PODCAST · business
Captive Conversations, The Hospitality Podcast
by CaptiveWiFI.com
🎙️ Captive Conversations – Your backstage pass to the world of hospitality and tech innovation! 🚀 Join host Adam Forman as he connects with industry leaders, uncovering the stories behind the brands, the tech transforming customer experiences, and the trends shaping the future. From unlocking revenue 💰 to enhancing guest journeys 🏨, each episode is packed with insights, laughter, and actionable advice. Whether you're a hospitality pro or just curious about the industry, this is the podcast you can't miss! 🌟 #HospitalityTech #CaptiveConversations
Episodes
-
Bonus Clip: Five iPads in a Car Built a Loyalty Platform | Laurens Havenaar
Going back into the Captive Conversations archive, this bonus clip features Laurens Havenaar. Laurens explains how Piggy started with five iPads in a car and a simple promise to independent shops: install the loyalty platform immediately and begin creating value without a long onboarding process....
-
Bonus Clip: Payment Is the Wrong Time to Ask for Data | Mike Enslin
Going back into the Captive Conversations archive, this bonus clip features Mike Enslin. Mike makes a simple point about customer data: when someone reaches payment, they usually want to pay and move on. Asking for details at that moment can add friction to the experience. The better opportunity...
-
Bonus Clip: Most AI Powered Tech Is Not Really AI | Steven Rolfe
Going back into the Captive Conversations archive, this bonus clip features Steven Rolfe. Steven and Adam discuss the difference between genuine technology capability and a fashionable label. Products may claim to be powered by AI or blockchain while relying on simpler tools behind the scenes.…
more -
Bonus Clip: TikTok Is Now a Restaurant Search Engine | Kitty Newman
Going back into the Captive Conversations archive, this bonus clip features Kitty Newman. Kitty explains why TikTok has become a search engine for restaurant discovery. People planning trips and nights out are already using the platform to find places to eat in cities across the UK. The point is...
-
Bonus Clip: Your Hotel Lobby Is Competing With Starbucks | Scot Turner
Going back into the Captive Conversations archive, this bonus clip features Scot Turner. Scot explains why a hotel restaurant is not only competing with other hotels. Guests may choose Starbucks, Grind or another independent venue because it offers comfortable seating, reliable WiFi and somewhere...
-
Bonus Clip: How a £30 Delivery Fee Becomes £7 | Lawrence Pelletier
Going back into the Captive Conversations archive, this bonus clip features Lawrence Pelletier from RedCat. Using a simple £100 order, Lawrence breaks down the difference between a third-party marketplace fee and a direct ordering model. The example moves from roughly £30 in marketplace fees to a...
-
Bonus Clip: Staff Turnover Costs £25,000 Every 90 Days | Jonah Werth
Going back into the Captive Conversations archive, this bonus clip features Jonah Werth from Blend. Jonah explains why compliance courses are only one part of hospitality training, how knowledge disappears when experienced team members leave, and why weak onboarding can cost a business £25,000...
-
Bonus Clip: Best-in-Class vs All-in-One Tech | Josh Smith
Going back into the archive, this bonus clip comes from my Captive Conversations podcast with Josh Smith. Josh explores the trade-off between specialist best-in-class technology and an all-in-one platform, including the responsibility created by integrations, item data, reporting and governance.…
more -
Bonus Clip: How Payment Savings Funded a New POS | William Connors
Going back into the archive, this bonus clip comes from Episode 13 with William Connors. William explains how payment and reconciliation savings helped create a credible case for wider technology investment, starting with the network foundations and connected operations needed to make a new POS...
-
Bonus Clip: The Wild Story Behind Popeyes' UK Launch | William Connors
Going back into the archive, this bonus clip comes from Episode 13 with William Connors. William shares the extraordinary story of helping launch Popeyes UK, including opening day queues of over 3,000 people, teams stepping into operational roles to keep the restaurant running and the technology...
-
Jade Craig - What Hospitality Can Learn From a Lifetime of Building Communities
Running your own pub at 18 is one thing. Running 25 sites by 23 is something else entirely. In this episode of Captive Conversations, Adam sits down with Jade Craig, founder of Inntegra and Gamechangers, for a warm and wide-ranging conversation about thirty years in hospitality and what it really...
-
Will Fearnley-Whittingstall - Why Hospitality Cannot Afford To Become Faceless
In Episode 97 of Captive Conversations, Adam speaks with Will, Director of Fanatic, about hospitality marketing, digital guest journeys and the growing influence of AI. Will shares how his early career at McDonald’s and as a relief pub manager shaped his understanding of people, teams and…
more -
Aaron Resch - What Operators Actually Need From Technology
Opening a restaurant is one thing. Opening a restaurant with no hospitality experience, carrying every pressure yourself and then using that failure to shape a career in hospitality technology is something else entirely. In this episode of Captive Conversations, Adam sits down with Aaron from...
