We build hospitality businesses that
Every role is critical
Critical Role Hospitality is an ownership, management, and consulting group that builds high-performing hospitality businesses by ensuring every critical leadership role is filled and every staff role is supported. From marketing and sales to finance and operations, we integrate the functions that drive real performance — without the cost of building a full executive bench in-house.
Separate agencies. Separate project managers. Separate incentives. Construction isolated. Finance reactive. Owners managing the gaps. Fragmented leadership. Struggling to scale in-house.
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The Traditional Model
Misalignment. Delays. Budget overruns. Staff feels unsupported. Owner burnout.
02
The Hidden Cost
One partner that operates like an in-house team in every department. Completely customizable, filling the gaps of the critical roles your business is missing.
03
The Critical Role Model
By bringing development, finance, PR, marketing, operations, sales, culinary, HR, and construction under one aligned leadership model, we eliminate silos and build businesses designed to perform.
All under one roof. All aligned. All accountable.
Book a strategic hospitality review
Have an operator-to-operator strategy review with our team. A working session focused on where your concept is working — and where it isn’t.
Complimentary, no strings attached.
Who We Are
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![John Williams - Top Hospitality leaders in Chicago and Cleveland. Top restaurant leader in US. Largest restaurant group in the US.]()
John Williams
OPERATIONS + FOUNDER
John believes the strongest hospitality businesses are built through clear leadership, aligned teams, and respect for every role. Through AXOH Hospitality, he has partnered with groups connected to Sage Hospitality, DineAmic, and Fabio Viviani Hospitality, helping lead growth and development by translating vision into culture, systems, and day-to-day execution. His work spans concept development, multi-unit operations, and long-term performance, with a focus on building businesses that scale thoughtfully and last. -
![Critical Role Hospitality - Best Public Relations Services in Chicago, Cleveland, Las Vegas, North Carolina, Great Lakes - Samantha Crafton]()
Samantha Crafton
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Samantha has spent more than 20 years partnering with hospitality brands to help them tell their stories with clarity, credibility, and intention. Through SCPR, she has supported restaurants, hotels, and nightlife concepts across major markets nationwide, helping brands earn meaningful coverage in local, regional and outlets like Food & Wine, Forbes, Condé Nast Traveller, Eater, The TODAY Show, Chicago Tribune and so many more. -
![Anni McNulty - Top Hospitality leaders in Chicago and Cleveland. Top restaurant leader in US. Largest restaurant group in the US. Top sales director. Top restaurant and corporate event planner.]()
Anni McNulty
SALES & EVENTS
Anni has spent more than 25 years in hospitality, partnering with restaurant groups and operators to build sales strategies including private dining, catering, and events programs that feel thoughtful, organized, and rooted in real hospitality. Through McNulty Events, she has worked alongside teams connected to groups such as Sage Restaurant Group, Fabio Viviani Hospitality, Tavistock Restaurant Collection, Pangea Restaurant Group, among many more. -
![Bella Schuster - Top Hospitality leaders in Chicago and Cleveland. Top restaurant leader in US. Largest restaurant group in the US. Top creative agency. Top marketing director. Best creative director. Chicago Forbes 30 under 30.]()
Bella Schuster
MARKETING & CREATIVE
Bella has spent more than 10 years partnering with hospitality groups to develop brands and marketing strategies rooted in guest experience. Through Sol Marketing Group, she has worked with restaurant and venue teams connected to Fabio Viviani Hospitality, House of Blues, Aragon Ballroom, and fast-casual brands like JARS and Chuck Lager.
What We Do
Fractional Expertise
Community Development
Not every problem needs a full-time hire.
We offer leadership across operations, sales, marketing, PR, culinary, finance, and HR - giving teams access to real indsutry expertise, exactly where and when it’s needed.
Food has always been a gathering point.
We partner in real estate and mixed-use developments, using food and beverage to help create places that feel alive, connected, and worth spending time in.
Sometimes the work is standing shoulder to shoulder.
We step in as operating or managing partners for new and existing restaurants, helping teams find their rhythm, strengthen leadership, and bring clarity to the systems that support great service.
Own & Operate
We don’t just advise from the sidelines, we’re in it.
We own, create, and operate our own hospitality venues, carrying the same responsibility, pressure, and pride as any operator on the floor. That lived experience shapes how we think, lead, and build.
Manage & Partner
Who We Can Help
We work best with people who care deeply about what they’re building — and want the right support around them to do it well.
Our partners come to us at different stages, but they share a common goal: they want hospitality businesses that work for the people running them, the teams inside them, and the guests they serve.
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You’re looking for strong, sustainable returns without being pulled into the day-to-day.
We help stabilize execution, support leadership on the ground, and build cultures that protect both the guest experience and long-term performance.
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You’re carrying the weight of the operation and need clarity, support, and systems that actually work in real service.
We partner alongside operators to strengthen execution, simplify decision-making, and support teams where it matters most.
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You want to be respected, trained, and clear on what success looks like.
We believe great hospitality starts with teams who feel supported, prepared, and proud of the work they do every day.
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You’re looking for experiences that feel personal, consistent, and worth returning to.
We focus on creating places that feel welcoming, intentional, and human.
Not scripted.
Not soulless.
