#247 - Hospitality Meets Chris Eigelaar - Golf, Graft & Great Leadership
What do you get when an introvert ends up running one of the most iconic hospitality resorts in the country?
A very good reminder that the loudest person in the room isn’t always the best leader
This week, after what feels like about 17 years of trying to line up diaries, I finally sat down with the legend that is Chris Eigelaar, Managing Director of The Belfry Hotel & Resort.
Now, if you know The Belfry, you’ll know it’s not exactly a sleepy little B&B with a bowl of mints on reception.
We’re talking world famous golf, huge events, 468 bedrooms, 1,100+ team members, a £90m transformation, and the kind of sporting history that makes golf fans go a bit weak at the knees.
And yet, underneath all of that, Chris is one of the most grounded, thoughtful leaders you could hope to meet.
We talk about growing up in hotels in South Africa, arriving in London with a thousand quid and a return ticket, learning that he was a much better front of house operator than chef… and why understanding yourself might be one of the most important things you ever do in leadership.
Also, yes, there is a story involving a documentary, a fake power cut, and a perfectly timed on camera jump.
Which is, obviously, exactly the sort of thing I’m here for.
In this episode, Chris and I get into…
• Growing up in a hotel family, where hospitality was basically in the wallpaper
• His dad giving him two career options: the Navy… or hospitality
• Starting out wanting to be a chef before being politely redirected elsewhere
• Moving to London with £1,000, traveller’s cheques, and vibes
• Picking up whatever work he could get, including some wonderfully random shifts
• Helping open the Sofitel St James and building his early career in luxury hospitality
• Why he briefly left hotels… then realised he missed the madness
• Landing at The Belfry and leading one of the most iconic resorts in the UK
• What it really takes to deliver a £90m investment programme in a live business
• Why he believes in a flat structure, open doors, and walking the floor
• Learning not to force yourself into someone else’s leadership mould
• Why being an introvert in hospitality is not a weakness
• The power of good mentors… and the lessons bad ones teach you too
• Resilience, togetherness, and what tough moments reveal about teams
• Why one great golf shot is enough to make you think you’re Tiger Woods for 3 seconds
Some cracking quotes from Chris
“Hospitality chooses you”
“Just be comfortable with yourself”
“My role is to remove barriers so people can do their jobs”
“There’s no right or wrong leadership style, it’s how you use it”
“If one person does it, everybody does it, that’s hospitality”
Why this episode is worth your ears
This one’s for anyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t quite fit the “standard” idea of what a hospitality leader is supposed to look like.
Chris is proof that you don’t need to be the biggest voice in the room.
You don’t need to be all jazz hands and noise (Sorry, I'll tone it down... I won't)
You just need to know your people, know yourself, and create the sort of environment where others can do their best work.
Also, if you fancy a bit of behind-the-scenes Belfry brilliance, leadership wisdom, golf chat, and a story about jumping away from an electrical unit on camera…
You’re in very safe hands.
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
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