Episode Summary:
Service gets you in the game — but hospitality is how you win it. In this book-review episode, Alysse Bryson and Libby Sundgren dive into “Unreasonable Hospitality” by Will Guidara and unpack why unforgettable events aren’t built on flawless logistics alone. From budgeting for joy to empowering teams to create emotional moments, this conversation reframes hospitality as the ultimate competitive advantage in events AND in work.
Whether you’re producing a global conference, a fundraiser dinner, or a backyard gathering, this episode is a permission slip to get a little unreasonable in the name of meaning, connection, and magic.
Takeaways:
- Service is expected. Hospitality is remembered. Logistics matter — but how people feel is what lasts.
- Budget for joy. Even small, intentional “magic moments” can have an outsized emotional impact.
- Empower your team to create meaning. Hospitality scales when people are trusted to act with heart.
- Flawless execution isn’t the goal, emotion is. Aim for 95% excellence and leave room for joyful surprise.
- Hospitality is a leadership strategy. It’s not soft — it’s a serious competitive edge.
Timestamps:
[01:39] — Why Unreasonable Hospitality belongs in the event professional playbook
[03:26] — Service vs. hospitality: doing the job vs. making people feel seen
[07:22] — The 95/5 rule: planning for excellence and magic
[08:55] — Why small moments (like surprise treats) leave the biggest impression
[10:00] — Budgeting for joy and empowering your team to create emotional wins
Resources & Links:
-Read: Unreasonable Hospitality
-Listen: Neuroscience Hacks for Unforgettable Events with Lisa Schulteis
-Listen: Creating Community (Not Competition) with the Better Events Podcast
-Alysse & Libby: Bios & LinkedIn
Connect with Us:
-Website: www.beatsworkingpodcast.com
-LinkedIn: @Beats Working Podcast
-Instagram: @beatsworkingpodcast
-Facebook: @Beats Working
-YouTube: @beatsworkingpodcast
Follow & Subscribe:
If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Your feedback helps us improve and reach more listeners.
Send Feedback:
If you have a show idea, feedback, or just want to connect, email us at info@beatsworking.show.
Beats Working is a platform on a mission to redeem work—the word, the place, and the way. We believe that work is the most honorable act in the universe, and through inspiring stories and practical insights, we want to transform the way people think about work and help them discover greater fulfillment in their lives. We invite you to join us as we build community through sharing and actively demonstrating what we learn.
Share Article on Social Media
Transcript
The following transcript is not certified. Although the transcription is largely accurate, in some cases it is incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors. The information contained within this document is for general information purposes only.
[00:00:00] Let’s get unreasonable. Unreasonable and hospitality. Unreasonable hospitality. Let’s get unreasonable. I see what you’re doing. Talk about, you know, isn’t that Olivia? Newton John in instead. Are you trying to sing instead of Let’s get physical, let’s get unreasonable. Is that what you were trying to do? Am okay?
[00:00:23] You got it. I got there. It took me a minute, but I got there. I got there. Or I’m picking up. Or could haves. I could have sung. I could have sang like, let’s get Hospitable. Hospitable. So Does Fun, is Unreasonable. Well, is more on brand for me.
[00:00:40] Welcome to BEATS WORKING, winning the Game of Events where we share stories and strategies to turn any event or life moment into something Unforgettable. Events are wild and the people who work in them are some of the most resilient humans on earth, if you know, you know. So come with us [00:01:00] behind the curtain for a look at their most memorable experiences, as they say, the show must go on.
[00:01:06] So let’s get on with the show.
[00:01:14] Alysse Bryson: The good news folks, the good news is, uh, Libby is not gonna quit her day job and become a musician or a singing artist.
[00:01:22] Libby Sundgren: queen.
[00:01:23] Alysse Bryson: but we. love to welcome you back to another episode of BEATS WORKING the show where we celebrate Libby not singing and the people who make events happen, and the stories behind the show must go on moments.
[00:01:39] I’m Alysse Bryson.
