Mastering the Rush: How to maximise operations

Date:  Thursday, 1 October 2026

Time: 2:00pm – 2:45pm (NZST)

Format: 30-min session + 15-min live Q&A

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Whether it’s a morning coffee sprint, a Friday evening restaurant rush, a busy bakery batch run, or a high-volume weekend bar shift - every hospitality business has a make-or-break peak window.

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But here’s the truth most operators learn the hard way: being busy doesn’t guarantee being profitable.

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When orders spike, common operational fractures appear: rosters stay bloated hours after the rush clears, hurried cooks over-portion dishes, tickets choke at the pass, and stressed-out teams make expensive mistakes.

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In this 45-minute session, hospitality coach James O’Connell (Founder, The Hospitality Company) and Richard McLeod (CEO) from back-office hospitality platform Loaded, unpack exact frameworks top New Zealand venues use to navigate peak trade smoothly and defend their bottom line.

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There will be an opportunity to ask questions at the end to uncover how you could maximise your operations.

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About Rich McLeod

Rich McLeod is not just another executive in the hospo tech space; he’s a hospitality veteran turned tech CEO on a mission. For over 15 years, Rich navigated the ups and downs of owning and operating hospitality businesses. Starting with a single venue, Rich and his business partner developed Loaded as the cornerstone operating platform for their own network of 12 diverse bars, pubs, and restaurants across New Zealand.

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Loaded’s remarkable success has since scaled to empower more than 10,000 hospitality business owners and managers around the world.

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About James O'Connell

James O'Connell draws on 25 years of experience as an Adviser, Coach & Trainer to help F&B owners build more profitable, high-performing businesses.With a passion for hospitality and business alike, James cares deeply about helping owners realise their business's potential. Experience, expertise and client results are why many of the industry's best venues call on James for support & guidance.

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