Nathan Woods - The Ministry of Welcome

Experiences

The Ministry of Welcome: Creating Meaningful Experiences Through Hospitality With Nathan Woods and Mark Sandeno

In this episode, Mark Sandeno sits down with Nathan Woods, a hospitality expert and founder of The Ministry of Welcome, to explore the transformative power of authentic hospitality in business and life. From driving truck parts to revolutionizing customer experiences at major brands, Nathan shares his journey and insights on creating meaningful connections through intentional welcome.

Key Highlights:

The Journey to Hospitality Nathan's origin story begins with driving truck parts in Eugene, Oregon, where he developed his vision statement: "Creating opportunities for others to experience joy." This led him to pursue a master's in hospitality and work with TrackTown USA managing VIP hospitality for the Olympic trials. His entrepreneurial journey continued as he co-founded Run Gum, growing it from a closet startup to achieving national retail distribution.

Building Authentic Community
Nathan emphasizes the importance of genuine customer engagement beyond transactions. At Run Gum, they achieved 30-40% revenue from email marketing by focusing on authentic connections. Their strategy included meaningful social media engagement and in-person events, always prioritizing treating customers as humans first, not just revenue sources.

Revolutionizing Direct Booking for Bolt Farm Treehouse
During his time with Bolt Farm Treehouse in Tennessee, Nathan helped transform their booking model from OTA dependence to achieving 99% direct bookings. Through implementing successful email and SMS marketing strategies, the business grew from 8 to 26 units while maintaining high occupancy rates. This transformation demonstrated the power of owning customer relationships.

The Philosophy of Hospitality
Nathan breaks down "philoxenia" - the Greek concept of loving strangers - and explains the crucial difference between service (what you have to do) and hospitality (what brings color to interactions). He discusses how this philosophy transforms business culture and customer experience, creating lasting impact through meaningful connections.

Practical Implementation Tips
Success in hospitality requires mapping the customer journey from first contact to post-experience, finding opportunities for personalization at key touchpoints, and creating memorable moments that evoke positive feelings. Nathan emphasizes the importance of caring for both customers and their families, sharing examples of thoughtful gestures that create lasting impressions.

Notable Quotes:
"Hospitality is not just about entertainment or hotels - it's about the posture of welcoming people to the space that you're in and being present with them." - Nathan Woods

"People forget what you do or what you gave to them, but they'll never forget how you made them feel." - Nathan Woods (paraphrasing Maya Angelou)

Resources Mentioned:

• nathanwoods.me - Nathan's website
• The Ministry of Welcome newsletter
• "Unreasonable Hospitality" by Will Guidara

About Nathan Woods: Nathan Woods is a hospitality consultant and founder of The Ministry of Welcome. With experience ranging from Olympic event management to scaling direct-to-consumer brands, Nathan helps businesses transform their customer experiences through authentic hospitality practices. His approach combines practical business strategy with a deep understanding of how meaningful "welcome" can transform both customer experience and company culture.

About the Experiences App

• Experiences app website

The Experiences App is a comprehensive platform designed for event hosts to seamlessly create, manage, and elevate memorable experiences. From cooking classes to crafting workshops, the app offers intuitive tools for organizing bookings, handling payments, and managing guest communication, ensuring that every detail is covered. Whether you’re a small business or a large event space, the Experiences App helps turn each gathering into a professionally managed, unforgettable occasion tailored to enhance customer engagement and satisfaction.