Atelier Sawyer

How I work

How I work

No theory, no fifty-page reports, and no pressure. A clear look at where you are, a plan you can act on, and help to carry it out if you want it.

What does working with a hospitality consultant involve?

It should start with the truth about where the business is, before anything changes. A good consultant looks at your numbers, your menu, your team, and your operation; tells you plainly what is wrong, what it is costing you, and what to fix first; and then, if you want, helps you fix it and measures whether it worked. You should know the price before you start, own everything that is produced, and be free to stop.

How it works, step by step

1. A conversation

A free 30-minute call, in English or Spanish. You tell me where things are; I tell you honestly whether I can help, and where I would start. If I am not the right person, I will say so, and point you to someone who is.

2. A diagnostic

If you are trading, that is the Hospitality Health Check; if you are opening, or taking on a traspaso, the Pre-Opening Diagnostic. You complete a detailed questionnaire first, so I can do the research before we speak and our time together is spent on the way forward.

3. A written plan

Within five working days, you get a concise, written plan: what is wrong, what it is costing you, and what to do first. It is yours, whatever you decide next.

4. Your choice

Some owners take the plan and work through it themselves. Others want help: Plan for openings, Run for turnarounds, Grow for expansion, and Promote for marketing. If you carry on within 30 days, the diagnostic fee comes off your first month.

5. The work

Each month, we work on what matters most, and look at the same handful of numbers, so we can both see whether things are moving, season by season. Between sessions, you can reach me seven days a week.

6. A business that runs without you

The aim is not to keep you as a client. It is a business that makes money all year and holds its standards without you watching. The templates and checklists stay with you, and after the minimum term you can stop with 30 days' notice.

What you can expect from me

  • Published prices. Every price is on the website, plus IVA. No sales call to unlock one.
  • Me, not a team you have never met. You work with me directly, in English or Spanish. Promote content is produced by Sonny, my AI content assistant, and checked by me; I tell you that up front. On larger projects I may bring in people I trust, several of whom I trained myself, and I will introduce them first. They work as my subcontractors, and I stay accountable for their work.
  • In person when it matters. Much of the work is remote; on-site days are arranged where they make the most difference. Travel within Málaga province is included; further afield, it is charged at cost and agreed first.
  • Confidentiality. What you share stays between us. I have seen some messy profit and loss accounts; nothing shocks me.
  • The truth, kindly put. I will not tell you what you want to hear. I will tell you what I see, why it matters, and what I would do about it.

Free places to start

  • The Health Score: a few minutes, and it shows where to look first.
  • The pre-opening checklist: for anyone who has not opened yet, with Spain's licences and registrations in the right order.
  • The calculators: recipe costing, cash runway, and prime cost.

Where I work

On the Costa del Sol and across Spain, from Benalmádena, and in the UK, from London. The UK side of the business has its own site.

Frequently asked questions

What if I pay you and nothing changes?

Then you will know early, and so will I. Every piece of work starts with the same handful of numbers, written down, and we look at them together every month. If they are not moving, I will say so and tell you why, whether it is the plan, the team, the season, or something outside your control. After the minimum term you can stop with 30 days' notice, and the templates stay with you.

Will you tell me what is actually wrong, even if I do not want to hear it?

Yes; that is the job. I will tell you what I see, why it matters, and what I would do about it, in plain words and in private. I will not soften it into something useless, and I will not dramatise it either. In my experience, most owners already suspect what is wrong; what they need is someone to confirm it, put a cost on it, and help them fix it.

Can you help if I am not on the Costa del Sol?

Yes, anywhere in Spain. Much of the work is done remotely, by video call and on shared documents, and on-site days are arranged where they make the most difference. Travel within Málaga province is included; further afield, travel and accommodation are charged at cost and agreed with you before anything is booked. Licences, opening hours, and some food rules differ between autonomous communities, and between town halls, and I work to the ones that apply to you.

Talk it through