Ticker launches State of Hospitality as industry faces defining period

Hosted by hospitality entrepreneur and lawyer Jeremy Koadlow, the new Ticker series brings together operators, advisers and industry leaders to examine the pressures, opportunities and future of hospitality.

Ticker is launching State of Hospitality, a new weekly program examining the challenges and opportunities facing one of Australia’s most important industries.

Hosted by Jeremy Koadlow, co-founder and director of New Chapter Legal, the program will bring together hospitality operators, investors and industry leaders to examine what it takes to build and operate a successful hospitality business in the current environment.

Koadlow brings more than 20 years of experience as a business founder, owner and director of hospitality businesses to his legal work advising hospitality, retail and service businesses.

The program launches at a pivotal time for the hospitality sector. Rising wages, rents, utilities, insurance and the cost of goods and services are placing pressure on margins, while regulation, taxation and changing consumer behaviour are forcing operators to reconsider how hospitality businesses are structured, financed and run.

But State of Hospitality will also look beyond the challenges to identify where businesses are succeeding, where opportunities remain and what the industry can do to build a stronger future.

“Hospitality is under enormous pressure, but this is a story about an industry with amazing future,” Koadlow said.

“There are fantastic operators and businesses succeeding every day. State of Hospitality is about inviting those people into the conversation to explain exactly where the pressure is coming from, what successful businesses are doing differently and what needs to change to give the industry the best opportunity to thrive.”

Rising insolvencies

The first episodes tackle some of the biggest questions confronting the industry, from the financial health of venues and rising insolvencies to regulation, compliance and whether hospitality businesses remain attractive investments.

The series begins with Jason Robinson, co-founder of Future Advisory, co-host of The Numbers Game, investor and entrepreneur, examining what the numbers reveal about the health of hospitality and the pressures flowing through venues, suppliers, wholesalers and producers.

In another episode, Tim Brace, Director at SV Partners, draws on more than 20 years in insolvency and business recovery to examine why hospitality businesses find themselves in financial distress, the warning signs operators should watch for and when a struggling but viable business can still be turned around.

Richie McFarlane from Australian Venue Co joins Koadlow to examine regulation and compliance across the hospitality sector. 

Melbourne hospitality operator Jim Marinis also joins the first batch of guests to discuss the business of buying, building, operating and eventually selling hospitality venues, including whether owning a venue still stacks up as an investment after years of rising costs.

The launch also comes as Victoria moves towards its next state election on Saturday 28 November, putting the business environment and the policies affecting Victorian industries under renewed scrutiny.

Ticker founder and CEO Ahron Young said the program would give a major Australian industry a dedicated platform at an important moment.

“Hospitality is such an important part of the Australian economy and our way of life, but behind every restaurant, café, pub and venue is a business dealing with costs, staff, regulation, investment and rapidly changing consumer behaviour,” Young said.

“We don’t want State of Hospitality to simply point out the problems. Jeremy understands this industry from both sides.”

“With Victoria and NSW heading towards an election, this is also an important time to hear directly from the people operating businesses and employing people about what is working, what isn’t and what could create the conditions for hospitality to grow.”

Young said State of Hospitality forms part of Ticker’s continued expansion of specialist business programming.

“Our approach is to put people with genuine industry experience in the host’s chair and surround them with the people actually making decisions on the ground,” Young said.

State of Hospitality launches this week on the Ticker News TV channel and will also be available through the Ticker app, Ticker’s website and its social media platforms.

Over the past 12 months, Ticker has dramatically increased its programming slate which now covers the gamut of business with programs on aviation, education, entrepreneurship, law, media, property, travel and technology.  

About Jeremy Koadlow

Jeremy Koadlow is the co-founder and director at New Chapter Legal. Bringing over 20 years of experience as a business founder, owner and director of hospitality businesses, Koadlow combines first-hand industry experience with practical legal advice for hospitality, retail and service businesses.