Blog

The Cost of Innovation

Like you, I’m in the business of creativity, of innovation.  Our clients expect innovation from us.  They may engage my firm to reposition an existing property, to create a new brand, but mostly they want a positive shift in their business.  In this Clear on Black Blog Post, I shine a light on the "Cost of Innovation".  

Most of us search for areas, methods, and places to create new and exciting innovations, and that exploration and work has brought me to an unexpected realization.  There are in fact better times to innovate than others.  What does this mean to you the hotel owner or operator?  This means that if you know the best times for high-level creativity, for game-changing thinking, for blue sky conceptual thinking, then you can seriously leverage that creativity and thinking and not risk making changes at the wrong time which adversely impact your project. 

Boutique Design Magazine, April 2017 Exit Interview with Carl

Read Boutique Design Magazine Editor Christina Green's interview with Carl for her "Exit Interview" feature.

Is Your Leadership Hurting Your Asset?

Hotel Owner leadership.  This is a rare and nearly taboo topic.  What I’m talking about is a real definition of leadership.  I’ve noticed three traits which seem to be inherent in strong leaders in our industry and here they are.

Your Project's Philosophy: Why Just "Story" Isn't Enough

There is a lot of talk and a lot of media coverage about the idea of a “story” for a project.  It’s the hot topic everyone clamors to in search of finding the new, new thing.  But from my perspective, what if the more important thing isn’t the “story” at all?  What if the more important thing is a Project Philosophy?  Let me show you how a unique guiding philosophy can allow each and every project (storied or not), to run more smoothly and to become exactly what everyone envisions.

How a LEAN Journey Began

Learn the unlikely basis for the bespoke hotel interior design firm, Clear on Black's journey into Lean Project Delivery (LPD) methods.

Lean Project Process and Construction Documents

Lean Project Process and Construction Documents. Two of the key requirements for getting lean project methods to work and be successful as applied to resort hotel interior design.