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
Friday Mar 21, 2025
Friday Mar 21, 2025
What does it take to transform real estate development into something more than just bricks and mortar—into places with soul, story, and unforgettable experiences?
Today’s guest, Zach Rapaport, is on a mission to answer that question. As the founder of Meerkat Development, he’s redefining what it means to build hospitality and lifestyle-driven spaces from the ground up.
His journey started in construction — literally digging foundations — and evolved into leading development projects for some of the most compelling hospitality brands today, including Joe & The Juice, Selina, and Lifehouse.
From scaling global F&B concepts to crafting boutique hotels that blend place and purpose, Zach has been at the forefront of experience-first hospitality development. In this episode, Zach pulls back the curtain on:
- Why most developments feel soulless — and how he’s changing that.
- What it takes to design hospitality concepts that aren’t just trendy, but timeless
- The 75/25 rule of brand consistency — how much a space should adapt to its location vs. maintain its DNA
- The untapped opportunity in storytelling-driven development (and why it’s a competitive advantage)
- Lessons from scaling Joe & The Juice across the U.S., building lifestyle hotels at Selina, and leading development for Lifehouse
If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to build experiences, not just properties — or how the future of hospitality is being shaped by people who think like creatives but execute like developers — this one’s for you.
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