Peter Bowen

Peter G. Bowen is an entrepreneur, advisor, and investor based in New Orleans. His commercial acumen originates from his experience in the hotel, travel, and management consulting industries. He currently serves Dirks Companies as Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). Peter Bowen previously served in the Public Sector as a Senior Executive overseeing Land Use and Economic & Workforce Development.

Peter Bowen was the Chief Operating Officer for Calvary Sanitizers before joining the Public Sector. Prior to that, he worked with J Hospitality & Development in an organization development and expansion capacity. During his stint with J Hospitality & Development, he was in charge of restructuring 18 hotels with a total workforce of 1,000 people.

Peter Bowen has also worked extensively in and is considered a subject matter expert in the ‘alternative lodging’ market. He previously served as a Senior Vice President of Hotel Asset Value Enhancement (HotelAVE) in New York City.

Peter Bowen was a founding managing partner of PostScript Hospitality. During his time at PostScript, he helped the company grow to $8 million in revenue and triple the client ROI, bringing in large clients such as Omni Hotels and Four Seasons.

He worked as a Senior Consultant at Carpedia International restructuring and enhancing P&Ls for major hotel groups like Hilton and Loews. Peter Bowen taught hospitality and tourism themes as an adjunct professor at Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology in Ottawa Canada..

Peter Bowen earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel Administration with a specialization in Beverage Management from Cornell University. He had a solid foundation in business thanks to his education at the prestigious institution.

He earned his Master of Business Administration (MBA) focused in Hospitality & Agribusiness from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada.

He also holds a certified sommelier certification. His schooling provides a solid foundation for his goal to succeed as a founder and entrepreneur. He continues to research trends and new technology in order to identify more efficient or effective strategies that will assist his clients in their growth.

Peter Bowen is an expert at reorganizing company structure and financials to meet the needs of any business. His background in hospitality aids him in prioritizing the needs of project participants. He advises businesses on how to use technology to generate more leads and expand their consumer base.

For firms aiming to grow through development projects, his experience has resulted in multi-million dollar revenue and business growth. Peter Bowen is well-versed in cutting-edge technology that can aid in improving efficiencies and planning/executing successful strategies.

Peter Bowen is fascinated by the environmental consequences of hospitality and real estate development. He is driven to solve problems in the most effective way for his clients, the customers, while also considering the environmental impacts. He has discovered that innovation is a critical aspect of decreasing waste and enhancing resource sustainability, including historic preservation.

Organizations under his direction have been able to develop a more customer-centric approach that prioritizes critical actions for better results thanks to technological advancements. He believes that by addressing both frontend and backend concerns, a more positive conclusion will be achieved, leading to increased brand loyalty through improved UX.

Peter Bowen, who enjoys the arts and travels, is drawn to imaginative settings that make use of historic structures. Most businesses, he has discovered, are more valued by their customers when they have an artistic vision behind their design. His knowledge of architecture and art history has led him to take a personal interest in the aesthetics of the structures on which he is advising. Renovations to impress guests or tenants are among his recommendations for most enterprises.

As an entrepreneur and visionary, Peter Bowen is ready to assist more firms in realizing their development potential by putting in place the correct budget, strategy, and technology. His ability to solve difficulties and come up with innovative solutions has impressed clients with difficult situations.

He wants to work in jobs that are meaningful and beneficial to the community. His mission is to assist businesses in improving their bottom lines so that they may better offer their excellent services or products. With a large network of local contacts, he can assist clients in forming new alliances, finding new vendors, investors, and connecting with people who can help them reach new heights.

Peter Bowen is still on the lookout for corporate leadership positions in the New Orleans area. He believes in the importance of supporting local companies and the economy. He is constantly on the hunt for innovative design and long-term growth trends.

Where did the idea for your career come from?

The question I asked myself was, “How can we deploy our capital, based on the opportunities we’re seeing in the public/private sectors, that have particularly been exacerbated by Covid? How can we use our wealth and access to create entrepreneurial and wealth-creating opportunities for others?”

