Welcome to Talking Hospitality
Jan. 23, 2024

How To Turn A One Person Business Into Several Businesses

Introduction:

In this episode of Talking Hospitality, hosts Timothy R. Andrews and Tracey Rashid engage in a captivating conversation with Nick Clover, a seasoned entrepreneur in the hospitality sector. The episode delves into Nick's journey from starting as a 14-year-old working in a pub to establishing several successful companies in the hospitality industry.

Why Listen to This Episode:

This episode is a treasure trove of insights for hospitality professionals, especially those in leadership roles or aspiring to be. Nick Clover's story is not just about business success; it's a narrative of resilience, innovation, and a deep understanding of the hospitality industry. Listeners will gain valuable lessons on career development, the importance of people in the industry, and how to navigate the challenges and opportunities in hospitality.

Key Points of Interest:

  1. Early Beginnings: Nick's journey in hospitality began at 14, working in a pub, which instilled in him the value of hard work and the importance of starting from the ground up.
  2. Building a Business: The episode explores how Nick transitioned from working in various hospitality roles to starting his own businesses, highlighting the challenges and triumphs of entrepreneurship.
  3. Importance of People: A recurring theme is the significance of people in the hospitality industry, both as employees and customers, and how nurturing these relationships is crucial for business success.
  4. Overcoming Adversity: Nick shares his experiences during the recession, offering insights into resilience and the importance of adapting to changing circumstances.
  5. Industry Challenges: The discussion touches on issues like burnout, drug and alcohol problems in the industry, and how to address these challenges responsibly.
  6. Empowering the Next Generation: The episode emphasizes the importance of mentorship, training, and development in the hospitality industry, showcasing Nick's commitment to nurturing new talent.
  7. Leadership Insights: Nick provides valuable advice on leadership, stressing the balance between confidence and humility, and the importance of being authentic and approachable.

Conclusion:

This episode of Talking Hospitality is a must-listen for anyone in the hospitality industry seeking inspiration and practical advice. Nick Clover's journey and insights offer a unique perspective on building a successful career and business in hospitality, making it an invaluable resource for seasoned professionals and newcomers alike.

Summary

In this episode, Nick Clover shares his journey in the hospitality industry and how he built successful businesses like Appetite4Work and HJUK. He emphasizes the importance of onboarding and support in the industry and encourages more people to join. Nick also discusses the challenges and misconceptions in the industry and the impact of the Opra Awards. He shares his philosophy and principles in building businesses and offers advice for aspiring leaders. The episode concludes with a rapid-fire question round.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

02:07 Nick's Journey in Hospitality

05:18 Starting Appetite for Work

06:16 Importance of Onboarding and Support

07:10 Passion for the Hospitality Industry

08:09 Encouraging People to Join the Industry

10:06 Challenges and Misconceptions in the Industry

12:40 The Opra Awards

15:39 Philosophy and Principles in Building Businesses

17:35 Building HJUK and Otolo

20:00 Staying Focused and Motivated

23:38 Advice for Aspiring Leaders

28:34 Rapid Fire Questions

31:09 Conclusion

Transcript
Speaker:

Welcome to another episode of Talking

Hospitality.

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I'm Timothy R Andrews and I'm joined today

with my co-host Tracy Rashid.

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Today we ask the question, how can you

build a business from being a one person

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band to several successful companies?

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Our guest today, Nick Clover, shares his

story of why he started, the highs and

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lows of his journey and what the future

holds now 21 years later.

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We're excited to bring you today's episode

with the support of our esteemed brand

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partners, Graphic Kitchen.

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Graphic Kitchen stands at the forefront of

innovative design solutions, transforming

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spaces into vibrant, engaging

environments.

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They specialize in spoke graphic designs

that breathe life into any setting.

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Whether it's a bustling restaurant or a

chic hotel lounge,

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and memorable experience.

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Discover their stunning portfolio and how

they can elevate your space at grap

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Welcome back everybody.

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Thanks for joining us again.

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But today we're diving into the world of

hospitality with a very special guest,

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Nick Clover, the visionary behind Tolo,

Appetite for Work and HJUK.

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Nick, it's a pleasure to have you with us

and welcome to the show.

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So Nick, you have built an impressive

portfolio with a total of only a prototype

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for work and HJUK.

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So let's start from the beginning.

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And please let us know what those

businesses are and what they're all about.

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But also how did your journey in

hospitality begin?

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So, 14 years old, working in a pub.

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Joined some cash.

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Remember the time, planning to go into

Glastonbury the following year.

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So, um, pocket money is always helpful,

right?

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And for the, so I started working in a

pub.

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Loved it.

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Hard work.

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local pub had a successful busy kitchen,

so the pans are coming thick and fast and

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they're going to keep up.

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Some of my fondest memories were working

in that pub with the people I worked with

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as the young kid who just did it best.

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Will Barron Why didn't you at the X14, I

know, wanted to be a pot wash?

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Richard Larkin Well, if I didn't wash

pots, I wouldn't have had any money.

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Well, to go to Glastonbury, also to, you

know, sort of 14 years old, to be able to

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go and see friends, for example, basically

it was a good lesson in life.

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Will Barron Said to work, work for cash.

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My older brother works in hospitality as

well.

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Big inspiration.

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Don't know at the time if there was any

association there, it was more just a case

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of, I might've been the first to actually

work in hospitality.

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And I think he had worked in another pub

for a friend of the family doing similar

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thing, but watch, it looks fun, it suits.

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How did you go from a 14-year-old to a

flat for work, HGK and a toilet?

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I got experience in the kitchen, got

experience in the front of Paris, got

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experience in behind the bar, which is

probably happiest throughout my growing up

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through studying at the university and did

a 18-month employment with a commercial

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business, which is fab, a lot of hard

work, understanding why that garage needed

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a secretary, why the AI needed a...

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account to pay that person in the team.

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So he just kind of put the pieces together

in terms of what makes that business a

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business.

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So I didn't have that experience before.

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So that was great.

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Because my passion for hospitality, I love

it.

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And seeing Chris is 30 months older, he

sort of thrives as a general manager.

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I just thought, this is what I want to do.

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I just want to be talking to people who

are more relatable to me, because of the

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people that I've known, worked with,

friends.

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This is one thing that I'm quite proud of

is I didn't have any candidates or any

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clients.

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But my contact was there, if that makes

sense, like in terms of one.

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or two restaurants they weren't going to

do.

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But they were just getting out and making

a game of it, suddenly recruiting in

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Bristol.

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So Birmingham and then at the South Coat,

it's kind of London and Hamlet for quite a

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while, really.

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It was more the areas that hadn't been

covered by there's a lot of established

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businesses at the time who had that.

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So maybe I wasn't that clever because I

liked to be on the road for a couple of

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hours and then the main people come back,

well I was in front of the candidates and

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this is the job center.

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They were putting the penny on marketing

for the first.

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Yeah, because I didn't have any money.

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I had a couple of grants to keep it going

for three months.

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And that's why I just wanted to.

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It sounds like you really jumped in just

head first.

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Yeah.

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And you just wanted to do it.

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Yeah.

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I had a friend, a friend actually that I

was talking to about it and she had a

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small commercial, so I said, I'm thinking

about this.

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And it changed in where I'm at the moment.

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It was the time to move on.

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Expectations based on my time without a

resource.

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So it was why I got a bit of a telling

off, even though I massively delivered on

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the financial figures and it was just the

app and the process behind it.

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Whoa, I got told off a lot that time.

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You know, and it's sort of, hang on a

minute.

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I've literally doubled the expectations of

people working shifts and, you know, hours

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of hemp's working.

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And so I thought, no, I'm going to move

on.

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Speaking to a friend, I got a phone call

from one of her consultants who said, hey,

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here you're planning on setting up a

recruitment company.

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I said, yeah, I need to get something in

the yellow pages today.

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So I'm thinking something starting with A.

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She said, yeah, I heard that.

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What about appetite?

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And I was just like, I was like,

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Yeah.

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Just, yeah.

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So I popped down with a bunch of flowers

and a box of chocolates and a couple of

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boards wide for the office.

