Episode 94: Cara Federici

Episode 94: Cara Federici

Author: Mike Schibel, Travel With Meaning November 3, 2022 Duration: 44:55

In this episode, we talk with, Cara Federici, the Founder, and CEO of the Madison Melle Agency.  Cara has a long career in hospitality working with prestigious global brands. It's her savvy eye for design, forward-thinking innovation, and detail that has her agency positioned as a positive force in the new dawn of hospitality.

A self-described city slicker, Cara shares with us where her love for hospitality, design, and travel comes from and the meaningful moments that have shaped her life and career.

The Madison Melle Agency is a multi-faceted creative studio & lifestyle consultancy, ideating and operating one-of-a-kind media, technology, hospitality, food & beverage, retail, and real estate brands. Federici's proven track record
of success is derived from collaborating with a multitude of the world's most notable names in their respective industries, including Fast Company, Standard Hotels, Palisociety, InterContinental Hotels Group, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, and Proper Hospitality.

Federici's current and past portfolio comprises an array of highly sought-after, luxury lifestyle
companies and market leaders, such as Brookfield Properties, Relais & Châteaux's Calabash Grenada, Casetta Group, Bridgeton Hospitality, Two Bunch Palms, Marram Montauk, Walker Hotels, Petit Ermitage, Saira Hospitality, Wylder Hotels, Cachet Hotels, Solay App, and Skypod, as well as a variety of highly acclaimed media, retail, communications, and hospitality ventures.

Federici launched Tech Theory Group in 2020, a high-performance technology advisory firm, designing and delivering best-in-class managed information technology solutions and infrastructure services. Tech Theory Group realized a compelling need in the
marketplace existed for simple, transparent, cost-effective hospitality technology services. Tech
Theory Group delivers these core competencies to clientele through a collective partnership of
experienced IT architects, engineers, designers, consultants, and business executives across the globe.

Federici attended Parsons School of Design in New York City and graduated Cum Laude from Tulane University, with a Bachelor of the Arts in Communications and a double minor in Business and Art Studio. Federici holds a completed Certificate of Hotel Real Estate Investments and Asset Management from Cornell University.
Federici is currently based in Southern California with offices for The Madison Melle
Agency and Tech Theory Group in Los Angeles.

Enjoy our conversation with Cara Federici.


Mike Schibel sits down with a fascinating array of guests on Travel With Meaning, but the destination is rarely the main point. Instead, this podcast explores the profound personal shifts that happen when we step outside our familiar surroundings. Each conversation delves into a specific journey-whether it’s a life-altering pilgrimage, a chaotic business trip that sparked a new idea, or a simple vacation that unexpectedly clarified a career path. You’ll hear from artists, athletes, entrepreneurs, and seasoned travel experts, but the focus remains on the transformative moment, the insight gained, or the connection made that reverberated long after the suitcase was put away. Schibel, founder of Travel With Meaning, guides these discussions with a genuine curiosity, allowing his guests to unpack not just their itineraries but the emotional and professional baggage they carried with them. The stories reveal how travel acts as a catalyst, reshaping identities, forging unexpected creative directions, and offering a new lens on one’s place in the world. Listening feels like being part of an intimate, thoughtful dialogue where the map of a life is redrawn by the roads taken. This isn't about recommendations or tips; it's about the lasting imprint of a place on a person. The podcast consistently uncovers how the world, in all its diverse complexity, has a way of teaching us exactly what we need to learn, often when we least expect it.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Travel With Meaning
Podcast Episodes
From Safari to Lost Luggage: Michaela Guzy's Wildest Travel Tales [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:32
In this episode of the Travel with Meaning podcast, we sit down with Michaela Guzy, an award-winning documentary filmmaker, travel journalist, and founder of Oh The People You Meet. Michaela's global adventures have take…
Cooking With Aloha: Lee Anne Wong's Journey from NYC to Hawaiʻi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:29
In Episode 119 of the Travel With Meaning podcast, we are thrilled to host Chef Lee Anne Wong, a culinary visionary known for her impactful journey from New York City's fine dining scene to the vibrant food culture of Ma…
Living Aloha: Maui's Influence on Top Chefs & People Around the World [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:11
In this special episode of the Travel With Meaning podcast, host Mike Schibel brings you a unique blend of conversations with renowned chefs and a talented local musician from Maui. They highlight the depth of Maui's cul…
Beauty Beyond Borders: Shalini Vadhera's Inspirational Story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:34
In episode 117, we welcome Shalini Vadhera, a renowned global beauty expert and entrepreneur. Shalini's journey from a celebrity makeup artist to a leading figure in the beauty industry is truly inspiring. She shares her…
Celebrating Seattle Part 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:10
Part 3 of our "Celebrating Seattle" series culminated in gathering our community of like-minded travelers, eager to hear the captivating travel tales and deep affection for Seattle from James Beard Award nominee Chef Kri…
Celebrating Seattle Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:37
In part two of our special series "Celebrating Seattle" in collaboration with Visit Seattle TWM podcast host Mike Schibel is joined again by the acclaimed bilingual travel journalist Jeannette Ceja. For any traveler, the…
Celebrating Seattle Part1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:56
We're excited to kick off a special three-part podcast series "Celebrating Seattle" in collaboration with Visit Seattle. Our friend Jeannette Ceja, an award-winning bilingual travel journalist and TV host, joins TWM podc…
Episode 112:  Mickela Mallozzi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:21
On episode 112 we talk with Mickela Mallozzi the four-time Emmy® Award-winning Host and Executive Producer of Bare Feet with Mickela Mallozzi, a travel series highlighting the diversity of dance which airs on PBS station…
Episode 111: Jeff Jenkins [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:48
In episode 111, we sit down with Jeff Jenkins, the host of Never Say Never on Nat Geo and Disney+, a motivational speaker, and the creative mind behind @chubbydiaries, a platform inspiring individuals of all sizes to exp…