Simon Farrow’s Post

A few years ago, we took our company to Vegas for a conference and I experienced a moment that reminded me why teams will always outperform individuals. On the last day of the conference, there was a performance by Nelly at one of the hotel's beach clubs. Everyone was excited to celebrate the last day together but one of our product team members forgot to bring his name badge and the bouncers at the entrance wouldn't let him in. His face slumped but he didn't want to hold everyone back so he told us to go ahead without him and he'd find something else to do. I thought to myself how ridiculous that sounded because we'd never leave anyone behind. So I told everyone else to go in while I pulled him aside and walked him a few steps away from the entrance. He was confused but I told him to wait for a bit so he could see what I was trying to do. After a few minutes, we saw a few conference attendees leaving the event early. I flagged one of these attendees down, explained the situation, and asked if he'd be willing to part with his name badge since it was the last day and event of the conference anyways. He said no. So I flagged another attendee who seemed to be in a rush to leave. The guy said of course, took off his name badge, and handed it to me. I gave the name badge to our product team member, told him to act confident, and we walked past the bouncers into the venue with no issue. After we got in, the product team member burst out laughing. He said, "I can't believe that worked. I'd never think to do that!" The funny thing is that I think that exact same thought about this team member all the time. He's a self taught food scientist, insanely intelligent and hardworking, and regularly thinks outside the box. He works on experiments at our ramen lab I'd never dream of and I'm constantly impressed they work because I'd never think to do them. I love this memory so much. A talent or ability that comes so easy to you may be completely foreign for another team member and vice versa. And that's what makes teams work. #teams #teamwork

✨As one of our clients said recently - "Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast, Lunch AND Dinner" - It is a critical enabler of EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCE. If you are a business owner, with a team AND in the process of scaling your business - this reminder is for YOU. When the team was small, you could connect with everyone, 'put your arms around the business' in a way that you could steer & guide the culture as the business was growing. You could feel the pulse of the team, sense the energy AND quickly get to anything that seemed a bit 'off'. You could 'course correct' very quickly - because you were always close to the action. But when you get to a certain size - this is completely unrealistic. You lose touch, and before you know it - the scale and spread of the team, means you feel slightly disconnected. Dysfunction and friction kicks in - and you can't quite 'put your finger on' the root cause. You know something needs to shift, but the what OR how isn't so obvious anymore. If you'd like to get to the heart of the matter AND back to feeling like your 'on the front foot' without being caught 'in the weeds', we have something exciting coming in January that you do NOT want to miss. We are leveraging our experience and expertise from our work with clients across UK, US and Europe....from organisations that have between 200 people and 100,000 people plus.....from multiple millions to many, many more than that! So much inspiration AND things you can practically apply - immediately!! This is a MUST ATTEND 'event'. More details coming shortly. If you'd like to know more, drop me a DM - lets talk.

On the upcoming HotelIT - Executive Hospitality Tech Summit, yours truly will moderate a panel "Future Horizons: Innovating Hospitality for Tomorrow's Guests" and deliver a keynote "Technology and Knowledge: When Contribution Becomes Burden" in which I will throw in my two cents worth on the paradoxes of technology, particularly on how easily it becomes a crotch for lameness and ignorance or, in other words, how gods became the People of Walmart. Godspeed and see you on the flip side!

After 20 years in hospitality across the UK, Europe, and the Middle East, one truth stands out: Consistency is everything. If you don't know who you are as a brand, how will your customers? Clarity isn't a luxury; it's a necessity. From a simple Google search to the moment a menu is handed over at the table, clear communication bridges the gap between you and your guests. It's about delivering a consistent message at every touchpoint. Keep it simple. Stay true to who you are. And most importantly, keep going. At Tayla Russell Communications, we help you define and communicate your brand across all platforms. Let's make sure your story is the one that stands out. #HospitalityInsights #BrandConsistency #ClearCommunication #KeepItSimple

From challenges in the industry to sustainability, artificial intelligence and the role of technology, the expert panel touched on several hot topics throughout their discussion at our recent Hospo Circle event hosted by OpenTable and Lightspeed. Learn more 👇 https://lnkd.in/ecZtFTCn

If you had a busy weekend, like me, which included joining in the The Northern Lass Lounge Jingle & Mingle online on Friday evening and then catching up with friends at a Bottomless Brunch on Saturday, you might be in need of this quote today! I’m actually geared up and ready for a productive week today!! #digitaltransformation #softwareautomationtools #businessoptimization #processimprovement

Where There's Hospitality There's Epson. Innovative solutions designed for your business, offering outstanding value, results and a better bottom line. https://bit.ly/3BgqGrD

🌟 An Examination of the Irish Event Industry Based on Pine & Gilmores Experience Economy Realms🌟 Event industry folk, Have you ever wondered the transformative power of event experiences in today's Irish experience economy? Joseph Pine and James Gilmore introduced the concept of the "experience economy," highlighting experiences as the new economic frontier in the wake of a heavily goods-dominated market. Fast forward to today, and it's fascinating to witness how businesses are sculpting their operations and how consumers engage with them, all through the lens of staged experiences guided by the Realms of Experience framework. Recently, I delved into a captivating study examining the application of these frameworks within Ireland's vibrant event industry. It was an eye-opening journey, uncovering the presence of the 4 P's—Education, Entertainment, Esthetic, and Escapism—and how they intricately shape the event landscape. Moreover, amidst the exploration, the recurring theme of Service Dominant Logic emerged, underscoring the pivotal role of clients as catalysts for extended network value creation. Delving deeper, I encountered Donald Getz's tri-component theory, which provided invaluable insights into consumer behavior, cognition, and affectivity—essential facets that define and enrich event experiences. This study reaffirmed what I've always believed: clients are not just stakeholders; they are invaluable sources of learning and growth. Their feedback is not just crucial; it's indispensable. Massive thank you to all the contributing Event Managers across the Irish Event Industry. A heartfelt thank you to my thesis supervisor Michael Dillane for their unwavering support throughout this journey. Here's to continued exploration, innovation, and elevation within the dynamic realm of experiences! 🚀 #ExperienceEconomy #IrelandsExperienceEconomy #EventIndustry #ClientEngagement #FeedbackIsKey #IrelandHospitality #EventMarketingIE #IrelandEvents #DublinEvents

🎊 📣 Milestone Alert🎊 📣 After months of grinding it out behind the scenes, we’re finally ready to unveil the new Bars.com website. 🆕 We know, we had some die-hard fans of our elusive, under-the-radar site (who doesn’t love a good mystery?), but the biggest question we’ve been asked is, “What is this all about?” And right behind that, “Why are you buying everyone a drink?” 🥂   So here’s the deal. Bars.com is The Experience Network™—the first digitally enabled experiential network and engagement platform that brings people together with the best brands at the most essential social spots in your city. We're talking real-world experiences that go way beyond the digital realm, creating authentic, measurable interactions that no algorithm alone can touch.   ‘Buying America a drink’ isn’t just a catchy idea—it’s our way of building something completely new. We’re giving brands a direct, meaningful way to connect like never before, creating more opportunities for the hospitality industry to flourish. And all of this leads to a better, more responsible way for consumers to discover and enjoy what’s out there.   To those who joined us early on this wild ride, thank you. And to those just discovering us now, welcome. We’re genuinely excited to share our new digital home for brands and venues. Brands can dive into how we’re buying America a drink, and venues can learn how we’re making it happen right at your place. 🚀  #cheers #mixology #hospitality Cheers!

Where There's Hospitality There's Epson. Innovative solutions designed for your business, offering outstanding value, results and a better bottom line. https://bit.ly/4dzcyak