Stand-Out Hospitality:
How to Have a Business You Love That Loves You Back
A book for the independent operators carrying more than people realise — and for the partners who choose to stand with them.
Independent hospitality was never just a job.
It’s identity, memory, culture, community — and, for many, the place where purpose lives.
But the weight of running a business can make you forget that.
Stand-Out Hospitality: How to Have a Business You Love That Loves You Back is a book written for the operators who give everything, often at the cost of themselves. It offers a clearer, simpler way to build a business that feels meaningful again — one rooted in purpose, belonging, and the courage to build differently.
This isn’t a manual. It’s a companion for the road.
Who the Book Is For
This book speaks directly to the heartbeat of the sector:
Independent operators rebuilding confidence and direction
Senior leaders wanting clarity in the noise
Teams who want to reconnect with why they do this work
Suppliers and partners who want to support the sector better
Anyone who believes hospitality is about human connection, not transactions
Because when you run a business you love — one that also loves you back — everything changes.
What the Book Covers
Drawing on 30 years of lived experience and the Five Pillars of Kith & Kin, the book explores what it takes to build a hospitality business that thrives — emotionally, culturally, and commercially.
Inside you’ll find:
Why so many operators lose their purpose — and how to get it back
The emotional weight leaders carry (and rarely acknowledge)
How to build loyalty that isn’t bought with discounts
Why perfection is the enemy of progress
How to set high standards without burning out
What it takes to truly stand out
How belonging becomes your competitive advantage
How to build a business that feels good to run, not just good from the outside
Every chapter offers grounded insight, reflection, and practical next steps.
Why This Book Matters Now
Hospitality is under more pressure than ever, yet its potential has never been greater.
Operators are tired, teams are stretched, and the noise in the industry is deafening. But beneath the struggle lives something far more powerful: purpose, craft, community, and the ability to change how people feel.
This book is a reminder that:
Your difference is your strength.
Your purpose is still there — it just needs space.
Belonging is still hospitality’s greatest advantage.
And you don’t have to do any of it alone.
“Bold, honest, and full of heart. It felt like sitting down for a proper chat with someone who just gets it. The personal stories hit hard — and the way Cassie names burnout, doubt, and the messy bits no one else talks about is genuinely powerful.”
“Cassie’s belief in the power of hospitality to
transform lives is like fuel for those who need to
believe it too”
“Bold, honest, and full of heart. It felt like sitting down for a proper chat with someone who just gets it. The personal stories hit hard — and the way Cassie names burnout, doubt, and the messy bits no one else talks about is genuinely powerful.”
What Readers Are Saying
“I recognised so much from my own experience. The approaches are practical, grounded, and real. A thoughtful, credible read for anyone who’s been in the industry a while.”
“Cassie Davison captures the beating heart of
hospitality – the people, the purpose, and the
promise of belonging.
Stand Out Hospitality
is
essential reading for anyone serious about leading
with care and creating places people never want
to leave. This book is one our industry has been
waiting for. A thoughtful, actionable framework that
reconnects leadership to empathy and excellence.
Every independent operator should have a copy.”
“This book totally fired me up. It’s not just for people in hospitality — it’s a book about humans, told through the lens of the industry. It reminded me of things I’d forgotten and taught me things I didn’t know. Everyone should read it, no matter what side of the bar they’re on.
”
“Part history lesson, part business advice, part love
letter to hospitality, this book is a must read to
remind us why we do what we do and help us to do
it better!”
“I was hooked from start to finish.
Stand Out
Hospitality
is insightful, thought-provoking, and
refreshingly practical. I took away so many ideas I
can apply straight to our Airbnbs”
About the Author
Cassie Davison has spent more than 30 years in independent hospitality as an award-winning operator, founder, advisor, and industry voice. Her work spans award-winning venues, community regeneration, creative placemaking, and leadership development across the sector.
She is the founder of Kith & Kin — a movement built around the belief that belonging is hospitality’s greatest advantage.
Stand-Out Hospitality: How to Have a Business You Love That Loves You Back is her first book.
Get Your Copy
Choose the format that works best for you:
Bring the Book to Your Business
If your team or organisation is exploring what it means to run a standout hospitality business, I’d love to support you directly.
Stand-Out Hospitality comes to life through conversation — in the room, with your people, and grounded in the realities they face every day. Whether you’re looking for a keynote, a leadership workshop, or a session tailored to your challenges, we can shape something that supports your goals and inspires your team.
This book is a love letter to independent hospitality.
If it helps you reconnect with why you began, see your business with fresh eyes, or simply feel less alone, then it has already done what it was meant to do.
Hospitality has always been about belonging.
Your business can be too.
Independent hospitality’s competitive advantage is belonging.