Shift Notes

This week’s guest started his hospitality journey like many in his era, thanks to Tom Cruise’s Cocktail. After working his way through notable Auckland institutions like Ostro, Golden Dawn and Mea Culpa, Cam Timmins ended up landing a role as Spirit’s and Champagne Ambassador for Pernod Ricard. Seizing the opportunities that come with working in an international company, while also displaying a curiosity for business, Cam’s journey eventually took him to the Absolut Headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden where he accepted a position as Global Senior Brand Manager.

Cam’s career path started in hospitality, before weaving through the world of business, marketing, and global corporate. We believe there’s a lot our listeners could learn from his journey - especially those who have their own sights set on an eventual move to corporate. Today, we are lucky enough to welcome Cam back home to New Zealand, and congratulate him on his new position as Commercial & Brand Development Manager for Fever Tree NZ. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed recording it!

Who is Cam Timmins (2:41) A quick chat on isolation and Cam’s current role at Fever Tree (5:30) Moving into the world of business/corporate (6:50) A day in the life of a Fever Tree Commercial Manager (8:05) What did you study at Uni? (10:05) “My time in hospitality taught me far more than university” (11:30) Why did you go into hospitality after university? (12:20) Advice for anyone in hospitality wanting to pursue a brand role (13:50) The switch from Brand Ambassador to Global Business & Marketing (17:19) Importance of Criticism and Mentors (18:45) How have your beliefs changed? (20:15) Big career highlights: Espresso Martinis & Launching RTDs (23:20) Tales of the Cocktail Apprenticeship Programme (29:10) Public Speaking: Do the media training! (33:35) Hardships and Challenges (36:08) You’re only as good as the results you put out, and you have to take care of yourself (39:30) Tips on overcoming challenges (41:55) Explore outside your small bubble (45:10) Get outside your comfort zone (47:40) What was it like living in Scandinavia? (48:40) Anything you’d like to see change in the industry? (52:40)

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This podcast and content thereof are for information purposes only. Within the podcast, some general information or personal experiences regarding health and wellbeing may be discussed by the presenters. This information does not represent medical or health advice, nor should it be taken as such.

If you feel that you need support or would like to talk with someone please contact any of the support services listed below.

Lifeline (0800543354, or free text 4357)

Healthline (0800611116)

This week, we'd like to welcome Sam Dinsdale @dinswithdins to Shift Notes! In this episode, Sam shares her incredible story and brings us another perspective of life in the kitchen. Scouted out by Gordon Ramsay from a young age, she has since travelled the world, experiencing some of the best bars and restaurants the industry has to offer, while also adding globally renowned restaurants to her CV.

Sam Dinsdale is a hometown Wellington hero and after many years abroad, she now is back home and ready to get back into the kitchen with a whole new venture and a fresh take on what it means to cook. In this episode, we talk with Sam about her 12 years of hospitality experience, while also going into some of the highs and lows of working in top tier kitchens.

Who are you Sam (02:00) When did hospitality turn in to a career? (4:25) What are you doing with yourself now? (6:05) What made you stand out? (10:07) Highlights of your career so far (12:12) What other hospitality experience have you had (15:16) Biggest challenges Sam has faced (18:35) Breaking toxic cycles (23:34) What do you do to keep you grounded? (29:53) Mindfulness and cooking (31:46) What do you enjoy the most about working in kitchens? (34:29) Is there anything you’ve seen since coming back that will benefit the industry? (36:37) What the world could learn from NZ (38:25) Changes you’d like to see in our industry? (40:54) What advice would you give to someone wanting to start a career in the kitchen? (44:19)

In this episode, we’ll be diving into the world of well-being, as we team up to interview Gareth O’Donnell, who some you may already know as Coach G!

Coach G has been a key player in the Healthy Hospo journey since day one. As someone who has spent a significant amount of time changing workplace health culture within large, corporate companies across New Zealand, he’s been a huge asset for us here at Healthy Hospo NZ, as we try to do the same within our own hospo community. Coach G and his team of experts have helped us develop workshops and continuously evolving educational content for our hospitality industry in six key areas: Sleep, Exercise, Nutrition, Connection, Mental Fitness and Leadership.

