In this episode of Happy Hour, host Leon sits down with Guy Greenstone, the co-founder of Stomping Ground Brewing Co., to unpack real-world advice straight from the PAX mailbag.

Transitioning from the high-stakes strategy of the PAX Podcast to a conversational pint, Leon and Guy dive into three massive listener dilemmas. 

First, they solve the venue music crisis, highlighting why acoustics and curated playlists form the ultimate hospitality "X-factor". Next, they tackle a listener's frustration with greenwashing, explaining the positive cash-flow reality of solar investment and why staff must "be the change". Finally, they offer valuable guidance to a 24-year-old supervisor on handling tough feedback and embracing vulnerability as a key leadership tool. 

Packed with top-tier podcast recommendations - from business deep dives to economic stories - this episode is an informal, action-oriented masterclass for anyone looking to elevate their hospitality game.

(00:02:15) Malt Donkey and Single-Estate Barley

(00:05:45) Conversational Community: Happy Hour vs. PAX Podcast

(00:07:45) Cracking the Venue Music Crisis

(00:20:25) Top Podcast Recommendations for Hospitality

(00:28:45) Tackling Greenwashing and Sustainability Dilemmas

(00:30:45) The Business Case for Solar Power

(00:41:00) Accidental Leadership and Young Supervisor Advice

For more information on PAX , visit pax.melbourne

Follow @pax.melbourne on social media.

We would love to know what you'd like to hear in season 4!

Let us know here.

For more information on Stomping Ground, visit Stomping Ground Brewing Co.

Podcast produced by Posterboy Media.

In this episode of the PAX Hospitality Podcast, host Leon Kennedy challenges the pervasive industry narrative that hospitality is completely broken.

Joining the conversation is Simon Bell, a distinguished Professor of Marketing at the University of Melbourne who specialises in services and marketing strategy. Drawing from decades of academic research and frameworks like Michael Porter’s Five Forces, Simon provides a refreshing analysis of Melbourne's hyper-competitive food landscape, illustrating why the experience economy remains in a powerful ascendancy.

The pair dive into the strategic advantages of customer education, revealing how transparency and "delighters" - such as sharing proprietary recipes - actually cultivate unshakeable customer loyalty.

Leon and Simon unpack actionable methodologies for operators, detailing how profound internal employee experience directly underpins external brand equity.

The episode concludes with a preview of a structured customer experience course centred around the vital concept of "service blueprinting".

(00:00:15) Introducing Professor Simon Bell and rewriting the broken hospitality narrative

(00:06:00) Applying Porter's Five Forces and analysing the fierce density of the Melbourne market

(00:09:15) Navigating the ascendancy of the experience economy and authentic customer connection

(00:14:00) The critical power of positive business narrative versus negative self-fulfilling prophecies

(00:19:45) Defining customer education and why pulling back the curtain drives firm-specific loyalty

(00:38:45) Inverting the organisational pyramid to empower and support front-line employees

(00:51:15) Structuring a new three-workshop customer experience course around service blueprinting

For access to our easy-to-digest PDF outlining the 10 key take-aways from this episode, head to https://pax.melbourne/season-3-episode-3. Treat it as checklist to review where your business is at. 

If you're keen to get in touch, contact [email protected]. 

If you're needing advice or want to discuss your business's current status, we highly recommend scheduling a call with Leon. It's just a chat and doesn't have to be anything more than that. We're here to listen and help where we can.

Book a call here [ https://calendly.com/hello-pax/30-minute-call-clone ]

Follow @pax.melbourne on social media.

Podcast produced by Posterboy Media.

This week on Happy Hour, join us for a candid conversation with Chris Hamburger, the chef and owner of Fitzroy staple, Stagger Lee’s.

With 12 years of experience under his belt, Chris highlights the realities of the modern hospitality industry - the highs, the lows, and the grit required to sustain it.

We explore his journey with "sober-curiosity," the healing power of motorcycle rides, and how he uses his restaurant as a beacon of community support, even during tough economic times.

Chris shares his raw, unfiltered perspective on work-life balance, building resilience through daily routines, and his dedication to creating a sustainable, community-focused business model.

