#235 - Hospitality Meets James McComas - Naked Guests, Flooded Bars & Leadership

Every now and then, an episode arrives that contains everything we love about hospitality:

chaos, heart, humour, problem solving… and at least two stories involving naked guests.

This week Phil chats with James McComas FIH, General Manager of Eastwell Manor, part of the Champneys Group. At 6'5", James is one of the tallest men Phil knows — which, as it turns out, comes with unexpected job perks

But behind the laughter sits a deeply thoughtful leader with a wonderfully varied hospitality journey: from growing up on army bases and falling into hotels at 15, to adventuring across the US, spending five transformational years in New Zealand, then returning to the UK to run heritage properties, country houses and boutique hotels.

In This Episode

• How James went from growing up on army bases to discovering hospitality at 15 and never looking back
• Wild stories from Colorado and the early years, including saunas and frat parties
• Five transformative years in New Zealand and the cultural lessons that shaped his leadership style
• The messy, brilliant reality of becoming a GM, including sewage explosions, fires, and emotional hospitality
• Life at Eastwell Manor today: heritage charm, low doorframes, and why tall GMs are secretly maintenance heroes
• More than his fair share of nudity exposure

Stand-Out Quotes

“The absence of criticism is not the same as the provision of support”

“You almost can’t be wrong — because in that moment, you don’t yet know what ‘right’ is”

“Everywhere I’ve worked, I’ve come away grateful for what I’ve learned”

“These stories balance out the tough days — they remind you why we do this”

Why Listen

This episode is everything hospitality really is:

funny, unpredictable, emotional, human, and a lifelong learning journey.

James brings:

• Sharp leadership insight
• Real talk about stepping up to GM
• Incredible travel stories
• A deep appreciation for culture and people
• Two of the best hotel anecdotes ever recorded

And behind the humour is a leader who genuinely loves this industry, and shows you exactly why

Enjoy!

Show Partners

A big shout out to the first of today’s show partner, RotaCloud, the people management platform for shift-based teams.

RotaCloud lets managers create and share rotas, record attendance, and manage annual leave in minutes — all from a single, web-based app.

It makes work simple for your team, too, allowing them to check their rotas, request holiday, and even pick up extra shifts straight from their phones.

Try RotaCloud’s time-saving tools today by heading to https://rotacloud.com/phil

Also, a massive shout out to our new show partners Apron

Running a hospitality business means juggling endless payments - from suppliers to staff - all while keeping cash flow in check. That’s where Apron helps.

With Apron Bill Pay, you can manage every supplier payment in one place, approve and schedule bills, and sync automatically with Xero or QuickBooks.

And with the Apron Card, your team can spend easily while you stay in control - and earn rewards on every purchase.

Learn more at getapron.com.