All Episodes · Page 7 of 11

In this episode of Captive Conversations, we chat with Paul Molinari, the founder of Popcorn GTM and former head of marketing at Crunchtime.Paul shares his journey from working hospitality jobs at a yacht club, to selling stereos at The Wiz, to leading B2B marketing teams for iconic brands like Crunchtime and Digitas (running CRM for General Motors!). He dives deep into what makes sales and mar...

This week on Captive Conversations, I sat down with a creative force in hospitality: Dhilon Solanki — founder of Story Locker, co-founder of Pecking Order, and previously behind one of the most useful tools in the industry — Sprout.Dhilon's journey is a masterclass in brand building with heart. He’s grown tech tools for hospitality, helped operators train better, and now helps people preserve t...

In this episode, Adam sits down with hospitality legend Kieron Bailey – co-founder of People on Purpose and a 30-year industry pro with a story (and scar) for every table he’s served.From dodging flying ashtrays in his first pub to leading training for major brands like Wagamama and Hard Rock Café, Kieron shares his no-BS wisdom on what really makes hospitality tick:✨ Why empathy and accountabi...

🎙️ EP46: From Nando’s to Tech to Ball Pits – The Wild Ops Journey of Travis FishIn this episode, Adam sits down with Travis Fish, Operations Director at Comptoir Group, co-founder of BabaBoom and his new baby 🔥 Ops Club.Travis shares a candid look at his journey from traditional hospitality ops at Nando’s to launching his own brand, diving into tech startups, and bringing competitive socialisin...

🎙️ Episode 45 – Frederick Szydlowski, Co-Founder of EmbargoIn this episode of Captive Conversations, Adam sits down with Fred from Embargo to explore the gritty, real, and often hilarious journey from working at Joe & the Juice to building a loyalty platform used by 200K+ hospitality businesses.🎯 What you’ll hear:Fred’s early career story: from basketball to slinging juices at 19How he landed h...

In this episode of Captive Conversations, Adam sits down with Susan Zwinkels, CMO of Kitch Social, to unpack what’s really working in hospitality marketing right now.From the explosive power of TikTok to the untapped potential of employee-generated content, Susan brings a no-nonsense, refreshingly real view of how hospitality brands can stand out online—without blowing their budgets.✨ Key Highl...

🎙️ In this episode I sit down with Ruth Carpenter, the creative force behind the marketing of one of the UK’s most iconic and playful pizza brands — Pizza Pilgrims. From navigating career leaps to scaling a national brand, Ruth opens up about the realities of marketing in hospitality, how to stay authentic as you grow, and why being serious about not taking yourself too seriously is a powerful ...

In this episode, I’m joined by Michelle Moreno—founder of QAB Leadership and an unstoppable force in the hospitality world—for a raw, funny, and wisdom-packed conversation about everything from global openings to personal reinvention.We go deep into the journey: from starting out as a waitress at Asia de Cuba (serving Leonardo DiCaprio, no less) to launching 50+ restaurants and bars across Lond...

In this episode, I’m joined by Ben Heppell, Global Head of Digital at Aqua Restaurant Group, for a proper deep dive into the real world of hospitality, digital, and brand building.From sharing advice he'd give his 16-year-old self (spoiler: it's all about valuing experience over things) to calling out overhyped nights like that Wembley boxing match, Ben brings the honesty—and a fresh take on wh...

🚀 From Pot Wash to Hospitality Tech Founder – The Journey of Michael Radley, Joli 🚀🔥 Episode 40 of Captive Conversations! 🔥We’ve hit a milestone—our 40th episode, with a fresh new design and some incredible guests lined up for the next few weeks! 🎉To celebrate, I sat down with Michael Radley, co-founder of Joli, to talk about his journey from pot washing in a local pub to revolutionising influe...

🎙 Captive Conversations: Elliot HillElliot Hill from 1 Lombard Street joins me to explore the balance between hospitality and technology. With years at the helm of one of London’s most iconic restaurants, he shares how to innovate without losing the human touch—because great service is still about connection.We dive into fast-paced city dining, immersive experiences, and Elliot’s journey from v...

🎙 Captive Conversations: Sheri from Bill's In this episode, I sit down with Sheri, Marketing Director at Bill's, to chat about her inspiring leap from retail to hospitality. Sheri shares what she learned from her time at M&S—from the precision of retail logistics to the fast-paced, creative hustle of hospitality marketing. 💡 🍓 The Bill's Rebrand Journey Sheri breaks down how th...