Building Better Businesses for a Better Hospitality Industry

The Hospitality Company,  known throughout New Zealand and Australia as THC, exists to help café, restaurant, and bar owners transform their passion into profitable, systemised businesses.

Founded in 2016 by James O’Connell, one of Australasia’s most experienced hospitality business coaches, THC was built on a simple truth: most hospitality businesses don’t fail because of bad food or poor service; they fail because of a lack of business systems and know-how.

After more than 35 years in the industry,  including over 20 years coaching hospitality businesses, James recognised a gap that no one else was filling. Owners had the creativity and drive but lacked the structure and strategy to turn their hard work into long-term success. THC was created to close that gap and provide the roadmap to financial stability, operational excellence, and freedom.

Our Philosophy: Great People Need Great Systems

At THC, we believe a business is a system, a living, breathing structure that, when designed properly, runs smoothly and profitably.
Drawing inspiration from The E-Myth Revisited, James and the THC coaching team teach owners how to work on their business, not just in it.

We help clients:

• Build a clear vision and strategy

• Develop operational systems that support consistency and growth

• Master financial management through simple, actionable frameworks

• Create strong leadership teams that deliver 5-star employee and guest experiences

Our signature framework, The Hospitality Business Blueprint, lays out the essential systems every successful hospitality business needs, from marketing and operations to HR, finance, and management.

How We Work

Every journey with THC begins with a free Business Strategy Call, where we assess the current state of the business and identify opportunities for improvement.

From there, clients can begin a 12-session 1:1 coaching program delivered online via Zoom. As businesses grow, owners can continue with ongoing private coaching, join one of our Group Coaching Programs, or progress to The Boardroom. (THC’s elite coaching community for high-performing hospitality leaders.)

Across New Zealand and Australia, THC clients have achieved measurable transformations:

• Higher profitability and tighter financial control

• Reduced owner hours and improved work-life balance

• Better team culture, engagement, and retention

• Consistent, scalable guest experiences

You can explore real-world success stories on our Client Results page.

Our Message to the Industry

As James O’Connell often says:

“To build a great hospitality business, you need a great offering and you need to be great at business.”