Cassie Davison sits down with Vic, founder and CEO of DataHawks, and a hospitality veteran with over three decades of hands-on experience—from pulling pints in her teens to leading brand strategy at national chains. With her unique blend of operational grit and marketing insight, Vic now helps hospitality businesses use their own customer data to drive real, measurable growth.
Episode Summary
What happens when someone who truly understands hospitality—on the floor, behind the bar, and in the boardroom—turns her focus to data? You get DataHawks. In this powerful episode, Vic shares her journey from 18-year-old pub manager to industry disruptor, explaining how hospitality brands can stop guessing and start growing by understanding their customers on a deeper level. Cassie and Vic dig into the disconnect between operations and marketing, why brands get stuck in “broadcast mode,” and how a smart, customer-first approach to data transforms loyalty and revenue. Plus, Vic opens up about building communities, letting go of burnout, and finding purpose again in hospitality.
It’s candid, bold, and packed with game-changing takeaways for operators, marketers, and founders alike.
Key Discussion Points & Timestamps
00:26 – Meet Vic: CEO of DataHawks, with 31 years in hospitality and a journey that started behind the bar
01:31 – Gifted a pub at 18: The fast-track chaos (and charm) of early hospitality careers
03:06 – Overpromoted and underprepared: Why the industry needs to support its young talent better
05:30 – Vertical drinking and Bacardi Breezers: A look back at wild ‘90s pub culture
06:15 – Learning to run a business at Revolution Soho: Numbers, accountability, and rapid growth
07:34 – Bridging the ops-marketing gap: Why flyers under the door don’t cut it
09:41 – Falling in love with branding: Freelancing, concept work, and making creative ideas operational
11:44 – What marketers should be doing: Knowing the customer, tracking the impact, and moving the dial
12:42 – The madness behind big brand decisions—and why “yummy mummies” isn’t a customer profile
18:54 – When data replaces anecdote: Real stories of insight vs. guesswork
20:53 – If you can make it work in Milton Keynes… Why regional sites reveal the real strength of a brand
22:27 – The inspiration: Tesco Clubcard and the power of customer insight
24:44 – Why loyalty isn’t about discounts—it’s about understanding your guests
27:22 – The birth of DataHawks: Turning overlooked data into tangible, trackable revenue
30:16 – From insight to action: Building ROI-focused customer journeys with purpose
33:36 – Why DataHawks doesn’t chase algorithms—they own the channel and message instead
36:11 – It's not just numbers: Data as the whisper in the ear of hospitality CRM
38:11 – What’s wrong with marketing today: Brands are broadcasting, not building relationships
40:23 – Loyalty is dead—long live connection: Reclaiming purpose in a high-pressure industry
44:23 – The pathway back to loyalty: Connection → engagement → trust
48:29 – For businesses just starting: Start collecting meaningful data, and act with intention
51:10 – Community as fuel: Vic’s WhatsApp group and passing the baton to Glenda
55:27 – Rediscovering purpose: What COVID taught us about collaboration and care in hospitality
Connect with Vic & DataHawks
📧 Explore services at: www.datahawks.co.uk
🔗 Say hello to Vic on LinkedIn
🗣 Want to learn how DataHawks can support your business? Reach out directly
Keep up with Kith & Kin
🌍 Visit: cassiedavison.co.uk
🔗 Connect with Cassie on LinkedIn
📲 Want to join the Kith & Kin WhatsApp community for hospitality? Message Cassie via LinkedIn or the website to request access
You don’t need more customers—you need stronger connections with the ones you already have. This episode is a masterclass in how to make that happen.