[00:01:41] Libby Sundgren: And I’m Libby Sunrun. And today we are foregoing a human guest for a book guest. That’s right. Another book review with Elisa and Libby. Today we are talking about unreasonable hospitality by will g.
[00:01:57] Alysse Bryson: He is the former co-owner of [00:02:00] 11 Madison Park in New York City, one of the top restaurants in the world. World and world. He’s got this game changing idea. Service just gets you in the game. But hospitality, yeah, that’s where the rubber hits the road, and that’s how you win the game. And since we’re all about winning the game of events here, Libby, this seemed like a no brainer for us to dive into.
[00:02:25] Libby Sundgren: Totally. And we know so many people who are reading this book who have zero ties to the food and restaurant world other than being big fans. , it is really a playbook that can help you create experiences, top-notch experiences for anybody, which is why it’s perfect for us.
[00:02:44] Alysse Bryson: Yes, a hundred percent. And if you’ve ever stressed over a run of show or managed a million moving parts at event, or tried to create moments that your guests will actually remember, this is the book for [00:03:00] you.
[00:03:00] Libby Sundgren: Okay, we’re gonna break down three of his biggest ideas and how they translate to the event world. Budgeting for magic, empowering your team and treating hospitality as your superpower. You know, you’ve got it people.
[00:03:14] Alysse Bryson: So whether you’re setting tables or building stages, this book has something for you. Let’s dive in. Okay. Segment number one, hospitality versus service.
[00:03:26] Service is doing your job, but hospitality is making people feel seen. What’d you think about this part of the book? Mm-hmm.
[00:03:37] Libby Sundgren: I, well, I loved this part, um, because it’s actually part of my impact statement to really make people feel. Safe, secure, and happy. And if you don’t know what an impact statement is, DM us, email us. I’ll fill you in. You’ll find your own and you will love it and it will be a real compass for [00:04:00] you. , but I find in my own work that I can really, that I also get more out of it when. People feel seen and a a lot of time, that’s, that’s really what people want. If they’re mad about something, they just want you to listen to them and really give them the space to vent. If they’re, , you know, really excited about something, they wanna feel like it’s just as exciting for you and that it means just as much to you. Their swag. Is your swag.
[00:04:34] Alysse Bryson: I love that. And you know, I’ve been trying to practice over the last few months, even before we picked up this book is. Making people feel seen that probably don’t normally feel seen. I don’t know about you, but like when I go to the grocery store or to Starbucks or any retail store, uh, I’ve also noticed this, uh, staying in hotels, how people just completely, like, they don’t acknowledge how [00:05:00] housekeeping, like they don’t say hi to them in the hallways.
[00:05:03] You know, just like, just ignoring people that are. In the service industry, and so I’ve been really trying to make a point of saying hi to people, saying something nice about them or something funny about what they might be doing if they have a name tag on reading their name. Hopefully I pronounce it right.
[00:05:20] Sometimes I struggle with that, but like just trying to make people feel seen. I used to do this thing where I would give three compliments a day to just total strangers, which was great when I wasn’t working from home, but now like. I hope there are no strangers in my home. So like I don’t have that practice anymore.
[00:05:41] But so when I do go out and run errands, I try to put it in there ’cause making people feel seen. You can tell when it’s made someone’s day, you know?
[00:05:51] Libby Sundgren: Mm-hmm. and I mean, if you think about the, you know, the favorite events you’ve ever been to or the favorite events you’ve ever. [00:06:00] Hosted or helped plan. I mean, yes, you can nail the logistics, you can nail the timing, you can nail the scheduling. Um, but if people don’t feel good, you know, if the emotion isn’t there, which is where hospitality comes in, um, you know, it can just be another event. So that’s why I. It really is so powerful. And you know, we had a lot of guests last year that talked about this. , Lisa Sice comes to mind because she talked a lot about designing an event around how you want people to feel, what you want them to be thinking about how you want them to leave, how you want them to start, like where you want their energy to be at different parts during the event. And. While, you know, it is scientific, the, that kind of thinking, it’s also very emotional, you know, trying to plan those kinds of experiences for your [00:07:00] guests.