Whether you're in the industry or just looking for inspiration to find your "spark" again, Chris’s honest take on dedication, creativity, and mental health is an essential listen.

(00:03:30) The benefits of sobriety and clarity

(00:06:50) Unconditioning societal drinking norms

(00:08:45) Creative, vegan-forward cooking

(00:10:20) Finding the creative spark again

(00:13:00) Motorcycle riding and mental resilience

(00:16:15) Building community and respect

(00:25:45) The reality of hospitality dedication

For more information on PAX , visit pax.melbourne

Follow @pax.melbourne on social media.

For more information on Stagger Lee's, visit Stagger Lee's

Podcast produced by Posterboy Media.

In this instalment of the PAX Hospitality Podcast, host Leon Kennedy welcomes back data-backed fan-favourite Michael Bascetta for an unfiltered masterclass on navigating the complex world of capital and restaurant funding. Moving far beyond dry spreadsheet forecasts, Michael leverages his extensive hospitality track record and industry stature to dismantle the common pitfalls that lead to instant investor rejection. 

The duo outline the four distinct business archetypes desperate for funding and maps out a definitive, practical strategy for evaluating debt versus equity. This conversation reveals how to invite collaboration by exposing your business plan's vulnerabilities. Whether you are a first-time founder mapping an initial concept or an established operator trying to avoid stagnation, this episode provides the definitive roadmap for making your venue undeniably investable.

(00:01:41) The critical intersection of capital and true business partnership

(00:03:55) Dissecting the four customer categories requiring capital injections

(00:06:05) The primary reasons investors and banks reject funding requests

(00:10:41) Formulating the foundational discovery question for prospective investors

(00:14:55) Embracing operational vulnerability to secure long-term emotional investment

(00:20:00) Balancing the perfect pitch against targeting the perfect audience

(00:27:31) Operational realities, trade-offs, and ratios of debt versus equity

For access to our easy-to-digest PDF outlining the 10 key take-aways from this episode, head to https://pax.melbourne/season-3-episode-2. Treat it as checklist to review where your business is at. 

If you're keen to get in touch, contact [email protected]. 

If you're needing advice or want to discuss your business's current status, we highly recommend scheduling a call with Leon. It's just a chat and doesn't have to be anything more than that. We're here to listen and help where we can.

Book a call here [ https://calendly.com/hello-pax/30-minute-call-clone ]

Follow @pax.melbourne on social media.

Podcast produced by Posterboy Media.

In this unfiltered episode of Happy Hour, we sit down with Hannah Green, the visionary behind Etta and Daphne. Joined by Loren, we dive straight into the realities of the hospitality industry by tackling direct questions from our listeners.

From navigating toxic team dynamics and modern staff management in a post-traditional era, to the gruelling challenge of expanding your business without losing its DNA, this conversation covers it all. Hannah brings her signature energy and hard-won experience to discuss why scaling isn't just a business move—it’s a personal journey. Whether you're a sous chef struggling with "vibe checks" or an owner contemplating your next venue, this episode offers practical, no-nonsense advice on balancing love and boundaries in the modern workplace. It’s off-the-cuff, honest, and essential listening for anyone in the hospitality game.

(00:02:15) Why Malt Donkey beer matters

(00:04:15) Dealing with being blocked in by a crane

(00:06:00) Addressing toxic senior staff behavior

(00:14:00) The importance of HR software tools

(00:16:00) Modern sous chef management woes

(00:28:15) Scaling and opening a second venue

(00:36:00) Finding balance as a business owner

For more information on PAX , visit pax.melbourne

Follow @pax.melbourne on social media.

Podcast produced by Posterboy Media.

In this episode of the PAX Hospitality Podcast, Leon sits down with "triple-header" guest and people culture expert Kate Hemat-Siraky to dismantle the most common excuses in modern hospitality management. Moving away from rigid frameworks, this episode focuses on "hot takes" regarding the current economic squeeze and the perceived labour crisis. Kate, a seasoned HR professional with experience navigating the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) and COVID-19, provides a strategic masterclass on maintaining culture during survival mode without spending a dollar more.

