In Episode #19, Michael Anstendig and Hanna Lee chat with Devorah Lev-Tov, a freelance writer for the New York Times, National Geographic, Vogue, Saveur, Eater, Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, Thrillist and other top outlets.

Devorah has visited 50 countries and 41 U.S. states. Her adventures include crossing salt flats in Bolivia, skiing down the Swiss Alps, climbing a Himalayan peak in northern India, tasting dried reindeer in Arctic Sweden and walking along the Great Wall of China.

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⁣⁣Tune in to hear this worldly journalist share her thoughts on:⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

1. How perseverance in the face of rejection is essential for a freelance writer and why sometimes she has to pitch a story numerous times to different publications before it finds a home.

2. Why she loves hearing pitches from new and diverse voices because she wants to provide people with a platform.

3. How simply introducing yourself via email can be a great way to build a new relationship with her.

4. How she leverages Instagram to find potential stories, including breaking the news on Oishii strawberries in Eater.

5. Why pitches should convince her why she should care about a particular story and want to write about it right now.

6. Why hospitality & travel professionals who want to break into writing on these topics have a competitive advantage because of their real life experience and expertise.

7. How she misses being exposed to different cultures due to travel restrictions.

8. Why making guests feel safe and protected is the number one order of business in the COVID-19 era.

Devorah also answers a listener question from Lindsey Johnson, co-owner of Expo, a cocktail bar in Louisville, Kentucky, and founder of Portland Cocktail Week and Camp Runamok. She asked what bartenders should do to stay relevant and visible to the media during mandated shutdowns.

⁣Connect with Devorah at @devoltv on IG and via email at devorahlevtov@gmail.com.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣Follow “Hospitality Forward” Podcast hosts Hanna Lee at @hannaleeny, Michael Anstendig at @michaelanstendig and our agency at @hannaleepr on IG.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣⁣In this week’s “HLC Innovation Report,” we feature:⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

#1: What We Are Reading This Week - “Drunk in China: Baijiu and the World’s Oldest Drinking Culture” by Derek Sandhaus. Each week, our agency celebrates book authors we admire through our #AskTheAuthor series. Check out @hlcbookmedia on Instagram for our full interview on how Derek and Potomac Books brought his book to life (https://www.instagram.com/hlcbookmedia/).

#2: Who We Are Honoring This Week - Doris Sun, Tastehunter for The World’s 50 Best Bars & The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Her inspiring motto: “Know what it means to grind, but also know when to pause and have a cocktail.” Each week, we celebrate pioneering women via our digital channels, so check out hannaleecommunications.com for over 270 women’s words of wisdom (https://www.hannaleecommunications.com/inspiring-women).

#3: What We Are Celebrating This Week - The New York Institute of Technology. Starting in January 2021, this progressive university’s Debra Vogel Student Advancement Program is adding our “Hospitality Forward” podcast to their curriculums on their U.S. and Canadian campuses. We thank Dr. Robert Koenig for recognizing the importance of the podcast medium as a critical part of educating the next generation (https://www.nyit.edu/).

#4: What Podcast We Are Listening to This Week - “The Tim Ferriss Show.” Tim recently interviewed Daniel Ek, the visionary CEO of Spotify, who went deeply into the art of seeing around corners, how his job as a CEO has been reimagined multiple times, the importance of balancing tasks that give energy and take energy, as well as his favorite books, like “The Alchemist” (https://bit.ly/33PAXHy).

#5: Who Is Inspiring Us This Week - Chris Patino, spirits expert and brand strategist. Chris is a partner at Raised by Wolves, an award-winning craft cocktail bar in San Diego and co-founder of Bartender’s Weekend. He is also the co-creator of Simple Serve, a trade marketing agency. Chris is currently battling stage 4 cancer with humor and resilience. He is such a true inspiration for all of us. Please support his fundraising initiative by visiting https://thistshirtfightscancer.com/pages/about.