A Bold Bet on Hospitality In the midst of the pandemic, two entrepreneurs launched a hotel management business. Their focus on addressing high staff turnover, improving operational efficiency, and embracing technology offers a new approach to an industry grappling with longstanding challenges.

When Clare Anna and Naveed Khan founded London Rock Partners during the height of the pandemic, they were stepping into a sector rocked by uncertainty. With the hospitality industry in freefall- hotels shuttered, travel stalled, and revenue streams evaporated- the pair made a daring decision. Instead of retreating, they saw an opportunity to stabilise and transform a struggling market.

"Quite simply, we knew we were needed," says Anna. Together, they brought a wealth of experience, combining decades of expertise in the hotel industry. With a flexible business model that could adapt to the crisis, they sought to help struggling venues recover. "We have both lived and breathed the hotel sector throughout our professional lives and had the combined insight and experience, plus a flexible business model, to help struggling venues turn things around," Khan adds. Their approach was rooted in a shared belief: if they could make it work during the pandemic, they could navigate anything the industry threw at them. "We thought if we can make this work during a crisis, we can make it work any time," Anna explains.

Breaking the cycle of disengaged staff
The hospitality sector has long been plagued by high employee turnover, poor working conditions, and low wages. Addressing these problems was top of mind for Anna and Khan, who have focused much of their energy on rethinking how hospitality businesses can attract and retain talent.

"It's been clear for some time that simply paying the minimum wage is no longer good enough; you have to invest in people full stop," Anna asserts. Their solution? Creating an environment where employees are treated as partners, not just workers. This involves offering better wages, improving work-life balance, and enhancing job flexibility.

But it's not just about money. It's about fostering a culture that values autonomy and transparency, key elements that can shift the dynamic of a traditionally hierarchical sector. "Staff need to be looked after in a way that hasn't always been the norm in a high-pressure environment, often steeped in hierarchies," says Khan. Their model encourages greater trust within teams, enabling staff to take ownership of their roles while ensuring their voices are heard. "We believe hugely in recruiting great people and giving them the autonomy to run the business as they see fit," Anna adds. The result? A more motivated workforce and improved employee retention -a critical factor in an industry traditionally challenged by constant turnover.

From ground-up experience to strategic leadership
Both Anna and Khan came up through the ranks of the hospitality industry, working their way from entry-level roles to senior leadership positions. This journey has deeply influenced their management style, particularly their focus on understanding the pressures faced by hotel employees at every level. "The hotel sector is a high-pressure environment with narrow margins and sky-high expectations," says Khan. "Managing that mix is critical to success." Their experience has made them more attuned to what it takes to maintain morale while balancing the financial realities of hotel operations.

Entrepreneurship, they note, requires embracing risk - and with it, inevitable setbacks. "Risk is central to being an entrepreneur, and every day can be a judgment call on people and businesses, but that is a challenge you have to embrace," Anna says. Both founders see setbacks as part of the process, as long as businesses are willing to learn from them. "Inevitably, you will have setbacks—but as long as you learn from them for the next project and are transparent about failures with the wider team, as well as celebrating successes, you will keep growing and improving," adds Khan. This blend of resilience, transparency, and a focus on long-term improvement has been instrumental to their success.

The urgency of tech adoption in hospitality
In their view, the hospitality sector's failure to embrace technology has been one of its most significant missed opportunities. Many hotels, despite the obvious benefits, are still lagging behind in implementing tech solutions to streamline operations and improve customer service.

"Hospitality has been notoriously late in joining the tech curve due to a lack of investment in infrastructure, and it remains a missed opportunity," Khan says. Both founders agree that automation could significantly improve both cost management and customer satisfaction. From housekeeping logistics to guest booking systems, technology could save time, reduce human error, and enhance the guest experience.

"From automating administrative processes around housekeeping to using tech to enhance the customer's booking and check-in experience, the solutions are there to save money and improve service," says Anna. Despite the clear benefits, many in the industry remain slow to adopt these innovations. "Hotels need to get on board with the movement to integrate tech into their business," she stresses. For aspiring entrepreneurs, Anna and Khan emphasise one key lesson: commitment. In a highly competitive and unpredictable sector like hospitality, hesitation is the enemy. "I think one of the most important points to stress is that it is ok to fail at your first attempt and to not be defeated but instead use the experience to propel you further forward," Anna says.

Their success wasn't born from having a backup plan - it was the result of their unwavering commitment to the business. "In a tough, competitive environment, you have to jump in and commit fully and give it everything you have; this is not a space for being half-hearted," Khan says. For the founders, not having a "plan B" was a key motivator -one that kept them focused on building London Rock Partners into the successful business it is today. "People say 'no' all the time—you can feel like you're pushing on closed doors, so you have to be determined and relentless, and eventually, the hard work will pay off," he adds.

Shaping the future of hospitality
Looking to the future, both founders remain optimistic about their ability to continue growing London Rock Partners. With a focus on innovation, leadership, and technology, Anna and Khan are well-positioned to drive the company forward in a rapidly evolving industry. But they also remain critical of the hospitality sector's failure to modernize.

"The industry has a lot of catching up to do, particularly in terms of embracing technology and rethinking how it attracts and supports talent," says Anna. But with their approach to leadership and growth, Anna and Khan believe London Rock Partners can not only survive but thrive - creating a new model for success in a sector often defined by uncertainty. In a world where adaptability and resilience are more important than ever, London Rock Partners represents the future of hospitality - one that blends traditional values with modern innovation.