Level Up with Hakim is where business, mindset, and growth collide. Inspiring conversations with leaders and entrepreneurs sharing strategies, stories, and insights to help you win, grow, and level up in work and life.
How Hotels Can Turn REVIEWS into Revenue with @Jan Heuninck CEO of HotelSpeaker #44
YouTube description
Jan Heuninck is the CEO of Hotel Speaker, an Olympic sailor, and a founder with an unconventional path, from leaving university to scaling a Web3 company to 94 employees and millions of users. In this episode of Level Up, Jan shares how sport shaped his discipline, what rapid growth really feels like, and why hospitality technology should make service more human not less. We also explore how Hotel Speaker helps hotels turn guest reviews into stronger relationships and better business decisions.
Timestamps
00:00 — Introduction to Jan Heuninck
01:18 — Entrepreneurship, sailing, and Jan’s background
02:28 — Building a disciplined daily routine
04:02 — Why Jan left university to build businesses
06:17 — Scaling a Web3 company at speed
09:12 — Moving from Web3 into hospitality technology
11:36 — What Hotel Speaker does
13:28 — Why hotel review responses matter
15:41 — How Hotel Speaker works with new hotels
18:04 — Giving hotel teams more time for guests
20:14 — Balancing AI with human expertise
23:11 — The biggest online-reputation mistakes hotels make
24:53 — The future of AI in hospitality
27:46 — Time-management advice for founders
29:34 — Handling setbacks and staying motivated
31:10 — What “Level Up” means to Jan
32:17 — Closing
Connect with Jan https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-heuninck/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-heuninck/)
HotelSpeaker http://www.hotelspeaker.com (http://www.hotelspeaker.com)
Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1RSYVYYt4o2iwJaf2njKjJ?si=Cz5-wI_cR8i0ssapnTWaEg (https://open.spotify.com/episode/1RSYVYYt4o2iwJaf2njKjJ?si=Cz5-wI_cR8i0ssapnTWaEg)
Apple Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/level-up-with-hakim/id1872491718 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/level-up-with-hakim/id1872491718)
Amazon music
https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/8864be9e-558a-4632-94b2-6b121a5d7ebf/level-up-with-hakim (https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/8864be9e-558a-4632-94b2-6b121a5d7ebf/level-up-with-hakim)
18 Sept 2026
Your Next Chapter Needs Intention with Kanku B. Michelsen #43
How Career Coaching and Luxury Travel Both Start With the Same Question
Hakim speaks with Kanku Michelsen, a senior career coach and luxury travel advisor, about the shared mindset behind navigating career transitions and planning meaningful travel. The conversation centers on one powerful idea: whether you are rebuilding after a layoff or trying to reset on vacation, the first step is to get clear on what you actually want.Kanku explains how her portfolio career evolved from a personal identity shift, why she takes an inside-out approach to travel planning, and how she helps executives move through grief, clarity, and courage before rushing into the next opportunity.
Timestamps
00:00 - Welcome and why travel and career transitions belong in the same conversation
01:18 - Kanku Michelsen’s portfolio career: executive coaching and luxury travel
02:12 - The personal turning point that led her into travel advising
04:33 - Why she researched the travel industry for years before launching
06:19 - Why ambiguity is the common thread between coaching and travel
07:17 - Why busy executives take time off seriously, but often plan it too mechanically
09:29 - Her inside-out framework for planning trips around purpose and experience
12:16 - The biggest misconception leaders have about career transitions
13:15 - Why “Who am I now?” is the key question after a layoff or reinvention
16:28 - The first practical step before touching a resume or LinkedIn profile
18:19 - Why career transitions often need one small step at a time
20:12 - How she balances emotional processing with forward-looking strategy
21:05 - Why some people need months, not days, to detach from a long-held role
22:52 - Why her corporate background helps her understand executive travel needs
25:05 - The most common mistake in the first 30 days after a career loss
27:45 - Where AI helps in coaching and travel, and where it falls short
31:13 - Why AI will change jobs, but not replace human connection
34:09 - Why personalized travel advising is growing, not shrinking
38:08 - The first real step for someone going through a transition
40:16 - What “level up” means to Kanku: clarity, honesty, and honoring what matters now
Connect with Kanku https://www.linkedin.com/in/kankumichelsen/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kankumichelsen/)
Also watch and listen on:
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7Ed3dWmcL9F4B6c7ZZGCkI?si=bHowYxyYRXaUTwqcCTq1Ow (https://open.spotify.com/episode/7Ed3dWmcL9F4B6c7ZZGCkI?si=bHowYxyYRXaUTwqcCTq1Ow)
Apple Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/level-up-with-hakim/id1872491718 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/level-up-with-hakim/id1872491718)
Amazon music
https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/8864be9e-558a-4632-94b2-6b121a5d7ebf/level-up-with-hakim (https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/8864be9e-558a-4632-94b2-6b121a5d7ebf/level-up-with-hakim)
4 Sept 2026
WHY most corporate EVENTS are FORGOTTEN with David Moore CEO of Moore Events #42
How David Moore designs events people actually remember
In this episode, Hakim speaks with David Moore, CEO and director of fun at Moore Style Events, about what separates a smooth event from a memorable one. David brings more than 20 years of experience designing executive meetings, leadership summits, conferences, product launches, and customer events around the world.We discuss how guest experience starts long before attendees arrive, why relationships with hotel teams matter so much, and how AI may streamline event planning without replacing the human touch.
Timestamps
(00:00) Why most events are forgotten quickly
(00:36) Meet David Moore, director of fun
(01:38) How the director of fun title came to be
(03:30) Why smaller, more personal events stand out
(05:17) What separates smooth events from memorable ones
(07:29) David’s five Ws framework for planning
(09:15) Why event budgets often surprise first timers
(12:22) Guest experience starts before the event begins
(13:40) Personalization that makes guests feel known
(16:10) The hardest part of international event planning
(21:36) What makes a hotel team trustworthy
(24:41) First impressions during a site visit
(29:29) The most misunderstood part of hotel collaboration
(35:44) What makes a strong hotel proposal stand out
(39:12) Relationship first, delivery second
(40:51) When promises about internet and space fall apart
(43:51) The future of events and AI
(52:49) Virtual events versus in person experiences
(54:54) Rapid fire: underrated registration, communication, and welcome
(56:14) What leveling up means in events
Connect with David via Linedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidlmoore/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidlmoore/)
Website
http://www.moorestyleevents.com (http://www.moorestyleevents.com)
Also watch and listen on:
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0nOZlxK9K5yK7max9lWvPF?si=2IbMNGISQym_5ATJM3iMug (https://open.spotify.com/episode/0nOZlxK9K5yK7max9lWvPF?si=2IbMNGISQym_5ATJM3iMug)
Apple Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/level-up-with-hakim/id1872491718 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/level-up-with-hakim/id1872491718)
Amazon music
https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/8864be9e-558a-4632-94b2-6b121a5d7ebf/level-up-with-hakim (https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/8864be9e-558a-4632-94b2-6b121a5d7ebf/level-up-with-hakim)
Contact Level up with Hakim
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Level up with Hakim?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
