Kristen Corral is a TEDx speaker, 2025 SBA Small Business Person of the Year, and a 2026 Inc. Top 500 Female Founder Honoree. A former Las Vegas showgirl turned serial entrepreneur, she co-founded Tacotarian, an award-winning, multi-location plant-based Mexican restaurant brand with locations in Las Vegas and San Diego, now expanding nationwide through franchising and e-commerce.
As AI, kiosks, and delivery apps take over more of the guest interaction, the brands winning loyalty are the ones proving human connection isn't inefficiency; it's the differentiator. This panel makes the case for hospitality that stays personal: empathetic leadership, real guest relationships, and staff empowered to actually connect instead of just executing a script, backed by the data on why "human" is still the smartest business decision on the menu.
