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.
What Readers Are Saying
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.