Harmeet Mann Talks Hospitality, Leadership, and Growth

When Harmeet Mann joined Lan Elliott on It’s Personal Stories, the conversation felt less like a pre-scripted interview and more like a real look inside the work, pressure, and people behind hotel management.

Harmeet shared how Mehr Consultancy grew from a small idea during early motherhood into a management company supporting nearly 40 hotels across the U.S. She also talked about the lessons that shaped the company’s culture, from building better systems to supporting general managers, protecting owner assets, and creating space for more women in hospitality.

From Healthcare to Hospitality

Harmeet’s path into hospitality did not start with a formal plan. She and her husband both came from healthcare-related backgrounds. His family owned two hotels, and they started helping with small operational tasks, from digitizing new hire packets to improving group booking workflows.

After having her first child, Harmeet stepped away from her healthcare analyst role. She planned to be a full time stay at home mom, though she quickly started to miss her work outside the house. That led her to create a consulting firm named after her daughter.

The original idea was to help owner-operators improve compliance, operations, and revenue opportunities. Over time, the work grew through results and referrals. Harmeet shared that Mehr’s early growth came through word of mouth, moving from two hotels to eight, then into third-party management.

One of the biggest takeaways from that early growth was the owner-operator mindset.

Mehr built systems around that mindset, giving the company structure without losing the care and attention that owners expect.

The Process Behind the Progress

A strong theme throughout the conversation was Harmeet’s approach to the process. She explained that when the team sees an inefficiency or mistake, they work together to fix it and document the solution.

Her line says a lot about how Mehr operates:

“Once is enough for us to create a quick little process about it.”

That process-first mindset shows up in practical ways, from trackers and automated reminders to SOP documentation and training tools. Harmeet also talked about using software the company already pays for and finding better ways to make those tools work for the team.

Growth does not come from reacting to the same problems again and again. It comes from turning those problems into systems that help people work better the next time.

Respect Comes First

Harmeet also spoke openly about Mehr’s values and the type of owner relationships the company wants to build.

She shared how many hotel owners spent decades building their assets, often through family sacrifice, hard work, and years of saving. That history matters to Mehr. Harmeet said the team teaches stewardship because they understand that, for some owners, a hotel may represent their life savings.

Mutual respect came up as a key value. Harmeet made it clear that mistakes can happen. The difference is how people handle them.

“My team is not robots,” she said. “Occasionally we may have a misstep.”

For Mehr, strong partnerships need respect on both sides. The team will go above and beyond for owners, though Harmeet also made it clear that protecting her team matters. Respectful relationships help the company do its best work.

Support Beats Motivation

One of the strongest moments in the interview came when Harmeet discussed supporting general managers.

Mehr works with hotels in remote markets, where finding experienced talent can be hard. Instead of expecting every GM to walk in fully trained, the company builds support around them.

Harmeet shared that if a general manager fails a QA, Mehr sees it as a company responsibility: “If one of our general managers fails a QA, we think it’s our fault.”

That mindset turns support into strategy. Mehr gives GMs checklists, training, Slack channels, director-level access, and brand-specific resources. The company also keeps director workloads focused, with each director overseeing only five to seven hotels.

Motivation still matters. Harmeet mentioned small recognition tools like Slack “tacos,” GM of the Quarter, housekeeping appreciation, and woohoo boards. But her bigger point was clear: people perform better when they feel supported and heard.

Showing Up as a Real Person

Harmeet also shared a candid moment about public speaking and perfection. She talked about replaying a small mistake from a conference panel for days, even though most people likely never noticed.

Her reflection was one many people can relate to. The goal is not to sound perfect. The goal is to show up with real expertise and speak from experience.

As she put it, “What’s important is you show up and you share authentically, and you recognize that you are a human.”

That may be one of the best lessons from the whole conversation. In hospitality, leadership is not only about systems, growth, or performance. It is also about people who keep learning, keep improving, and keep showing up with honesty.

Listen to Harmeet’s full conversation on It’s Personal Stories for more lessons from the episode.