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Because it really meant something that

she'd actually thought, didn't really know

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her, to phone up and say, what about that?

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So that's pretty cool.

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So I can't take credit for the name and

appetite across two businesses.

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And I work in recruitment, the permanent

side, which is all about getting people,

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just giving them the best experience,

understanding businesses, why they're the

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best business for that candidate and

people.

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So watching the team do it now to the same

standard with...

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guys with a lot of experience or the guys

with no experience.

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It's fantastic.

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When Gem, who I worked with, joined at a

dark time of, she didn't know it was dark,

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but I basically hit the recession, hadn't

reacted quickly enough to the staffing and

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ended up, face to back once you, I'll

probably say, I just worked my way out of

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it.

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The question that Dad asked me was, was it

worth it?

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It's like, yeah, because otherwise I'm

going to just destroy the brand forever

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and my reputation.

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And it's, you know, that's key.

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They do a great job.

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They do put the candle in first.

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Yeah, over the pine

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And that's really important because the

onboarding, when you join a new job, it's

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the next step in your career in an

industry that's really under underrated in

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terms of the respect levels.

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And they do take pride in and get a buzz

as I did.

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When you've got that kind of thing, it's

literally made their day.

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And it's really cool to hear that.

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You know, so forget money, forget it's

about people.

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Yeah, that will happen if you're good.

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And the focus being the opposite from what

I saw in that brief stint in the previous

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business to the way I see the guys

operating now.

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It's

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is just get the people right, give the

right coaching, give the right amount of

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time to understand the business and to

understand the candidate.

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And so just to do a good job, and the buzz

at the end of it is, you know, you've made

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someone's day, right?

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What feels better than that?

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And you talk about hospitality, friends

for life.

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Yeah.

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You know, you can see those relationships

happening on the supply side of the

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recruiters and in the good businesses and

there's a few of them.

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So yeah.

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There's a golden thread with our guests

and it's very much that despite whatever

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you've been through, ups and downs, it's

worth it.

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I think everyone has said it's worth it.

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Yeah.

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I'm already passionate about industry.

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Yeah, same thing.

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Like there are just, there are some common

themes that just keep coming through.

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And I don't know it's cause we're

attracted to the type of people cause

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we're that is those type of people.

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So I had this conversation with the Rain

Copes and then I had a BIHS app.

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big case of hospitality and I know

Michelle, but yes, yeah.

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Yeah.

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Right.

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And so, even when we meet the operas this

year, that was incredible because that was

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all about people in our industry.

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Everything that we try to do is make it

better for the people.

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Yes.

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Right.

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So that when they come to our industry,

they've got jobs, they've got a profession

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that we're all proud of.

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Yes.

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So we want them to see the fun side.

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Of course you have to work, you have to

work in any job if you really want to get

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somewhere and that's you're really lucky.

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Right.

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So to see that, it's a, it's a, I'm glad

you pulled that out because this is great

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as well, because having been an recruiter

myself, I was always quite passionate.

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And when my top team was called Learn,

Train, Recruit, that's what we did,

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because we trained them up.

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You know, before we put them into work, we

did like 10,000 people, we trained 10,000

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people from scratch in six years.

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So then when they came up, when they did

their first job, they had some skills set.

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Right.

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So that philosophy runs through, let's say

we're talking about hospitality as well,

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which is why I was totally not doing it.

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We have signed up to your mentors program.

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So because it's about helping people in

the industry, because whilst hopefully

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I've got a lot more to give, there's, you

know, there's people that are coming

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through that need to see what I want.

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Yeah.

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And it's so refreshing when you recruiters

talk about the industry here.

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You know, they took my hospitality first

as opposed to the

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recruitment, which is when I think

recruitment and there are those

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recruiters, I'm sure you know them, I know

them, they'll always be calling, but if

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you can't look on that, they're literally

just to make money and just ask.

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And it's a lot of patience for it.

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It's about the people as well.

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As you said before, it's meeting your

clients and your potential placements face

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to face.

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So it's not the opposite number.

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You're not just trying to fill a seat,

you're just trying to get your money.

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It's about people having it.

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which makes an opportunity, which makes

the world a different place.

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It's a massive connection.

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And that's where, that's where in five

years time, that presence likely to be

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client.

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You know, it's seeing the CDPs go in and

become head chef and hey, I've been in a

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sous chef sort of thing.

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It's like good people are never quiet.

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So, but it is, it is, I think it's been

the underdogs as well to them, isn't it?

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Because if we look at the way that they're

reviewed, and I'm going to mention K's

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name again, 165 billion turnover and

they're complaining to be recognised as an

211

00:10:03,316 --> 00:10:06,537

industry, I don't know, I don't know, I

don't know, I don't know.

212

00:10:06,666 --> 00:10:10,368

It's the previous class system, the way

that parents and teachers view the

213

00:10:10,368 --> 00:10:10,788

industry.

214

00:10:10,788 --> 00:10:15,871

You know, I know you two have been into

the schools to encourage, and I love that.

215

00:10:15,871 --> 00:10:16,651

I absolutely love that.

216

00:10:16,651 --> 00:10:18,292

I'd love to get involved in that at some

point.

217

00:10:18,292 --> 00:10:20,693

And the interesting bit that, you know,

spending time with the teachers and the

218

00:10:20,693 --> 00:10:24,915

parents to feel proud about their kids

doing something that they would get at.

219

00:10:24,915 --> 00:10:28,437

And you mentioned a competition between

schools and that's absolutely amazing

220

00:10:28,437 --> 00:10:30,338

because kids are the bosses at the end of

the day, aren't they?

221

00:10:30,338 --> 00:10:33,800

They're just influenced by other people to

get through that way as well as spending

222

00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:34,040

time.

223

00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:35,121

So I do love that.

224

00:10:35,121 --> 00:10:36,102

I mean, certainly I've seen.

225

00:10:36,102 --> 00:10:39,024

know, a few people that are, well, someone

very close to me that would do some

226

00:10:39,024 --> 00:10:41,145

hospitality, brother actually, and you

know, a couple of the guys from school

227

00:10:41,145 --> 00:10:42,126

like, what's going on?

228

00:10:42,126 --> 00:10:44,427

It's like, hospitality, Bunningham

restaurant.

229

00:10:44,427 --> 00:10:46,388

And it's just like, what?

230

00:10:46,609 --> 00:10:47,789

That's real.

231

00:10:47,890 --> 00:10:48,911

That's really, really real.

232

00:10:48,911 --> 00:10:52,893

They don't know how hard this guy works

and what it's like doing a shift.

233

00:10:53,734 --> 00:10:55,695

You should try because it's great fun.

234

00:10:55,695 --> 00:10:57,817

Yeah, you might be frowned upon, but so

what?

235

00:10:57,817 --> 00:10:58,557

Be the underdog.

236

00:10:58,557 --> 00:11:01,659

And look at the case studies in the

industry and the encouragement of kids

237

00:11:01,659 --> 00:11:02,320

coming into it.

238

00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:03,421

They can be that person.

239

00:11:03,421 --> 00:11:04,961

So, you know, I think we're...

240

00:11:05,350 --> 00:11:07,010

We do know the challenges in the industry.

241

00:11:07,010 --> 00:11:08,171

We know that there's a big burnout.

242

00:11:08,171 --> 00:11:11,012

We know there's a drug and alcohol problem

and people taking the wrong coaching

243

00:11:11,012 --> 00:11:13,934

mechanisms, because I believe that that's

because it's easy.

244

00:11:13,934 --> 00:11:16,515

You take the easy choice and you're in an

industry that's got alcohol everywhere,

245

00:11:16,515 --> 00:11:17,535

but then it shows the whole world.

246

00:11:17,535 --> 00:11:17,956

Right.

247

00:11:17,956 --> 00:11:19,036

But what do we do with our managers?

248

00:11:19,036 --> 00:11:19,516

Right.

249

00:11:19,516 --> 00:11:21,197

What do we do with our, with our teams?

250

00:11:21,197 --> 00:11:23,418

We reward them by giving them beer.

251

00:11:23,418 --> 00:11:24,379

It's absolutely fine.

252

00:11:24,379 --> 00:11:25,039

But why?

