Hospitality Mavericks Podcast Show

Whether you are a global organization or a small independent, we all need an Employer Brand that reflects the business authentically. Bryan Adams is the CEO and founder of Ph. Creative, a global employer branding agency, working with clients like Continental, Apple and Nike. Bryan is also co-author of two books, ‘Getting Goosebumps’ and ‘Give & Get Employer Branding’.  In this conversatio...

Loreca is a startup that helps hotels rank higher on travel search engines using an algorithm that today’s guest, Bart-Jan Leyts, had designed – and boosting the revenue of a hotel or Bed and Breakfast by approximately 24%. I had to invite Bart-Jan on to the show to learn more about this platform, and explore the overall bigger picture of tech in the hospitality industry. It was fascinating to hea...

You don’t need Kim Kardashian or Joe Wicks to promote your business – but micro-level independent influencers who resonate with your audience. Nibble was launched in 2021 to make influencer marketing simple and quick for restaurants and influencers. The platform connects brands with the right local influencers to get more customers through the door. Today we’re joined by co-founder Michael Radley...

Today I am joined by a fellow Scandinavian, Annica Wainwright, to talk about her business 2Forks, and how she has been able to elevate her business and brand through copywriting. 2Forks offers copywriting, content strategy and consultancy services. They help restaurants and brands connect with consumers through engaging food and drink content.  It was great speaking with Annica in person in t...

Join the second part of my conversation with Bo Burlingham – the author of notable books such as ‘Small Giants’ and ‘The Great Game of Business’. Currently a contributor to Forbes, Bo previously worked at Inc. magazine for over 30 years as senior editor, executive editor, and editor at large. In this part of the interview, Bo continues to share his research process for writing ‘Small Giants’. We a...

Bo Burlingham’s work has had a huge impact on my work at Hospitality Mavericks. He is the author of notable books such as ‘Small Giants’ and ‘The Great Game of Business’. Currently a contributor to Forbes, Bo previously worked at Inc. magazine for over 30 years as senior editor, executive editor, and editor at large. It’s a great honour to have Bo on the show. This interview will be shared with yo...

This week's episode takes a different turn – the spotlight is on myself with my amazing co-author Nicole Antonio Gadsdon from BananaPepper HR, hosted by the great John Porter of ShielPorter Communications. In this special episode, we unpack our whitepaper ‘Six Tenets of Agile Hospitality: 6 Tenets Every Leader Needs to Survive and Thrive in the New Era of Hospitality’ .  It took more than 12...

Pix Ashworth is the founder of sustainable bath and body brand land&water, and the Director of Watergate Bay Hotel in Cornwall. They’re in the process of obtaining their B Corp accreditation, so I had to have Pix on the show to explore how they’re building a sustainable brand and how they have developed a solid company culture.   In this episode, Pix shares her unusual entry into hos...

Thiago Luz Togni is rallying a movement trying to get the government to consider 2-year visas for EU citizens in the UK’s hospitality sector. I’m delighted to have him on the show to find out how he is campaigning for change with a petition which requires 100,000+ signatures. Thiago is also the General Manager at Temper, a barbecue and steak restaurant which specialises in whole animal open fire c...

Respect, collaboration and listening are some of the key attributes of the culture at Sightline Hospitality. It’s a third-party management company that redefines hotel management and has supported its employees “like a family” over the pandemic. The company’s President, Kirk Pederson, joins me to share how their business is refining and redefining hospitality through its strong employee culture. C...

Cocoa Runners are the home of the world's finest craft chocolate, working with over 100 makers from all over the world, providing 750 bars through a monthly discovery service, individual bar sales and distribution services for small batch, single estate, craft chocolate. Today we are joined by the remarkable founder of this company, Spencer Hyman, who is on a mission to bring you the world’s best...

It was a true joy to have Mowgli Street Food founder Nisha Katona back on Hospitality Mavericks. Her restaurant is all about how Indians eat at home and on their streets, and it is one of the Top 100 companies to work for in the UK. This time round we catch up on how her life and business have been since covid. In this episode, Nisha discusses how running a small restaurant can still make ambitiou...

There is no doubt that ‘Culture’ is a hot topic in business. But what even is it? How do you change a culture? How long does it take to change? In this episode David quizzes Michael with these questions (and many more). We review the ultimate equation of ‘Beliefs x Behaviour = Culture’. Whether you’re a company of one or 100,000 – culture exists in every business, so you need to know whether your...

Earlier this year, I had a fascinating conversation with the CEO at Lead Different, Dave Oakley, about ‘Good To Great’ by Jim Collins. In this episode, Dave returns to the show to delve deeper into this seminal book, and reflect on how it can help you attract and retain great talent. Dave shares how to get talent right by using the ‘Talent Matrix’ and what we can do to build a great company. Tune...

I had the great pleasure to be joined by two great guests from Escapism Bar Group – Head of Learning and Development, Flynn Byrne, and Managing Director, Grant Dexter. It was fascinating to learn from the nightlife industry – a sector that hasn’t been fully covered on the show yet. Escapism Bar Group was founded in 2004 by husband and wife team Phil and Mel Harrison. Since the opening of their fir...

Today’s guest has gone through an incredible entrepreneurial journey, which includes having bought a hotel on an island, and how he is trying to find a way to ensure we change the world positively through business. Giles Fuchs is the Founder and CEO at Burgh Island Hotel, as well as Office Space in Town and Gunner Cocktails. Burgh Island Hotel is a unique Art Deco hotel on its own private island i...

How do you have a story and a brand that talks to people's hearts? Find out how from Sophia Ahamed, the Principal at Monograph&Co – a Design Agency based in Vancouver, Canada. They produce compelling brand identities, publications, product packaging and digital experiences for clientele both locally and internationally. She is a Designer and Artist with over a decade of experience building bra...

I’m super excited to have Rachael Nemeth, CEO and Co-founder of Opus, on today’s episode. Opus is a training platform designed for businesses with a deskless workforce that helps more than 300 businesses boost their training on the frontline. It was fascinating to learn more about Rachael’s background in operations from hospitality where she worked with some great brands like Danny Meyer's Union S...

Shawn Askinosie left a successful career as a criminal defense lawyer to start a bean-to-bar chocolate business – Askinosie Chocolate. It is a small batch direct trade chocolate maker in Missouri, sourcing 100% of their cocoa beans directly from farmers. Shawn’s commitment to fairness, sustainability, minimal environmental impact, and community enhancement is undeniable.  It was great ca...

Today we are joined by the co-founder of a mission-driven fashion brand Thumbprint, as well as Strategy and Brand Consultant for a number of great hospitality brands – Edward Francis. We explore how Ed and his co-founder Evgenia Baydikova have launched a fashion brand that, from the outset, is helping the world become a better place. Thumbprint Apparel breaks the mold of the fashion industry, by b...

Today’s guest, Dan Simons, co-created and co-owns Farmers Restaurant Group, which includes seven restaurants in DC, Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, including Founding Farmers, Farmers Fishers Bakers, Farmers & Distillers, and their distillery, Founding Spirits. The company supports over 1,500 employees and continues to grow. Dan blogs regularly @Dan Simons Says about restaurants and hosp...

Want to build a brand that people rave about? Dan Nash is the founder of SixEight, an agency that helps food brands turn their customers into a cult of superfans. As a Brand Strategist, it’s Dan’s mission to make food brands become a force for good, behave more like humans and generate the same intense love as the best brands in the world. He works with brands like Dishoom, Flat Iron, and Tonkotsu...

Many companies are communicating 30 - 40 years out of date. But by bringing more emotion and humanness to your language, your company’s values and ‘soul’ can be brought to the center stage. To learn more about telling stories, I am joined by Anthony Tasgal – Trainer, Author, Speaker, Strategist and Lecturer.   In this conversation, Tas talks candidly about what drew him to the art of sto...

As you know, I’m a big fan of checklists, so it was great having a like-minded guest on today’s show – Tommy Yionoulis – to explore all things Operations Management and ticking things off your list. Tommy is the founder of OpsAnalitica, a platform that helps operators manage their daily operations and identify issues in their businesses, so they can address these before they escalate elsewhere in...

Joining me on the show for the second time is Ari Weinzweig, the co-founder of Zingerman's Community of Businesses. You have probably heard me reference Zingerman’s on the show about how they are true trailblazers when it comes to building a business that make sound financial results as well as a positive impact on people, society and the planet. Ari has written a range of books and pamphlets incl...