The Honeybee and The Owl – Issue #2
Be Unreasonable
Welcome back to The Honeybee and The Owl!
Last week, I shared a story about how a little curiosity in coaching my son's baseball team transformed the kids' energy and focus during practice. This week, we’ll dive into the idea I teased—Unreasonable Hospitality. It's a concept that has completely reframed how I think about coaching, leadership, and even my personal relationships.
Inspired by Will Guidara’s book Unreasonable Hospitality, I’ve learned that hospitality is not just for the restaurant world—it’s for everyone. Whether you’re coaching a youth baseball team, managing a business, or even just spending time with family, the idea of going above and beyond to create remarkable experiences is universal. Guidara often says, “Service is black and white, whereas hospitality is color,” and that idea is the heart of this philosophy.
1. Service is Black and White; Hospitality is Color
First, let’s start with that phrase. Service is simply about doing the job—getting the food to the table, completing the task, sticking to the basics. But hospitality brings life to that service. It’s not about what you do; it’s about how you make someone feel while you’re doing it. It adds vibrancy and color to an otherwise routine interaction.
In Practice: Pizza Motivation
In Practice: Think about how you can add a little extra color in your daily life. For me, it could be as simple as celebrating the small wins at baseball practice—turning a successful drill into a pizza party the kids remember with pride. For you, maybe it’s making a client feel seen, heard, and valued.
2. The Hot Dog Story: Finding Joy in the Unexpected
One of my favorite stories from the book involves a group of guests at Eleven Madison Park who, while enjoying a high-end meal, offhandedly mentioned that the thing they had yet to try on their NYC adventure was a New York City street hot dog. What happened next? Will Guidara overheard it from afar and didn’t just dismiss it. Instead, he sent a staff member out to grab a hot dog from a street vendor, served it on a silver platter, and brought it out to the table. The reaction? Pure joy.
It’s a brilliant reminder that it’s not about sticking to the script—hospitality is about being creative, reading the room, and giving people what they didn’t even realize they wanted.
In Practice: The Camaro Surprise
One of my favorite ways to practice Unreasonable Hospitality is by surprising my team with small, thoughtful gifts. It’s not about the size or extravagance of the gift, but the act of listening and responding in ways that make people feel valued.
In May, four months before SporcleCon, our Content Strategist was in town working on the event. During a casual conversation, he mentioned his love for Legos and how much he wanted to build the Chevy Camaro set. He joked that he hoped his wife was seeing all the targeted ads he had been receiving while browsing online.
That same week, I went ahead and purchased the Lego set, asked his wife not to buy it (she’s wonderful), and kept it hidden away until SporcleCon. When I finally gave it to him at the event, his reaction said it all. Let’s just say his words won’t make it into this family-friendly newsletter! A few days after SporcleCon, I received a photo (actually 18 photos) of the completed Lego Camaro—a reminder that it’s not about following the script, but about paying attention and going the extra mile.
3. Understand Your People Personally
Hospitality isn’t just about the “wow” moments—it’s about knowing the people you serve or lead. Will talks about how truly connecting with people and understanding what makes them happy is the foundation of hospitality. That means knowing which person you’re working with needs a confidence boost, which one thrives on a challenge, or which one could use a little humor to relax.
In Practice: Putting Paul Through a Table
Hospitality isn’t just about the grand gestures; it’s about truly understanding the people you work with and what makes them tick. At Sporcle, our Customer Success Manager, Paul, lives and breathes professional wrestling. Every time we’re in the same room, I make it a point to ask him if he’s ready to give the unsuspecting crowd a show by having a wrestling match with me right then and there. Paul never misses a beat—he always jokes about how I should finally pick him up and put him through a conference table. He wants for nothing more.
It’s all in good fun, but it also serves a purpose. Paul’s role can be stressful, and this running joke gives us both a way to lighten the mood and kick off the day with a smile. The point is that hospitality is often about knowing what makes someone laugh, what helps them relax, and what makes their job a little easier.Do you know what lights up the people around you? Whether it’s clients, teammates, or family, taking the time to know their personal preferences, likes, and motivators helps you show up in a more meaningful way.
4. Create Moments of Joy by Exceeding Expectations
Guidara’s philosophy is that going beyond the expected is what builds loyalty and lasting connections. It’s not about just doing what’s required; it’s about finding ways to do more than what’s expected—delivering an experience that people will talk about long after it’s over.
In Practice: Surprising and Delighting at SporcleCon
At SporcleCon, we made it our mission to deliver those unexpected moments of joy for our attendees. It wasn’t just about creating a smooth event—it was about going beyond the expected to leave people with memories they’d talk about long after the weekend ended.
Throughout the event, we sent out push notifications offering surprise treats like free ice cream cones on Friday at a nearby ice cream stand, cookies and soft pretzels from one of our bar partners on Saturday, and Detroit-style coney dogs for lunch on Sunday. And when the afternoon energy slump hit, we had free cold brews waiting for attendees at a neighboring coffee shop.
These small gestures weren’t part of the initial ticket—they were designed to surprise and delight. It’s that extra step that turns an ordinary experience into something remarkable and keeps people coming back.
5. Celebrate Wins, Big and Small
One of the biggest lessons from the book is that people respond to recognition and celebration. Whether it’s a big achievement or a small personal win, the impact of celebrating with someone is profound. As a coach, I’ve seen firsthand how much kids light up when you call out their effort, even if it’s just for hustling during a drill.
In Practice: Recognizing the Power of Team Effort
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is the importance of celebrating both big and small wins with the people around you. Whether it’s a major achievement or just a small personal milestone, recognizing someone’s effort can have a profound impact.
Recently, I took a coworker from the SporcleCon Planning team on a sales trip for a premium event I was trying to close. She’d never sold products or services at Sporcle before, but she’d expressed interest in having a more active role around premium events. Her presence on the trip was invaluable. In her own words, she was the “social lubricant” that kept conversations flowing and took the pressure off me from having to talk and pitch numbers and ideas for 48 hours straight.
By the end of the trip, we had signed the deal, and when we got back, I made sure to recognize her contribution during our company all-hands meeting. Her support was a key reason the deal went through, and it was important to me that everyone knew it.
Celebrating wins, big or small, isn’t just about giving credit—it’s about making people feel valued for their unique contributions.
Think about the little wins that deserve celebration, both at work and in your personal life. How can you make sure people feel recognized for the things they do well, no matter how big or small?
The Takeaway: The Art of Hospitality As you move through the week, I challenge you to think about where you can apply the principles of unreasonable hospitality. Whether it’s through surprise, curiosity, or simply paying attention to the details, the goal is to turn everyday moments into colorful experiences that stick with people.
That’s it for this week’s edition of The Honeybee and The Owl. Until next time, remember that hospitality brings color to our lives—and we all have the ability to create it.
Stay curious,
Mark