Students in Michael Cohen’s Economics and Philanthropy class are learning directly from business leaders this year in the new Economics and Philanthropy Speaker Series. Each week, a different guest speaker from an accomplished group of CEOs, investors, and entrepreneurs, will share insights from their career, offering real-world perspectives to deepen student understanding of capitalism and culture.

Sarah Eustis, CEO of the hotel management company, Main Street Hospitality, visited the class last week. She shared her career journey, detailing how her two decades-plus experience working in the U.S. and abroad for corporations including Ralph Lauren, the Gap, and others, helped her grow her family business (which includes the beloved Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge), and eventually launch Main Street Hospitality in 2013. She also talked about what qualities make a business successful, the importance of a company’s culture and brand, weathering Covid, and answered questions in a concluding Q&A.

"My biggest take away from Sarah Eustis's visit was how to set your business apart from others, by building a brand that resonates with both your employees and customers, shared Summer Lichtenfeld ’25. "It’s not just about offering great services; it’s about crafting an experience that people will remember and want to come back to," she said.

"I could tell Sarah Eustis really enjoys what she does," said John McCoy '25. "I learned how important it is for a business owner to stay involved with the company since that close connection can often lead to success."

The roster of speakers includes:
Sarah Eustis, CEO, Main Street Hospitality 
Jeffrey Silverman, Partner, Laconia Capital Group
Carrie Holland, CEO, Hancock Shaker Village
Robert Robles, Owner, Roberto's Pizza
Michael Diamant, Entrepreneur, Skip Hop, Cleverpup
Tim Burke, CEO, Mill Town Capital
Michael Rothman, Managing Partner, Sprezzatura Ventures
Brent Heeringa, Tech Executive, Entrepreneur, Professor
Marsha Cohen, Executive Director, van Ameringen Foundation