-
Max Shipman - The Hospitality Marketing Channel Nobody Measures
Most hospitality operators think about packaging as something functional. Max Shipman thinks about it differently. In this episode of Captive Conversations, Adam sits down with Max Shipman from Brand Your to explore how packaging has evolved from a simple operational necessity into a powerful…
more -
Loyalty Starts Before the Order - by Georgina
The 15-Second Moment Mention loyalty in hospitality and many operators immediately think discounts, points cards, and race-to-the-bottom promotions. But what if we’ve been thinking about loyalty all wrong? In this solo episode, Georgina explores why loyalty has a branding problem, why true…
more -
Charlie Wood-Jones - The Biggest Asset Most Restaurants Ignore
Building a restaurant is one thing. Building a restaurant while learning hospitality, marketing, technology and guest engagement at the same time is something else entirely. In this episode of Captive Conversations, Adam sits down with Charlie Wood-Jones, owner of Cawsburger and Sales Consultant…
more -
Pete Hurley - Is Fractional Talent Hospitality’s Future?
In this episode of Captive Conversations, Adam sits down with Pete Hurley from Well Seasoned for a wide-ranging conversation about hospitality careers, operator pressure, fragmented tech and the rise of fractional talent. Pete shares how his journey moved from washing dishes in a country pub to...
-
The Welcome You Never Sent - by Georgina
This episode almost didn’t happen. Adam had a client call he had to jump onto, the podcast still needed to go out, and Georgina stepped in last minute to record what was originally written as Adam’s second solo episode. And honestly… she absolutely smashed it. In this episode of Captive...
-
Clare Reid - When Data Helps Hospitality Feel Human
In this episode of Captive Conversations, Adam sits down with Claire Reid, a marketing consultant with a career that spans hospitality, charity communications, brand building, feedback, data, internal culture and coffee. Claire shares how her early experiences in cafés, retail, charity...
-
Kevin Kosiewicz - The Truth About Digital Transformation in Restaurants
In this episode of Captive Conversations, Adam sits down with Kevin to explore what it really takes to turn data into meaningful hospitality experiences. From his early career in consulting to leading digital transformation at one of the largest restaurant groups in the US, Kevin shares a rare...
-
Thomas Arnold - How Content Builds Clients Before Revenue
The journey into content does not always start with a strategy. Sometimes it starts with curiosity. In this episode of Captive Conversations, Adam Forman sits down with Thomas, founder of Fearless Media, to explore how starting young and learning through doing can shape a career in content and...
-
Bonus Clip - CaptiveWiFi Platform Update: Live Guest Dashboard, Gamification and What's Coming Next
Big things just dropped at CaptiveWiFi. In this episode Adam Forman walks through the most significant platform update in CaptiveWiFi's history. No guests, no interviews — just a straight-talking rundown of everything that has just shipped and what is coming next. Covered in this episode: the…
more -
The Guest Who Came Back and the Moment You Almost Missed at Hospitality Tech 360
What does it actually take to bring a guest back? Not through aggressive re-targeting or bulk email sends, but in a way that fits inside a premium hospitality experience and makes the guest feel genuinely valued? In this episode, recorded live on stage at HT360 at ExCeL London, Adam Forman sits...
-
Natalie Dunning - The New Rules of Guest Discovery in Hospitality
The guest journey doesn’t start at the door anymore. It starts long before that. In this episode of Captive Conversations, Adam Forman sits down with Natalie Dunning, CEO and Founder of Kitch, to unpack how hospitality is changing and why brands need to rethink how they attract, understand and...
-
Chloe Dodd & Alex O'Reilly - The Gap Between Ops and Sales No One Owns
In this episode of Captive Conversations, Adam Forman sits down with Chloe Dodd and Alex O’Reilly, two people I’ve known for a while now and whose journey in hospitality is seriously impressive. From nightclubs and bar floors to national sales roles and multi-site operations, this is a…
more -
Tom Stanley - The Business Side of Hospitality Nobody Talks About
In this episode of Captive Conversations, Adam Forman sits down with Tom Stanley, founder of Williams Stanley & Co, to explore the financial realities facing hospitality operators today. Tom shares his journey into hospitality finance and explains why understanding the numbers behind a venue is...
