Not sure if your tax advisor is actually optimizing your returns, or just filing forms? In this episode of the Hotel Investor Playbook, we’re joined by Kelly Tate, a CPA with over two decades of experience helping real estate and hospitality investors navigate the tax code with confidence.

We dive into key strategies like bonus depreciation, Section 179, and cost segregation, and explore how to structure your entities to maximize tax efficiency, especially when you’re juggling both real estate ownership and active operations.

Whether you’re an experienced sponsor or just scaling into your first hotel deal, this conversation will help you ask better questions, avoid common pitfalls, and gain peace of mind that your CPA is adding real value.

Topics Covered:

• The difference between Section 179 and bonus depreciation
• How cost segregation works and when to use it
• Why your entity structure matters more than you think
• How to know if your CPA is the right fit for real estate investing
• When to consider getting a second opinion on your tax strategy

About Kelly

Kelly Tate is a seasoned CPA, entrepreneur, and Co-Founder/CFO of KTA Financial Services, a Las Vegas-based firm specializing in bookkeeping and tax preparation for franchise owners. With over 15 years of experience, Kelly has built a reputation for helping clients navigate taxation, deal structure, and financing. Through KTA and his own firm, Kelly Tate CPA, he serves hundreds of businesses with innovative financial solutions and proprietary technology. His mission: to simplify and elevate financial operations so business owners can focus on growth.

Connect with Mike and Nate:

Los Angeles Investment Info: malama-capital.com/invest

Instagram: @the_hotel_investor_playbook

Contact Us: info@hotelinvestorplaybook.com

We're proving why hostels are one of the most powerful investment models in real estate. In this episode, Mike and Nate break down exactly why they’re going all-in on hostels and how they turn underperforming assets into award-winning hospitality destinations.

You’ll learn:

• Why the U.S. hostel market is ripe for disruption
• The revenue model that turns $100 rooms into $300 cash machines
• How their guest-first brand became a marketing engine
• Why “flawed” properties are actually a goldmine for this model
• What Gen Z travelers are demanding and why hostels deliver
• Plus, some hints on what they're building next in Los Angeles

If you’ve ever considered buying a boutique hotel or investing in experiential hospitality, this episode will give you a whole new lens.

Listen now and learn why hostels might be the highest-ROI play in the game.

Connect with Mike and Nate:

Los Angeles Investment Info: malama-capital.com/invest

Instagram: @the_hotel_investor_playbook

Contact Us: info@hotelinvestorplaybook.com

You don’t need to be an expert in everything to scale in hospitality, just need to align with the right consultants, operators, and partners who’ve done it before.

In this episode, we sit down with Bryan Fish, CEO of Reliance Hospitality, to unpack how third-party operators help investors go from scrappy operators to institutional-level players. Bryan shares what most owners get wrong during acquisitions, how franchise agreements really work behind the scenes, and why your ability to scale comes down to the team you build around you.

If you’re trying to grow beyond single assets and build a serious hospitality portfolio, this episode lays out the roadmap.

About Our Guest:

Bryan Fish is the CEO of Reliance Hospitality, a full-service hotel management, development, and consultancy firm with a growing portfolio across the U.S. and Europe. With experience opening and operating over 100 hotels, Brian brings deep expertise in brand strategy, operational efficiency, and investor alignment. Through Reliance, he helps owners optimize performance, navigate franchise relationships, and scale with confidence—whether they’re launching their first boutique or repositioning a $50M asset.

Email: bfish@reliancehospitality.com

Website: www.reliancehospitality.com

Instagram: @bryan.fish

LinkedIn: Bryan Fish

Connect with Mike and Nate:

Los Angeles Investment Info: malama-capital.com/invest

Instagram: @the_hotel_investor_playbook

Contact Us: info@hotelinvestorplaybook.com