Brand Positioning

Dom’s professional duality is his greatest asset. A people-person and operational expert, he connects the dots between quality of service and business objectives. We also found his distinctive staff-first approach to be a major differentiator in the market. 

Dom’s service training is rooted in a simple idea: great restaurants are brought to life through its people. By focusing on tailored, staff-first programs, he helps fine-dining leaders develop confident, fully-prepared teams that balance quality of service with business objectives. In a landscape where many consultants stretch across multiple aspects of hospitality, he focuses exclusively on building teams that deliver consistent, guest-centered experiences, ensuring both staff and leadership are aligned for smooth, successful operations.

Key Words
We consistently encountered a tug-o-war between players — Dom’s disparate expertise, the antagonistic nature of business objectives v. quality of service, and in target markets: upscale hotels (and their guests by proxy) and the front of house staff. 

This led us to develop key phrases that would manifest opposites as one.

Relatable and Elevated

Fun and Professional

Concise and Detailed

And lastly, though not a set,

Genuinely enjoyable

Brand Mission

We wanted to ensure the purpose didn’t come across as HR related. Yes, it’s people first, but service training and leadership coaching ultimately lead to more confident employees and therefore better restaurant experiences. The process of training is also a collaborative one as every restaurant has different standards. 

We distilled this down into a cooperative mission: 

Crafting restaurant excellence through its people.

To simplify it for public use, we then split this statement into more succinct slogans:

Crafting restaurant excellence

We’re here for your people.

Brand Name

The hospitality industry is a close-knit community. People take care of each other—whether that’s covering a shift, squeezing in a reservation, or referring a colleague. We wanted the name of the company to reflect that sense of connection while also resonating with both of our target markets: corporate and leadership teams, as well as the staff being trained.

We explored names with personal ties, like references to Dom's two-wheel hobbies and the concept of ‘tandem’ to reflect the balance between work and life. We also considered more work-focused options, such as ‘group,’ ‘collective,’ or ‘hospitality consulting,’ knowing that the company’s growth goals extend beyond training. Ultimately, we decided against names that felt too long, formal, or deeply personal. The goal was something short, relatable, and friendly, yet professional.

Dom & Friends

‘Dom & Friends’ perfectly captured these qualities, with the ‘and friends’ signifying both the network of experts we can tap into and the collective effort between restaurants, training, and team success.

Brand Voice

Though Dom has grown his career in restaurants, his one true passion is bikes. He grew up racing dirt bikes, riding (and building) multi-use bicycles today. Though this obsession is integral to who he is, he never felt that his career and hobby overlapped. In speaking with him I realized that many of his guiding principles (integrity, good sportsmanship, resilience) are about being a good human, not just a good rider. It was this awareness that truly humanized the brand. It showed us that “Dom in a suit” is the same guy as “Dom in a helmet”, encapsulating the duality, unpretentiousness, and realness he sought for Dom & Friends.

Having unlocked the brand’s soul, the voice of Dom & Friends reflects a relatable yet elevated tone, which resonates with both corporate leaders and front-line staff. It communicates warmth and professionalism, embodying the “close-knit community” spirit of hospitality and the professionalism of fine-dining service.

Through concise and detailed messaging, the brand emphasizes its mission: crafting restaurant excellence through its people. The focus on a **staff-first approach** requires information to be digestible and memorable to quickly build confidence and competence among employees. Concise does not mean curt, so messaging should be quick, but inspiring. 

Overall, the brand voice is characterized by humility and focus. While many hospitality consultants attempt to cover a wide variety of the industry, Dom & Friends prioritizes the people at the heart of the service experience. This ethos is evident in the accessible language used, avoiding jargon to resonate with audiences, making interactions meaningful and impactful.

Key Elements of the Brand Voice

Friendly and Approachable
Engages the audience in a welcoming and inclusive manner, encouraging collaboration and open communication.

Professional and Knowledgeable
Reflects the high standards of fine dining while maintaining a down-to-earth demeanor that makes expertise approachable.

Inspiring and Motivational
Shares life lessons from Dom's journey, instilling a sense of openness and growth in others.

Now for the fun stuff :)

Brand Identity