253

00:11:25,039 --> 00:11:26,520

Because that's also easy.

254

00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:29,661

So when it becomes case, someone is burnt

out or they've had something happen in

255

00:11:29,661 --> 00:11:30,882

their lives and.

256

00:11:30,882 --> 00:11:32,002

They turn to something.

257

00:11:32,002 --> 00:11:36,205

That's the reason that the drug and the

alcohol problem has become too much of a

258

00:11:36,205 --> 00:11:39,087

coping mechanism to actually affect

people's lives.

259

00:11:39,087 --> 00:11:43,390

And I think hospitality can't be solely

responsible for that, but it can think

260

00:11:43,390 --> 00:11:44,230

differently.

261

00:11:44,431 --> 00:11:45,191

It can think differently.

262

00:11:45,191 --> 00:11:46,432

Let's go paintballing.

263

00:11:46,432 --> 00:11:47,533

Let's not say well done.

264

00:11:47,533 --> 00:11:48,694

It's just being a little bit creative.

265

00:11:48,694 --> 00:11:51,916

I mean, hospitality is not the only

industry that's responsible for that.

266

00:11:51,916 --> 00:11:52,817

All businesses do it.

267

00:11:52,817 --> 00:11:53,998

All industries do it.

268

00:11:53,998 --> 00:11:55,559

It's those Christmas parties.

269

00:11:55,559 --> 00:11:56,699

I'm doing exactly the same thing.

270

00:11:56,699 --> 00:12:00,010

Let's go to a restaurant and we'll pant

some iron and drink beer.

271

00:12:00,010 --> 00:12:03,851

But going back to the atria, Tim, as to

why that was such a good thing, you know,

272

00:12:03,851 --> 00:12:07,493

go to the industry events, there's nothing

wrong with celebrating the directors and

273

00:12:07,493 --> 00:12:10,954

the CEOs and the heads of, et cetera, et

cetera, but they're really doing quite

274

00:12:10,954 --> 00:12:11,054

well.

275

00:12:11,054 --> 00:12:13,535

Atollo is about a trapped retained

developer.

276

00:12:13,755 --> 00:12:17,237

Every business I'm involved in, Appetite

for recruitment and work, is a trapped

277

00:12:17,237 --> 00:12:17,817

retained developer.

278

00:12:17,817 --> 00:12:22,279

So, to mention the atria in a second, the

standard Appetite for work, when I got

279

00:12:22,279 --> 00:12:25,360

introduced to him, if you know my

gardener, you realize just quite how much

280

00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:28,566

of a legend he is, how good he is, how

strong he is, how dedicated he is.

281

00:12:28,566 --> 00:12:32,768

Part of that process and his team are, is

getting people into the shifts at Wembley,

282

00:12:32,768 --> 00:12:35,269

Twicken and Ascot, whatever that might be,

to earn some cash.

283

00:12:35,269 --> 00:12:36,490

I can't even remember when I was 14 years

old.

284

00:12:36,490 --> 00:12:36,950

Yeah.

285

00:12:36,950 --> 00:12:39,091

And he said, well, we don't probably need

to be able to serve alcohol.

286

00:12:39,091 --> 00:12:39,532

Yeah, fine.

287

00:12:39,532 --> 00:12:42,013

But ultimately that first taste, if

they've got a great experience, they know

288

00:12:42,013 --> 00:12:43,354

exactly where to go when they get there.

289

00:12:43,354 --> 00:12:44,074

They're not getting lost.

290

00:12:44,074 --> 00:12:45,095

They're not getting stressed.

291

00:12:45,095 --> 00:12:47,676

If you're right, so you go in for those

doors, you turn left, you turn right.

292

00:12:47,676 --> 00:12:48,957

It's going to be a stand there.

293

00:12:48,957 --> 00:12:51,058

Paul's going to be on the stand and then

he's going to give you this.

294

00:12:51,058 --> 00:12:51,778

You're going to come through.

295

00:12:51,778 --> 00:12:52,919

See it already.

296

00:12:53,119 --> 00:12:54,120

You're not stressed.

297

00:12:54,120 --> 00:12:56,961

And that can be the first time they've

caught a pint.

298

00:12:56,961 --> 00:12:57,762

First time

299

00:12:57,762 --> 00:13:00,583

clear the table, first thing they've

served the plate.

300

00:13:00,583 --> 00:13:03,925

And so to have the whole experience case

of, well, surely there's responsibility

301

00:13:03,925 --> 00:13:07,607

there because if they've had a really bad

experience, then they might not come back

302

00:13:07,607 --> 00:13:10,849

to the next shift or they might not in an

ideal world, which I know has happened to

303

00:13:10,849 --> 00:13:15,291

a few people, falling in love with the job

and actually then taking it as a career.

304

00:13:15,291 --> 00:13:18,093

And one of our key challenges is

attracting people.

305

00:13:18,093 --> 00:13:21,014

So there's definitely a strong purpose

with Applite for Work.

306

00:13:21,035 --> 00:13:23,436

And then back to, we're going back and

forward, which I love.

307

00:13:23,436 --> 00:13:25,877

The Okras, it was Chris and Kieran's idea,

308

00:13:26,338 --> 00:13:29,419

predominantly college years background,

because Fletcher, Permanayam and Kieran

309

00:13:29,419 --> 00:13:31,420

and Bailey from Wagamomus and Hard Rock.

310

00:13:31,420 --> 00:13:32,180

They're both Hard Rock.

311

00:13:32,180 --> 00:13:32,960

Great guys.

312

00:13:32,960 --> 00:13:34,641

And with our other business partner, Ian.

313

00:13:34,641 --> 00:13:38,203

But I think the four of us, Ian Burke,

yourself, K2.com and various other things.

314

00:13:38,203 --> 00:13:41,764

So we're kind of a cool team, but you

can't think in the way that someone else

315

00:13:41,764 --> 00:13:41,944

does.

316

00:13:41,944 --> 00:13:45,065

So I know that we were four of us who sat

there and Kieran had come up with this

317

00:13:45,065 --> 00:13:46,606

idea with the Hard Rocks, which is

amazing.

318

00:13:46,606 --> 00:13:49,887

But it's actually, it's not that we didn't

talk about negatively, but it's actually

319

00:13:49,887 --> 00:13:51,628

about celebrating the real people.

320

00:13:51,628 --> 00:13:54,806

They had someone called Joan, 30 years in

Hard Rock, waitress.

321

00:13:54,806 --> 00:13:58,147

Fantastic with the team, fantastic with

the guests and completely underestimated

322

00:13:58,147 --> 00:14:00,848

by the snobs that hospitality is not a

career and all that kind of nonsense that

323

00:14:00,848 --> 00:14:02,469

Boris came out with back in the day.

324

00:14:02,469 --> 00:14:08,332

And then it's sort of to maintenance and

to support to bar the entry-level person

325

00:14:08,332 --> 00:14:14,094

and the reaction to getting that, so I

literally made that year, literally made

326

00:14:14,094 --> 00:14:18,016

that year rather than, you know what, the

CEO who's just got an award and gotten mad

327

00:14:18,016 --> 00:14:20,597

at tomorrow, it might appease his high

ego, you know, initially.

328

00:14:20,597 --> 00:14:21,397

Whereas...

329

00:14:21,486 --> 00:14:24,909

People have been sort of thrown around on

stage and just literally just like, yeah,

330

00:14:24,909 --> 00:14:26,050

this is what it's about.

331

00:14:26,050 --> 00:14:26,891

This is what it's about.

332

00:14:26,891 --> 00:14:29,794

Because actually the CEO doesn't need to

be, I'm not saying there's anything wrong

333

00:14:29,794 --> 00:14:32,857

with that, but my view is getting it in

the right order.

334

00:14:32,857 --> 00:14:36,561

And Chris McKeown kind of nailed that

because you're celebrating a CEO who's not

335

00:14:36,561 --> 00:14:38,001

going to be anywhere without Jones.

336

00:14:40,234 --> 00:14:44,256

And I mean, on the night of one of the

runners up, which was speaking to her

337

00:14:44,256 --> 00:14:46,158

before she went on, she was so excited.

