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.

Guest

Jess Colgan

Jess Colgan is the CEO of All Things Equal, a Melbourne-based social enterprise café and catering operation that creates award-wage hospitality careers for people with disability through hands-on training, practical support, and a structured three-stage employment pathway. She is also the co-founder of GingerSnap Patisserie, a plant-based dessert brand created by her brother Brett, a proud deaf man and talented pastry chef, supplying to major sporting outlets and catering businesses across Melbourne. With over 15 years’ experience as a CFO and business advisor in hospitality and social enterprise, and a lifetime of lived experience as the sister of a proud deaf man, Jess’ combines strategic acumen with personal experience to turn inclusive values into inclusive action—building workplaces that fuse inclusion with smart business.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-colgan-3602ab52/

Guest appearance on:

Room For All S2 E24 - Live at the 2025 Social Traders Convene - Jess Colgan, All Things Equal