Best-selling author and global keynote speaker presenting “Clean Fish and Muddy Fish: Navigate the Fish Bowl of Your Organization,” sponsored by arrivia
Orlando, Fla. – February 11, 2026– The Perspective Group and GNEX (Growth Networking EXperience) Conference today announced that Carl Gould, a leading authority on business growth and entrepreneurship, will headline GNEX 2026 as a keynote speaker. His session, sponsored by arrivia, will take place March 18–20, 2026, at the JW Marriott in downtown Nashville, Tennessee.
GNEX 2026 will bring together senior decision-makers from hospitality, travel, vacation ownership, technology, finance, and loyalty for three days of focused programming and curated networking. Designed to drive real business outcomes, the conference emphasizes practical insight, cross-industry collaboration, and conversations that translate directly into growth.
Gould’s keynote, “Clean Fish and Muddy Fish: Navigate the Fish Bowl of Your Organization,” delivers a practical examination of what drives sustainable growth and what quietly undermines performance inside organizations. Using his proprietary 4 Zones of Excellence™ framework, Gould demonstrates how misalignment in a single operational area can disrupt an entire business. Attendees will gain actionable insight into restoring clarity, strengthening accountability, and engineering scalable, predictable growth by design.
A best-selling author, global keynote speaker, and founder of 7 Stage Advisors, Gould has mentored more than 50,000 businesses worldwide and advised organizations including Allstate, IBM, McGraw-Hill, American Idol, USA Olympic Track, and the U.S. Army. His methodologies are practiced in 83 countries, and he has trained more than 7,000 business coaches and mentors globally. Gould is the author of The 7 Stages of Small Business Success and co-author of Blueprint for Success with Stephen R. Covey and Ken Blanchard.
Arrivia’s sponsorship of Gould’s keynote underscores its focus on innovation, scalable growth, and leadership across the travel and hospitality ecosystem.
“Arrivia is proud to sponsor Carl Gould at GNEX 2026,” said Jack Waller, Senior Vice President, Business Development at arrivia. “His focus on scalable growth, accountability, and performance aligns closely with our mission to help brands drive engagement, unlock new revenue, and deliver meaningful value through travel.”
“Carl Gould brings the kind of real-world insight and strategic thinking GNEX was built for,” said Paul Mattimoe, President and CEO of Perspective Group. “Thanks to arrivia’s support, this keynote will be a defining moment for leaders looking to sharpen operations, elevate guest experience, and build businesses designed for long-term growth.”
Hosted at the JW Marriott Nashville, GNEX 2026 will feature executive-level sessions, immersive networking experiences, and cross-industry collaboration among senior leaders in hospitality operations, vacation ownership, travel technology, guest experience, sales and marketing, and loyalty innovation.
For details on registration and speaking opportunities, visit https://gnexconference.com/.
For information on Sponsorship Opportunities visit https://gnexconference.com/sponsorship/.
About arrivia
Arrivia is a travel technology company that provides travel loyalty, booking and marketing solutions to consumer-facing companies that want to deliver exceptional value to their customers, uncover new revenue streams and drive growth through exciting travel rewards and member benefits. The company’s Travel Privileges platform opens up the world of travel for companies like T-Mobile, Westgate Resorts, Vidanta and Marriott Vacation Club by offering their customers more value through exclusive pricing and encouraging discovery with relevant and personalized options that inspire travel and customer loyalty. To learn more about how arrivia helps companies drive growth, incentivize sales, boost affinity and reward high-value customers, visit www.arrivia.com.
About Carl Gould
Carl Gould is a globally recognized authority on entrepreneurship and business growth, a keynote speaker, and best-selling author. Founder of 7 Stage Advisors, Gould has built three multi-million-dollar companies and mentored the launch of more than 50,000 businesses worldwide. His methodologies are practiced in 83 countries, and he has trained, certified, or accredited more than 7,000 business coaches and mentors since 2002. Gould has advised organizations including Allstate, IBM, McGraw-Hill, American Idol, USA Olympic Track, and the U.S. Army. His publications include The 7 Stages of Small Business Success, Biz Dev Done Right, and Blueprint for Success, co-authored with Stephen R. Covey and Ken Blanchard. Known for his energetic, practical, and engaging delivery, Gould equips leaders with original, proven strategies for sustainable growth.
About GNEX Conference
With a new destination every year, a heavy focus on networking, high-quality events, and innovative format, GNEX Conferences attract senior-level executives from more than 100+ companies across the globe. The conference series brings together a unique mix of attendees from traditionally separated segments of the hospitality industry, enabling you to network with companies that specialize in Hotels, Vacation Ownership, Resort Real Estate, Vacation Rentals, OTAs, Travel Agencies & Travel Clubs, plus all the vendors that supply them, including Resort Management, Sales & Marketing, Legal & Financial, Construction & Renovation, Technology, HR & Training and more.