338

00:14:46,158 --> 00:14:47,178

Oh really?

339

00:14:47,178 --> 00:14:48,339

And she came to see her.

340

00:14:48,339 --> 00:14:49,700

Oh, she didn't get the prize.

341

00:14:49,700 --> 00:14:50,741

And she was disappointed.

342

00:14:50,741 --> 00:14:54,883

But she turned to me and she just went,

I'll give it next year.

343

00:14:54,883 --> 00:14:55,384

Oh really?

344

00:14:55,384 --> 00:14:58,246

And I was like, yeah, that's a true bond.

345

00:14:58,246 --> 00:14:58,466

Right.

346

00:14:58,466 --> 00:14:59,767

I was like, this is it.

347

00:14:59,767 --> 00:15:00,447

This is it.

348

00:15:00,447 --> 00:15:01,128

Yeah.

349

00:15:01,128 --> 00:15:03,029

And it did create a lot of good will.

350

00:15:03,029 --> 00:15:03,209

It did.

351

00:15:03,209 --> 00:15:10,073

So far I've been in the room and like you

say, really appreciating it.

352

00:15:10,134 --> 00:15:13,616

Even being nominated, you know, and then

when it was enough for a lot of people.

353

00:15:13,616 --> 00:15:14,756

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

354

00:15:15,137 --> 00:15:16,478

Yeah, really, really good.

355

00:15:16,478 --> 00:15:20,361

First of its kind and certainly won't be

the last couple of things we tweak on in

356

00:15:20,361 --> 00:15:24,223

terms of the, but the first event of its

kind, you kind of, and thank you for a

357

00:15:24,223 --> 00:15:28,346

little bit of constructive feedback, but

actually on the most part, 95% it was

358

00:15:28,346 --> 00:15:29,066

pretty much on point.

359

00:15:29,066 --> 00:15:33,970

As you were building, did you have a

philosophy when you first started or a key

360

00:15:33,970 --> 00:15:37,132

principle when you first started that this

is what I'm going to be about?

361

00:15:37,132 --> 00:15:39,850

Or did you kind of do it and then it

developed over time?

362

00:15:39,850 --> 00:15:41,050

Oh, developed over time.

363

00:15:41,051 --> 00:15:43,753

So when I set up a type of recruitment, I

did think about doing the temp side

364

00:15:43,753 --> 00:15:47,716

because I'm going to Manchester and

having, you know, people working in the

365

00:15:47,716 --> 00:15:52,760

schools in the kitchen and first, my first

temp, Jack Makin's friends, stuff, I

366

00:15:52,760 --> 00:15:55,963

picked him up and took him to the school,

dropped him off and then came back because

367

00:15:55,963 --> 00:15:57,083

somebody didn't want me to transport.

368

00:15:57,083 --> 00:15:58,384

So I did think along the temping line.

369

00:15:58,384 --> 00:16:01,127

I never forgot about that because then I

just got, I'd never done permanent

370

00:16:01,127 --> 00:16:02,888

recruitment, never done hospitality

recruitment.

371

00:16:02,888 --> 00:16:06,871

That kind of compliance and said, this

was, let's just see what this is like.

372

00:16:06,871 --> 00:16:09,773

And then when I found permanent

recruitment.

373

00:16:10,134 --> 00:16:11,234

It's got to be a bit natural, hasn't it?

374

00:16:11,234 --> 00:16:11,434

Yeah.

375

00:16:11,434 --> 00:16:14,915

When I found permanent recruitment, it

was, I've done it before, not the

376

00:16:14,915 --> 00:16:17,816

post-partum recruitment, but the permanent

recruitment and it was just the case of

377

00:16:17,816 --> 00:16:19,576

kind of went completely that way.

378

00:16:19,576 --> 00:16:20,056

And I loved it.

379

00:16:20,056 --> 00:16:22,977

I loved finding out about the businesses

in a really intimate level and the

380

00:16:22,977 --> 00:16:26,858

operational structure, so it was the

reporting structure from the, for the MD

381

00:16:26,858 --> 00:16:30,359

to the regional director, to the area

managers and just having all that basic

382

00:16:30,359 --> 00:16:33,440

knowledge of, I'll bet it's the people,

it's an anagram of people, you know, so

383

00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:34,500

and it's really, really important.

384

00:16:34,500 --> 00:16:39,981

And then understanding what the features,

the benefits, the career planning and

385

00:16:40,514 --> 00:16:43,475

type of people that you're going to be

working with, people are working with, how

386

00:16:43,475 --> 00:16:45,256

do you describe your teams?

387

00:16:45,256 --> 00:16:46,217

How do you describe the company?

388

00:16:46,217 --> 00:16:49,059

All those kinds of things that you ask

those questions and the guys still do it

389

00:16:49,059 --> 00:16:52,501

today, and it's really, really important

and digging deep.

390

00:16:52,501 --> 00:16:54,822

That's just almost even not opening yet.

391

00:16:54,862 --> 00:16:58,784

Getting that understanding as to why, why

with this amazing candidate and why is

392

00:16:58,784 --> 00:17:00,485

this an amazing candidate?

393

00:17:00,485 --> 00:17:03,467

Why is this person worth employing?

394

00:17:04,268 --> 00:17:07,706

Because we all know it's like 16,000

pounds to train up.

395

00:17:07,706 --> 00:17:08,206

new manager.

396

00:17:08,206 --> 00:17:11,487

And then obviously look at the turnover of

staff so you can increase the retention of

397

00:17:11,487 --> 00:17:12,388

your teams, et cetera.

398

00:17:12,388 --> 00:17:16,830

So that person's got to be really, really

good to be worth, forget any fees attached

399

00:17:16,830 --> 00:17:17,990

to it, to be a given HR.

400

00:17:17,990 --> 00:17:19,671

So you've got to get to know them.

401

00:17:19,671 --> 00:17:21,712

That was my sole focus.

402

00:17:21,712 --> 00:17:24,993

I think to answer your question, no,

you've been completely apathetic from what

403

00:17:24,993 --> 00:17:26,074

I've got introduced to Mike.

404

00:17:26,074 --> 00:17:29,815

Yeah, that was in the back of my mind, but

it certainly was an opportunist.

405

00:17:29,815 --> 00:17:30,876

Actually, do you know what?

406

00:17:30,876 --> 00:17:35,237

Why don't we set up on the back of an

established and a tempting business?

407

00:17:35,470 --> 00:17:36,470

quite a nice experience.

408

00:17:36,470 --> 00:17:37,751

It comes from strength to strength.

409

00:17:37,751 --> 00:17:38,632

It's amazing.

410

00:17:38,632 --> 00:17:43,916

HGA was completely, completely fluke on

the back of meeting Jordan, who had that

411

00:17:43,916 --> 00:17:47,700

business, I don't know if we've talked

about this, to the point of throwing it

412

00:17:47,700 --> 00:17:50,622

back in the way, an amazing, lost their

way.

413

00:17:50,622 --> 00:17:54,085

They're then going into, with support, you

know, to the hospitality industry.

414

00:17:54,085 --> 00:17:57,928

And so, wow, I'm lucky to be introduced to

it at early days, really, really early

415

00:17:57,928 --> 00:18:01,351

days, and Jordan and I were paired up and

she had a job board and a recruitment

416

00:18:01,351 --> 00:18:05,213

agency, so sort of, actually we teamed up.

417

00:18:05,602 --> 00:18:11,547

Made the changes, put a lot of money into

a new website and all the systems were

418

00:18:11,547 --> 00:18:14,489

running behind it and spent time then

relaunched.

419

00:18:14,829 --> 00:18:18,052

But no, it was just coincidental that you

have a conversation that sort of makes

420

00:18:18,052 --> 00:18:19,894

sense and some of them, they're taller.

421

00:18:19,894 --> 00:18:23,497

I met Chris at an event, I think it was

when Haley was talking about delivering on

422

00:18:23,497 --> 00:18:28,361

the hospitality priority campaign and just

in passing, so Chris didn't know him.

423

00:18:28,361 --> 00:18:29,521

Said, hey, let's be in touch.

424

00:18:29,521 --> 00:18:33,885

Went to a couple of his events with

Kieran, the ESP, Rims 101.

