Hanna Lee Communications, Award-Winning PR Agency, Announces Launch of 'Hospitality Forward,' Its First Podcast Series, Which Gives Back to the Hospitality & Travel Community

New York NY, USA—Hanna Lee Communications, an award-winning PR agency specialized in hospitality and travel, today announces the launch of its first podcast series, Hospitality Forward. Hosted by Hanna Lee and Michael Anstendig, each week’s episode introduces a top journalist who covers this important sector. Featured guests share their insights and tips to help industry professionals learn how to earn the media’s spotlight.

These media members explain how they generate story ideas, how to be a great resource and how hospitality and travel experts can get on their radar by sharing their own newsworthy stories in a compelling way. “Hospitality Forward” is part of the agency’s giving back to the community initiative.

Journalist guests include:

• Robert Simonson (freelancer, New York Times / PUNCH / Imbibe)
• Jeff Gordinier (Esquire)
• Jacqueline Gifford (Travel + Leisure)
• Rachel King (Fortune)
• Ray Isle (Food & Wine)
• Kate Krader (Bloomberg)
• Mark Ellwood (freelancer, Robb Report / Bloomberg Travel Genius)
• Jason Feifer (Entrepreneur)
• Kara Newman (freelancer, Wine Enthusiast / Wall Street Journal)
• Bao Ong (Time Out New York)
• Charu Suri (freelancer, New York Times / Architectural Digest)
• Brad Japhe (freelancer, CNN / Wall Street Journal)
• Adam Teeter & Erica Duecy (VinePair)
• Paul Clarke & Karen Foley (Imbibe)
• Tony Sachs (freelancer, Robb Report / Whisky Advocate)
• Jonah Flicker (freelancer, Esquire / Departures)
• Richard Bradley (Worth)
• Wendy Gillette (CBS Network Radio / CBS Newspath)
• Aaron Goldfarb (freelancer, PUNCH / Esquire)
• Amanda Schuster (Alcohol Professor)
• Betsy Andrews (freelancer, Food & Wine / SevenFifty Daily)
• and others

Over the last 16 years, Hanna Lee Communications has helped build global brands that include Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group, Major Food Group, The Dead Rabbit, Ian Schrager’s Times Square EDITION, JF Restaurants, Giorgio Armani’s Armani/Ristorante Fifth Avenue, Consortium Holdings (San Diego), Katana Kitten, Fever-Tree Mixers, Campari, Belvedere/Marie Brizard’s Sobieski Vodka, Mionetto Prosecco and many more. The agency has earned more than 100 public relations, branding and marketing awards for its strategic campaigns that have supported its clients’ business growth.

“What can we do to help our beloved hospitality and travel industry that is facing incredible challenges?” asks Lee, Founder and President, Hanna Lee Communications. “This has been on our minds since the pandemic started in March. We knew we wanted to help our community rebuild and rebound. ⁣⁣As a publicist myself and Michael as a freelance writer, we understand the power of media coverage and its positive impact on someone’s career and business.⁣⁣ Our podcast brings together two worlds that we adore: news media and newsmakers.” ⁣⁣⁣ “We are excited to participate in in-depth, long-form journalism through our new podcast and join the fellowship of a million podcasts around the world,” says Anstendig, Editor in Chief, Hanna Lee Communications and a freelance writer whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Nation’s Restaurant News, Time Out New York and others. “On our show, we address every aspect of the hospitality industry: food, wine, spirits, beer, cocktails, bars, restaurants, hotels and travel destinations. To salute the entrepreneurs in our community, we also cover business in general.”

“Hanna and Michael love and work for this community tirelessly,” says Caroline Nabors Rosen, President, Tales of the Cocktail Foundation. “Their voices are trusted, and I look forward to listening to them weekly. Bartenders around the world have so much expertise in all things cocktails, spirits and the bar business. ‘Hospitality Forward’ is a great platform for them to learn how to showcase their knowledge and talents and be recognized by the media. This could not have come at a better time.”

“As bars and restaurants struggle to survive, media visibility can serve as an important lifeline,” says Andrew Rigie, Director, NYC Hospitality Alliance. “‘Hospitality Forward’ is providing a true public service. It represents a breakthrough that democratizes and demystifies the public relations process. It opens it up to individuals and businesses that perhaps do not have the resources to retain a public relations agency. The fact that Hanna and Michael are generously sharing their relationships and trusted contacts cultivated over decades shows their true commitment to our industry.”

“It’s rare to find people so passionate about the industry they choose to work in, and thankfully, we have Hanna and Michael championing the hospitality/travel industry when it’s needed most,” says Ben Pundole, Editor in Chief, A Hotel Life and Founder, Stay Plastic Free. “Our industry is yearning for something positive that gives hotel and travel service folks something to look forward to. Beyond covering news, it’s important to keep people dreaming about the future. ‘Hospitality Forward’ can play an important role in fostering a positive outlook.”

“The hospitality and travel industries, of which the distilled spirits sector is a critical component, are essential for the economic well-being of our country,” says Frank Coleman, Senior Advisor to the CEO, Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. (DISCUS). “They have been among the hardest hit by the pandemic, costing livelihoods, businesses and severely impacting communities. Both Hanna and Michael have just the right experience and perspective to draw out significant insights from the terrific list of guests. I look forward to listening to these enlightening episodes.”

Bringing the Community Together by Honoring Individuals Who Make an Impact In addition to weekly journalist interviews, “Hospitality Forward” will spotlight the top 10 most forward-thinking hospitality and travel stories of the month as selected by the public relations and digital teams at Hanna Lee Communications. These stories have had the greatest impact by bringing fresh perspectives and new ways of looking at the industry. It is the agency’s way of supporting journalists who are important voices in the community.

In addition, the agency will also select the top 10 most hospitality forward individuals who are making a positive impact on the industry through their initiatives and creativity. It will also showcase the top 10 podcast episodes that inspire the community to move hospitality forward.

About Hanna Lee Communications, Inc.

Hanna Lee Communications, Inc. is an award-winning PR and marketing agency specialized in hospitality, travel, bars, restaurants, spirits, craft beer and luxury lifestyle. The agency only represents products and companies that it believes in and have a vision of changing the world.

This outlook drives its well-acknowledged excellence that has been recognized with more than 100 national and international awards and accolades, including “Best Branding,” “Best Media Relations,” “PR Innovator of the Year,” “Best Social Media Campaign” and “Best Press Release Writing.”

To celebrate its 15th anniversary last year, the agency launched HLC Innovation 15. It consists of pioneering initiatives that redefine storytelling and brand building. To date, they include the “Hospitality Forward” podcast series, HLC Global Bartender Travel Scholarship, HLC Book Incubator Media, HLC Trailblazing Women Series and HLC Digital Studio Division for multimedia storytelling.

For more information, follow us on Instagram and Twitter at @hannaleepr, “like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HannaLeeCommunications and visit www.hannaleecommunications.com.