This conversation challenges the industry's frustrations with recruitment and the "generation gap," backed by startling statistics that suggest the problem might lie with leadership disengagement rather than a thinning talent pool. This is an essential listen for operators looking to move fast, empower their teams, and leverage transparency as a competitive advantage in a wild market.

(00:00:00) Season three launch and introduction of guest Kate Hemmat Siraky

(00:03:51) Navigating the current economic climate and rising hospitality costs

(00:09:12) Protecting business culture during survival mode and financial troughs

(00:18:41) Practical strategies for reducing overheads through team empowerment

(00:23:01) The harsh truth about recruitment: Process versus market difficulty

(00:31:38) Debunking the "thinning talent pool" myth with labor statistics

(00:45:34) Challenging the generation gap and addressing manager burnout

For access to our easy-to-digest PDF outlining the 10 key take-aways from this episode, head to https://pax.melbourne/season-3-episode-1.

Treat it as checklist to review where your business is at. If you're keen to get in touch, contact [email protected].

If you're needing advice or want to discuss your business's current status, we highly recommend scheduling a call with Leon. It's just a chat and doesn't have to be anything more than that. We're here to listen and help where we can.

Book a call here [ https://calendly.com/hello-pax/30-minute-call-clone ]Follow @pax.melbourne on social media.

For more on Kate and Zest People, go to https://zestpeople.com.au/

Podcast produced by Posterboy Media.

Welcome to Season 3 of the PAX Hospitality Podcast. This season, we're shaking things up. Every other episode will take on a brand new format called 'Happy Hour'. Happy Hour is an audio-only format where honest, unfiltered conversations take centre stage. But don't worry, every even episode will continue on in the same style you know and love.

We’re kicking things off with a raw conversation with Gareth Whitton, the powerhouse behind Tarts Anon. 

Pull up a chair as we have a yarn over a beer, discussing the highs and lows of running a small business. Gareth opens up about the realities of navigating the current economic climate, the importance of fostering a supportive team culture, and his newfound joy in fatherhood - from teaching his son to play cricket to competitive Mario Kart. Whether you’re a hospitality veteran or just looking for honest insights on life, business, and balance, this episode delivers a refreshing look at what it truly takes to stay authentic in an ever-changing industry.

Grab a drink and join the conversation.

(00:00:00) Introducing the new Happy Hour series

(00:03:00) The craft of high-quality malt

(00:04:30) Disenchantment with the craft beer scene

(00:07:30) Gareth on business viability and growth

(00:13:40) Hiring the successor: finding support

(00:19:40) Fatherhood, Nintendo Switches, and altruism

(00:23:40) Bonding through cricket and core memories

For more information on PAX , visit pax.melbourne

Follow @pax.melbourne on social media.

For more information on Tarts Anon, visit Tarts Anon

Podcast produced by Posterboy Media.

Not long to go before Season 3! To bide your time, here's another one of our favourite episodes from Season 1.

Originally released on Dec 21 2025.

In this episode, Leon and Loren run a practical, no-nonsense primer on hospitality marketing — the kind that turns work into revenue rather than vanity metrics. Rather than lofty brand theory, the conversation breaks marketing into an operational framework: Pre (how you attract customers), During (the customer experience and frontline sales), and Post (retention, review management and re-engagement). The aim is simple: make marketing mechanical, measurable and owned by the whole business — not just an agency or the “marketing person.”

Loren and Leon walk the listeners through the four core areas that matter during the pre-customer stage — identity, Google Business/SEO, website & UX, and database/EDM strategy — and explain how small practical changes (correct Google categories, an obvious menu, auto-opt-in marketing) can produce immediate, tangible results. They also unpack the connective tissue between content, digital performance and ops: content is only valuable if it converts and the ops side (the team on the floor, booking flow, product delivery) is primed to deliver on the promise.

The episode finishes with concrete, easy wins (audit your Google listing, fix your menu UX, consolidate review feedback, check your reservation flow and tidy your social profiles) and a reminder that marketing in hospitality is iterative — a series of “one-percenters” that compound. Leon and Loren promise to dig deeper across future episodes; for now, this is a practical roadmap for owner-operators who need usable marketing, not more theory.