425

00:18:34,726 --> 00:18:38,468

made a point of taking time to, I think

our first meeting was a beer and they were

426

00:18:38,468 --> 00:18:40,850

buzzing because I think they just

sponsored for something and the next one

427

00:18:40,850 --> 00:18:42,231

was a coffee.

428

00:18:42,231 --> 00:18:44,993

Let's talk, let's reduce the energy levels

and talk.

429

00:18:44,993 --> 00:18:48,695

I got a call from Chris one day saying,

this guy, James Lemon, has set up Let's

430

00:18:48,695 --> 00:18:50,897

Holo and he has approached me.

431

00:18:50,897 --> 00:18:53,118

Basically wanted to, his set up wasn't

right.

432

00:18:53,118 --> 00:18:57,861

So I thought to call you, then Ian,

myself, Chris and Kieran chatted.

433

00:18:57,861 --> 00:19:00,963

We'd already done a couple of sessions

with them just to help make sound in terms

434

00:19:00,963 --> 00:19:03,865

of, you know, ask those questions in terms

of where the business that we wanted to

435

00:19:03,865 --> 00:19:04,485

be.

436

00:19:04,634 --> 00:19:09,336

We already knew each other and then yeah,

it's a fairly tight window to take on

437

00:19:09,336 --> 00:19:09,616

Atolo.

438

00:19:09,616 --> 00:19:10,596

That was already set up.

439

00:19:10,596 --> 00:19:15,398

But when I read the Atolo, the reasoning

behind it, which is like, this is like

440

00:19:15,398 --> 00:19:16,159

looking in a mirror.

441

00:19:16,159 --> 00:19:17,679

You're talking, it's all the right things.

442

00:19:17,679 --> 00:19:22,181

It's about the mentoring and the

importance of how many people lived for so

443

00:19:22,181 --> 00:19:23,862

long without having a mentor.

444

00:19:25,843 --> 00:19:29,145

If there was just that time taken and

actually the industry culture, that's just

445

00:19:29,145 --> 00:19:29,885

one small aspect.

446

00:19:29,885 --> 00:19:31,554

It's about doing one small thing.

447

00:19:31,554 --> 00:19:33,554

that makes a significant difference.

448

00:19:33,554 --> 00:19:34,615

And that's what we believe in it.

449

00:19:34,615 --> 00:19:36,035

That's why you got involved.

450

00:19:36,035 --> 00:19:39,257

And then obviously the training aspects

and, and community is a plus and being

451

00:19:39,257 --> 00:19:40,697

able to do the operence.

452

00:19:40,697 --> 00:19:44,879

But the bottom line is actually with the

support, you know, the retention rates

453

00:19:44,879 --> 00:19:48,741

will, which is pushed off the scale in

hospitality can be reduced because people

454

00:19:48,741 --> 00:19:49,421

just need support.

455

00:19:49,421 --> 00:19:50,701

Good people need support.

456

00:19:50,742 --> 00:19:51,722

And we all do.

457

00:19:51,722 --> 00:19:54,483

I mean, I didn't have a mentor for way too

long.

458

00:19:54,683 --> 00:19:59,185

I was probably about 15 years too late,

which could have taken a lot of the pain

459

00:19:59,185 --> 00:20:00,265

and stress out of it.

460

00:20:00,634 --> 00:20:03,936

just to feel that bit of support and

completely isolated at times, it just all

461

00:20:03,936 --> 00:20:05,357

feels like it's against you.

462

00:20:05,357 --> 00:20:09,880

And that proactivity of competitors, et

cetera, it's going to sort of set a limb

463

00:20:09,880 --> 00:20:14,623

here and just doing the trial and error,

which is amazing because I think you have

464

00:20:14,623 --> 00:20:17,025

to have that drive, that energy.

465

00:20:17,025 --> 00:20:19,507

And actually that was a good question

before in terms of why, because I believe

466

00:20:19,507 --> 00:20:19,987

in this industry.

467

00:20:19,987 --> 00:20:21,568

I've seen people being broken by the

industry.

468

00:20:21,568 --> 00:20:23,669

I've seen people being discouraged in the

industry.

469

00:20:23,810 --> 00:20:28,333

Therefore, I'm very, very passionate about

it and to be able to do the cool stuff

470

00:20:28,333 --> 00:20:29,610

while being realistic.

471

00:20:29,610 --> 00:20:33,011

most tinted glasses and all that, but at

the same time, the clothes and the tinted,

472

00:20:33,011 --> 00:20:33,771

not completely blanked out.

473

00:20:33,771 --> 00:20:34,211

Yeah.

474

00:20:34,211 --> 00:20:36,933

So with a realistic approach, I think that

realistic approach is, yeah, let those

475

00:20:36,933 --> 00:20:39,793

things do the change and decisions people

are making.

476

00:20:39,854 --> 00:20:43,595

You know, as you talked about drugs and

alcohol and that easy support, which is

477

00:20:43,595 --> 00:20:45,996

the most even support, yeah, if abused.

478

00:20:46,436 --> 00:20:47,777

And, you know, we know it's right.

479

00:20:47,777 --> 00:20:49,938

And I didn't realize this is me just, I

was going into it.

480

00:20:49,938 --> 00:20:53,179

So I was going, but I was working with

someone, he decided to go back into

481

00:20:53,179 --> 00:20:57,441

industry, kept in touch, popped down and

he was telling me, this is, this is

482

00:20:57,441 --> 00:20:59,281

something that people will really resonate

with.

483

00:20:59,350 --> 00:21:02,371

I didn't realize that, you know, so many

businesses, we're going to talk about the

484

00:21:02,371 --> 00:21:04,072

potential of the market, it's going to be

real.

485

00:21:04,072 --> 00:21:06,973

You've been basically doing coke, having a

shot of tequila to get yourself through

486

00:21:06,973 --> 00:21:07,693

the shift.

487

00:21:07,693 --> 00:21:09,274

What do you do after the shift?

488

00:21:09,294 --> 00:21:10,855

Oh, well then you, then the party starts,

right?

489

00:21:10,855 --> 00:21:11,075

Okay.

490

00:21:11,075 --> 00:21:14,036

Then you feel pretty, and what if

something's going wrong in your life at

491

00:21:14,036 --> 00:21:14,476

that point?

492

00:21:14,476 --> 00:21:19,219

It might just be a party period of time

for a while, but what happens if you have

493

00:21:19,219 --> 00:21:20,239

a bereavement in the family?

494

00:21:20,239 --> 00:21:22,320

What happens if you have a relationship

break up?

495

00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:24,941

You know, at that point it becomes a case

of something that was fun becomes really

496

00:21:24,941 --> 00:21:26,134

something that's quite dark.

497

00:21:26,134 --> 00:21:27,875

And the balance is missed out on.

498

00:21:27,875 --> 00:21:32,657

So as I mentioned before, if companies can

not always be rewarding with alcohol, but

499

00:21:32,657 --> 00:21:34,919

they can be actually doing sort of fun

activities.

500

00:21:34,919 --> 00:21:37,420

The restaurant I was at, which is called

the Mississippi Exchange in Guildford,

501

00:21:37,420 --> 00:21:40,081

amazing American quality style.

502

00:21:40,202 --> 00:21:41,903

People dancing on the tables at Christmas

and stuff.

503

00:21:41,903 --> 00:21:43,363

We used to go play football.

504

00:21:43,384 --> 00:21:46,245

I wasn't a footballer, I'm a rugby player,

but I can, I know how to kick a football

505

00:21:46,245 --> 00:21:48,307

and to run around and so just get fun.

506

00:21:48,307 --> 00:21:51,348

We just play and then we had a competition

with another couple of the restaurants and

507

00:21:51,348 --> 00:21:52,389

doing all those kinds of things.

508

00:21:52,389 --> 00:21:53,422

And it's just.

509

00:21:53,422 --> 00:21:54,442

I mean, that's just one example.

510

00:21:54,442 --> 00:21:57,364

And I think sport is a really good

recreational activity.

511

00:21:57,364 --> 00:21:59,945

It would do, yeah, you know, it's nothing

wrong if you go and have a beer and get

512

00:21:59,945 --> 00:22:00,686

smashed over and over.

