The Mindset of Hospitality
The HAMLIN team returned after a week in New Orleans at the cocktail industry event called Tales of the Cocktail. This weeklong event attracts leaders from across the spirits industry; all the most prominent brands are represented and showcase themselves with unique events and experiences. And like any industry gathering, those in attendance are the brightest, most influential, and forward-thinking group of industry leaders. They network, share insights, forecasts, cocktail knowledge, educate about individual spirits, and share best practices. Plus, they have a lot of fun! It combines brand ambassadors, bartenders, influencers, buyers, bar owners, and educators. And it is those educators that bring a level of insight into their brands and categories that is unparalleled.
Our team was there with Enthuse Marketing, capturing the action and infusing a little fun into the spaces in between sessions and seminars. But there was something that struck me throughout the week. There were three sessions per day, and in between each session, the room would have to be reset. But there was not some secret room-reset team; I watched the people who had been presenting to the attendees switch into a different mode. The educators, the industry experts, and the bartending leaders jumped into action to quickly turn the room for the next session. These were some of the most important people in the spirits industry, the same people who had just been sharing their wisdom, knowledge, and perspective. They were now clearing the tables, moving furniture, wiping everything down, and getting ready for the next group.
As I watched this, it struck me: this is what hospitality is all about. When you see one of the premier whiskey educators in the country with a bottle of Windex and paper towels wiping down tables, you know there is something about this industry that goes way beyond what’s in the bottle. Hospitality is a mindset. The people in the room at the World Class Lounge are there to create an experience for the guests in each session. Just like they are when a guest walks into their bar or attends a tasting or a special event, they compulsively make it wonderful and have the attendees enjoy themselves. The community of people that make up the hospitality industry are genuinely some of the nicest people I have ever worked with.
HAMLIN is fortunate to have a dotted-line connection to the spirits industry. Over the last eight years, we have learned and grown so much from our work in this industry. Each time we get the opportunity to connect with this world, we leave just a little better.
We love capturing content in the spirits industry. We love telling their stories, and we love elevating the known and the unknown. We look forward to our next opportunity to work with these fantastic people. They always make us feel so welcome.