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Women in Hospitality: A Conversation with Paige Pruett

Updated: Aug 26


For Women’s Equality Day, we’re celebrating the women who are shaping the hospitality industry through vision, leadership, and determination.


We recently sat down with Paige Pruett, Maisey's Metropolis, LLC and DHD client, to talk about her journey in hospitality, the realities of owning a hotel, and what it means to lead in an industry that continues to evolve. From building a business to creating meaningful experiences for guests, Paige offers a firsthand perspective on what it takes to turn an idea into something lasting.


Keep reading for our conversation with Paige on leadership, entrepreneurship, and the future of hospitality.



What inspired you to become a hotel owner?

paige lester, dhd interview women in hospitality

My sister and I were really landowners that decided to build a hotel based on the best use of the property and the market around us.


What do you love most about being a woman in the hospitality industry?

I think the natural attention to detail and ability to be empathetic with the guest makes hospitality really engaging.


Tell us about a time when you failed—or something didn't go as planned—and what that experience taught you.

We assembled the team to design and build the hotel. We realized we needed to make a change, but also knew that it meant starting over in that discipline, which was going to cost both time and money. It was hard to make the change, even knowing it was the right decision, but it was a reminder that the hard road is often the right road and the real mistake would have been sticking with a team member who was not the right fit for the project.


What accomplishment are you most proud of that people may not know about?

The fact that my family is still speaking to me! In all seriousness, some of the most important accomplishments are in balancing business with family, often which no one sees.


What does success look like to you today compared with when you first started?

We are still in the process of getting the hotel off the ground (both literally and figuratively), so it is not easy to say.


What is one piece of advice you received that has stayed with you throughout your career?

Everyone makes mistakes. What usually defines us is how we respond to those mistakes.


If you could have coffee with your younger self on the day you decided to become a business owner, what would you tell her?

If you are successful at the expense of others, you will not be as successful as you can be.


What advice would you give to the next generation of women in hospitality

You control your destiny, but you will never do it alone.

 
 
 

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