Stephen Westman

Background

About Stephen Westman

Honest. Entrepreneurial. Strategic. Accountable. Innovative. Transparent. Passionate.Stephen Westman has twenty years of professional experience in hospitality as an entrepreneur and executive.Westman's entrepreneurial spirit was first expressed in 2005 with the opening of his first bar, The Lakeview Broadcasting Co, in partnership with Grammy nominated Paul Blair (aka DJ White Shadow). In 2008 Westman partnered with Crush Music Management (Train, Sia, Fall Out Boy, Courtney Love, etc.) to create and expand a nightlife empire and became a managing partner of Angels & Kings, a celebrity-driven “dive bar” concept started in New York City and later Chicago, Barcelona and Los Angeles.Westman gained valuable executive experience via Becker Ventures (owner/operators of Hard Rock Hotel Chicago). Here Stephen supported the Becker asset in a variety of operational capacities for almost a decade (between two stints with the company).In 2013, Westman was recruited by NYC developer/hotelier Ian Reisner to re-position and rebrand the underperforming resort while maximizing the potential of the asset and existing team. In 2014 Stephen was recruited by SALT Equities, a NYC-based private development firm, to launch and lead their newest assets – two small, limited-service hotels in the Chelsea and Fidi neighborhoods.In 2017 Stephen aligned with Chicago-based Convexity Properties, a division of DRW Trading Company who owns The Robey, Viceroy Chicago and Chicago Getaway Hostel. In 2018 Stephen accepted his first national hospitality role as the Regional Director of Operations - US for Freehand and Generator.Hello Covid-19. Like many hospitality executives, Stephen had to pivot in 2020 and took the opportunity to return to his entrepreneurial roots. Westman applied his passion to renovating architecturally significant homes in his new hometown (St. Joseph, MI) and purchased a campground currently under transformation to a rad vintage Airstream resort (Summer 2022).Thanks to the foresight and confidence of a former boss/colleague (who also expressed her entrepreneurial dreams during Covid-19), Westman made a career pivot and jumped aboard a dynamite start-up company (GrowthAssistant) chaired by heavyweight Jesse Pujji (Ampush, Gateway X) and Co-Founder/CEO Adriane Schwager (Convexity Properties). As the first US-based team member, Westman has worn many hats at this wildly successful, profitable and bootstrapped start-up.Stephen is a proud (adoptive) Dad to 3 awesome dudes (13/12/8) and Chicago Cubs fanatic.