Hospitality Daily Podcast The Starfish Principle: How Hospitality Scales Through Agility, Autonomy & A Clear North Star - Matthew Bell, Mollie's
Nov 27, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Matthew Bell, Managing Director at Mollie's and former Chief Hotel Operations Officer at citizenM, shares insights on scaling hospitality brands while maintaining their essence. He introduces the 'starfish principle,' advocating for self-contained, cross-functional teams that enhance guest experience and decision-making speed. Matthew emphasizes the importance of a clear vision and strategic frameworks, enabling creative autonomy while breaking down silos. Tune in to explore how to balance freedom and structure in hospitality operations!
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Create Self-Contained Teams
- Build self-contained, cross-functional teams that own the core product end-to-end.
- Empower those teams to make decisions close to the guest to retain startup energy while scaling.
The Starfish Scaling Model
- Use the starfish model: subdivide autonomous units as you grow so each remains whole and capable.
- This prevents centralized structures from diluting closeness to the end product.
Replicate C-Suite Across Teams
- Replicate C-suite cross-functional competencies throughout the business at team level.
- Treat kitchens and restaurants as examples of agile, cross-functional execution to inform organizational design.