[00:07:00] Alysse Bryson: Yeah. I love that there are so many parts of the book that spoke to me. , and the language that we try to speak and practice at at work. P two PI also loved kind of moving along his, the 95 5% rule for magic moments, like 95% of the time. You want things to be flawless in their ex execution.
[00:07:22] You want everything to go right. We know they won’t, but like that’s. That’s the north star that you’re shooting for, but then to remember to at least 5% of the time have those foolish, unplanned, joyful, memorable moments. Um, I think that’s so important. And that reminded me of, um, the science, the party science guy that we talked to from
[00:07:45] Libby Sundgren: Our party scientist.
[00:07:47] Alysse Bryson: He’s like, talk about joy. That guy exudes joy and, and, and just bringing, uh, these little things into an event that create those moments can be, [00:08:00] um, really well done if you put some intention behind it.
[00:08:03] Libby Sundgren: And it doesn’t take, you know, a lot of budget, even though you do need to budget for those kinds of joy moments in some way. But they can be things that don’t require, um, you know, a lot of money. I went to a wedding one time. This will shock nobody. But one of like my favorite parts that I thought was so cool is that they brought out. Blizzards for everyone, for as like this little dessert. And first of all, it brought me a lot of joy because I love. Blizzards Dairy Queen Blizzards. If you haven’t had one, I’ll happily buy you your first one, maybe even your second. But also it brought me joy because if you have ever gotten a Dairy Queen blizzard, you’ll know that when they mix it, they have to turn it upside down before they give it to you.
[00:08:55] And so I was just thinking like, man, how many [00:09:00] Dairy Queen employees had to flip their wrists like that? To get, show you 200 mini blizzards, you know, before they walked out the door. I also felt
[00:09:11] kind of bad for them because they probably had, what’s that wrist thing? Tendonitis or something after
[00:09:15] that, but
[00:09:15] Alysse Bryson: something like that.
[00:09:17] Libby Sundgren: yeah,
[00:09:17] Alysse Bryson: Well, I mean, I, I remember that this is way back in the day. The first time we were at an event where at the end of the night they delivered Dick’s cheeseburgers. I was like, smooth move. Like, that was so smart. ’cause you know, a lot of times when you’re at a fundraiser dinner, like you’re not there for the meal.
[00:09:34] You know what I’m saying?
[00:09:35] Libby Sundgren: Mm-hmm.
[00:09:36] Alysse Bryson: So like, yeah, little things like that. They don’t have to cost a lot, but they can make a really big impact. Um, and so I was really glad that they, uh, that got called out in the book.
[00:09:47] Libby Sundgren: And you know something really? Fun that they talked about, which was such a great idea, is to assign a dream weaver. So someone on your team who’s responsible for finding emotional [00:10:00] moments and making them real, um, how would you do that at an event
[00:10:06] Alysse Bryson: I really thought you were gonna start singing Dream Weaver. When you said that.
[00:10:09] Libby Sundgren: dream? We.
[00:10:11] Alysse Bryson: asked. Here we go. I knew it. I knew it.
[00:10:13] Libby Sundgren: If you say it, I will sing it.
[00:10:16] Alysse Bryson: I like the idea of assigning someone the responsibility for finding the emotional moments and making them real. That also sounds like a lot of pressure though, so I don’t know that I would. Put it on one person.
[00:10:29] Libby Sundgren: Mm-hmm.
[00:10:30] Alysse Bryson: Um, but, and I also like, there’s a lot that you can do to try to make that happen, but sometimes the best moments, as you know, are the ones that happen organically or from a mistake or just something off the script.
[00:10:45] You
[00:10:45] Libby Sundgren: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
[00:10:47] Alysse Bryson: like most of this show.
[00:10:49] Libby Sundgren: Like pretty much everything that comes out of our mouths. , well, it’s important. Think 95% execution, 5% [00:11:00] magic, 95% rule, 5% magic.
