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Recap

Boost Interview

Headshot of Boost interviewee Minh Dao

  • December 20, 2024

  • Tags
  • Hospitality Innovation Hub
  • Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality

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<p><i>This article was originally published on November 11, 2024</i></p> <p><i>Boost is one of the finalists in the HI Hub Incubator Program.&nbsp;Minh Dao tells us more about the business.</i></p>

What product or service does Boost offer?

<p><span class="p-body">Boost integrates seamlessly with Property Management Systems (PMS) to deliver a smart, automated housekeeping management process. Using AI, Boost provides dynamic scheduling that prioritizes tasks based on room needs, allowing managers to oversee larger teams and inventories with ease. Our AI-powered virtual coordinator automates routine tasks and assists managers in handling more employees and rooms with minimal effort. Boost also transforms communication between the front desk and housekeeping, offering real-time tracking and updates to ensure smooth, synchronized collaboration.</span></p>

How did you come up with the idea for this business?

<p><span class="p-body">The idea for Boost came from my firsthand experience working in hotel operations at the Hyatt Grand Central, where I noticed significant inefficiencies in housekeeping management. The existing tool, HotSOS, lacked real-time communication, had a difficult user interface—especially for non-native English speakers—and didn’t offer dynamic task assignment. These issues led to delays in room turnover and inefficient resource use. Recognizing that housekeeping operations are a major cost driver in hotels, I saw an opportunity to leverage AI and automation to address these pain points. Boost was designed to optimize housekeeping management by automating task scheduling, improving communication across departments, and making the process more efficient and user-friendly for staff, ultimately reducing costs and enhancing guest satisfaction.</span></p>

Why did you decide to participate in the HI Hub Incubator program?

<p><span class="p-body">Through the NYU network in the hospitality industry, we can connect directly with industry leaders and key stakeholders, ensuring that we’re addressing real challenges faced by hotels today. The mentorship and insights from the HI Hub program will help us refine Boost’s product-market fit, gather critical feedback, and steer the platform in the right direction. With HI Hub’s support, we can streamline our discovery efforts and ensure Boost is perfectly tailored to meet the evolving needs of the hospitality industry.</span></p>

What do you enjoy most about creating your own startup?

<p><span class="p-body">The excitement of creating a solution to real, pressing challenges in hotel housekeeping—issues that limit efficiency, productivity, and coordination—drives me every day. This passion fuels my commitment to get Boost market-ready with confidence, so we can make a meaningful impact in the industry.</span></p>

What advice would you give to someone contemplating founding a startup?

<p><span class="p-body">Never give up—let your ideas and creativity soar. Stay open-minded, always ready to learn, discover, and understand what the world and market truly want and need.</span></p>

What is something you learned through this process that you wish you’d known before starting your business?

<p><span class="p-body">Really understand your market and conduct thorough customer discovery. Test your ideas against industry realities by engaging with potential customers and stakeholders. Identify your riskiest assumptions early and look for patterns in the feedback you receive.</span></p>

What does the future of your startup look like in an ideal world?

<p><span class="p-body">In an ideal world, Boost will become an indispensable part of hotel operations in properties across the globe.</span></p>

Have you worked with any alumni or mentors on this project? If so, who and what was that experience like?

<p><span class="p-body">Our mentors are true experts with extensive experience in the hotel industry. Working with them has provided us with invaluable insights into the real challenges and opportunities in the hospitality sector.</span></p>

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