This podcast gives us the opportunity to introduce you to the legend who has been a huge believer and influence for Healthy Hospo NZ, and who many of you will get to know closely over the next edition of Run Club (woooohoo!) We also get into several conversations around managing a healthy lifestyle within shift schedules, that we hope many of you will find interesting.

Note: This podcast and content thereof are for information purposes only. Within the podcast, some general information or personal experiences regarding health and wellbeing may be discussed by the presenters. This information does not represent medical or health advice.

Please consult your healthcare professional with any medical or mental health related questions. If you feel that you need support or would like to talk with someone please contact any of the support services listed below.

Lifeline (0800543354, or free text 4357)

Healthline (0800611116)

Time Stamps: Welcome Coach G, who are ya? (2:49) Tell us about your shift into corporate health (09:23) What’s your Healthy Hospo connection? (13:10) What are your highlights of working with the hospo industry? (16:05) Philosophies around well-being (17:21) Balancing a healthy diet whilst working in hospo (18:55) Bullet proof coffee (23:51) Tips on recovering from a long shift (27:15) Positive health benefits of working in hospo (35:15) Biggest challenges faced while working with hospo (39:15) How do you keep yourself accountable? (41:03) Tips on motivation (45:03) Books, podcast or movie recommendations (52:49) Managing yourself whilst going through an injury (54:49)

Shift Notes is back for Season Two (woohoo!) Thank you to everyone who’s listened to one or more episodes and joined us on our journey to date. Since the start of Season Two recordings, Gian has moved back to NYC making this season an absolute adventure so far. We’ve navigated interviews, recordings and crazy schedules with brand new time zones thrown in the mix! Wild.

As always, the three of us are here to inspire the hospitality industry by creating a platform for, and sharing the incredible stories of people who are doing amazing things both within and adjacent to the hospitality industry.

And to kick off Season Two, who better to invite on as our first guest then the powerhouse that is Tash McGill. Tash works as a journalist, radio broadcaster, business consultant, spirits judge, and transformation coach. At the same time, she’s also an avid whiskey aficionado who’s spearheading new regulations to protect the integrity of New Zealand Whisky. She’s a cultured barfly, and an incredible supporter of our hospitality industry. In this episode, she brings us plenty of interesting food for thought.

Catch Season Two on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or our YouTube Channel.

Time Stamps:

Welcome Tash! (1:58) Tell us a bit about your background (3:45) Covid has changed peoples lives, how have you found the last year? (7:41) Summarise your roles and favourite experiences (12:28) How did you get involved in the spirits world? (16:24) Opinions on the effect of Covid on our industry (23:28) Changes you’ve seen our industry that you enjoy (30:25) Prioritising balance and well-being (36:17) Advice on Business Coaching (40:30) Personal resources you can recommend (44.23) Opinions on where we could improve as an industry (45:40) Story telling and hospitality. How can we combine the two? (49:47) Challenges in your own career journey (53:05)

Some might say, this year has been an unprecedented experience. We might say, starting Shift Notes has also been an unprecedented experience. To close out our first season, and the year that was, the shift notes team got together to weigh in on 2020, the experience of starting a podcast, the episodes that were most meaningful to us, and to share what’s been going on in our own worlds since launch date.

Thanks to everyone who’s taken time to listen, encourage and support us. You guys are the best. Look out for Shift Notes Season Two… coming to a 2021 near you. Yeowwww.

Sending love and new year vibes, The Shift Notes Team. Mikey Ball, Giancarlo Quiroz Jesus & Lorietta Bahr.

Bringing a podcast to life (1:31) Bizarre filming experiences (9:19) Updates from the Shift Notes Team and what we’ve been up to (14:38) Lori update (15:06) Gian’s update (19:02) Mikey’s update (24:35) Healthy Hospo and Run Club (28:46) Looking back at the episodes that impacted us most (33:30) Our biggest guest surprises (51:25) What our episodes have taught us (53:24) Life learnings outside of Shift Notes (57:15)

This podcast and content thereof are for information purposes only. Within the podcast, some general information or personal experiences regarding health and wellbeing may be discussed by the presenters. This information does not represent medical or health advice, nor should it be taken as such.