-
Catherine Gwynne - Designing Restaurants That Guests Remember
In this episode of Captive Conversations, Adam Forman sits down with Catherine Gwynne, founder of 2G Design and Build, to explore the psychology behind hospitality design. Catherine shares her journey from travelling the world in the drinks industry to building a hospitality design company…
more -
Yaro Tsyhanenko - The Invisible Gap Between Kitchen and Guest
In episode 85 of Captive Conversations, Adam speaks with Yaro Tsyhanenko about the hidden blind spot in modern hospitality: the pickup counter. From building marketplaces in Ukraine to shutting down businesses when the war started, and rebuilding in the US, Yaro shares his journey and the...
-
Gabrielle Goode - Marketing That Creates Lasting Memories
In this episode of Captive Conversations, Adam sits down with Gabrielle Goode, hospitality marketing consultant and founder of thehospitalitymarketer.co.ukGabrielle shares her journey from cocktail bartender in Nottingham to leading marketing roles across The Ivy Collection, Langan’s, Rhubarb and...
-
Bonus - KAM Pub Spotlight - The Pub Customer Perpsective
In this episode of Captive Conversations, we're sharing a powerful panel discussion from PUB Spotlight 2026: "The Pub Customer Perspective." Featuring Laurence Brown (Head of Insights, Stonegate), Louise Fleming (Head of Guest & Retail Insights, Punch Pubs), and Kiran Quinn (Group Marketing...
-
Rosie Lewis-Marsh - Why Hospitality Does Not Need More Leads
In this episode of Captive Conversations, Adam Forman sits down with Rosie Lewis-Marsh, the London Hospitality Girl, to talk about sales, booking journeys, and why hospitality overcomplicates the things that should be simple. Rosie breaks down decision-making inside teams, the fear of automation,...
-
Massimo Montone - Why Hospitality Still Needs to Feel Human
In this episode of Captive Conversations, Adam Forman sits down with Massimo from Restaurant Keys to explore what it really takes to build, grow, and scale hospitality brands without losing their soul. Massimo shares his experience working with operators across the UK and internationally, from...
-
Oliver & Chris - The Human Side of Payments: How YetiPay Is Helping Hospitality Finally Feel It
The final episode of 2025. What a year it's been. In this one, Adam sits down with Oliver Pugh, founder of Yeti Pay, and Chris Jolliffe, their Sales Director, to explore how a simple observation about tipping behaviour sparked a payments revolution. It started with a question most people never…
more -
Mark Withington - Why Hospitality Needs Better Data, Not More Dashboards
As the year comes to a close, Episode 80 of Captive Conversations takes a step back to reflect on how hospitality makes decisions. Adam speaks with Mark from Tenzo about why instinct alone is no longer enough, how operators are overwhelmed by dashboards, and why better data frameworks matter more...
-
Jonatan Rasmussen - The Future of Hospitality Training and Communication
In this episode of Captive Conversations, Adam sits down with Jonatan from All Gravy to explore how frontline technology can feel more human, more supportive and far more connected to the reality of hospitality work. Jonatan shares the story of his early career, the leaders who shaped him, and…
more -
Rosie Akenhead - How Better Data Builds Better Guest Moments
In this episode of Captive Conversations, Adam sits down with Rosie Akenhead to explore one of the biggest challenges facing hospitality today: the covers problem. Rosie describes how changing guest behaviour, home comforts and broader societal pressures have reshaped the way people choose to…
more -
Edd Bower - How Operators Can Personalise at Scale
In this episode of Captive Conversations, Adam sits down with Edd Bower, Data Lead at Guestwise, to explore how hospitality can turn scattered information into clear, actionable guest insight. Edd draws on his journey from the creative world into data operations to explain why most brands…
more -
Simon Anderson - The Secret to Building a Food Hall That Lasts
In this episode of Captive Conversations, Adam sits down with Simon Anderson — hospitality consultant, co-founder of Market Halls and founder of Next Space — to explore how food halls, regeneration projects and community-driven design are reshaping the UK’s high streets. Simon reveals how vacant...
-
Ed Christmas - Boosting Bookings, Secrets of Hospitality Sales
In this episode of Captive Conversations, Adam speaks with Ed Christmas, Managing Director of Bums on Seats — one of the most influential voices in hospitality sales, bookings, and operational efficiency. Ed shares how fragmented systems, under-utilised CRMs, and broken booking processes quietly...
-
Glenda Barber - How Community Is Redefining Hospitality Marketing
From pulling pints in Welsh pubs to building one of hospitality’s most connected marketing communities — Glenda Barber shares her journey from Brains Brewery to Bloom Marketing and the creation of Team Marketing IRL. In this Captive Conversations episode, Glenda and host Adam Forman explore how...
-
Alana Bralsford & Eve Williamson - How This Startup Is Changing Food Allergy Safety Forever
Two engineers. One mission: make dining safe for everyone. In this episode, Adam chats with Eve and Alana, founders of Served, the tech company redefining allergen transparency across hospitality. From their early research at university to partnerships with Dishoom, Techstars, and Hawksmoor,...
