A Voice for the People Who Keep Hospitality Going

Cassie Davison has spent over 30 years on the frontlines of hospitality. She’s opened, built, and led award-winning venues, navigating the highs and lows of running independent businesses with soul. For 25 of those years, she worked as an owner-operator, setting up hospitality businesses from scratch and growing them into successful, standout venues. Her journey began behind the bar, but her impact has reached stages, strategy rooms, and now, the hearts of thousands across the UK hospitality sector.

Founder of Kith & Kin Hospitality and a trusted coach to independent business owners, Cassie is also an Ambassador for the British Institute of Innkeeping and a Strategic Advisor to De Montfort University’s Postgraduate & Doctorate Business School. She has served as a Judge for the Licensee of the Year Awards and earned her MBA in 2010. Recognised as a national industry spokesperson, she has received over 25 awards, including Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneur of the Year.

Her venues have been celebrated for everything from “Most Instagrammable Venue” to “Wish It Was Our Local,” alongside earning 3 AA Rosettes, Which? Good Food Guide Best Newcomer, and Midlands Restaurant of the Year. Her work has been featured in national press including The Guardian, The Times, and The Telegraph.

Kith & Kin is Cassie’s answer to an industry she loves fiercely—an industry full of brilliant, burnt-out operators who deserve better support. Through her work as a speaker, strategist, and community builder, she’s leading a movement that puts purpose, belonging, and people at the heart of hospitality again.

Cassie speaks with clarity, compassion, and lived experience. Her leadership isn’t theoretical—it’s personal.

Keynote Topics & Speaking Work

Cassie is a sought-after speaker at hospitality events, leadership gatherings, and business strategy sessions. Her talks are honest, energising, and rooted in 30+ years of real-world experience as an independent operator, author, and community leader.

She speaks openly about the emotional reality of hospitality leadership—and offers practical insight, clarity, and connection for teams and audiences who need more than just motivation.

Popular Topics:

Why Belonging Is a Growth Strategy
How emotional connection builds sustainable success.
The 99 Problems of Independent Hospitality (And What to Do About Them)
What operators are really facing behind the scenes.
What Loyalty Really Looks Like Now
It’s not about discounts—it's about meaning.
The Emotional Labour of Leadership
The invisible weight owners carry, and how to lead with care.
Leading With Purpose When You’re Running on Empty
Staying grounded when the pressure won’t let up.
The Five Pillars of Thriving Hospitality Businesses
Cassie’s signature framework from Stand Out Hospitality.

Session Types:

Keynote Talks
Conference Panels
Podcast Interviews
Private Leadership Workshops
Guest Webinars & Online Events
Supplier & Trade Body Sessions

Want to bring Cassie to your next event?

Speaker Kit PDF

Book Cassie to Speak

What Others Say

Here’s what clients, collaborators, and hospitality peers have shared about working with Cassie.

Recognition & Media

Cassie has received over 25 industry and business awards throughout her career, ranging from entrepreneurial recognition to accolades for food, design, and cultural impact. Rather than list every award, she prefers to let the work and impact speak for itself — but here are just a few highlights:

Awards

Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneur of the Year
Niche Magazine Businesswoman of the Year
Visit England Best Pub
3 AA Rosettes
Which? Good Food Guide Best Newcomer
Midlands Restaurant of the Year
Most Instagrammable Venue
Wish It Was Our Local

Press & Features

National features in The Guardian, The Times, The Telegraph, and the BBC
Trade press coverage in Restaurant Magazine, The Caterer, Olive Magazine, and others
Coverage of her venues and work in both print and digital media across the UK