Please consult your healthcare professional with any medical or mental health related questions. If you feel that you need support or would like to talk with someone please contact any of the support services listed below.

Lifeline (0800543354, or free text 4357)

Healthline (0800611116)

Suicide crisis helpline (0508828865)

Depression and Anxiety Helpline (0800111757, or free text 4202)

This week our podcast moves to the world of professional sports & leadership coaching. The shift notes team shares an open and vulnerable chat with @jared.tuoro who’s dedicated his life to rugby & now heads up Mana Mind.

Jared Tuoro left rugby after a career ending neck injury, disappointed and devastated. 10 years on, he had started to climb the industry / rugby ladder and ended up working at NZ Rugby. Basically, for somebody who wanted to be an All Black, this was the closest next best thing. Eventually, he moved to start his own business; to help people challenge their comfort zones, redraw their belief systems & become better leaders.

Jared is an incredible speaker, and this episode left the entire team rethinking some of our own experiences. We think there are so many lessons the hospitality industry can take out of this episode. It’s been a crazy year, here’s to the final interview of #shiftnotesnz season one.

Who is Jared Tuoro (1:05) Stepping into leadership coaching (2:37) Most rewarding part of work; breaking through from breakdowns (5:11) Rugby, hospitality and teamwork (7:27) What helps a team thrive when under pressure (8:25) Understand yourself under pressure (9:56) Lessons for hospo from the rugby field (12:00) Building better team culture in practice (14:48) Handling confrontation, maintaining your cool by building a compelling future (17:00) Visualisation as a tool (24:00) Traits of a good leader (28:43) The power of asking a good question (30:10) Actions to build leadership skills; listening & mentorship (32:40) What is vulnerability and why is it important (36:02) Shame and the opposite to shame (39:21) Presenting in front of people & challenging your beliefs (44:56) Work life balance; what’s stopping you from finding balance (52:07) Do the one percent (56:04)

This week our podcast moves back of house, to the kitchen. Chef’s are notoriously known for their strong work ethic and Helen is no exception. Now the co-owner of 50-50 in Kapiti, Helen combines smart business sense with an eye for excellence and a passion for flavour. What we admire most about Helen, is that she’s actively works to pass knowledge and experience on to everyone underneath her charge.

In this podcast we explore some of her wisdoms around business and leadership. Helen’s stories about working amongst elite chefs, and challenging herself abroad, also give us a clear understanding of how one can achieve what others think is impossible with a little drive and determination.

Who is Helen Turnbull (3:00) Japanese experience (8:05) Differences in the Japanese kitchen (10:40) Hardest part of working in Japan (12:20) Notable chefs & career influences (14:48) Japanese vs. NZ Food Culture (20:10) Music with space (23:32) Opening 50-50 (25:16) Why a career in the kitchen (29:25) Transferable hospo skills (30:00) Opening a business and understanding best practice numbers (34:15) Biggest challenges in the kitchen (37:36) Finding life balance (40:30) Advice for getting the best out of your people (42:06) For those who want to begin a career in the kitchen (46:30)

This podcast and content thereof are for information purposes only. Within the podcast, some general information or personal experiences regarding health and wellbeing may be discussed by the presenters. This information does not represent medical or health advice, nor should it be taken as such.

Please consult your healthcare professional with any medical or mental health related questions. If you feel that you need support or would like to talk with someone please contact any of the support services listed below.

Lifeline (0800543354, or free text 4357)

Healthline (0800611116)

Suicide crisis helpline (0508828865)

Depression and Anxiety Helpline (0800111757, or free text 4202)

Hailing from the coolest little capital, we’d like to introduce you to our next guest is Amy Alexander. Starting hospitality at a pizza place on Vancouver Island, Amy has gone on to have an impressively varied career.

We wanted to chat to her, to share her story and inspire (you) our viewers with the career possibilities one can find within the hospitality industry. Amy has done everything from Events, and Corporates, to Management and co-founding her own bottled drinks company. She has a wealth of experience, and we believe she is a true testament to the many different career pathways the hospitality industry can take you through. We left this interview feeling incredibly inspired, and we hope you do to!

