This year our Business of Bars Conference is returning to the tailor-made conference room at Restaurant Hubert. Following a packed-out event in 2019, we have ramped things up yet again, with cutting edge topics and loads of local bar industry experts. Guests will also receive drinks and snacks included in their ticket price.
Topics for this year will cover the long-term effects on the hospitality industry post pandemic, staffing and recruitment, growing a business and some TED talk style sessions. Leading operators from Jason Williams, Natalie Ng, Hayden Lambert and Sven Almenning (among many others) will be on hand.
Guests will also receive drinks and snacks included in their ticket price.
Presented by Australian Bartender Magazine and hosted by Fortunate Son bar owner Dylan Howarth & Bartender magazine founder Dave Spanton, this event is now in its 14th year. Numbers are strictly limited so get in early. The Business of Bars Conference forms part of Sydney Bar Week. For a full line-up of events, visit www.sydneybarweek.com.au
SESSION 1: 11:30am-12:15pm
Post Pandemic…
We have a look at the impact COVID has had on our industry and talk to a handful of operators who tell their story and ways they adapted to stay in the game and why things will never be the same.
Panel: Hosted by Dylan Howarth (Fortunate Son, Sydney)
- Chau Tran (Burrow Bar & Cash Only Diner, Sydney)
- Greg Sanderson (Partner, Speakeasy Group, Melbourne)
- Hayden Lambert (Partner, Above Board Melbourne)
- Dimitri Rtshiladze (Partner Foxtrot Unicorn & Nieuw Ruin, Perth)
- Jason Williams (Creative Director at Proof & Company)
SESSION 2: 12:15pm-1pm
Aces in Places
We discuss all things staffing and recruitment with a host of leading operators and find out what systems they have in place that helps them hire and retain great staff and how you can do the same.
Panel: Hosted by Dylan Howarth (Fortunate Son, Sydney)
- Anneliese Grazioli (Hanky Panky Lounge, NT)
- Natalie Ng (Door Knock, Sydney)
- Martin Lang (Death & Taxes, Cobbler & Dr Gimlette, Brisbane)
- Darren Barber (Group Director for The Hospo Group, Cairns)
- Toby Hilton (Swillhouse, Sydney)
**LUNCH & DRINKS: 1:00pm-1:45pm**
SESSION 3: 1:45pm-2:30pm
Growing Pains – Good Things to Know if You Plan to Expand
By Sven Almenning, Chief Booze Geek & Greg Sanderson co-owner & Group Operations Manager, The Speakeasy Group (EDV, Mjolner, Boilermaker House).
Owning and operating two, three or more venues is very different to being the owner and operator of one. In this session, award winning operators Greg Sanderson and Sven Almenning from the Speakeasy group share some of the learnings they’ve had along the way as the Speakeasy group has grown from opening Eau De Vie in 2010 to a total of eight venues.
SESSION 4: 2:30pm-3:30pm
Spirited Talks
Three short and sharp 15-minute TED talk style conversations with industry personalities
- Amy Cooper (Drinks Journalist, Sun Herald) on the questions you need to be able to answer to get noticed by the media (aka the 4 Ws = who, what, when & why).
- Hayley Morison (The Blend by Beam Suntory) tells us what you can get from liquor brands (and what you can’t) and how they can help your bar.
- Mike Enright (Co-owner, The Barber Shop, Duke of Clarence, Hickson House Distilling Co) on career lessons learnt working for the leading bar groups to starting his own collection of award winning bars.
Sydney Bar Week 2022
The Business of Bars Conference forms part of the 5-day Sydney Bar Week line-up (3-7 September). Make sure you sign up to the newsletter at sydneybarweek.com.au and stay up-to-date with all Sydney Bar Week & Bar Awards news.
It’s on track to be a great year. To discuss sponsorship for Sydney Bar Week and Bar Awards email david@spantonmedia.com