[00:11:03] Alysse Bryson: Don’t you think? I don’t know. Do you think the percentage of magic should have been a little higher? I don’t know if Ibel, I agree with 95 5.
[00:11:11] Libby Sundgren: I mean, I’m, you know, I love a list, so I
[00:11:15] do love
[00:11:16] Alysse Bryson: And it, we are talking like creme de la creme service, so like I get it.
[00:11:20] Libby Sundgren: everything happens, right? And then the 5% doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen, right? It just means like everything is 95% is planned and prepared, and 5% you gotta just like. You know, put a little in it
[00:11:37] or just leave some room for some, how do they say it? Literally? How do they say it? What’s that thing when you just on the fly do things?
[00:11:49] Alysse Bryson: Spontaneous.
[00:11:50] Libby Sundgren: Yeah. Some spot. Sure. I don’t know, I still don’t even know if that’s the word I’m looking for, but,
[00:11:57] you know.
[00:11:58] Alysse Bryson: it’s gonna be a long year. It’s gonna be a [00:12:00] long year, but you’re gonna hang in with us because these are the moments that you tune in for, right?
[00:12:05] Libby Sundgren: Oh, dear Lord. Okay.
[00:12:07] Alysse Bryson: Okay, let’s talk about, let’s wrap up here talking about culture and team and ownership. , I really like that part of the book. Uh, as you know, I am a big team player. I like to be the team cheerleader, which means. I’m like, can be bossy, but I’m not always bossy and like, definitely like to be in the trenches with my people.
[00:12:29] You know, I, I don’t usually wanna ask people to do things that I wouldn’t do myself, and so I love that they talked about that hospi hospitality doesn’t start at the front door. It actually starts in the break room. It actually starts with the people behind the scenes or behind the curtain.
[00:12:44] Libby Sundgren: Yeah. And one, one thing that, um, they touched on, or that will touched on was empowering the frontline. So really giving ownership to people to do more than just what their. You [00:13:00] know, role is, you know, and that doesn’t mean that everybody needs to be prepared for every single thing, but it’s kind of like when we had the Better Events podcast gals on, and we talked about as a planner, when you really trust the people you’re working with and you really say, say to them, I trust you. If something goes wrong, I trust you to do it. I trust you to figure out what needs to happen. I’m gonna tell this story again, and you guys are gonna get so tired of
[00:13:31] it, that when we were doing that big party in the airplane hanger and the gal who was. The, you know, my contact with the catering company, she’s my point person, which it was a big event, so there was more than just catering involved.
[00:13:49] There was a lot, but she told me we were outta something, so I just took your car and I went and got it and I came back. The keys are in your purse, like, don’t worry. I was like, I will never forget [00:14:00] that moment, because
[00:14:01] I was
[00:14:01] Alysse Bryson: her name?
[00:14:02] Libby Sundgren: why do it with Amanda Austen
[00:14:04] Alysse Bryson: Oh, okay. I was just gonna say it’s not a
[00:14:06] Libby Sundgren: I was trying to keep her anonymous ’cause she’s likes to fly under the radar.
[00:14:11] Um, now
[00:14:12] Alysse Bryson: out to you,
[00:14:13] Libby Sundgren: fancy events, but I just will never forget that moment because it was just such a, a powerful reminder that if you trust people and give them. Give them the agency, you know, to really make decisions like that. It can, , change the way that your team works and the way that the event is presented to other people.
[00:14:38] You
[00:14:39] know, people would’ve known that we had run outta cups if I had, if she hadn’t felt like she could just go get more cups.
[00:14:46] I don’t think it was necessarily cups, I think it was napkins and some other things. But, nobody knew. They just kept going along thinking we had an endless supply of cups and napkins.
[00:14:55] Alysse Bryson: Well, and that.
[00:14:56] Libby Sundgren: folks. I’ll tell this story again in a couple,
[00:14:58] couple
[00:14:58] Alysse Bryson: more episodes, we’ll be [00:15:00] talking about it again. I, this, this part reminded me a little bit of the book. I can’t remember the name now, but Brad Brotherton actually got me to read it. It was basically the Disney Way and, and it was a book that, uh, like Disney employees used to get, I don’t know if they still get or whatever, but you know, it talks about like, if you are a worker at Disney, just because something isn’t your job doesn’t mean it’s not your job.