513

00:22:00,686 --> 00:22:04,328

I mean, there's not, I'm not a judge,

like, you know, but at the same time, I

514

00:22:04,328 --> 00:22:07,429

think we do have a responsibility to do

other things.

515

00:22:10,370 --> 00:22:15,512

So in those moments of doubts or

challenge, how do you stay focused,

516

00:22:15,512 --> 00:22:16,653

old-spyred?

517

00:22:16,693 --> 00:22:17,874

By reinventing a thing.

518

00:22:17,874 --> 00:22:21,516

I think having the next opportunity, one

thing, but then you can also get lost in

519

00:22:21,516 --> 00:22:25,458

that because hang on a minute, how do I

stay focused?

520

00:22:26,098 --> 00:22:27,339

Because I'm passionate.

521

00:22:27,399 --> 00:22:31,761

So to back off from everything after COVID

and it being, for so many reasons, a

522

00:22:31,761 --> 00:22:34,663

really difficult time, that then it's sort

of a case of, okay, right, so the next

523

00:22:34,663 --> 00:22:38,505

site of things starts, it's very, very

different with different energy, different

524

00:22:38,505 --> 00:22:39,670

personalities.

525

00:22:39,670 --> 00:22:41,570

the point of being lost.

526

00:22:41,570 --> 00:22:42,170

Yeah.

527

00:22:42,170 --> 00:22:43,411

And I was lost during the banking session.

528

00:22:43,411 --> 00:22:45,491

You can say, well, how the hell do I get

out of this?

529

00:22:45,491 --> 00:22:46,851

Or how do I get back into this?

530

00:22:46,851 --> 00:22:50,933

And in the case of, well, you just do, you

just do and try to be as kind and strong

531

00:22:50,933 --> 00:22:55,254

as possible, but I think that there's a

lot of leaders out there that probably,

532

00:22:55,254 --> 00:22:57,975

you know, it looks absolutely amazing

because there are certain times behind the

533

00:22:57,975 --> 00:23:02,776

scenes it's, it's an absolute, if I can

say shitshit and you, you kind of, you

534

00:23:02,776 --> 00:23:05,657

hide that, you put your front up there

and, and that's not actually healthy for a

535

00:23:05,657 --> 00:23:06,157

human being.

536

00:23:06,157 --> 00:23:08,997

So it's actually, you know, we work with

hospitality action.

537

00:23:09,078 --> 00:23:11,938

to be able to know everyone in the team.

538

00:23:11,938 --> 00:23:15,439

And obviously, you know, to phone up and

get those conversations, those supporters

539

00:23:15,439 --> 00:23:17,340

conversations, which is really, really

important.

540

00:23:17,340 --> 00:23:19,360

And I've got no embarrassment behind that

at all.

541

00:23:19,360 --> 00:23:23,321

In fact, you know, I think there are times

where there's just too much going on.

542

00:23:23,362 --> 00:23:26,683

So to keep that motivation and drive is

the case of, right, well then, okay, at

543

00:23:26,683 --> 00:23:28,843

that point, what gets me out of bed in the

morning?

544

00:23:28,843 --> 00:23:29,503

What I want to do.

545

00:23:29,503 --> 00:23:32,384

And actually I want to get out of bed in

the morning.

546

00:23:32,844 --> 00:23:36,005

If you'd asked me that question two months

ago, and I'm being really honest with you.

547

00:23:38,110 --> 00:23:41,793

All I'm going to do in my head, right, at

that time, all I'm doing in my head on

548

00:23:41,793 --> 00:23:44,975

certain days is thinking, shit, I've got

to do that, shit, I've got to do that.

549

00:23:44,975 --> 00:23:45,656

I've got to do that.

550

00:23:45,656 --> 00:23:48,198

And all those things that that's what you

get out of bed.

551

00:23:48,198 --> 00:23:52,302

You get out of bed to do those things

rather than sitting there thinking, you

552

00:23:52,302 --> 00:23:54,703

know, playing in your mind, then it

affects your sleep pattern.

553

00:23:54,704 --> 00:23:56,505

Sleep's really, really important.

554

00:23:56,505 --> 00:23:57,586

All of the things that happen.

555

00:23:57,586 --> 00:24:00,709

I mean, luckily I've got a strong enough

support network to be able to come through

556

00:24:00,709 --> 00:24:04,392

to the point of, right, here we go,

reinvention, the next stage, the next

557

00:24:04,392 --> 00:24:04,652

stage.

558

00:24:04,652 --> 00:24:06,466

And I'm really, really excited about it.

559

00:24:06,466 --> 00:24:08,007

Did I enjoy certain times of my career?

560

00:24:08,007 --> 00:24:10,769

No, no, no.

561

00:24:10,769 --> 00:24:14,851

But, I'm still here doing it.

562

00:24:14,851 --> 00:24:18,294

What key piece of advice would you offer

to aspiring leaguers in this society?

563

00:24:18,294 --> 00:24:20,736

Oh, good question.

564

00:24:20,736 --> 00:24:20,916

Okay.

565

00:24:20,916 --> 00:24:23,297

I'm going to go with, I'm going to go with

two words twice.

566

00:24:23,297 --> 00:24:24,518

Confidence and humility.

567

00:24:24,518 --> 00:24:27,400

I think getting that balance right, you

don't be overconfident and then, and then

568

00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:31,323

two, not, not humble enough, because I

think that's really, really key to be real

569

00:24:31,363 --> 00:24:32,624

and a good human being on that side.

570

00:24:32,624 --> 00:24:34,910

And if your confidence is taking a nobble,

which it will.

571

00:24:34,910 --> 00:24:36,170

not, which it will with all of us.

572

00:24:36,170 --> 00:24:38,651

And I think that the character bit is

being able to come through that on the

573

00:24:38,651 --> 00:24:39,631

other side.

574

00:24:39,631 --> 00:24:45,194

Then I think the humility goes to an

unequal level of over compensation, which

575

00:24:45,194 --> 00:24:45,894

isn't good.

576

00:24:45,894 --> 00:24:53,337

And I think then the vulnerability and

bravery are the other two words I'd use.

577

00:24:53,337 --> 00:24:56,398

And that might not make sense, I'll

explain.

578

00:24:56,798 --> 00:24:58,659

The vulnerability is absolutely key,

right?

579

00:24:58,659 --> 00:25:00,180

So we're human beings.

580

00:25:00,300 --> 00:25:04,721

And I think showing that vulnerability,

genuine vulnerability...

581

00:25:04,794 --> 00:25:08,136

not in a way that's going to concern

people, but in a way that is a case of

582

00:25:08,136 --> 00:25:10,877

it's okay to be a human being.

583

00:25:11,578 --> 00:25:14,180

So forget all the other words from the

past, it's okay not to be okay.

584

00:25:14,240 --> 00:25:15,781

I think it's okay to be a human being.

585

00:25:15,781 --> 00:25:20,944

And I think that for a leader is a lot

more engaging than a fake facade, which is

586

00:25:20,944 --> 00:25:24,187

a case of, what's wrong with, I'm not in

that relationship, I don't quite know what

587

00:25:24,187 --> 00:25:24,387

it is.

588

00:25:24,387 --> 00:25:26,748

I think because the vulnerability is not

there sometimes.

589

00:25:26,748 --> 00:25:30,051

And the other word that I used at that

time is fearlessness.

590

00:25:30,051 --> 00:25:32,132

So fearlessness is basically bravery.

591

00:25:32,132 --> 00:25:34,413

To show that vulnerability, I believe is

592

00:25:34,626 --> 00:25:39,207

But it's also then combines with the

confidence to be able to say, I've got

593

00:25:39,207 --> 00:25:39,807

you.

594

00:25:40,028 --> 00:25:40,388

Yeah.

595

00:25:40,388 --> 00:25:43,969

I've got my role locked in to be

approachable.

596

00:25:44,630 --> 00:25:48,411

And, you know, we've said before, it's,

you know, leaders are everywhere.

597

00:25:48,671 --> 00:25:48,891

Yeah.

