Having intended to launch just as the pandemic hit the UK, The Birch Community were forced to shut everything down two weeks before they were due to open to the public.
In this podcast episode, not only do we hear Chris talk about Birch's turbulent beginning, we also hear how choosing the easiest work experience placement at school kick-started his passion for hotels. This led to him doing a hotel management training programme rather than go to university. Chris progressed through the ranks quickly and became a Deputy General Manager at just 24 years old. But even in the early stages of his career, he felt there was scope for the industry to do better.
Birch is a different kind of hotel experience. They've intentionally called it the "Birch Community" rather than the "Birch Hotel". Two things have been important throughout the Birch journey: purpose and agility. For Chris, purpose is everything - the business always comes back to the importance of community, without it they are nothing. Being agile and adapting to the changing world allowed them to survive and it continues to be an important building block in their business.
What's in store for the future of Birch? Their current focus is to plot a path to become a more stable business. What they have right now is a great product and great people, and with the right strategy and priorities in place, they have the foundations to build something incredible.
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