[00:15:20] Right. It’s, it’s. It kind of, if you see something, don’t just say something, but like be empowered to go fix it. Like if you see a piece of garbage on the ground, like pick it up. If you see cups that need to be cleared, move them like any, I mean, and when you’ve got a whole team of people that are all like, have that mindset, things can really run relatively smoothly, like you just talked about at your favorite example of an event.
[00:15:46] Libby Sundgren: That I’ll use
[00:15:47] again. and you know, he also talked about perfection, leading to burnout, which is something that I think anyone listening, anyone who touches the event world in any [00:16:00] way, I mean, who, who, who does anything. I think any human in the world can really relate to that. And yes. You and your team should absolutely strive to follow through with an event, 137%. That’s a throwback to CJ Gonzalez, so I’ll link that episode in show notes. But you know, how do you keep people from burning out you? It still has to be a safe place. Where mistakes can get made. You’re still a team. You’re gonna cover for each other or you know, you know what I mean? Not, you’re not gonna like cover anything bad up.
[00:16:39] You’re just
[00:16:39] gonna
[00:16:40] Alysse Bryson: the bodies, right
[00:16:40] Libby Sundgren: You’re not, well, you will bury the bodies for some people, but you will just, you know, you pick up the slack, it’s like in any relationship, you’re never, it’s never 50 50. You know, it’s always gonna be different percentages for different
[00:16:55] people. , and you really, you know, picking up [00:17:00] somebody else’s 10% means you’re gonna, in the future be able to offload your 10% to somebody else.
[00:17:06] Alysse Bryson: And I feel like a lot of the guests that we’ve had on this show in the last year, um, ha. We’ve talked about how do you manage the burnout because there’s so much adrenaline that that. Rolls in with events, right? Especially the big ones, the ones you’ve been planning forever. The ones with a lot of people or a lot of logistics.
[00:17:25] You know, you feel great when everything goes smooth. You’re stressed when things don’t like, so there’s a lot of energy, spiritual, physical, mental, emotional energy that plays into the events world. So, so really. Learning how to unplug and recharge. Put your oxygen mask on since you wanna keep talking about airplane hangers, like these are things that are really important.
[00:17:52] And, and when you’re, when you’re obsessed with perfection, which a lot of high-end events are shooting [00:18:00] for, right, that will get you to burn out even faster.
[00:18:03] Libby Sundgren: It will.
[00:18:04] Alysse Bryson: you gotta be doing your things
[00:18:06] Libby Sundgren: You’re gonna extinguish that flame.
[00:18:08] Alysse Bryson: Your people? Mm-hmm.
[00:18:10] Libby Sundgren: Okay. Let’s land the plane.
[00:18:12] Alysse Bryson: Oh my gosh. We’re still talking about planes. No, we’re talking about unreasonable hospitality
[00:18:19] Libby Sundgren: know, but
[00:18:20] if we were on a plane of all event Pros talking about this book and we’re coming in for a landing. Three favorite takeaways. You know, what are our three favorite takeaways?
[00:18:34] Alysse Bryson: my, you know what you, what my first takeaway was because we just ended 2025 and now it’s 2026. You know how Spotify does that recap? Like, here’s your year. Well, first of all you guys, thank you for putting us in the top 25%. A video podcast watched on Spotify. Wow. That means you like us. But the other thing that the recap told you is what they’re listening [00:19:00] to.
[00:19:00] Okay. A lot of you are secret, secret swifties. Okay. I had no idea there were so many of you listening to Taylor Swift. That’s okay. I’m not mad about it. I just thought. The, I just maybe wouldn’t have gone there. But the other thing that we learned is that many of you are reading this book or have read this book, so we wanna hear your takeaways too.
