Episode 22: Franchising w/ Matt Hughes

What does it take to pivot from a 20-year global career with Marriott to launching your own hospitality consultancy?

In this episode of The Halo Effect, Ashleigh and Michael Donald are joined by the brilliant Matt Hughes, founder of Accommodate Consulting, for a rich conversation spanning hotel franchising, sustainability, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

With experience across asset strategy, global sales, and franchise development, Matt shares the highs and challenges of building a business from scratch – all while training for a marathon. We dig into the evolving franchise landscape, the ROI of ESG, and the very real ways AI is reshaping hotel operations. From navigating owner-brand dynamics to the value of curiosity, community, and cross-disciplinary skills, this episode is packed with practical insight.

Whether you’re a hotel owner, aspiring entrepreneur, or just fascinated by where hospitality is heading, this one’s for you.

Connect with Us:

• Email: ⁠⁠[e-mail]

• Website:⁠⁠ www.gohalo.co.uk⁠⁠

• Instagram: ⁠⁠@haloitsmichael⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠@haloitsashleigh⁠⁠

• LinkedIn: ⁠⁠Halo Business Consulting⁠⁠

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, or follow “The Halo Effect: Hospitality Stories with Ashleigh and Michael Donald” on your preferred podcast platform. Please get in touch if you would like to see us discuss a particular subject on a future episode.

We would love to invite fellow hospitality professionals and entrepreneurs to join us on future episodes, so please DM us via socials or email [e-mail] if you are interested.