In this October bonus episode of Never Stop Dreaming Biggie, I’m coming to you from behind the bar to share something I’ve become a little obsessed with: unreasonable hospitality. Inspired by Will Guidara’s book Unreasonable Hospitality and his new field guide with Simon Sinek, this solo episode explores the difference between simply serving people and making them feel truly seen, and why that difference is what makes customers remember you, come back, and tell their friends.

I’m sharing the stories that shaped how I think about hospitality. There’s my unforgettable night at the French Laundry and the surprise jean jacket Fox sent me as a teenager for defending 90210. There’s the candy bag that sealed the deal at Black Octopus in Park Circle, and the camp store team at Bourbon & Beyond who threw Brian a birthday celebration out of nowhere. I also walk through the field guide exercises I’m working on, from writing my own definition of hospitality to naming my superpowers, and how they’re shaping the guest experience we’re creating at the Holmestead (yes, the family boob hat tradition is coming with us).

Whether you run a restaurant, a shop, a service business, or a community, this episode will help you think differently about how you treat your customers, your team, and everyone who walks through your door. Because people may forget what you said, but they never forget how you made them feel.

The “G” in Biggie stands for Give, and unreasonable hospitality is giving at its best: going out of your way for people when you don’t have to, simply because they matter.

Key Takeaways:

• Define what hospitality means to you and your business in your own words
• Distinguish between service (what you provide) and hospitality (how you make people feel)
• Give people your full attention, with eye contact and without your phone
• Research and personalize experiences before guests even arrive
• Surprise people with small, unexpected touches like a handwritten note or a little gift
• Identify your personal superpowers and build your business around them
• Take care of your team first, because happy staff create happy customers
• Ask better interview questions to discover who people really are
• Set the tone, because the way you do one thing is the way you do everything
• Create traditions and touches that are meaningful to you, not just trendy

Connect with Us: 🎙 @neverstopdreamingbiggie 📱 @angelpholmes 🌐 sipindipity.com 📧 angel@sipindipity.com

Learn More: 🌴 The Holmestead Bar & Retreat 😇 Support the Homestead Angels nonprofit and help us reach our goal of opening by December 23, 2027 https://theholmesteadhideaway.com/holmestead-angels

📚 Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara and the Unreasonable Hospitality Field Guide