Creativity, Resilience, and the Reality of Hospitality: A Conversation with Madi, Marketing Manager

Madi has been part of Little Blackpool Leisure since its earliest days, growing alongside the business as both it and her role have evolved. What started in design has gradually expanded into something much broader, shaped by experience, opportunity, and a willingness to take things on as they come.

“I’ve been with LBL from the start, one of the original OG’s.” Since December 2019, Madi has been part of Little Blackpool Leisure’s journey, contributing not just to its visual identity but to the way its venues connect with people. With a degree from the University of Central Lancashire and a Master’s from Edge Hill University in her field, she brings a combination of academic grounding and practical creativity to a role that has grown alongside the business itself.

Her entry into LBL began with design, creating the original Dirty Blondes logo and menus, but what followed became much broader over time. “My responsibilities have grown a lot since,” she explains. “My job role is vast, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.” That role now spans brand development, digital marketing strategy, photography, website creation, event planning, vendor recruitment, and elements of spatial design within venues. It is less a fixed job title and more something that continues to evolve, shaped both by the needs of a growing hospitality group and her willingness to adapt to them.

This adaptability is reflected in her day to day work. “Honestly, no two days are the same,” she says. “One day it’s planning events for Abingdon Street Market, the next it’s creating brand guidelines and photographing a new Spring Summer menu… or delivering pizzas to a charity event.” There is a natural variety to the role that mirrors the pace of hospitality itself, but beneath that sits a sense of consistency. “My day to day non negotiables include customer service, social media, and ensuring each brand is represented how we want.” While the tasks may shift, the standards stay the same.

A defining feature of her approach is a willingness to step into the unknown. “Say yes to everything, figure out how to do it later,” she says, a mindset that feels less about spontaneity and more about learning to trust her ability to work things out. It is something that has helped her build confidence across different areas, often learning in real time. She recognises how much this has been influenced by the people around her, feeling lucky to have learned from some incredible leaders and teachers, and taking on the idea that it is important not to bring a problem without at least thinking through how it might be solved. “You don’t know what opportunities you’ll miss if you say no,” she adds, reflecting the importance of staying open in an industry that is always changing. Alongside this is a growing sense of self awareness: “You’re mentally tougher than you think… keep your high standards, and don’t let other people’s opinions impact how you feel about yourself.” It is a perspective that continues to develop with experience, shaped by both the pressures of hospitality and the need for personal resilience within it.

She has also seen, first hand, how much the industry has shifted. “It’s like night and day compared to when I joined LBL,” she reflects. Pre pandemic hospitality, she describes, was defined by volume and excess, “queues out the door, drinking until 2am.” Now, the landscape feels more complex. “Guests have little disposable income and are very selective about where they spend their time and money,” she explains. This has pushed venues to rethink their approach, moving away from relying on footfall alone and towards creating more considered, value driven experiences. “At one point we were all in competition for Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights… now venues are fighting for just Saturdays.”

There is a sense of realism in the way she reflects on this. She speaks openly about the balance between creativity and commercial pressure, “when you invest so much into the venues… and the only way you get guests through the door is to offer big discounts, it can be disheartening.” But these challenges have also shaped how she thinks about what comes next.

“Experience led dining,” she says. “Guests want to feel connected, special, and like they belong to something.” It is a shift away from transactional hospitality towards something more meaningful. For her, this is not just a trend, it feels like a natural direction for the industry. It is also something she has been part of shaping, with LBL’s marketing and events increasingly focused on creating moments that go beyond food and drink.

Her perspective is also influenced by her experience as a woman in the industry. Originally from Worthing and having spent time in Preston before moving to Blackpool in 2021, she has seen how different hospitality scenes operate. “I’m lucky to work in a company where over half of senior management are women, so I do feel at home,” she says. At the same time, she recognises the wider challenges. “People often assume you don’t make key decisions… or that you have no real impact.” Rather than pushing against this directly, she has developed a quieter kind of confidence, continuing to contribute and take ownership in ways that speak for themselves.

Looking ahead, her ambitions are still closely tied to the growth of LBL. “My goals are simple – keep doing cool sh*t,” she says, half joking, though there is a clear intention behind it. She talks about wanting to see expansion, more venues, more brands, and a wider presence across the county. “LBL is ready for that,” she adds, remembering a time when new concepts were launching every six months. “I miss that level of growth.” It is not just about scale, but about the energy that comes with building something new.

For anyone starting out in the industry, particularly women, her advice is straightforward. “If you don’t know where you want to go with your career, try anything,” she says. Exploration, in her view, is part of the process rather than something to avoid. She also highlights the importance of speaking up, something she admits did not always come easily. “Don’t be afraid to say what you want and what doesn’t work for you… you’ll never know what you could learn or who you’ll meet.”

In many ways, this feels like an ongoing journey rather than a finished story, one shaped by curiosity, resilience, and a willingness to keep learning. At its core, it is a reminder that hospitality has always been about more than just venues or concepts, it is about people, connection, and the experiences that bring them together.