Introduction
G’day. Nathan Baws here. If you’ve landed on this page, you’re probably running a café in Perth that’s quieter than you’d like, organising events in Melbourne that are costing more than they return, or teaching hospitality students in Brisbane who deserve the most current, real-world advice possible. I’ve spent the last forty years opening, fixing, and scaling hospitality businesses right across Australia – three of my own restaurants from scratch, plus hundreds more through one-on-one work as a hospitality business consultant. I’m not part of a big firm; it’s just me, working directly with you. No layers, no hand-offs.
Hospitality in Australia is changing fast in 2026. Tourism is rebounding strongly (Tourism Australia reported a record 9.8 million international visitors in the year to September), yet costs are still biting – energy up 14 % in most states, produce prices volatile after the Queensland floods, and wages rising again in July. The winners right now are the operators who make calm, deliberate decisions instead of reacting in panic. That’s where a hospitality business consultant becomes useful: someone who has already made the mistakes, paid the bills, and can shorten your path.
Quick actionable ideas before we go deeper:
- Walk your venue tomorrow with a stopwatch and note every repeated manual job – one of them is your first efficiency win.
- Choose one local supplier this week and ask for a 30-day payment term instead of 7 – cash flow breathes again.
- Run a 48-hour social media poll asking “What’s one thing we could do better?” – the answers are pure gold.
- Put $50 aside from every $1,000 of turnover into a “quiet season” account – you’ll thank yourself in winter.
- Book a 30-minute call with someone who truly understands Australian hospitality (yes, that’s me).
Let’s get into the details.
Why Australian Hospitality Owners Are Turning to a Hospitality Business Consultant in 2025
The phone calls I receive most weeks sound the same: “Nathan, we’re busy but we’re not making money,” or “We survived COVID but now everything costs double.” A hospitality business consultant doesn’t arrive with a generic playbook. I come with a blank page and listen to your numbers, your team headaches, and your quiet hopes for the business.
The Difference Between Advice and Actual Results
Generic courses tell you to “cut waste.” A hospitality business consultant who has run payroll in Broome in February shows you exactly which three items on your current menu are bleeding margin once freight and 42-degree heat spoilage are factored in. One regional Queensland hotel I worked with last year removed two “fancy” dishes, added one high-margin local reef fish special, and lifted weekly profit by $2,400 without dropping a single cover.
Regional vs Metro – Why One-Size-Fits-All Fails
A 70-seat bistro in Hobart operates under entirely different rules from a 70-seat restaurant in Parramatta. Rent, wage loadings, tourist seasonality, and even council noise restrictions are worlds apart. A good hospitality business consultant starts every project by asking for your postcode and your last three months of POS data.
When Educators and Students Need Real-World Input
TAFE and university lecturers call me when they want current case studies that actually happened this year, not 2019 theory. Students leave my sessions understanding why labour percentage targets differ between a licensed café and a pure takeaway juice bar. Practical beats theoretical every time.
Building Rock-Solid Operations That Survive Anything
Operations are the heartbeat. Get them wrong and no amount of marketing saves you.
Supply Chain Reality Checks for Australian Conditions
Freight from Melbourne to Far North Queensland still takes 10–14 days by road in the wet season. Order too late and you pay air-freight premiums; order too early and half your avocados turn black. The fix I use with most clients: set minimum and maximum stock levels for every item based on real lead times, then review monthly. One Sunshine Coast resort dropped produce waste from 11 % to 4 % in eight weeks using nothing more than a shared Google sheet.
Smart Rostering That Keeps Staff and Owners Happy
With the 2025 Modern Award increase now locked in, every unnecessary overtime hour hurts. Build rosters around actual covers from the same week last year, add a 15 % buffer, then let staff swap shifts themselves on an app. A Geelong venue I helped cut overtime by $38,000 a year, and staff actually thanked me because they got their weekends back.
Technology That Pays for Itself in Months
You don’t need a $50,000 system. Start with Square or Impos for POS, Lightspeed or OrderUp for inventory alerts, and Google Data Studio (free) to watch daily sales trends. I walked a Tamworth pub through this exact stack last quarter – their stocktake time dropped from eight hours to ninety minutes a month.
Marketing That Actually Books Tables in 2025
Pretty photos are lovely. Booked tables and event enquiries are better.
Local Partnerships Beat Big Ad Spend Every Time
One phone call to your local tourism body or chamber of commerce usually unlocks more exposure than $5,000 on Facebook. A Margaret River winery restaurant I advised started hosting the local running club’s Thursday breakfast – 35 new regulars every week, zero ad cost.
Straightforward Social Content That Works Right Now
Post one short video every day for a fortnight: your barista tamping a perfect shot, the chef plating tonight’s special, the cleaner doing the final wipe-down. Caption it “This is how we look after you.” Authenticity outperforms polished ads in Australia every single time.
