Pre-Meal for Feb 11, 2026The Opportunity in the Hiccup

Happy Wednesday!

Last year, about a month before we held our very first Summit in Nashville, our very own Natasha McIrvin noticed something about the attendees that none of us had anticipated: a significant number of people who’d signed up were coming alone.

That worried us a little! It was our very first Summit, and we’d imagined people attending with their colleagues. We’d designed the event to be participatory and collaborative; when the time came to do interactive exercises, would some of the tables be formal and shy with one another while others leaned in?

And would the people coming by themselves feel comfortable? I’m as extroverted and gregarious as they come, but even I don’t look forward to walking into a packed hotel ballroom where I don’t know a soul—and a Summit on hospitality is supposed to be hospitable.

My team is incredible for a million reasons, not least because when something unexpected—especially something that might be cause for concern—pops up, their first question is: how can we turn this potential problem into something awesome for everyone involved? In this case, how could we make the conference as vibrant and connected as possible, while simultaneously ensuring that every one of our guests felt welcomed?

Their solution: everyone who’d signed up to come alone received an email with the subject line: Coming Solo? We’ve Got You.

The gist: “We’re making reservations at a couple of our favorite spots for the night before the Summit starts. If you’ve already got plans with old friends, or were looking forward to a moment of solitude before the excitement starts, carry on. But if you’d like to go out for a casual dinner and meet some other solo attendees, we’d love to make those introductions.”

Lots of people took a courageous leap of faith and said yes to dinner—another surprise, this one delightful. We grouped people with others we thought they might like to connect with, and sent them off.

We can’t take credit for how wildly fun those dinners were: put a bunch of people together who care enough about hospitality to come to a conference about it, and you’ve stacked the deck. But there’s no question that the bonding that happened that night made our event better. Best of all? The next day, nobody had to feel like a freshman walking into the high school cafeteria for the first time.

All this is to say: when you’re caught off guard by a potential problem, embrace it. Find the solution that will make your event even more successful, and every one of your guests feel even more welcome.

The whole Summit was magic—so much so that we’re bringing it back again this April. (Twice: April 9-10 and 21-22.) Tickets are finally on sale; you can find out more here. Whether you’re traveling with a pack of colleagues or attending solo, we can’t wait to see you in Nashville.

Have a good service,

Will