#248 - Hospitality Meets Gemma Glasson - Structure, Sunshine & a Flaming Bull

This week I sat down with the brilliant Gemma Glasson, Managing Director of Wahaca and one of those leaders whose journey reminds you that careers rarely move in straight lines… and thank God for that.

From starting out in the world of KPMG and Ernst & Young, to stepping into hospitality with a desire to have more impact, more energy, and a bit more colour in her working life, Gemma’s story is packed with intelligence, curiosity, self awareness, and the kind of warmth that makes you understand very quickly why she’s ended up where she is.

Along the way there are some absolute gems… including a debate on whether salt and vinegar crisps should be blue or pink, a trained accountant being completely undone by coins at a school bake sale, and a glorious story from Mexico involving mezcal, a brass band, and a firework bull ending up on Thomasina Miers’ head.

Standard!

But underneath the laughs is something deeper, a conversation about finding work that actually fits who you are, leading with both structure and energy, and why hospitality only really works when you remember it’s a people business first.

In this episode, Gemma and I get into…

• Starting out in accountancy and why big professional service firms can give you an incredible foundation

• The moment she realised she was leaving part of herself, her “yellow energy”, on the table

• Moving into Wahaca and being told, essentially, to come in and get stuff done

• Why entrepreneurial energy and structured execution can be a brilliant combination

• Growing through the business from commercial roles to food, COO and now Managing Director

• What it means to help lead a much-loved British restaurant brand as it turns 18

• Why hospitality is equal parts exhausting and exhilarating

• How Wahaca thinks about people, guest experience and profit, and why that order matters

• The power of pride in creating consistency, care and brilliant guest experiences

• Building authentic brand partnerships with Attis, Dusty Knuckle and local bakeries around the UK

• The role curiosity plays in building culture, collaboration and better ideas

• Why understanding personality types can improve leadership, communication and team dynamics

• How to deal with uncomfortable conversations before they become bigger problems

• Why fun is not the opposite of seriousness — it might actually be one of the best ways to get serious things done

Some cracking quote-ables from Gemma

“You have to take ownership of your own positivity”

“We are a people business who just happen to serve food and drink.”

“Get rid of the sand”

“Know the difference between what you know and what you think you know”

Why this episode is worth your ears

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering whether the career path you’re on really fits who you are… this one will hit home.

Gemma’s story is a brilliant reminder that leadership doesn’t have to look one certain way, and that some of the best careers are built when you stop trying to fit the mould and start understanding what actually energises you.

It’s also a cracking conversation about brand, culture, people, hospitality, and the magic that happens when you combine structure with curiosity.

And if nothing else…

Come for the leadership wisdom.

Stay for the flaming bull in Mexico.

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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