MEET MIKE

Meet Mike.

Before getting into hospitality management, no one warned me about the number of plates I would be expected to keep spinning daily, and how the vast majority of the job is essentially just keeping those plates spinning in spite of curveball after curveball.

Table of 14 has just walked in at open

The glasswash has started leaking

The phone is ringing

The KP showed up 30 minutes late

One of the bartenders hasn't shown up at all

The booking for 6 is actually a 9, and they have a dog

Why did the music just stop?

I still need to reply to that email for the pre-order next Saturday.

Has anyone seen the cellar keys?

We've run out of beef…on a Sunday

Has anyone seen the invoice for the wine delivery?

What do you mean EHO have shown up?

Why is the phone still ringing?

THE FIRE ALARM IS GOING OFF

Everyone in hospitality has at least one story about the shift that just kept on giving. While it was most likely incredibly stressful at the time, the absolute chaos is a large part of the reason why we all love this industry so much.

I've spent nearly 20 years working in hospitality, with 12 of them in some form of management, and I've experienced my fair share of the shift from hell. Quick thinking, keeping calm, and actually dealing with what was directly in front of me got me through those shifts, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit I've been on the ropes on multiple occasions.

Over the years I've worked in pretty much every corner of hospitality. I've trained staff for a national restaurant group, spent years managing operations for both independents and multi-site businesses, been involved in opening new businesses and managed bars at major festivals. I've worked with small teams and I've managed teams of over 60 people, all while dealing with the different challenges that come with each environment. It's given me a pretty good understanding of what works, what doesn't and, more importantly, what actually works when things get busy.

Over time I came to learn that having a solid foundation of organisation, proper processes and the right tools in the right places was the key to turning days that could have become a disaster into record-breaking sales.

A lot of the things that make a difference aren't particularly complicated. Having an opening checklist so nothing gets missed, knowing exactly where paperwork and invoices are kept, making sure stock is being counted properly or having a clear process for dealing with deliveries. None of these things are groundbreaking ideas, but you'd be surprised how much time gets wasted when they aren't in place. And when you're busy running a venue, finding the time to sit down and actually sort them out can be a challenge in itself.

It's not just about making the day easier either. When your team knows what they're doing and has everything they need to do it, they can spend more time looking after customers and less time trying to find things or work out what happens next. Better stock controls mean less wastage and fewer unexplained losses. Clearer procedures mean less time wasted and better use of the hours you're already paying for. All of that has a direct impact on how much money your business makes and keeps.

That's where I see the real value in what I offer. A few improvements to the way a business operates can make a noticeable difference to its costs and revenue, with the benefits continuing to build week after week. My goal is for the work I do to pay for itself as quickly as possible and to continue to benefit your business long after our work together is finished.

That's the approach I want to bring to the businesses I work with. I'll spend time understanding how your business actually runs, identify the things that could be working better and work with you and your team to put practical changes in place. I'm not particularly interested in just writing a report telling you everything that's wrong and then disappearing. I want to be involved in making things better.

Ultimately, I'd like you to be able to take a step back from constantly dealing with the next problem, have confidence that your team knows what they're doing and actually get the chance to appreciate the business you've built.

Fancy a chat?

If any of the above feels relatable in any way, I'd love to have a chat with you, find out about you and your business and see if we have any room to work together. The first call is always free and I'm not in the business of hard selling my services.

If we fit, we fit. If we don't, we don't.

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