Topics Covered:

• Marketing as a system, not a vibe – Treating marketing as practical, mechanical work across three stages (Pre / During / Post) rather than just “content.”
• The boring basics that move the needle – Identity clarity, Google Business optimisation, clean menu/UX, and database capture aka the unsexy work that drives bookings.
• Content with commercial purpose – Creating channel-specific content that leads to measurable actions (bookings, clicks, sign-ups), not vanity metrics.
• Front-of-house as the marketing engine – Equipping floor teams with clear language, mission, and tools. Every interaction builds the brand and drives revenue.
• Feedback loops that improve product – Aggregating reviews, spotting recurring themes, closing the loop with ops, and turning complaints into upgrades.

PAX acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people as the traditional custodians of the land on which we operate. We pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging and to all First Nations People.

In between Season 2 and 3, enjoy this re-release of one of our favourite must-listen episodes from Season 1.

Originally released on Oct 13, 2025.

In this episode, Leon sat down with Phillip Spry (Director, Mawson) to demystify what happens when a venue slides from strain to financial distress—and how to avoid becoming part of the predicted contraction. 

Rather than fear, the focus is clarity: a plain-English definition of insolvency (“can’t pay debts when they’re due”), the day-one reality of administration (what administrators actually do, when trading can continue, and why preparation matters), and the habits that quietly tip operators over the edge—thin margins, vanity metrics, and hope-as-a-plan. 

Philip walks through the single most powerful tool owners ignore: a rolling 13–16 week cashflow runway that shows when the cliff arrives and which levers (creditor terms, cost cuts, capital) could bridge it. The conversation also covers staff entitlements, creditor negotiations, and why character and communication often decide whether suppliers back you. 

Finally, Leon and Philip map life after crisis—how some founders come back sharper and more disciplined, and why the goal isn’t just survival but a cleaner, more sustainable business on the other side.

Topics Covered:

• What insolvency really means in plain language — and why “can’t pay debts when they’re due” is both simple and dangerously vague
• How administration works day-to-day, from the moment an administrator steps in to what it takes to keep trading
• The common triggers in hospitality that tip venues over the edge — from seasonality and thin margins to vanity metrics that hide deeper issues
• Why a cashflow runway is the single best diagnostic tool for whether you can trade out, restructure, or need outside help
• How to think about life after crisis — postmortems, reinvention, and why some operators emerge sharper, more disciplined, and more sustainable

The season 2 finale is also our first live episode! Recorded at the The Pinnacle, Fitzroy, Leon is joined by industry experts Nathen Doyle (Agree to Agree Group), Drew Bowering (GM, OpenTable Australia), and our own Loren Daniels (Head of Sales & Marketing at PAX). 

This episode tackles real-world business challenges from restaurant owners facing thin margins and operational plateaus. The panel dives into real case studies - from restaurants struggling with high labour costs despite being busy, to established operators wondering how to scale without losing their identity. 

You'll gain forensic insights on balancing rent-to-revenue ratios, optimising menu engineering, and systemising your business to move beyond being the daily bottleneck. You'll learn how to audit your systems, empower your team, and realign with your true mission for long-term hospitality success.

(00:03:00) The 'We're Busy But Broke' Problem

(00:05:30) Rent-to-Revenue: The 5% Rule

(00:10:45) Using Data to Find Revenue

(00:13:30) Systems as a Worthwhile Investment

(00:27:00) Strategies for Scaling Your Business

(00:33:30) Introspection and Business Coaching

(00:43:00) Moving Beyond the Founder Bottleneck

For access to our easy-to-digest PDF outlining the 10 key take-aways from this episode, head to https://pax.melbourne/season-2-episode-10. Treat it as checklist to review where your business is at. 

If you're keen to get in touch, contact [email protected]. 

If you're needing advice or want to discuss your business's current status, we highly recommend scheduling a call with Leon. It's just a chat and doesn't have to be anything more than that. We're here to listen and help where we can. Book a call here [ https://calendly.com/hello-pax/30-minute-call-clone ]

Follow @pax.melbourne on social media.

Podcast produced by Posterboy Media.