The Post Shift Podcast with Shawn Soole

In this week’s Post Shift Shot, I dig into how the rise of remote work is quietly impacting the hospitality ecosystem — from empty downtown cores to shrinking lunch rushes and unpredictable revenue patterns.
This isn’t an anti-remote rant; it’s a reality check on how shifts in work culture ripple through restaurants, bars, and the people who rely on them. If you operate in hospitality, this is a conversation we can’t afford to ignore.

In this episode, Shawn Soole sits down with Ann Squires Ferguson, interior designer and hospitality space strategist, to explore how design shapes behaviour, influences service flow, and ultimately determines whether a hospitality venue succeeds or struggles.
From restaurants and bars to multi-use hospitality spaces, Ann breaks down how thoughtful design goes far beyond aesthetics — impacting staff efficiency, guest comfort, dwell time, and revenue. This conversation connects design thinking to real operational outcomes.

🧠 What You’ll Learn
• How interior design directly affects hospitality operations, service flow, and guest experience
• The psychology of space: how layout, lighting, materials, and scale influence behavior
• Common design mistakes operators make — and how to avoid expensive missteps
• How to design hospitality spaces that support both brand identity and team performance
• Live Q&A: renovation planning, budget trade-offs, and future-forward design trends

⏱ Timestamp Highlights (Approximate)
• 00:02:30 – Ann’s background in interior design and hospitality space planning
• 00:14:45 – Designing for function first: flow, efficiency, and human behaviour
• 00:29:00 – Brand-led design: translating concept into physical space
• 00:43:10 – Live Q&A: renovations, mistakes to avoid, and working with designers
• 00:58:00+ – The future of hospitality design: flexibility, wellness, and longevity

🎯 Who It’s For
Hospitality operators, restaurateurs, bar owners, developers, and anyone planning a build-out or renovation who wants spaces that look great, work hard, and last — not just photograph well.

✅ If You Loved This Episode
• Hit Like
• Subscribe and ring the 🔔 for more conversations bridging design, operations, and culture
• Drop your biggest design takeaway or question in the comments
• Share this episode with your partners, designers, or anyone planning a hospitality space

Whenever I talk about training, the first question is always the same: “What’s the ROI?”
In this week’s Post Shift Shot, I break down the real numbers behind staff training and show how a relatively small investment in your team can unlock outsized returns across sales, labour efficiency, retention, and overall culture.
This isn’t theory or feel-good leadership talk — it’s a practical look at how training directly impacts the bottom line, why under-investing in people is one of the most expensive mistakes operators make, and how to start thinking about training as a profit centre, not a cost.
If you’ve ever wondered how much training actually makes you, this episode is your blueprint.

In this episode, Shawn Soole sits down with Michael Dargie — branding strategist, creative thinker, and author of BrandJitsu — for a sharp, no-fluff conversation on how brands are really built, why most messaging fails, and how hospitality (and beyond) can stop chasing trends and start creating meaning.This episode is a deep dive into brand clarity, creative discipline, and strategic storytelling — with real-world applications for operators, founders, and creatives alike.
🧠 What You’ll Learn
• Michael’s path into branding and the philosophy behind BrandJitsu
• Why most brands confuse noise with impact — and how to cut through
• The difference between branding, marketing, and storytelling (and why it matters)• How creative constraints can actually unlock stronger brand identity
• Live Q&A: applying BrandJitsu thinking to hospitality, personal brands, and businesses
⏱ Timestamp Highlights (Approximate)
• 00:02:30 – Michael’s background and the origin of BrandJitsu
• 00:14:00 – Why most brands fail: clarity vs chaos
• 00:28:00 – Creative discipline, constraints, and brand consistency
• 00:42:30 – Live Q&A: applying branding frameworks to real businesses
• 00:57:00+ – What strong brands get right — and where most go wrong
🎯 Who It’s For
Hospitality operators, founders, creatives, marketers, and leaders who want to build brands with intention, stop chasing applause, and create identities that actually resonate — internally and externally.
✅ If You Loved This Episode
• Hit Like
• Subscribe and tap the 🔔 for more conversations on leadership, creativity, and brand strategy
• Drop your favourite BrandJitsu insight or question in the comments
• Share this episode with your team, creative partners, or anyone responsible for “the brand.”

DOWNLOAD Business Clarity Workbook - https://www.soolehospitality.com/free-resources-1/business-clarity-workbook
Welcome back to the Post Shift Podcast! I'm bringing back the Tuesday episodes, the Post Shift Shots, to offer more insights that don't always fit into my interviews. My goal is to provide clarity and motivation to the community, focusing on personal development and a positive thinking mindset for success.