598

00:25:48,891 --> 00:25:51,752

If it's a case of, you know, you're

working a long shift and people are

599

00:25:51,752 --> 00:25:55,274

lagging in that energy you bring to pull

people up, that's, that's real leadership.

600

00:25:55,274 --> 00:25:57,835

You know, more so than it is to sit in the

boardroom.

601

00:25:57,835 --> 00:26:02,777

This is where you'll be quite authentic

because my first impression of you was, I

602

00:26:02,777 --> 00:26:04,318

knew you were a busy piece.

603

00:26:04,318 --> 00:26:05,018

Yes.

604

00:26:05,338 --> 00:26:10,443

And it was Vicky, Vicky came over, Vicky

Glover.

605

00:26:10,443 --> 00:26:15,307

She came over and she was like, Nick,

what's the, if it's all right, if you

606

00:26:15,307 --> 00:26:16,247

could speak with you.

607

00:26:16,247 --> 00:26:21,372

And I was like, why, why is he asking, you

know, I was like, of course you can, if I

608

00:26:21,372 --> 00:26:22,453

read some of your stuff anyway.

609

00:26:22,453 --> 00:26:24,034

I didn't know she'd said that.

610

00:26:24,034 --> 00:26:24,314

Yeah.

611

00:26:24,314 --> 00:26:29,118

I was like, anyway, and then when I went

over to you, of course you, you know, you

612

00:26:29,118 --> 00:26:32,100

can't, you're paying for the event

essentially.

613

00:26:32,100 --> 00:26:33,281

And then it was like,

614

00:26:33,462 --> 00:26:35,603

Yeah, but yet you're a podcast writer.

615

00:26:35,603 --> 00:26:37,264

And it was just so hungry.

616

00:26:37,264 --> 00:26:42,868

It was just like, so funny because like

talking a lot of times is growing massive,

617

00:26:42,868 --> 00:26:46,591

like literally just been since then, but

we were kind of like just feeling away and

618

00:26:46,591 --> 00:26:51,574

what we wanted to come at that point, but

for you to do that with such deference is

619

00:26:51,814 --> 00:26:55,257

quite rare, particularly in recruitment, I

would say.

620

00:26:55,257 --> 00:26:57,959

So I was quite taken aback by it in a

really positive way.

621

00:26:57,959 --> 00:27:00,260

I was like, I was trying to go, of course

this is all right.

622

00:27:00,260 --> 00:27:02,601

Like that shows you took your talk.

623

00:27:02,778 --> 00:27:07,140

Because you would just, you know, think,

just assume like we get now at sometimes

624

00:27:07,140 --> 00:27:10,482

where people just come up to us because

they, we're not celebrities, but they sort

625

00:27:10,482 --> 00:27:12,123

of think we are in their head.

626

00:27:12,123 --> 00:27:16,245

And they'll just come up to us like quite

rudely sometimes, just expecting us to be

627

00:27:16,245 --> 00:27:17,266

available for learning.

628

00:27:17,266 --> 00:27:20,868

Whereas it, so it was quite, to see that

was quite a, quite a comparison.

629

00:27:20,868 --> 00:27:21,648

So.

630

00:27:21,828 --> 00:27:25,250

The bit of the story that Tim is missing

out, because he did recite this story to

631

00:27:25,250 --> 00:27:27,071

Hades, I know all about this story.

632

00:27:27,071 --> 00:27:30,173

The bit he's missing out is the fact that

at the same time where you were asking me

633

00:27:30,173 --> 00:27:31,493

if you could speak with him.

634

00:27:31,710 --> 00:27:33,650

In his mind, it's like, but you're Nick.

635

00:27:33,650 --> 00:27:34,751

Yeah, yeah.

636

00:27:34,751 --> 00:27:36,492

You're Nick and you've done this, this and

this.

637

00:27:36,492 --> 00:27:39,973

So it was almost double-edged sword and

you both didn't realize you were feeling

638

00:27:39,973 --> 00:27:40,593

the same.

639

00:27:40,593 --> 00:27:42,434

Didn't realize that would make quite the

impact.

640

00:27:42,434 --> 00:27:45,556

And I think he's really sweet to kind of

hook us up as it were.

641

00:27:45,556 --> 00:27:48,877

And actually, I think that being a bit

unassuming is quite important, I think,

642

00:27:48,877 --> 00:27:49,717

for a leader.

643

00:27:49,758 --> 00:27:50,738

And I'm not putting myself as a leader.

644

00:27:50,738 --> 00:27:51,898

I don't feel like a leader.

645

00:27:51,898 --> 00:27:56,320

But I think that if I was to look at

leaders that I know, the strongest leaders

646

00:27:56,320 --> 00:27:59,121

are unassuming sometimes, yeah, rather

than...

647

00:27:59,945 --> 00:28:01,896

I'd say you're a leader, personally,

but...

648

00:28:06,166 --> 00:28:09,687

So that sound Nick, just in case you want

to drink, I'm sure you will.

649

00:28:09,967 --> 00:28:12,328

It means it's time for a rapid fire

question round.

650

00:28:12,328 --> 00:28:14,468

Put the cuppa down for the rest of the

time.

651

00:28:14,468 --> 00:28:15,508

Why am I not scared?

652

00:28:15,508 --> 00:28:16,509

You should be actually.

653

00:28:16,509 --> 00:28:17,289

Is it a bit?

654

00:28:17,289 --> 00:28:18,249

A little bit serious.

655

00:28:18,249 --> 00:28:19,069

Or not?

656

00:28:19,069 --> 00:28:23,511

We've explored your professional insights,

but now it's time to delve into the real

657

00:28:23,511 --> 00:28:24,131

Nick.

658

00:28:24,131 --> 00:28:28,752

To our regular listeners, you know the

rules, but if you're new and Nick, your

659

00:28:28,752 --> 00:28:33,453

challenge is to answer each question with

just one word.

660

00:28:33,453 --> 00:28:34,102

Or not.

661

00:28:34,102 --> 00:28:36,823

I don't think I've ever answered a

question with one word in my life.

662

00:28:36,823 --> 00:28:38,043

I do want to finish.

663

00:28:38,043 --> 00:28:38,763

Because I like you both.

664

00:28:38,763 --> 00:28:39,484

You have recruited me.

665

00:28:39,484 --> 00:28:39,884

Awesome.

666

00:28:39,884 --> 00:28:40,104

Right.

667

00:28:40,104 --> 00:28:40,704

Okay.

668

00:28:40,724 --> 00:28:44,246

We understand it's a tool order for those

in the hospital as well, particularly

669

00:28:44,246 --> 00:28:47,867

recruiters to keep it concise, but let's

see how you fare.

670

00:28:48,127 --> 00:28:53,850

We're judging on speed, weight and

succinctness, which I hope you can prove

671

00:28:53,850 --> 00:28:55,450

better than I can say.

672

00:28:55,571 --> 00:28:59,512

The one who's on top of the leaderboard at

the end of the season will receive...

673

00:28:59,512 --> 00:29:01,413

Are you ready for this, Nick?

674

00:29:01,413 --> 00:29:02,073

Yes.

675

00:29:02,073 --> 00:29:02,593

A...

676

00:29:03,018 --> 00:29:03,718

Amazon.

677

00:29:03,718 --> 00:29:05,920

Right.

678

00:29:05,920 --> 00:29:09,102

It don't care, it's the competition I just

did.

679

00:29:09,102 --> 00:29:10,364

Reward is irrelevant.

680

00:29:10,364 --> 00:29:10,964

Yes.

681

00:29:11,284 --> 00:29:14,747

So you geared up.

682

00:29:14,747 --> 00:29:15,628

Um, I'm going to, yes, I'm ready.

683

00:29:15,628 --> 00:29:15,948

I'm ready.

684

00:29:15,948 --> 00:29:16,348

Go.

685

00:29:16,348 --> 00:29:16,569

Okay.

686

00:29:16,569 --> 00:29:17,729

Let's get some answers.

687

00:29:18,030 --> 00:29:20,392

Zombie apocalypse, run, hide or join?

688

00:29:20,392 --> 00:29:21,192

Join.

689

00:29:22,233 --> 00:29:23,174

Airworm song.

