyed it too. If you have, be sure to share the episode with your friends, colleagues, other people that you think could do with a little bit of inspiration in business and in life. And whatever you're doing, remember, it's always by being brave and bold that you will unlock your brilliant. I really hope you've enjoyed this episode of Brave, Bold, Brilliant. remember check out our new website www.brave-bold-brilliant.com you're going to find loads of resources on there that's going to help you with your leadership journey and with the businesses that you're trying to scale up and grow so take care everyone and remember there are no limits to your growth but it is by being brave and bold that you're going to unlock your brilliant