Escaping Canberra’s cold… but finding that the real warmth came from connection!

On a recent getaway up north, one thing really stood out to my wife and I.

We visited a wide range of places... from five-star hotels to beachside shacks.

And the difference in how frontline staff engaged with us was huge.

At the five-star hotels, the service was polished… but disengaged.
At the beach shack, the interaction was warm, human, and memorable.

The difference? Distance.

Owner-operated places clearly had staff who were engaged, present, and connected. In the bigger hotels, where the owner was nowhere to be seen, the interaction often felt colder and less meaningful.

Don’t get me wrong... there were sparks of warmth when we connected personally with staff. But it highlighted something important:
Connection can’t just depend on the boss being around.
It has to be trained, embedded, and lived, especially in frontline roles.

Because the equation is simple:
- Connection creates meaning.
- Meaning creates experiences.
- Experiences create repeat business.