690

00:29:23,174 --> 00:29:24,855

No.

691

00:29:24,935 --> 00:29:27,617

Super power choice, flight or

invisibility?

692

00:29:27,617 --> 00:29:28,498

Flight.

693

00:29:28,498 --> 00:29:30,579

Strangest spoon you've ever tried?

694

00:29:32,121 --> 00:29:33,001

Caterpillar.

695

00:29:33,194 --> 00:29:36,994

If you were a cocktail, which one would

you be?

696

00:29:37,215 --> 00:29:38,295

An old fashioned.

697

00:29:38,395 --> 00:29:40,535

Favorite word in the English language?

698

00:29:40,535 --> 00:29:41,076

Hospitality.

699

00:29:41,076 --> 00:29:43,356

Oh, that's good.

700

00:29:43,356 --> 00:29:44,356

That's good.

701

00:29:44,557 --> 00:29:47,657

If you could be any historical figure for

the day, who would you be?

702

00:29:47,657 --> 00:29:48,818

Winston Churchill.

703

00:29:48,818 --> 00:29:51,058

Which house or Hogwarts would you be?

704

00:29:51,819 --> 00:29:52,739

Never seen.

705

00:29:52,959 --> 00:29:54,759

Most unusual item in your home?

706

00:29:54,759 --> 00:29:55,579

A wok.

707

00:29:56,440 --> 00:29:58,920

If you had to yelp, what would you name

it?

708

00:29:59,301 --> 00:30:00,741

Appetite for adventure.

709

00:30:01,041 --> 00:30:03,121

Oh, I learned.

710

00:30:03,670 --> 00:30:05,671

Favourite sitcom character?

711

00:30:05,771 --> 00:30:06,892

Chandler.

712

00:30:06,892 --> 00:30:08,573

Best dish you could cook?

713

00:30:09,133 --> 00:30:10,494

Stove-Rite.

714

00:30:10,494 --> 00:30:14,257

If you could ban just one food forever,

what would it be?

715

00:30:14,257 --> 00:30:16,178

Mushy Bees.

716

00:30:16,178 --> 00:30:19,921

What was the last thing that made you

laugh out loud?

717

00:30:19,921 --> 00:30:20,761

This.

718

00:30:21,182 --> 00:30:23,003

Brilliant, we love that.

719

00:30:23,063 --> 00:30:26,045

Queen first or jam on a spoon?

720

00:30:26,045 --> 00:30:26,945

Oh jam.

721

00:30:27,406 --> 00:30:28,807

My mate, love it or hate it?

722

00:30:28,807 --> 00:30:30,288

Love it.

723

00:30:30,288 --> 00:30:32,109

Most unexpected hobby?

724

00:30:32,109 --> 00:30:32,989

Walking.

725

00:30:34,122 --> 00:30:35,242

That is unexplainable.

726

00:30:36,083 --> 00:30:40,887

If you could teleport anywhere right now,

where would you be?

727

00:30:40,887 --> 00:30:41,927

Australia.

728

00:30:43,008 --> 00:30:43,368

Favorite snack?

729

00:30:43,368 --> 00:30:44,269

Chocolate.

730

00:30:44,849 --> 00:30:50,273

If you could have the dinner with any

fictional character, who would that be?

731

00:30:50,433 --> 00:30:54,035

It would be Jack Nicholson from One Flew

Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

732

00:30:54,696 --> 00:30:57,978

Nick, why do round pizzas come in square

boxes?

733

00:30:58,198 --> 00:30:59,619

No idea.

734

00:30:59,619 --> 00:31:02,261

What do you call a boomerang that won't

come back?

735

00:31:02,261 --> 00:31:03,081

A ruler.

736

00:31:03,094 --> 00:31:05,270

Why don't you call a crocodile in a vest?

737

00:31:05,270 --> 00:31:06,072

Lost.

738

00:31:09,314 --> 00:31:13,215

The answer is of course an investigator.

739

00:31:13,355 --> 00:31:14,115

Oh dear.

740

00:31:14,115 --> 00:31:16,856

And the other one was a steed, but we

wouldn't take Runa.

741

00:31:16,856 --> 00:31:17,636

We wouldn't take Runa.

742

00:31:17,636 --> 00:31:20,397

That was good.

743

00:31:20,397 --> 00:31:23,938

Remember old schools that obviously we

wouldn't Runa anyway.

744

00:31:23,938 --> 00:31:24,038

Yeah.

745

00:31:24,038 --> 00:31:24,578

Thanks, Snags.

746

00:31:24,578 --> 00:31:28,479

Great to have you on now actually to get

some insight on who Nick Cloamer is behind

747

00:31:28,479 --> 00:31:30,360

all the bright lights.

748

00:31:30,360 --> 00:31:31,240

It's lovely to meet you.

749

00:31:31,240 --> 00:31:31,881

Yeah.

750

00:31:31,881 --> 00:31:32,241

No thank you.

751

00:31:32,241 --> 00:31:32,821

It's very kind.

752

00:31:32,821 --> 00:31:35,381

And this is the first podcast I've ever

done.

753

00:31:35,842 --> 00:31:36,902

Ever, ever, ever.

754

00:31:36,902 --> 00:31:37,923

So you know what?

755

00:31:37,923 --> 00:31:38,644

I really enjoyed it.

756

00:31:38,644 --> 00:31:42,106

I think you guys are great individually

and collectively and I can't wait to do

757

00:31:42,106 --> 00:31:46,589

more stuff with you in terms of, you know,

positive industry things to do our best.

758

00:31:46,589 --> 00:31:46,689

Yeah.

759

00:31:46,689 --> 00:31:48,190

Hats off, hats off.

760

00:31:48,190 --> 00:31:48,350

Exactly.

761

00:31:48,350 --> 00:31:49,251

Big lever in your message.

762

00:31:49,251 --> 00:31:50,072

Better together.

763

00:31:50,072 --> 00:31:50,392

Always.

764

00:31:50,392 --> 00:31:51,513

Thank you, Nick.

765

00:31:51,513 --> 00:31:52,073

Okay.

766

00:31:52,073 --> 00:31:52,473

Thank you.

767

00:31:52,473 --> 00:31:56,956

And thank you to our listeners for tuning

in to Talking Hospitality.

768

00:31:57,157 --> 00:32:01,119

Don't forget, you can get in contact with

us via our website, www.

769

00:32:04,502 --> 00:32:08,766

You can also contact us through socials on

Instagram, Facebook and TikTok by

770

00:32:08,766 --> 00:32:11,068

searching at Talking Hospitality.

771

00:32:11,068 --> 00:32:16,373

Our website offers more episodes, blogs on

the topics discussed and training that are

772

00:32:16,373 --> 00:32:20,457

specific to the hospitality industry to

help you and your team develop their

773

00:32:20,457 --> 00:32:22,039

hospitality careers.

774

00:32:22,099 --> 00:32:25,402

Your support makes these conversations

possible.

775

00:32:25,402 --> 00:32:28,702

Remember to like and subscribe wherever

you get your podcasts.

776

00:32:28,702 --> 00:32:32,353

Stay tuned for more engaging discussions

in the world of hospitality.

777

00:32:32,353 --> 00:32:35,741

Until next time, keep pushing boundaries

and stay awesome.

Nick CloverProfile Photo

Nick Clover

CEO, Owner, and Founder at Appetite 4 Recruitment; Otolo Director and Hospitality Jobs UK

Nick Clover is a prominent figure in the hospitality industry, known for his entrepreneurial spirit and leadership roles. As the CEO, Owner, and Founder of Appetite 4 Recruitment, Nick has established himself as a key player in hospitality recruitment, helping to match talented individuals with their ideal roles in the industry. His expertise and passion for hospitality have also led him to become a Co-Owner and Co-Director at Otolo, a platform dedicated to mentoring and community support within the hospitality sector. Otolo, under Nick's guidance, has been recognized for its innovative approach to fostering growth and development among hospitality professionals. With a career marked by significant contributions to the industry, including his role as Director and Co-Owner at Hospitality Jobs UK, Nick Clover continues to influence the future of hospitality through his commitment to excellence, innovation, and community support.