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

I’m always a morning person. Waking up every day at 4:30 and getting to the gym between 5-6 in the morning doing cardio, lifting weights, or even boxing with my boxing coach. Starting my day in the office by 7:30-8 and beginning my day by clearing my inbox. Making sure that I have an organized and clutter-free workspace is how I am able to get my work done effectively. A lesson I have learned is to protect your schedule. If you don’t calendar time to do specific tasks or projects, including tasks as simple as checking emails or reading the news,  distractions will make it difficult to meet deadlines. And getting to bed by 8:30-9 at night to ensure I get the full 8 hours of sleep I need to do it all again tomorrow.

How do you bring ideas to life?

I’d like to say I rely a lot on organization and network. While I do have enlightening moments and ideas at times, I most prefer to bring others’ ideas to life. I have the ability to recognize good ideas and I surround myself with creative types. Getting the right people involved to get an idea moving from inception to realization is what I love to do.

What’s one trend that excites you?

The resurgence of prioritization in infrastructure investment and a more widely accepted acknowledgment of climate change. Especially in a state like my own, Louisiana, where we get hit by category 5 hurricanes. We need to start heavily investing in blue and green infrastructure across the board. I’m excited to see the trend there, especially with wind energy, and how it will have a positive impact on climate change while creating high-paying jobs.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

Taking care of myself. I have been in a number of different environments in public and private sectors that have caused me to burn out, which I didn’t believe was a real thing until it happened to me. Being hyper-focused on a work-life balance, especially my own personal health, and making sure I carve out time for the people and relationships outside of work. When I am at work, I am 100% focused on my work. When I’m not at work, I’m 100% present for the people I care about.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Patience is key. As much as I hated hearing it from my mother growing up, the Serenity prayer. Say it over and over again. You need to be able to accept the things that are out of your control, build the courage to change the things that you can, and develop the wisdom to know the difference. Otherwise, you will find yourself spiraling.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

I was taught that when it comes to taking care of yourself, it is way more important to lift weights than to do cardio. People rarely believe me because they think that cardio is the only way to lose weight. But in fact, muscle eats more calories than cardio does. The more muscle you have, the more fat you will burn. Also, even harder to believe, eating more food that is good for you, will help you to lose weight, instead of eating less food.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

Measure twice, cut once. Meaning, always seeking advice and counsel, even if you are certain you are right. It is critical to get a wide array of perspectives before you make the irreversible cut. I have always sought mentorship and guidance and I always like to talk through everything before I finally make a decision.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

Building credibility through consistency, trust, and integrity is pretty critical. Always following through with commitments and always acting with integrity has been the most important thing for me and my partners.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

There is never going to be just one failure. The greatest failure is thinking you will succeed the first time. Brute force is how I have been able to push through. Sometimes you get knocked down, but not all of us get up again. As long as you learn from your failures and keep getting up off the mat, you will have an opportunity to try again, learn from your failures, and make it work.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

I’m fascinated with the growth and never-ending relevance of telehealth and more specifically in the mental health space since Covid. Services like Two Chairs and Talk Space have penetrated traditional brick-and-mortar – antiquated – services in a huge way. However, there appears to be a major niche market within that space as no service has yet tackled on-demand, subscription, mental health services for couples counseling. I would invest heavily in this untapped market.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

I have fallen in love with cryotherapy. It’s roughly $100 for a 5-minute session. Basically, you walk into a freezer set below 200 degrees Fahrenheit and stand in that freezer for 3-5 minutes (almost naked). Your body goes into survival mode and starts creating white blood cells causing almost instant recovery, and you burn about 1,200 calories by doing this. When you are done, you are left with such a euphoric high that you essentially feel at peace for the rest of the day.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

There is an app called Headspace that is a meditation and mindfulness app. There is every category you could possibly imagine. Guided meditations, sleep casts to help you sleep, meditations for while you’re exercising, and they can collect your preferences and start to put really relevant meditations in front of you. I try to use the app at least twice a day depending on my level of stress. Just having the ability to checkout for 30 minutes to allow me to focus is hugely impactful.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

Search Inside Yourself by Chade-Meng Tan. I like this book because it offers another method of mindfulness and creating an emotional intelligence in your personal life and your work environment. The author breaks down the science of mindfulness in a way that is super easy to understand and adapt to your lifestyle. Any professional seeking work-life balance should read this book.

What is your favorite quote?

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.”~ Marianne Williamson

I think that lands so hard with me because most of the time I am my own worst enemy. Our default as humans is to say ‘we aren’t capable’ or ‘we can’t do something, when really if you believe in yourself, there is nothing that you can’t do.