Mr. April: Jon Makhmaltchi, Founder, J.MAK HOSPITALITY

J.MAK on women running luxury travel, closing the C-suite gap, and why men need to get a clue

Jon Makhmaltchi may be one of the only luxury travel founders whose origin story includes the phrase “my first words were room service.”

Raised in a Manhattan high-rise where doormen, porters, and restaurant deliveries made everyday life feel just a little bit hotel-adjacent, Jon was drawn early to the people behind the scenes. While other kids were at the pool, he was following housekeepers, chatting with chambermaids, and discovering that the real magic of hospitality often happens far from the lobby.

That instinct has stayed with him. As founder of J.MAK, Jon has built a luxury travel representation company known for personality, relationships, and a very human kind of hustle. During the pandemic, that hustle took the form of the MAK.MOBILE, a branded Winnebago that allowed him to visit travel advisors safely, driveway by driveway, when connection felt both impossible and essential.

But what makes Jon a fitting Male Ally of the Month is not just his entrepreneurial energy. It is his blunt recognition of what many in luxury travel already know: women power this business, especially on the advisor side, yet too often remain underrepresented in the rooms where ownership and C-suite decisions are made.

Jon is not subtle about that gap. He credits his mother, one of the early female VPs in publishing, as his role model. He has built a company powered largely by women. And as the father of a daughter, he is deeply invested in a future where girls grow up knowing they can lead, challenge, build, and, when necessary, go toe-to-toe with the room.

His advice to men who still are not paying attention is characteristically direct: get a clue.

Here, Jon talks about the women who shaped him, the business case for flexibility, why women are central to luxury travel, and why the industry would be far stronger if more leaders recognized what women have been doing all along.

What drew you to hospitality, and what were the pivotal moments that led you to founding J.MAK?

It’s a great question, and it ties back to the women who have inspired me. My mother always joked that my first words were "room service." Growing up in a high-rise in Manhattan, life felt like living in a hotel—we had doormen, porters, and delivery from every restaurant in the city.

Whenever we went on vacation, I was bored with the "brats at the pool," so I’d follow the chambermaids around. I’d end up hanging out with the housekeepers; they were from all over the world and had the most interesting food. That natural draw to the "service" side of life just stuck.

During the pandemic, you hit the road in the "MAK.MOBILE" Winnebago. What drove that decision, and how did it shift your thinking about travel?

Most companies wouldn’t allow their staff to get out and about during COVID, so I bought the RV so I could go see clients. I’m a little too "lux" to actually live in it—I’d drive it to our luxury hotels, park it, and sleep in a real bed—but the idea was about access.

It allowed me to meet advisors in their driveways in a socially distanced way. It was a moving "step and repeat" where I could visit people across the country—from Montreal down to Maryland—rather than just flying over them. It taught me that people were desperate for connection and that we had to find ways to make it easy to say "yes" to meeting, even in a crisis.

Over 80% of travel advisors are women, yet the C-suites and ownership tables are still dominated by men. Why do you think that is, and what will it take to change?

It’s no secret that women run this business. Historically, women were the ones doing the travel planning for big executives or their families. In the early days, you had "secretaries clubs" where the women booking the travel earned the credits and perks while the men took the trips.

We know who the real boss is at home. Women are running the show, taking care of the kids, and working at the same time. On the advisor side, women found they could be homemakers and run thriving businesses simultaneously. While men have historically held the executive titles, that balance is finally starting to shift. At J.MAK, for instance, nearly the entire team is comprised of women.

Team J.MAK: (from left): John Langley; April Villar; Carrie Culpepper; J.MAK , Meg Crosby; Liv Como; and Bonnie Scott

You’ve built your own team around exceptional women. What have they shown you about this industry, and what would it look like if more leaders paid attention?

My mom is my role model. She was one of the first female VPs in publishing at McMillan and Pearson. Women simply work harder—likely because they’ve always had to earn more just to get the same recognition men get by sitting back.

Look at Martha Stewart; she’s the ultimate example. If she were a man, she likely wouldn't have gone to prison, yet she’s still out there outperforming everyone. I built J.MAK on the backs of women who wanted to work hard but also wanted the flexibility to care for their families. If more leaders realized that a "woman's touch" isn't just a cliché—it's a superior eye for detail and grit—the industry would be much stronger.

What is your message to men in leadership who still aren't paying attention to this gap?

Get a clue. You idolize your wives, mothers, and daughters at home—why aren't you celebrating those same traits in the workplace? We are all the same at the end of the day, just with different parts.

I think I have a better understanding of this because I’m gay; I’m comfortable with my feminine side, and I think it gives me an edge over straight guys. You need a woman’s eye to look at a project and say, "Wait a minute, this isn't right. Let’s fix it."

What’s the most surprising shift you’ve seen in how people are traveling right now?

I don’t think it’s a shift so much as a "just do it" mentality. People realize the world could end tomorrow, so they aren't waiting anymore. Even if a destination is in conflict, if they want to go, they go.

Advisors are also moving away from being nickel-and-dimed. I coined the phrase "Resort Fee Free" because people are tired of being charged for no reason. When you’re paying for a top-tier villa, those extra inclusions make a huge impact. It’s about removing barriers and finding a way to close the deal without saying "no."

Advisors are also moving away from being nickel-and-dimed. I coined the phrase "RESORT FREE" because people are tired of being charged for no reason. When you’re paying for a top-tier villa, those extra inclusions make a huge impact. It’s about removing barriers and finding a way to close the deal without saying "no."

Jon, his husband and kids ordering room service in their new residential villa, the Larkin Suite at Watch Hill Inn

You’re raising a daughter who may one day lead in this industry. How does that influence how you build your company?

She’s already a leader—she pushes us all around! I want her to be strong enough to go toe-to-toe with the "assholes" in the workplace. I want her to have the wit and the "mouth" to protect herself and outshine the dummies.

In this world, people assume men should run the show. I want to instill in her that she is just as strong as any guy. My investment in women is raising a daughter who can do whatever she wants, which in turn shows other girls that they can do it too, especially together.