Because hospitality needs better leadership. Fast.
For leaders in hospitality ready to grow – and the businesses that can’t afford for them not to.
NEXT COHORT 2ND SEPTEMBER
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BOOKING NOW
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LIMITED SPACES AVAILABLE
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NEXT COHORT 2ND SEPTEMBER 〰️ BOOKING NOW 〰️ LIMITED SPACES AVAILABLE 〰️
You’re already paying the price for poor leadership - you just haven’t seen the invoice yet.
1 in 3 hospitality workers left their jobs in the past two years because of poor management.
(CMI, 2024)
The average cost to replace one hospitality employee is £3,000–£5,000.
(Hospitality Rising / UKHospitality)
Teams with strong leadership and engagement see up to 59% lower staff turnover and 21% higher profitability.
(Gallup)
Now read that again.
What is HOSPOBOX?
HOSPOBOX is a 6-month leadership development programme - built for the realities, challenges and rhythm of the hospitality industry.
“HOSPOBOX isn’t a course you forget after week one - it’s a complete development ecosystem built around your world”
HOSPOBOX combines live, interactive training sessions, 1:1 coaching, weekly support calls, real-world tools, and a members-only knowledge & content hub.
What makes HOSPOBOX different?
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No generic training. No ivory-tower theory. Hospobox is built by someone who’s run teams, opened sites, and lived the pressure of leadership and business ownership first-hand. This is training grounded in reality, not corporate guesswork.
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Support is personalised, responsive, and built to flex around real life. Together, we’ll set Smart goals based on your individual growth and business priorities - so everything stays relevant, focused, and actionable throughout the programme. Coaching sessions and weekly check-ins fit around your week, not the other way round. Miss a group workshop? You’ll get instant access to the recording.
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Over six months of structured training and hands-on, 1:1 support, we follow a proven arc – building self-awareness, sharpening commercial awareness, uncovering what your current culture really needs, and driving stronger engagement, performance, and leadership. Practical, focused, and built to embed lasting change in how your team communicates, collaborates, and delivers results.
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Hospobox helps managers lead - and think - like owners. They’ll learn how everyday decisions drive sales, shift culture, and shape both the short and long-term health of the business.
In a brutal period for hospitality, commercially sharp, people-smart leaders aren’t a luxury - they’re essential for survival. Hospobox trains managers to spot the leaks, lead with intent, and create teams that perform - even under pressure.
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Growth doesn’t stop when the session ends. Ongoing check-ins, support, guided reflections, and access to a coach who’s in your corner (with the tools and insight to match) help keep momentum high and goals moving forward.
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This isn’t solo learning. Managers connect, support each other, and share the journey, creating a ripple effect of clarity, confidence, and progress across your business.
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Managers stay in the operation, learning in ways that don’t break service, budgets, or team momentum.
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While most leadership programmes cost £1,500–£3,000 per head (with little to no follow-up or knowledge checking), Hospobox starts at just £269/month. That includes 12 live (and recorded) workshops, one-to-one coaching, weekly check-ins, expert support, a peer to peer community - and the kind of accountability that actually moves the needle.
What’s In The Box ?
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Live and online workshops, every two weeks.
Packed with expert insight, eye-opening frameworks, and real-world tools you can apply immediately - all structured to drive real change in your leadership and your business. -
Fully personalised around your schedule, your goals, and your reality. Each session gives you space to reflect, troubleshoot, and get real support — whether you’re applying workshop tools or working through your own leadership challenges.
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Every week, you can book a short one-to-one slot for focused, practical support. Whether it’s a team issue, a confidence wobble, or help tackling a project, this is your space to reset, reflect, and move forward — with a mentor who’s got your back. Optional but highly encouraged.
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A private space to connect, share, and grow with other leaders on the same path. Expect shared resources, practical inspiration, weekly reflection prompts, inspiring content, real talk, and a support network that grows with you.
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Each session comes with a plug-and-play tool that makes implementation simple. Follow the journey in order and you’ll embed cultural change fast — from launching an employee listening strategy, to hosting effective coffee chats, designing your own training sessions, and rolling out a best-in-class recruitment process.
With 25 years of experience creating real-world leadership tools and content, I’m opening up the vault — and I’m happy to share what works.
Practical. Proven. Yours to keep.
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A structured monthly form completed by each participant to reflect on their progress, capture measurable outcomes, and set focus areas for the month ahead. These are shared with the business (if agreed) to provide transparency, demonstrate development, and ensure alignment with wider goals.
HOSPOBOX - Who’s it for?
You want consistency and results without constant firefighting.
HOSPOBOX helps you build leaders you can trust – with the tools, mindset, and systems to deliver, even when you’re not on site.
**Owners / Directors**
You’re juggling pressure, people, and performance – often without backup.
HOSPOBOX is your space to reset, refocus, and lead with clarity – backed by tools, templates, and resources designed to make your job easier and your team stronger.
**Operators / GM’s**
**Emerging Leaders**
Stepping up is exciting – but leadership can often feel completely overwhelming.
HOSPOBOX gives you structure, tools, and real-world troubleshooting support, so you can lead with confidence, find your own style, and handle challenges without burning out or battling constant imposter syndrome.
