MEET JON ACUFF
JON ACUFF IS a New York Times bestselling author and renowned leadership strategist whose work helps organizations strengthen operations, elevate customer experience and build high-performing teams. With bestselling books such as Finish, Do Over and Soundtracks, Acuff equips leaders with practical frameworks for improving focus, reducing friction and creating cultures where employees thrive.
Acuff has partnered with leading brands such as FedEx and Lockheed Martin, helping executives refine decision-making, motivate teams and navigate change with confidence. His research-backed approach blends clarity and humor with real-world application— setting up leaders to strengthen their leadership legacy while equipping their teams to deliver memorable, guest-centric experiences. By translating mindset and performance science into tangible business outcomes, Acuff offers hospitality leaders the tools to enhance service excellence, operational efficiency and sustainable growth.
Let’ s Talk Mindset
Pulse: You’ ve spent years studying how people think, act and perform. What parallels do you see between your work and the mindset needed to create exceptional guest experiences? Jon Acuff: We often forget the second word hidden inside the word mindset. It’ s set, as in“ put in place.” One of the important things you can do to create an exceptional guest experience is decide ahead of time what your mindset is going to be. Choose the way you’ ll think about the guest, what you hope to accomplish and how you want them to feel.
Pulse: Hospitality is deeply human— full of emotional labor, empathy and service. How does your philosophy around mindset and behavior connect to the realities of caring for guests and teams simultaneously? JA: Mindset is one of the few skills that impacts every single part of your life and business. If you teach me how to get better at managing my inbox, that only helps me with email. It doesn’ t impact the way I treat my kids or my spouse or my physical health. But how you think about yourself and the world, impacts everything, because you are always thinking.( Even while you sleep, your mind is active.) If you want to get better at hospitality, change the way you think.
Pulse: YYou often talk about small, consistent wins. How can spa leaders create a culture where small wins are recognized and celebrated, not drowned out by daily operations? JA: You have to make time to review them. High performers are notorious for accomplishing something and moving on to the next challenge without even acknowledging the team just won. As a leader, you have to make recognition and celebration part of your culture or you will burn out your people.
Let’ s Talk Spa
Pulse: You’ ve collaborated with many industries. What
surprised you most when learning about the spa and wellness community as you prepared for this keynote? JA: The hospitality side of it. I was thrilled to learn what a deliberate approach to hospitality the spa and wellness community puts on their business.
Pulse: Spa leaders balance guest experience with business realities. How are you shaping your presentation to speak to both the heart and the operational side of leadership? What specific goals will you set for your presentation? JA: A good keynote is a balance between inspiration and instruction. My job is to get you highly motivated but also
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