Guest: Stephanie Glanzer
WHY.os: Make Sense – Mastery – Trust
Stephanie Glanzer is the Chief Sales Officer and Senior Vice President at MGM Resorts International. She didn’t follow the usual path to the top—her early career began in ballet. Over time, her natural need to make sense of things helped her rise through the ranks in hospitality. Today, she leads global sales for one of the biggest names in entertainment and travel. But what really sets her apart is how she leads—with honesty, humility, and a clear sense of purpose.
Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:
- How Stephanie made big career shifts without losing her sense of direction
- Why strong leadership isn’t about knowing everything—it’s about asking the right questions
- The real reason your work title matters less than how you treat people
This episode is full of real talk on leadership, balance, and building a career that fits who you are. Go listen now—you’ll walk away with ideas you can actually use.
Get in touch with Stephanie!
Watch Full Episode Here!
1:00 – Meet Stephanie Glanzer
3:00 – Making Sense of a Complex Career Path
6:00 – From Ballet to Business
8:00 – Injury, Pivot, and Purpose
13:00 – The Power of Passion and Practicality
18:00 – Navigating Leadership Through Global Disruption
20:00 – Redefining the Vegas Experience
26:00 – Servant Leadership in Action
34:00 – Women in Executive Roles
42:00 – What Legacy Really Means
Listen to the Full Episode Here!
From Ballet Slippers to Boardrooms: How Stephanie Glanzer Leads with Curiosity and Clarity
Let’s be honest—most people don’t leap from pointe shoes to power suits. But Stephanie Glanzer did just that, and somehow made it look graceful. As the Chief Sales Officer and Senior Vice President of MGM Resorts International, she runs global sales strategy for one of the biggest hospitality brands in the world. Not bad for someone who once spent her afternoons performing The Nutcracker.
In this episode of Beyond Your WHY with Dr. Gary Sanchez, Stephanie shares how her innate drive to “make sense” has shaped every step of her career. And we’re not talking buzzword-y leadership advice here. This conversation peels back the layers of what real leadership looks like—especially when you’re navigating an industry that’s always changing. Stephanie’s story is packed with wisdom, humility, and honestly, more applicable advice than most leadership books out there.
Leading Through Listening
Stephanie’s core motivation—her WHY—is to Make Sense. She’s wired to simplify the complex, find patterns in chaos, and explain things in a way that actually clicks. That superpower has helped her build bridges across departments, teams, and even industries. “You’ll always do better work if you know how it fits into the bigger picture,” she says. That mindset helped her rise quickly in hospitality, even without a traditional background in the field.
She talks about the importance of listening—not just nodding along in meetings, but actually taking in what people say and using it to make decisions. “Leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about asking the right questions.” It’s one of those quotes you want to slap on a sticky note and tape to your laptop. And she lives it—regularly sitting down with her team to hear what’s working, what’s not, and where the opportunities are.
Every Step Counts (Even the Weird Ones)
Before she was leading global sales, Stephanie was dancing professionally in high school and studying business in college. Not exactly a straight shot to the C-suite, but that’s part of what makes her story so compelling. “No experience is wasted,” she says. Every job she’s had—no matter how small or random—taught her something she uses today. She doesn’t pretend like she had it all figured out. In fact, she’s quick to admit she didn’t. But what she always did was pay attention.
She also opens up about pivoting after injury—a turning point that could’ve knocked her off course. Instead, it helped her double down on something that came naturally: solving problems. “I knew I wasn’t going to stick with ballet forever. I loved it, but I wanted something more sustainable,” she shares. That sense of practicality, paired with her drive to understand systems, is what led her to MGM—and eventually to the top.
Redefining What a Leader Looks Like
Stephanie doesn’t lead by barking orders from a corner office. She leads by showing up, asking questions, and doing the work alongside her team. “If my team sees me picking up trash, they know I care,” she says. That kind of humility is rare in executive spaces—but it’s also why her teams trust her. She calls it “leading from the middle,” and it’s something more leaders could take notes on.
She also talks openly about being a woman in leadership. The hospitality world—like many others—still has its share of outdated assumptions. Stephanie isn’t interested in checking boxes. She’s interested in breaking patterns and showing that you can lead with both strength and heart. “Your title might get you in the room. But it’s how you treat people that keeps you there.” That’s not just a good line—it’s how she operates.
Stephanie Glanzer’s story is proof that leadership doesn’t have to come with ego, a blueprint, or a buzzword. Sometimes it starts with curiosity. Sometimes it starts with asking better questions. And sometimes, it starts in ballet class. This episode is packed with honest insight into what makes a great leader—especially in industries that don’t sit still.
Want more? You can listen to the full episode of Beyond Your WHY with Dr. Gary Sanchez wherever you get your podcasts. But even if you don’t, this one’s worth remembering: Leadership is less about having the answers and more about making sense of what’s in front of you. Stephanie Glanzer shows us exactly how it’s done.
Meet Stephanie Glanzer!
Stephanie Glanzer, CMP, is Chief Sales Officer and Senior Vice President for MGM Resorts International. In this role, she is responsible for the company’s overall sales strategy and operations comprised of group, industry relations, global sales, transient and luxury sales strategy as well as property operations including event catering, convention services and MGM Resorts Events & Productions.
Throughout her 26-year tenure with MGM Resorts, Stephanie has held a variety of executive sales positions including Vice President of Sales at Mandalay Bay and ARIA Resort & Casino, where she was a member of the pre-opening team. Stephanie began her career with MGM Resorts International in 1998 at The Mirage in Leisure Sales and went on to move into a variety of management and leadership sales positions at The Mirage and Bellagio as she evolved within the organization.
Stephanie earned degrees in Organizational Business as well as Sales and Marketing from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX. She sits on the Executive Boards of Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International and the U.S. Travel Association and is on the Board of AMC Institute. In her time away from work, she enjoys travel, live music, cooking and spending time with her family.