Hospitality Mavericks Podcast Show

Michael and Pete Hurley discuss how hospitality organizations may shift away from large full-time head offices toward fractional and project-based senior talent to improve flexibility, innovation, and profitability amid tight margins and job insecurity.
Hurley shares his career from launching a hospitality tech startup in 2004 that evolved into a cultural-venue operator business he ran for nearly 20 years and sold three years ago, before moving into consultancy and noticing the growing “fractional” trend and the lack of a dedicated marketplace for hospitality expertise.
He built and coded the Well Seasoned platform in a week, launching in February and growing to about 550 consultants, around 25 hospitality businesses engaging, and regular projects posted.
They cover benefits like faster hiring/onboarding, niche expertise, reduced risk, consultants collaborating to fill skill gaps, and fractionals sometimes converting into full-time roles, while emphasizing the need for a core in-house team and an active community to avoid the platform becoming a static directory.
Lodgify is the headline sponsor for the Hospitality Mavericks Podcast Show.
Lodgify is an all-in-one hosting platform built on one promise, minimum hassle, maximum independence. We help independent vacation rental hosts and small-scale property managers run and grow their business with 0% Lodgify booking commissions, an AI Co-Host (COMING SUMMER 2026, early access open now), and direct booking websites built to get found by AI.
For Mavericks listeners, there's a special offer: 20% off all yearly and bi-yearly plans - Use code MAVERICK20.
Learn more at https://lodgify.com/
Connect with Pete:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/petehurley/
https://wellseasoned.work/
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In this episode, Michael introduces Ruth Jacobs, a registered mental health nurse and founder of Certified Minds, to discuss where mental health efforts in industry have landed and how to create behavioral, cultural, and systems change that builds resilience.
Ruth shares her background in CAMHS and eating disorder inpatient care, her experience managing during COVID lockdowns, and how gaps in pediatric mental health training led her to train UK medical teams, schools, and workplaces using simulations and practical skills.
They focus on hospitality’s risk factors—high emotional demands, unpredictability, staff shortages, long hours, poor sleep, and normalized frontline abuse—and discuss proactive leadership, psychological safety, and embedding resilience and check-ins into inductions.
Ruth distinguishes everyday mental health issues from disorders, highlights early burnout signs, stresses the cost of inaction, recommends better listening and language for difficult conversations, and raises concerns about normalized cocaine use. She directs listeners to certifiedminds.co.uk and previews the Safer Faces app for lower-cost mental health support.
Lodgify is the headline sponsor for the Hospitality Mavericks Podcast Show.
Lodgify is an all-in-one hosting platform built on one promise, minimum hassle, maximum independence. We help independent vacation rental hosts and small-scale property managers run and grow their business with 0% Lodgify booking commissions, an AI Co-Host (COMING SUMMER 2026, early access open now), and direct booking websites built to get found by AI.
For Mavericks listeners, there's a special offer running until July 30th: 60% off on Ultimate and Professional yearly and bi-yearly plans with the code MAVERICKS60.
Learn more at https://lodgify.com/
Connect with Ruth:
https://saferfaces.com/
https://certifiedminds.co.uk/
Book:
https://uk.bookshop.org/a/8596/9780008667290
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This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this episdode, Michael welcomes his longtime friend Yazz Abdulla, previously a guest during the pandemic to discuss food delivery and dark kitchens.
They reflect on Copenhagen Street Food’s grassroots style, then focus on founder-led hospitality businesses: founders often stay emotionally attached, operate like self-employed workers, lack systems (ops, HR, marketing, supply chain), misunderstand cashflow, and fail to plan an exit; Yazz advises emotional detachment, self-leadership, discipline, rituals, and valuing time and peace over status.
They discuss the “lost art of hospitality,” arguing technology and transactional service have eroded human connection, while Gen Z is highly influential and brands like Blank Street succeed by designing for Gen Z.
AI is seen as useful for optimization but unable to replace the human element. They compare struggling UK hospitality—blaming poor adaptation and leadership—against UAE hospitality, where conflict briefly crushed tourism but decisive government support enabled recovery.
Lodgify is the headline sponsor for the Hospitality Mavericks Podcast Show.
Lodgify is an all-in-one hosting platform built on one promise, minimum hassle, maximum independence. We help independent vacation rental hosts and small-scale property managers run and grow their business with 0% Lodgify booking commissions, an AI Co-Host (COMING SUMMER 2026, early access open now), and direct booking websites built to get found by AI.
For Mavericks listeners, there's a special offer running until July 30th: 60% off on Ultimate and Professional yearly and bi-yearly plans with the code MAVERICKS60.
Learn more at https://lodgify.com/
Connect with Yazz:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yazz-abdulla/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/urban-hospitality-group-ltd/posts/?feedView=all
Previous episode with Yazz
https://www.hospitalitymavericks.com/coming-back-stronger-episode-5-with-yazz-abdulla-ceo-and-founder-of-urban-hospitality/
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Join the Hospitality Mavericks newsletter
Tune in via your favourite podcast platform - here
More episodes for you to check out here

