Independent hospitality is hard.
You don’t have to do it alone.
Independent hospitality matters. It shapes our towns, our communities and the moments people remember. But behind every pub, café, restaurant or small hotel is someone carrying an extraordinary amount of responsibility, often without the space, support or clarity they need.
Kith & Kin exists to change that.
Founded by Cassie Davison, and grounded in thirty years of real operator experience, Kith & Kin is a movement designed to bring independent hospitality together. It is a curated space where operators, suppliers and industry leaders can reconnect with purpose, raise standards and build a better future for the sector.
This is a place for people who believe in hospitality and want to see it thrive.
For Independent Operators
A free, curated Community for owners, leaders and senior teams.
Running an independent hospitality business can feel isolating. The pressure is constant, the pace is relentless and most of the work happens behind the scenes. The Kith & Kin Community brings together operators from across the UK in a trusted, positive environment that cuts through the noise.
Inside the Community you will find honest conversations, helpful insights, practical learning and support rooted in real-world experience. It is a space for clarity, confidence and belonging.
Membership is free and by invitation.
For Suppliers, Innovators and Industry Partners
The Collective — a curated network shaping the future of independent hospitality.
Independent operators need partners they can trust. The Collective brings together exceptional organisations who want to support the sector in a constructive, values-led way.
The Collective includes three tiers: Premium Partners, Contributing Members and Associate Members. Each plays a distinct role in strengthening the operator experience. Membership is invitation-only and designed for organisations that want to contribute their expertise and be part of a movement with meaningful impact.
The Five Pillars of Stand Out Hospitality
The Kith & Kin movement is grounded in the Five Pillars introduced in Cassie Davison’s book Stand Out Hospitality. These pillars represent the core principles of meaningful, sustainable and standout hospitality. They guide how independent operators lead their teams, shape their identity and connect with their guests.
The Five Pillars sit at the heart of Stand Out Hospitality and provide the foundation for the conversations, learning and leadership development within the Kith & Kin Community and The Collective.
Set High Standards
Stand Out
Define Your Identity
Build Belonging
Tell a Great Story
Stand Out Hospitality
The book and philosophy behind the Kith & Kin movement.
Stand Out Hospitality is Cassie’s debut book and the foundation of the Kith & Kin philosophy. It explores what makes independent hospitality remarkable, sustainable and meaningful, and offers a practical path for operators who want to run a business that works for them, not just because of them.
The book brings together Cassie’s thirty years of lived operator experience and her belief that belonging is independent hospitality’s greatest competitive advantage.
Stand Out Hospitality launches in November 2025, with early access available for members of the Community and The Collective.
Kith & Kin Podcast
Stories, insights and real conversations from across independent hospitality.
The Kith & Kin Podcast brings together operators, suppliers, innovators and leaders from every corner of hospitality. Each conversation explores the real experiences behind running and supporting independent businesses — the successes, the challenges and the human stories that often go unseen.
Hosted by Cassie Davison, the podcast reflects the heart of the movement: honest insight, practical wisdom and a deep belief in the people who make hospitality remarkable.
Latest Articles
Insightful, honest reflections on hospitality, leadership, loyalty, and finding purpose in the chaos.
About Cassie Davison
Cassie has spent more than thirty years in independent hospitality, setting up, running and growing her own multi award-winning venues. She knows the highs, the pressures and the invisible emotional weight that operators carry, because she has lived every part of it.
Her work is rooted in real experience, not theory. Cassie has navigated growth, burnout, rebuilding, reinvention and the constant challenge of leading teams while keeping a business alive. She also holds a master's degree in business and has built a reputation for insight, clarity and deep empathy for the people who keep this industry moving.
Kith & Kin is the result of everything she has learned. It is the movement she wished had existed when she was running venues — a place of belonging, honest support and meaningful leadership for independent operators and the partners who champion them.
Cassie now speaks nationally about hospitality leadership, belonging and the Five Pillars at the heart of Stand Out Hospitality.
Founder of Kith & Kin and author of Stand Out Hospitality.
Why Kith & Kin
Kith & Kin is more than a platform or a programme. It is a movement built on experience, empathy and ambition for the sector. It is a home for people who believe that independent hospitality deserves better, better support, better leadership and a stronger sense of community.
This is a space for clarity and for courage. A space for people who want to build something meaningful. A space for people who love hospitality, and the people who make it happen.