[00:19:24] So feel free to email us, slide into our dms. ’cause we definitely wanna know what your thoughts were on the book. What you love, what what? What did they get right? What did they, maybe, maybe you need to write your own book, but you want us to talk about ours now.
[00:19:38] Libby Sundgren: We just went back up in the air folks, and now we’re coming in for a landing.
[00:19:45] Alysse Bryson: Dream weve
[00:19:49] Libby Sundgren: Okay. Design for emotion, not just attendance.
[00:19:53] Okay. Design with their feelings in mind. Don’t just think about butts in seats. How do we start the event, [00:20:00] fill it with people and end the event?
[00:20:03] You know, the best ROI. It’s
[00:20:04] Alysse Bryson: are comfy. That’s right, that’s right. Also, build systems that support surprise. Like everybody loves a little surprise and delight. Um, and so you can make that happen and it can feel authentic and organic to your event. Uh, just make sure to put some thinkers on that task, uh, so you plan for it.
[00:20:25] Libby Sundgren: Yeah, build a playbook or protocol or you know, your own systems and processes to track guest details or what they like. Stories from the events, which, I mean, this kind of stuff might be harder if you’re not. a, a similar type event or for a similar type of audience, but I think most people are kind of in a, you know, niche group so they can, you can estimate,
[00:20:54] Alysse Bryson: I think so. And then I thought the big takeaway was leading with generosity. Being unreasonable [00:21:00] isn’t about being lavish, right? It’s about being meaningful. It’s about being intentional and giving guests things they did. Didn’t know they needed, and that could be as simple as a compliment, right?
[00:21:12] They’ll never forget you because people are not gonna remember what you say. I can guarantee you, you’ve probably forgotten half of the things we’ve already said in this episode, but they never forget how you make them feel.
[00:21:24] Libby Sundgren: That’s true. Just like I’ll never forget how Amanda made me feel when she took the Prius to go get those much needed supplies. Mid event. Oh.
[00:21:33] Alysse Bryson: Amanda. This episode is dedicated to you.
[00:21:37] Libby Sundgren: I’m gonna tag her in this one.
[00:21:39] Alysse Bryson: You should. All right, well, what should our next book be? We’re not announcing it here, but if you have a book you want us to read that? Let’s, now let me put some boundaries on this, folks. It’s not just any book. We do love a good true crime story, uh, but we really are looking to do book reviews on books that help us as industry [00:22:00] event leaders.
[00:22:01] What books have been super meaningful to you? , let us know. You can email us at info at BEATS WORKING show.
[00:22:08] Libby Sundgren: I am kind of thinking leaders eat last. I don’t know if anyone here has read
[00:22:11] that book. If you have, I want your insight. If you haven’t, maybe read it with us.
[00:22:17] Alysse Bryson: Let’s just do that one and then we’ll do whatever else people tell us to do. But like, let’s start with that one.
[00:22:22] Libby Sundgren: Whatever you tell us to do, we’ll read it. Yeah,
[00:22:24] we’ll read it all.
[00:22:24] Alysse Bryson: Yeah,
[00:22:25] Reading not other things to be clear. Yes.
[00:22:28] Libby Sundgren: it’s singing and you know, I’ll
[00:22:30] sing for
[00:22:31] Alysse Bryson: Okay, that’s a wrap for this episode of BEATS WORKING, winning the Game of Events, and apparently singing. If you have an idea or you wanna reach out, please email us at Info at BEATS WORKING show.
[00:22:44] I feel like I just said that. Remember folks, that every detail matters, every moment counts, and no matter what Libby.
[00:22:53] Libby Sundgren: The show must go on. See you next
[00:22:56] Alysse Bryson: Happy New Year you guys.
[00:22:58] Thanks for listening [00:23:00] to BEATS WORKING, winning the Game of Events where we explore what it takes to make moments unforgettable. If you’re leaving with a little more inspiration, a little more perspective, and a big side ache from all of the laughing at our funny jokes, then we’ve done Our Job BEATS WORKING is a work P two P production.
[00:23:17] If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review us on your favorite podcast platforms. Your support helps us keep the magic going.