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Michael welcomes Tom James, to discuss winning in a hyper-competitive hospitality market through counterintuitive strategy and team buy-in.
Tom shares his 30-year hospitality journey, joining Bill’s five years ago as operations director before becoming managing director, and describes the shift from an ops-only lens to leading cross-functionally with a two-year plan.
Bill’s distilled 257 actions into one message—“everyone leaves happy”—and made guest satisfaction the core KPI, built from reviews, surveys, and mystery diners, tying incentives to guest metrics rather than financial ones.
He explains how visibility, consistent recognition, and culture drove adoption, alongside behind-the-scenes improvements to systems, booking, website, SEO, and cost controls. The turnaround included difficult restructuring and site closures, followed by renewed energy, cover growth, and a strong Christmas.
They discuss change management, process discipline (why/who/what/how/when), technology and AI’s potential, and Tom’s leadership takeaways: headspace, networking, and investing in team growth.
Connect with Tom:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-james-5388b256/
https://bills-website.co.uk/
Eps 23 Bill Collison - Founder of Bill’s
https://www.hospitalitymavericks.com/videos/23-the-bills-story-with-bill-collison/
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A big thank you to our episode sponsor Monotree.
They help hospitality operators strengthen operations and scale company culture by creating a "Branded Front Door" for your workforce.
Head to their website to sign up.

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Michael interviews Stephen Logue, an economist and former FMCG marketer who became marketing director at Berni Inns, founded a research-led consultancy, and later owned restaurants.
Logue explains how market research identified five consistent drivers of restaurant success—cleanliness, service, atmosphere, food quality, and value for money—and how redesigning and standardizing Berni Inns (including work with Conran) lifted sales and won a Catey.
He argues hospitality underinvests in service, emphasizing “hire character, train skills,” building staff confidence and self-belief, and using tools like mystery visits and customer research.
He shares “runners and riders” concept testing, a successful Greek concept at Meadowhall, lessons from Wetherspoon’s standards and value focus, and the financial importance of repeat customers. Logue now supports independents via pro bono work and promotes simple cost control, menu margin analysis, and clear service promises.
Connect with Stephen Logue:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-logue-47227757/
https://www.hospitalityblueprints.com/
https://youtu.be/2_E_EBbdXpU?si=_0cECaQouijt_8LS
https://www.hospitalityblueprints.com/masterclass-videos
Book:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magic-Malls-Incredible-Customer-Service/dp/1910090638/ref=sr_1_3?crid=GEM2XLEJMP0P&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.lw06nq8ML3KTk_rhrQVeIK8X9HSz5KW3t9INoXg7iSTGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.bEQQL7nAGqgyohrPiRxbrwgf3N_jm-_O3tqE8QOnVBw&dib_tag=se&keywords=Stephen+Logue&qid=1780948637&sprefix=stephen+logue%2Caps%2C232&sr=8-3
Connect with the podcast
Join the Hospitality Mavericks newsletter
Tune in via your favourite podcast platform - here
More episodes for you to check out here
A big thank you to our episode sponsor Monotree.
They help hospitality operators strengthen operations and scale company culture by creating a "Branded Front Door" for your workforce.
Head to their website to sign up.

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy