Hospitality operations consulting · Ontario / GTA

Venue and event operations that hold without you on the floor.

I advise Ontario venues and event spaces on guest flow, service systems, and staffing rhythms—so quality remains consistent under pressure, and the operation does not depend on one person catching every gap.

Richard Scholten · 20+ years in GTA venue and event operations · Ontario-based

Operators who need the floor to perform without constant intervention.

Built for Ontario venues, private event spaces, and hospitality leadership teams whose guest experience depends on operational discipline—not improvisation on peak nights.

Venue and event space operators

  • Owners and general managers whose time is consumed by day-of firefighting
  • Spaces with a strong offering but inconsistent front-of-house execution
  • Teams that rely on unwritten practice rather than documented operating standards

Growing or opening concepts

  • New rooms or formats that require an operations blueprint before volume scales
  • Operators adding headcount ahead of systems and clear ownership
  • Leaders who need fractional operations capacity without a full-time hire

Operational outcomes that show up on the floor.

Not a strategy deck that sits unread—playbooks, cadences, and handoffs your team can execute under real service conditions.

  • Guest flow that holds

    Arrival, seating, timing, and recovery paths that keep the room controlled when volume spikes.

  • Service that runs without you

    Defined ownership, checklists, and escalation so the shift does not depend on you as the default point of resolution.

  • Repeatable event operations

    Pre-event, load-in, show-day, and teardown sequences that transfer cleanly between staff and vendors.

  • Cadence over scramble

    Daily and weekly operating rhythms, briefing habits, and post-event reviews that compound rather than reset every week.

  • Hiring and training leverage

    Onboarding that teaches how the house runs—written standards instead of tribal knowledge passed verbally on the floor.

  • Ontario operating context

    GTA venue realities—labour constraints, space limits, and diverse guest expectations—factored into the work from the start.

Diagnostic → Playbook or Sprint → Fractional support.

Begin with a clear picture of where operations break, install the systems that close those gaps, then retain fractional capacity if ongoing oversight is useful.

  1. Diagnostic

    Map where guest flow, staffing, and handoffs fail. Leave with prioritized remedies—not a binder of theory.

  2. Playbook or Sprint

    Produce the SOPs, run-of-show, and training artifacts. Optional 30-day sprint to install systems and coach on the floor.

  3. Fractional retainer

    Monthly operations capacity for reviews, event peaks, and continuous tightening—without committing to a full-time operations hire.

Transparent rates. Scoped deliverables.

All prices CAD + HST · travel billed separately. Deposits via Stripe Payment Links when configured; otherwise request an invoice on a call.

Hourly $150 Day rate $1,200

Remote

Ops Audit

A deeper remote audit of workflows, guest journey, staffing model, and documentation gaps—delivered with a structured playbook outline.

$5,500 CAD

On-site

On-site Ops Audit

On-floor observation of service and events, interviews with key roles, and an implementation-ready operations plan tailored to your venue.

$10,000 CAD

Install

30-day Implementation Sprint

Four weeks to write, train, and harden systems drawn from audit findings—SOPs, briefings, and ownership structures built to last beyond the engagement.

$10,000 CAD

Ongoing

Monthly Ops Retainer

Up to 10 hours per month · 3-month minimum. Fractional operations support for reviews, peak periods, and continuous improvement.

$3,000 /mo

Events

Event Ops System

Reusable run-of-show, vendor and staff handoffs, and day-of playbooks so each event builds on a shared operating standard rather than starting from scratch.

$5,000 CAD

Optional

Concept / opening blueprint

Operations architecture for a new concept or room: staffing model, guest journey, pre-opening checklists, and opening-week rhythms. Scoped after a discovery call.

$15,000 CAD

Career history in GTA venues and event operations.

Named venues below are employment history—not client logos or testimonials. Credibility rests on roles held and work delivered in those houses.

  • Operations & Event Manager — Harding Waterfront Estates Waterfront venue operations and event delivery.
  • Operations Manager — The Grand Luxe Event Boutique Event boutique operations leadership.
  • Freelance event operations — Conscience VC Contract event operations support.
  • Earlier GTA venues Phoenix Concert Theatre · The Courthouse · C Lounge · Spice Route

Education: Hospitality degree, George Brown College. Based in Ontario / GTA. Engagements delivered in English.

Direct answers.

Are you seeking a full-time role or consulting clients?

Both are available. I consider the right full-time operations leadership role and take consulting engagements where systems work is the priority. A short call establishes fit either way—without pressure to commit.

Do you only work in Ontario?

Ontario and the GTA are the primary focus—particularly venues and event spaces. Remote diagnostic and audit work can support operators elsewhere in Canada; on-site engagements are scoped with travel billed separately.

What is not included?

Packages cover hospitality operations planning, systems, and advisory work for the scoped location. The following remain outside the standard engagement unless separately scoped and priced in writing:

  • Full event production as a primary deliverable—creative direction, AV design, entertainment booking, and catering menus
  • Day-of show-calling or full run-crew staffing
  • Permanent on-site floor management that replaces client managers
  • Legal, accounting, HR compliance, immigration, payroll, food-safety certification, and accessibility engineering
  • Branding, marketing, web design, and paid media
  • Software build, POS install, or IT infrastructure (operations-process advice only)
  • Multi-property rollouts beyond the scoped location without a new statement of work
  • Unlimited revisions beyond one consolidated review cycle
  • Emergency 24/7 on-call coverage

These boundaries keep planning focused and delivery predictable. Work in any of the areas above can be discussed as a separate package when needed.

How do deposits and invoices work?

Larger packages typically begin with a 50% deposit, or an invoice by agreement. Stripe Payment Links can be connected through config.js. Until those links are live, book a call and the deposit will be invoiced directly.

Is the concept / opening blueprint required?

No. It is optional for new rooms or concepts. Most operators begin with Diagnostic Lite or an Ops Audit, then decide on a sprint or retainer.

Book a 20-minute operations call.

Describe where service or staffing fails on peak nights. We will determine whether a diagnostic, audit, or conversation toward a role is the appropriate next step.

Primary

Call or email to book a twenty-minute operations conversation. LinkedIn messages are also welcome.