But We Need a Local Revenue Manager!
No. You need someone who knows what the hell they’re doing.
Let’s kill this myth once and for all. The “we need a local RM” line comes up like clockwork in hiring meetings, vendor calls, or boardroom head-nods.
“Because they understand the market.” Right….RIGHT!!?!?! R I G H T?!?!?!
Let me ask you this: If you’re dating someone, do you need them to live on your street to understand you? Or do you need someone who actually listens, communicates well, and knows how to spot patterns in your behavior?
Knowing the market ≠ sitting in the market.
It’s not about zip code proximity—it’s about pattern recognition, data analysis, and action.
Let’s bring it home: Dating Analogy Time
Hiring a “local RM” just because they’re local is like saying:
👉 I’m only going to date people from my town because they understand the local coffee shop scene
.
What matters more is this: Do they get YOU? Can they read you? Can they show up and grow the relationship?
In revenue management, it’s the same:
- Your “local” RM may know the name of the event happening next month.
- A great RM knows what that event does to booking curves, lead times, comp set behavior, and price elasticity—and can build the strategy around it.
One knows the market. The other knows what to do with it.
Local vs Logical
❌ Local: I know this area really well
. 🚩 Cool. So does Google Maps.
✅ Logical: I know how demand reacts, when your booking window shifts, and how to move revenue across room types, channels, and segments.
🎯 That’s what moves the needle.
If “being in the market” were a superpower, every hotel in that city would be killing it. (They’re not.)
The Real Question
It’s not: “Are they local?” It’s: “Are they literate in demand signals and decision-making?”
Because at the end of the day, markets don’t care about your postal code. They care about how you respond to them.
So stop dating based on postcode, and start hiring based on capability.
Love,
Fabi
Bit about me: I’m Fabian Bartnick aka. Fabi – The Commercial Growth Leader. I’ve built and exited hospitality tech companies, trained thousands of leaders worldwide in sales, marketing and revenue management, and helped businesses in multiple industries align their commercial teams for measurable growth.
If you’re ready to align your sales, marketing, and data into one unstoppable growth engine connect with me on LinkedIn.
TL;DR: I make people better and companies more money.
