Future Game Changers | Joshua Gluch

Joshua Gluch

My name is Joshua Gluch and I am originally from a town near Cologne in Germany. I am currently in the second year of the International Hospitality Management track at Hotel Management School Maastricht and about to start my internship in Dubai. From the beginning of my studies, I knew I wanted to use the international character of the industry to experience different cultures and working environments rather than staying in one place.

Joshua’s ervaring

During Modules 5 and 6, I participated in the 14th edition of the Excellence Programme. Together with my group, I developed a full hotel concept for the Binckhorst area in The Hague. This included market research, concept creation, financial forecasting and a sales and marketing strategy, ending in a pitch to an external jury.

Working on this project showed me how complex opening a hotel actually is. It is not just about designing a nice idea because every decision has financial and operational consequences. We had to translate research into revenue forecasts, justify investment structures and align concept decisions with target groups. I learned how strongly finance, operations and marketing depend on each other. You cannot make one decision without affecting the others.

The biggest insight I gained at HMSM is structured thinking. Before, I approached hospitality mainly from a service perspective. Now I understand the business behind it: feasibility, positioning, forecasting demand, and making decisions based on data rather than intuition alone. This is knowledge I would not have gained just by working in operations.

Joshua’s Values

The HMSM value that resonates most with me is 'Passion'. I realized early on that hospitality is what I want to do long-term. During high school I worked as a waiter and noticed that the job was not only about serving food and drinks but about creating experiences and connecting people. Later I started catering cocktails at private events, attended the European Bartending School and even worked on a cruise ship. Each step confirmed that I enjoy the energy of the industry and the interaction with guests.

Passion becomes most important during stressful moments. Hospitality can be chaotic, long hours, unexpected situations, demanding guests, but when you actually care about the end result, you stay motivated. For me, the motivation is the bigger goal: building a career in leadership within the industry. Because of that, pressure feels less like a burden and more like part of the process.

Joshua’s Ambition

My long-term ambition is to become a General Manager while working in different countries and cultures. Later, I could also imagine starting my own business advising hotels and eventually teaching at a hotel school to pass on experience to future students.

HMSM helps me grow mainly through exposure. Programmes like the Excellence Programme connect you with people who want to go further than the minimum, and the school network allows direct contact with professionals from the industry. Learning from lecturers who have actually worked in hospitality makes the content more realistic and applicable.
In around ten years I see myself leading a hotel abroad, not just managing operations but building a team culture where people are motivated to perform because they understand the purpose behind their work. I want to be remembered as a leader who develops others rather than simply supervising them.

My contribution to the industry is simple: sharing knowledge and enthusiasm. Hospitality depends heavily on people, and motivated teams create better guest experiences. If I can pass on what I learn to younger students or colleagues, I can have an impact beyond my own workplace.

Joshua’s Tips

My main advice to other students is to actively surround yourself with people who take the industry seriously. Talk to professionals, ask questions, and observe how they think. Opportunities rarely come from waiting, they come from conversations and showing genuine interest. The more you engage with the industry early on, the clearer your direction becomes.