Turning First-Time Visitors into Regulars
Give every table a small card: “Love us? Text the word THANKS to 0400 123 456 for a free coffee next visit.” Costs almost nothing, builds your SMS list (the most valuable marketing asset you can own), and tracks exactly who came back.
Money, Margins, and Survival
Cash flow is oxygen.
Seasonal Budgeting That Actually Works
January–March is strong in most of the country, and July–August is brutal for everyone except the snowfields. Take last year’s weekly sales, mark the quietest eight weeks, then aim to have four times that amount in the bank before June 30. I’ve never seen a venue regret being over-prepared for winter.
Funding and Grant Options Available Right Now
The 2025–26 Federal Budget kept the Instant Asset Write-Off at $20,000 and expanded the Regional Tourism Product Development Fund. A hospitality business consultant who knows the application process can usually secure $15,000–$50,000 in non-repayable grants for fit-outs or marketing projects.
Three Numbers You Must Watch Weekly
- Labour percentage (aim 28–32 % of sales, including super and WorkCover)
- Cost of goods percentage (28–34 % maximum for most full-service venues)
- Net profit before tax (anything under 8 % means something needs urgent attention)
People – The Only Asset That Appreciates
Your team will make or break you long before any piece of equipment does.
Hiring Better Than Your Competition
Ask every applicant: “Tell me about a time you went out of your way for a customer when nobody was watching.” Attitude shows up in the answer; skills can be taught.
Keeping Great People in a Tight Labour Market
Run a monthly “team choice” night where the staff pick the music, the uniform is casual, and everyone gets fed first. Costs $400, saves $15,000 in replacement hiring costs.
Looking After Mental Health Without Big Budgets
Ten-minute daily huddle at 10:50 am – wins from yesterday, plan for today, one personal check-in. Takes ten minutes, prevents meltdowns that cost thousands.
Future-Proofing: Sustainability and Innovation That Actually Add Profit
Greenwashing is out. Genuine action is in – and it makes money.
Easy Sustainability Wins That Pay Back Fast
Switch to LED lighting (payback usually under 12 months with current energy prices), install a $3,000 water-saving dishwasher pre-rinse gun (saves 400,000 litres a year in a busy venue), and compost food waste through ShareWaste or a local farmer. Customers notice and reward you.
Innovation Without Over-Complicating Life
Add a simple “book now, pay later” button through Zip or Afterpay on your website – lifts online bookings 15–30 % instantly. A Noosa venue I worked with added it last summer and covered their entire Christmas party bill from the extra revenue.
Community Connection That Builds Long-Term Loyalty
Host a quarterly “feed the tradies” breakfast at cost price on a quiet weekday morning. Word spreads fast, and those same tradies bring their families on weekends when they have money to spend.
Conclusion
I’ve been fortunate to work as a hospitality business consultant with venues, events, and educators from every corner of this country. The common thread among the ones who thrive? They treat advice as a starting point, then take action quickly.
If any part of this resonates – if you’re ready to stop guessing and start building something that lasts – let’s talk. Visit https://nathanbaws.com/ and book a 30-minute call: no sales pitch, just an honest conversation about where you are and where you want to go. I still answer every message myself. Here’s to your next profitable chapter.
FAQs
What exactly does a hospitality business consultant do for an Australian venue?
I review your last six months of trading, walk the floor during service, talk to your team, and deliver a written 90-day plan with specific actions that usually lift net profit 12–25 % in the first quarter.
How do I know if I actually need a hospitality business consultant right now?
If your labour or food cost is consistently over 35 %, if you dread winter trading, or if you haven’t had a price increase in two years, the answer is yes.
Can a hospitality business consultant help with events, not just restaurants?
Absolutely – I’ve planned and turned around conferences, weddings, and festivals from 50 to 5,000 people. The principles of margin, timing, and guest experience are the same.
What’s the first thing a hospitality business consultant looks at?
Your last three months of detailed POS reports. Everything else flows from the data.
Do you work with startups or only established businesses?
Both. I love helping new owners avoid the expensive lessons I learned opening my first three venues.
How much does it cost to engage a hospitality business consultant in Australia?
Reach out via the website – every project is priced based on your specific needs and current turnover.
Can you help with staff training programs?
Yes – I build simple, repeatable systems that new staff can learn in a week rather than six months.
What if my venue is regional and hours from a capital city?
Most of my work is now done remotely with two on-site visits. Distance isn’t a barrier anymore.
Do you assist with grant applications?
Regularly. Several clients received $25,000–$100,000 in 2025 tourism and energy-efficiency grants with my help.
Why choose you instead of a bigger consulting firm?
Because you deal directly with me – the person who has opened, operated, and sold profitable Australian hospitality businesses – not a graduate with a slide deck.
