In this episode of The Distribution, host Brandon Sedloff sits down with Carlos Rodriguez Jr., founder, president, and COO of Driftwood Capital, to discuss the evolution of one of the most vertically integrated hospitality investment platforms in the U.S. Carlos shares his family’s multigenerational journey from Costa Rica’s first Holiday Inn to today’s expansive network of hotels and funds, highlighting Driftwood’s strategic shift from private capital syndication to institutional-scale investing. He explains how data, technology, and an operationally driven mindset have become key differentiators in hospitality investing, and how Driftwood’s GP fund model and lending platform have positioned the company for long-term growth in an evolving market.

They discuss:

• The origin and structure of Driftwood’s GP fund and its role in scaling the business
• How operational data informs investment decisions across acquisitions, lending, and development
• The role of AI and Project Domino in transforming Driftwood’s efficiency and decision-making
• Carlos’s approach to leading organizational change and building team-wide adoption of new technology
• Why private credit presents a unique opportunity in today’s hospitality landscape