**Leaders Who Want More**
You’re not here to coast – you know there’s more in you and your team. But to really move forward, you need structure, tools, ideas, and inspiration.
HOSPOBOX is built for leaders who want to sharpen their edge, expand their impact, and lead with clarity, energy, and purpose.
Whether you're scaling, firefighting, or your culture’s just gone a bit wonky, strong leadership is the lever that changes everything.
HOSPOBOX helps you build momentum through small, meaningful changes – opening up communication, listening to feedback, and reigniting purpose across your team.
**Teams in Transition**
“You don’t build strong leadership by staying in your comfort zone"
Whether you’re stepping into your first management role or have years of experience under your belt, learning alongside peers from different stages of their journey brings perspective, empathy, and inspiration.
When managers at different levels learn together, they challenge assumptions, uncover blind spots, and build respect across roles, which is exactly what great leadership needs.
Booking Now for September
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Limited Spaces
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Enrol by 17th August
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Booking Now for September - Limited Spaces - Enrol by 17th August -
Tim James | Founder & Coach
“I absolutely LOVE the buzz of working with such a wide variety of brilliant people in this wild industry I call home - helping people connect with their purpose, own their style, and step into their power as leaders. And I’m learning from them all, right at the same time”
What People Say.
Real leaders. Real businesses. Real results.
Here’s what clients, collaborators, and teams say after working with Tim. All testimonials are unedited and shared with permission.
Chris Garratt - Founder & MD, Bert Agency
“It feels like a cheat code”
“Spend an hour with Tim and you’ll see your business in an entirely new way. I don’t use the word lightly, but his work - and way of working - is genuinely transformational. It’s original, highly relevant and applies to all companies, any size, sector or specialism.
He takes what he’s learned from decades in hospitality - where customer satisfaction is life and death - and brilliantly brings it into the corporate world, creating a groundbreaking way to re-imagine your connection with people (it works for employees and customers).
It feels like a cheat code. We’ve unlocked the power of our people to create real, lasting competitive advantage - so much so that we now recommend and use Tim for our clients too.
Tim has a remarkable ability to connect with people. Wherever he goes, he leaves teams buzzing - more aligned, more customer centric, and more energised”
Jo Vanderhook - Founder, Unagi / The Con Club
“Our team culture shifted instantly”
“We brought Tim in just before launching our new site, and he helped us establish a steps of service model that’s still going strong. More than that, he built a culture of respect and empowerment that customers picked up on instantly.
He brought clarity and confidence to a high-pressure opening and made the whole process enjoyable. We wouldn’t hesitate to work with him again.”
Claudio Ribeiro - Founder, Federal Cafe
“Real, lasting impact”
“Tim led a powerful, hands-on session that left everyone buzzing. He lives and breathes the spirit of Unreasonable Hospitality – and made a real, lasting impact on how our team sees their role.
The energy was high, but it wasn’t just hype – there was clarity, purpose, and action.”
Andy Marshall - Former Operations Director, Ramona & The Firehouse / Diecast
(Now Want Studios)
“He brought clarity, consistency, and real leadership to the floor”
“Tim is living proof that training can be both effective and genuinely enjoyable. His energy and enthusiasm are world-class.
He helped us raise the bar across both guest experience and team performance at Ramona and The Firehouse. He brought clarity to our service standards, delivered leadership training that actually landed, and built team development programmes that people genuinely engaged with.
At Diecast, he led the entire training rollout for opening - from planning to delivery to post-launch review - and it showed in how confidently the team hit the floor. Whenever we need support with training or coaching, Tim’s the first person I call.”
Simon Kaye - Former MD, East Coast Concepts
(Now Consultant & Mentor)
“A rare mix of structure, clarity & front-line energy”
“Tim joined us during a critical growth phase and made an exceptional impact. He brought a rare mix of structure, clarity, and front-line energy – translating brand vision into real, repeatable service standards that stuck. One standout? A full guest journey and bespoke training launch that left our team buzzing with pride and purpose. Tim connects across every level, and his training models are exactly what this sector needs. Thoughtful, bold, and built for impact.”
Matt Nellany - Owner/Director, Stow, Trof
“Infectiously Positive”
“What a pleasure it has been working with Tim. We hit a masterstroke by bringing Tim into the business during the opening stage of our new site ‘Stow’, for support in all aspects of training and culture setting from day one.
We felt like our values and Tim’s aligned straight away, which carried through into the bespoke training sessions he created for us. This really helped us build very important foundations and set a clear culture from the start, which I have no doubt had a huge impact on an extremely successful opening.
Everyone in the team loved working with Tim, especially his infectiously positive attitude to all things hospitality, and we are looking forward to continuing to work with Yeah! Hospitality and Hospobox as we grow.”
Robbie Mills - National Bars Operations Manager, Northern Monk
“Immediate and significant change”
“Tim recently delivered three outstanding training sessions to the Northern Monk senior management team. His approach was incredibly insightful, leading directly to changed ways of working across our venues. The positive impact on our daily operations and overall team effectiveness has been immediate and significant. Tim's expertise and engaging delivery truly made a difference.”
