About Michelle
Hostels today are priced close to hotels. The only reason someone still chooses a hostel is the social experience.
Most owners know they need it, but between running the day-to-day, it never gets built properly. That's where The Welcome Effect comes in. My path here wasn't typical. I was born in the US, where I grew up working hard and learning hospitality and leadership through teaching martial arts and working in restaurants and bars. In 2018, I earned a degree in education and left the US to teach in South Korea, and later in Poland. From there, I realized I was meant to combine my love for travel with my skills in hospitality and leadership. After discovering a passion for working with hostels, I ended up doing nearly every job within a hostel: reception, housekeeping, night shift, party promoting, tour guiding, volunteer management, and guest experience management. I've stayed in or worked at hostels in over 19 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America, so I know exactly what makes someone book three nights and stay for ten.
Hostels are my happy place. I love training others to make their hostel welcoming, profitable, and memorable, and my background in education means that training actually sticks instead of getting forgotten after week one.
Staff hospitality training, space design, booking site upgrades, volunteer programs, activity partnerships. All of it. Leaving hostels with better brand recognition, better reviews, higher ratings, more return guests. Making it more than just a bed.
Worked within OneFam Hostels, winner of Best Hostel Chain in the World, 2026 Hostelworld Awards
Proven results at CabanaCopa Hostel and Mango Tree Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro
Mango Tree Ipanema — Results
All figures measured against the same months the prior year, to account for seasonality.