A journey through Amy’s hospo career (2:11) The big move to New Zealand (8:09) Wellington becomes home (9:54) Entering into event management (12:48) Pernod & the corporate switch (13:30) Today: software & co-founding a bottled cocktail company (14:13) Canadian and New Zealand industry similarities (15:08) What does it take to move from hospo to corporate (18:30) Advice for anyone who wants to apply to a corporate company (23:22) On the bottled cocktails (26:27) Advice for anyone who wants to start up a business (28:30) What’s helped you maintain life balance (31:40) Challenges and getting through them (23:20) Skills developed in hospitality transferable to other career paths (36:15) Words on industry change (40:08) Perspective & what’s getting you through this year (45:54) Advice for those in hospo going through a challenging year (48:45) Life in Whistler during the Winter Olympics (52:04)

All the way from California, we’d like to welcome our next guest, Alison Kwan. We’d like to claim her as one of our own, having worked & competed in the Auckland bartending scene. Some of you may recognise her from places like Mea Culpa, Racket and 1885.

Since then, she's worked her way through the competitive bar scene in San Francisco, landing jobs at Lazy Bear, a two-Michelin starred restaurant, Nomica, award-winning cocktail bar True Laurel, Moongate Lounge, and world-renown Hakkasan. In late 2019, she left her jobs to begin Viridian in Oakland with her business partners, one of whom is her boyfriend and partner in life. In February 2020, the doors were opened with grand ceremony, and within three months, Tales of the Cocktail recognized Viridian as a Spirited Awards Honoree for Best New American Cocktail Bar (West Coast). Alison is currently General Manager of Viridian and is also the co-author of Viridian: Behind the Cocktail.

Topics: Alison’s first foray into hospitality (3:33) When hospo became a career (4:45) Proudest career moment (7:47) How did you end up in NZ (10:00) How are things in the states right now (12:50) What’s it like owning a venue in the US (17:27) Viridian (21:41) Asian American heritage & inspiration (25:00) Why Oakland? (26:33) Doing business with your significant other (29:05) American bartending style vs. New Zealand (31:20) History and influence of the Bay Area (36:50) Support & fundraising within the industry (40:15) Staying afloat (43:33) Perspective & real talk on career challenges (46:27) Advice for owners and managers on navigating today’s challenges (48:40) Hobbies & taking the silver linings (50:28) Last words for the NZ hospo family (53:18)

We were lucky to finally get the chance to chat with not only a long time friend of ours but also someone we look up to, who is on a mission to change hospitality for the better. He’s not only well versed in the global bar tending scene, but he also worked on the distributor side with large, well-known international spirits brands.

Tim is the founder of Healthy Hospo and has devoted himself to bringing awareness on issues surrounding health and well-being in the hospitality industry, alongside helping us all understand how to better look after our minds and bodies. This chat was both full of laughs, yet sobering and thought-provoking at the same time.

If you enjoy our content, let us know by leaving us a comment or giving us a share!

Topics: Who is Tim Etherington Judge? (5:39) Making the move to NZ (8:01) The progression of bartending into profession (10:52) Tim’s favourite bars (14:16) The influence of kiwi’s globally (14:33) Best cocktail competition in the world! (16:05) Most interesting place Tim has worked (17:05) The birth of Healthy Hospo (20:33) Opening up a public conversation around Mental Health (26:00) Is it possible to work hospo and be healthy? (27:57) Personal tips on coping with challenges (29:56) The importance of sleep (31.26) Other tips on coping with personal challenges (33:40) Getting through uncertainty with compassion (39:25) Thinking on your feet & how the UK is adapting (41:10) Health and Wellbeing - is it the right time? (43:33) Getting COVID (46:00) Hospo well-being hacks (47.25) Advice for owners/managers on a healthier workplace (48:46) What changes Tim would like to see (52:30) The new project: Calvados! (56:15)

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This podcast and content thereof are for information purposes only. Within the podcast, some general information or personal experiences regarding health and well-being may be discussed by the presenters. This information does not represent medical or health advice, nor should it be taken as such.

Please consult your healthcare professional with any medical or mental health related questions. If you feel that you need support or would like to talk with someone please contact any of the support services listed below.

Lifeline (0800543354, or free text 4357)

Healthline (0800611116)

Suicide crisis helpline (0508828865)

Depression and Anxiety Helpline (0800111757)