Room for All
The Inclusion in Hospitality Podcast
Welcome to Room for All – the podcast where we dive deep into the world of inclusive employment and explore the power of creating opportunities for people with disabilities.
Andrea Comastri, CEO and co-founder of Hotel Etico, Australia’s first not for profit social enterprise hotel and Saraya O’Connell, General Manager of Hotel Etico. will be your hosts as they talk about the importance of breaking down barriers in the workplace with a particular focus on hospitality and other customer facing roles, and how businesses can lead the charge toward inclusion.
At Hotel Etico, we believe that everyone deserves a fair chance to succeed, and we’ve made it our mission to not only provide jobs but to build meaningful careers for people with disabilities. On this podcast, we’ll be sharing success stories, best practices, and inspiring conversations with industry leaders from the hospitality sector, disability sector, other social enterprises, philanthropy and of course our own trainees graduates and staff.
Whether you’re a business owner, an advocate for inclusion, or someone curious about the future of work, this podcast is for you.
So come and join us at Hotel Etico, or as we call it…the Hotel California for the heart. A place where once you have checked in…your heart will never never leave!”
So, let’s get started and open the doors for all.
Room for All
Room For All S2 E26 - Live at the 2025 Social Traders Convene - Jane Marx (The Beautiful Bunch) and Ninna Larsen (ReGround)
Creating Opportunity: Inclusive Employment in Hospitality & Social Enterprises
In this episode of 'Room for All,' hosts Andrea Comastri, CEO of Hotel Etico, and Saraya O'Connell, COO, dive into inclusive employment practices for people with disabilities. They are joined by special guests Jane Marx from The Beautiful Bunch and Ninna Larsen from Reground. Jane shares insights on her social enterprise florist initiative that supports young women from refugee and migrant backgrounds, while Ninna discusses Reground's mission to divert coffee grounds from landfills to community gardens. The conversation touches on the importance of philanthropic funding, the challenges of sustainable growth, and potential future expansions. Tune in to hear inspiring stories and best practices for creating inclusive work environments.
00:00 Introduction to Inclusive Employment
01:41 Meet Our Special Guests: Jane Marx and Ninna Larsen
02:13 The Social Fellow Program
03:37 Ninna Larsen's Journey with Reground
08:17 Jane Marx and The Beautiful Bunch
22:03 The Flower Strategy
22:18 Debating Growth in Social Enterprises
23:02 Expansion Plans and Urban Centers
23:54 Franchising and Remote Models
26:14 Philanthropy and Business Feasibility
28:27 Challenges in Funding and Government Support
34:27 Rooftop Roses and Vertical Integration
39:31 Final Thoughts and Future Vision
41:58 Fun Questions and Wrap-Up
Reground is a social enterprise dedicated to helping organisations and individuals build a circular economy through innovative waste collection and sustainable waste management initiatives. Reground operates Australia's largest collection system for ground coffee, which goes back into community and local gardens.
www.reground.com.au
@_reground
The Beautiful Bunch is a Melbourne-based social enterprise florist, providing young women from refugee backgrounds with their first job in Australia. Our mission is to support young women from refugee backgrounds to build the confidence, skills, and social and professional networks they need to access meaningful employment and achieve long-term financial independence. At the core of our work is our paid training program, Bud to Bloom. This 8-month paid training program is designed specifically for young refugee women aged 18–26. It offers paid training in floristry fundamentals, customer service, financial and digital literacy, business admin and operations, and workplace readiness. Our work not only provides life-changing opportunities for young women, but also demonstrates the power of social enterprise to create a more inclusive economy in Australia.
Jane Marx Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jane_marx_/?hl=en
The Beautiful Bunch Website: https://thebeautifulbunch.com/
The Beautiful Bunch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.beautifulbunch/