-
Matt Serwin - Stop Sending Emails. Start Building Relationships.
In this episode of Captive Conversations, Adam Foreman sits down with Matt Serwin, Director of Partnerships at Klaviyo, to discuss how hospitality operators can use data to truly understand their guests. 💡 Highlights: • How Toast and OpenTable data power personalisation • Why first-party data is...
-
Charlton Santana - Why Your Guests Don’t Want an App — They Want an Answer
.In this episode of Captive Conversations, I sit down with Charlton Santana, founder of HeyGuest, to explore how messaging, automation, and AI are quietly rewriting the rules of hospitality. From working front-of-house to building a platform used by hotels and short-term rentals, Charlton shares...
-
Guy Weiss - Building a Calmer, Smarter Way to Message at Work
Better Conversations, Not More Apps. In this episode of Captive Conversations, Adam Forman chats with Guy Weiss about the chaos of communication — and how ZenZap is bringing calm, clarity, and connection back to workplace messaging. From noisy notifications to meaningful moments, we unpack: • The...
-
Richard Liverman - Don’t Be Boring: How to Build Brand DNA That Lasts
Richard Liverman: Brand DNA & The Power of Ambassadors What do food, stories, and ambassadors all have in common? They’re at the heart of building brands that last. In this episode of Captive Conversations, I sit down with Richard Liverman to talk about: ✨ Why brand DNA is more powerful than just...
-
Olivia Fitzgerald - Hospitality’s Hidden Goldmine: Unlocking Data with 125 Insights
🎙️ Episode 68 of Captive Conversations welcomes Olivia FitzGerald, Managing Director of 125 Data & Insights. Olivia shares her journey from: ✅ Early days in hospitality at Quaglino’s ✅ Scaling online reservations at Livebookings & Bookatable ✅ Leading sales & marketing at Zonal ✅ Running B2B at...
-
Victoria Searl - The Future of Hospitality Lies in Customer Data
In this episode of Captive Conversations, I sit down with Victoria Searl, founder of DataHawks, to unpack her career from running pubs at 18, to senior sales & marketing leadership, to building a platform designed to turn hospitality data into action. We cover: ✅ Early lessons from running pubs…
more -
Catherine Allan - What Happens When a Hospitality Sales Expert Builds the Tool She Always Wanted to Sell
🎙️ Catherine Allen on Selling with Empathy & Building Stereo In this episode of Captive Conversations, Adam chats with Catherine Allen, sales leader turned founder, about building Tidr, a new tool for sales enablement in hospitality. From her early days doing cold outreach at Trail to launching...
-
Reiss Ribeiro-Nelson & Louise Jooste - From Chaos to Clarity: Fixing Group Dining with Tech
Welcome back to Captive Conversations. In this episode, I’m joined by Reiss and Louise from Set Menu—a platform that’s quietly becoming a must-have in the hospitality tech stack. 💥 We talk: How menus get out of sync across delivery & booking platforms Why most operators still rely on…
more -
Jack Edge - What Hospitality Can Learn from Storytelling
In this episode of Captive Conversations, I sit down with Jack Edge, founder of Edgey, to explore his journey from hospitality operations into the world of branding and creative strategy. We dig into the real lessons from running venues, why operators need to think like lifestyle brands, and how...
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
🎙️ Captive Conversations – Your backstage pass to the world of hospitality and tech innovation! 🚀 Join host Adam Forman as he connects with industry leaders, uncovering the stories behind the brands, the tech transforming customer experiences, and the trends shaping the future. From unlocking revenue 💰 to enhancing guest journeys 🏨, each episode is packed with insights, laughter, and actionable advice. Whether you're a hospitality pro or just curious about the industry, this is the podcast you can't miss! 🌟 #HospitalityTech #CaptiveConversations
HOSTED BY
CaptiveWiFI.com
CATEGORIES
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Captive Conversations, The Hospitality Podcast have?
Captive Conversations, The Hospitality Podcast currently has 126 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Captive Conversations, The Hospitality Podcast about?
🎙️ Captive Conversations – Your backstage pass to the world of hospitality and tech innovation! 🚀 Join host Adam Forman as he connects with industry leaders, uncovering the stories behind the brands, the tech transforming customer experiences, and the trends shaping the future. From unlocking...
How often does Captive Conversations, The Hospitality Podcast release new episodes?
Captive Conversations, The Hospitality Podcast publishes regularly with 126 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Captive Conversations, The Hospitality Podcast?
You can listen to Captive Conversations, The Hospitality Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Captive Conversations, The Hospitality Podcast?
Captive Conversations, The Hospitality Podcast is created and hosted by CaptiveWiFI.com.
URL copied to clipboard!