Keri Brown is the VP of Commercial Strategy at Lights On Digital, where she leads revenue management, distribution strategy, and commercial performance for a portfolio of independent and boutique hotels. With over a decade in Hawaii hospitality — including senior roles at Outrigger Hotels and a central role in the $30–40M repositioning of the Waikiki Beachcomber from an IHG property to an independent brand — Keri brings an operator’s perspective to every commercial decision.
Keri Brown, VP of Commercial Strategy at Lights On, breaks down how independent hotels can compete with branded properties by integrating revenue management, distribution, and digital marketing under one commercial strategy. Kin Sio sits down with Keri on The Lights On Podcast to dig into why a tech stack audit is always the first step with a new client — and how OTA partnerships, done right, become a pipeline for direct bookings.
Keri spent over a decade in Hawaii hospitality before joining Lights On. At Outrigger, she led commercial strategy across the Waikiki Collection and played a central role in the $30–40M repositioning of the Waikiki Beachcomber from an IHG property to an independent brand. That project meant rebuilding rate strategy, channel mix, and brand positioning from scratch while the hotel stayed operational. She compares the commercial strategy leader’s role to Tim Cook running Apple’s supply chain: you may not be the public face, but nothing works without you.
The conversation gets specific about where independent hotels lose revenue. Keri talks about properties running disconnected systems where the PMS doesn’t talk to the channel manager, rate updates take hours instead of minutes, and no one is tracking true cost of acquisition by channel. She argues that fixing those connections often matters more than any single pricing decision.
On OTAs, Keri is direct: they were built for independent hotels that don’t have a global brand driving demand. The play is to use them for visibility, then convert those guests to direct bookings on the next stay. She also makes a case for front-desk upsell programs, pointing out that a property with 15 different room categories has real margin sitting in upgrades and add-ons that most hotels never capture because operations staff aren’t trained or incentivized to sell.
The Role Nobody Sees But Everyone Depends On
“Think of it like Tim Cook running Apple’s supply chain. You may not be on stage, but nothing ships without you.” — Keri Brown
Why OTAs Are a Tool, Not a Trap
“OTAs were built for independent hotels. The play is to use them for the first booking — and then win the second one direct.” — Keri Brown
Where Hotels Actually Lose Revenue
“Most hotels aren’t losing revenue because their pricing is wrong. They’re losing it because their systems don’t talk to each other.” — Keri Brown
On the Waikiki Beachcomber Repositioning
“We had to rebuild rate strategy, channel mix, and brand positioning from scratch — while the hotel was still open. That’s not a project. That’s a complete commercial rebuild.” — Keri Brown
On Front-Desk Upsell Margin
“If you have 15 room categories and your front desk staff isn’t trained or incentivized to upsell, you’re leaving money on the table every single night.” — Keri Brown
This episode is sponsored by Lights On.
Lights On helps hotels grow revenue more consistently by managing pricing, distribution, and digital marketing together.
We help hotels identify new revenue opportunities, so they don’t leave money on the table. We also manage the full revenue and marketing operation, enabling the on-the-ground team to focus on the guest experience.
If your hotel needs stronger revenue growth, visit lightson.co to learn more.
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