Welcome to Behind the Stays — a podcast that shares the stories behind your favorite boutique hotels, short-term rentals, and hospitality brands and the hosts, operators, and entrepreneurs who’ve brought them to life. Every Tuesday and Friday you’ll meet the military veterans, retired flight attendants, tech entrepreneurs, school teachers, single moms, hoteliers, and real estate investors who are all, in their unique ways, shaping the future of travel and hospitality. Discover how these visionaries — from all over the world — have built stunning landscape hotels in the mountains, designed bohemian bungalows on the beach, erected eclectic off-grid and nature-immersed escapes, and so much more. Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world’s top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more. Behind the States is hosted by Zach Busekrus, Head of the Journey Alliance.
Episodes
Tuesday Dec 17, 2024
Tuesday Dec 17, 2024
Meet Valerie Gangas, a hospitality visionary who’s redefining the guest experience by blending soulful intention, authentic service, and meticulous design.
Raised in a family of restaurateurs, Valerie learned the art of hospitality from childhood—serving customers as a four-year-old “pickle girl” in her father’s Chicago eateries. But her journey would be anything but conventional.
Driven by both a love for warm, communal spaces and a deep fascination with spiritual connection, Valerie spent years exploring the nexus of comfort, belonging, and transcendence—managing her family’s restaurants, studying comparative religion, and working intimately with organizations like the David Lynch Foundation and Oprah Winfrey’s team.
Today, Valerie channels these experiences into Juniper Home, a boutique property management company that curates beautifully designed, minimalist vacation rentals. Every room reflects her core philosophy: that true hospitality is far more than a business—it’s an opportunity to spark meaningful encounters.
From ensuring the perfect lighting to orchestrating heartfelt surprises for guests celebrating milestones, Valerie and her team pay attention to every detail, forging environments where visitors find rest, connection, and even a hint of the divine.
In this conversation, we explore:
- How Valerie’s early years behind the line in family restaurants shaped her “guests-first” mindset.
- Why her deep dive into spirituality—and working with everyone from medical students to media moguls—translates seamlessly into elevated hospitality.
- The intentional design principles behind Juniper Home’s success, focusing on how simplicity, serenity, and authenticity create transformative travel experiences.
- The importance of hiring and inspiring a team who embody genuine care, ensuring that guests always feel seen, heard, and understood.
- How merging the disciplines of real estate, design, and soulful service sets the stage for a new era of boutique travel—one where guests do more than just “get away.” They reconnect, recharge, and remember what truly matters.
Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world’s top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more.
Your host is Zach Busekrus, Head of the Journey Alliance. If you are a hospitality entrepreneur who has a stay, or a collection of stays with soul, we’d love for you to apply to join our Alliance at joinjourney.com/alliance.
Comments (0)
To leave or reply to comments, please download free Podbean or
No Comments
To leave or reply to comments,
please download free Podbean App.