The 'industry experience' barrier that's holding hospitality back
This piece was originally shared on LinkedIn in response to recurring conversations with founders and leadership teams around this topic.
I’m publishing it here as part of an ongoing body of thinking around restaurant strategy, market entry, and operational decision-making.
Last week, a talented senior marketer from a luxury fashion brand reached out for advice.
She has a strong CRM background, deep digital strategy knowledge, and brand partnerships expertise. She has been wanting to move into hospitality for months.
But every conversation feels the same way: ‘You don't have restaurant experience’.
Yet, our industry obsesses over how luxury brands build desire, how fashion creates exclusivity, how they turn transactions into relationships.
She noted how hospitality is full of opportunity, but is years behind in some areas. She has the knowledge. She has the ideas. She's excited to implement them.
At senior marketing levels, hospitality recruits from a small pool.
Meanwhile, exceptional talent from luxury, fashion, and retail - with expertise in brand positioning, CRM and customer experience - can't break in.
Some of the advice I shared, which applies to anyone looking to move into hospitality:
- Understand the main players and positioning in the market
- Emphasise how you would bring your knowledge to life in our industry
- Articulate how your skills and approaches would translate.
When we're competing harder than ever for attention and loyalty, limiting hiring to "people who've only worked in hospitality" leaves exceptional talent on the table.
I'm interested to know whether other industries face this same barrier.