Adelaide Winter - Founder (too many to mention)
“Humour, Insight & Inspiration”
“Tim brought humour, insight & inspiration to the training sessions he did with us, helping us create a brilliant team of professionals and a great company culture”
Why it's Important
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Why it's Important -
70% of frontline managers say they feel OVERWHELMED in their role. (Hospitality Rising, 2024)
68% of leaders report high levels of STRESS AND BURNOUT. (Axonify, 2024)
UK Hospitality has the HIGHEST STAFF TURNOVER of any industry, averaging 37.6% annually.
(Capacity Insights, 2024)
Hospitality is hurting.
Margins are tighter than ever, teams are stretched thin, and burnout is on the rise. Managers are expected to cover endless gaps, handle complaints, hold interviews, do the rota, reduce costs, send the thing, get more people through the doors, post something fun on socials, keep the team happy, respond to reviews, hit the targets, fire Billy before tomorrow and STAY ON THE FLOOR - often without any proper leadership training, guidance, support - or even time to think.
That’s not just unsustainable - it’s unfair. And it’s costing a lot more than you think.
When managers lose staff, they lose service flow, guest trust, and team energy. From missed upsells and costly complaints, to team burnout and culture that quietly slips off track, the true cost of weak leadership isn’t just financial - it’s exponential. It erodes trust, drains momentum, and leaves teams stuck in survival mode.
And right now, we need happy, engaged, high-performing teams delivering authentic and meaningful hospitality experiences more than ever before.
That doesn’t happen by accident. That takes leadership.
I’ve worked for over 25 years in this incredible industry. I’ve seen the brilliance, the magic, the joy and the chaos. And I’ve seen the sheer emotional graft this industry is built on.
I’ve also seen the harm it causes when we fail to invest in the people making it all happen.
Hospobox exists because I love this industry with my heart and soul - and because I want to make it better.
Because it matters.
Tim James | Founder & Coach, Hospobox
Leadership development delivers a £2.86 return for every £1 invested
(LinkedIn Learning, 2023)
Why it Matters
The Hidden Cost of Poor Leadership
In hospitality, margins are tight, expectations are high, and time is short. When managers struggle, the ripple effect is immediate - a lack of focus on shift, inefficiency, frustrated teams, lost sales, and guest experiences that miss the mark. And yet, most businesses are still trying to lead without giving their managers the tools to succeed.
The truth is simple - poor management is expensive. But most operators don’t see the costs until it’s too late.
The Stats You Can’t Ignore
1 in 3 UK employees left a role in the past two years due to poor management (CMI, 2024)
Only 39% of UK managers have received formal training – yet they influence 70% of employee engagement (CIPD & Gallup, 2024)
94% of employees would stay longer at a company that invests in their development (LinkedIn, 2023)
Companies with highly engaged teams show 23% higher profitability
(Gallup, 2023)The average cost of replacing a single frontline hospitality worker: £3,000–£4,500 (Includes advertising, interviews, onboarding time, training, and lost productivity)
Disengaged employees cost businesses 34% of their salary in lost output
(Gallup)
Most Operators Don’t See This Invoice
The Hidden Cost of Overwhelmed Management in Hospitality
For a hospitality site turning over £20,000 a week, the true cost of poor management can exceed £28,000 in just six months. From lost sales to guest churn, wasted time to constant fire-fighting, these costs stack up quietly - long before they appear on a P&L.
This isn’t a scare tactic. It’s a conservative, data-led model created using real operator data, UK industry benchmarks, and yes - AI… Conservative assumptions used to ensure accuracy model built on a 15-person team, aligned with a typical 30–33% payroll ratio and an annual staff turnover rate of 36%, based on UK sector averages.
We mapped costs across six key areas - recruitment, refunds, missed upsells, wasted resource, and leadership inefficiencies - using typical hourly rates, guest comp values, and revenue loss patterns seen across hundreds of UK sites.
And it’s worth noting: this model is intentionally cautious. It doesn’t account for stress-related absences, early leaver costs, HR intervention, or reputational damage - all of which would push the true cost higher.
The cost of poor management is real.
The Invoice
So there it is.
A detailed, data-driven breakdown of some of the hidden costs that quietly bleed time, energy, and revenue from hospitality businesses every day. These aren’t abstract ideas - they’re operational realities pulled from the floor, the back office, and the lived experience of managers across the UK.
While it’s impossible to put an exact figure on every lost hour, missed upsell, or exhausted manager, the picture is clear.
Even with conservative estimates, the real cost of under-supported leadership at a £20k/week site is over £28,000 in just six months.
And that’s before you fully account for the intangibles - the teams who lose their rhythm, the guests who don’t return, the potential leaders who walk away because they didn’t get the support they needed.
Hospobox costs just £269 per month. That’s less than 6% of the cost shown here - and a far smarter investment in the people who keep your business going.
Because strong leadership isn’t a ‘nice to have’ anymore. It’s the difference between survival and growth.
Hospobox exists to make that difference.
To give your managers the tools, confidence, and clarity they’ve been missing - and to help you build a business that leads from the inside out.