The Journey From Operations To People Leadership In Hospitality - with Jamie Thorpe

Welcome to another episode of the People Leader Accelerator Podcast.

Our guest today is Jamie Thorpe, SVP, People at Pursuit, joining hosts Jess Yuen and Andrew Bartlow for a candid conversation about leading people functions in hospitality and attraction-based organizations. Jamie brings over twelve years of HR experience covering restaurant operations, corporate HR, and high-growth environments, with prior roles at Sonic Drive-In, Taco Bueno, and Alamo Drafthouse.

In this episode, we explore Jamie’s career path from frontline operations to HR leadership, including lessons learned about authenticity, vulnerability, and strategic partnership at the executive level. Jamie shares insights into the distinctive challenges and opportunities of supporting hourly workforces and transitioning organizations through acquisitions and growth.

We discuss:

The unique transition from operations to HR and how persistence and networking shaped Jamie’s career trajectory

How to approach a new people leadership role with effective assessment, relationship-building, and transformation

Comparing public company HR leadership with private equity and privately held organizations

The importance of longer-term strategic planning, carving out “thinking time,” and involving peers in working sessions

Hourly workforce realities - compensation, housing, training access, and employee experience

The practical impacts of technology, AI adoption, and external economic shifts on HR strategy

The value of learning from mentors, formal programs, and targeted professional development

Jamie’s “spicy take” on performance reviews and why she believes impact comes from building manager capability rather than process alone

Whether you work with hourly teams or exempt staff, lead in hospitality or tech, or are considering your next step in people operations, you’ll find Jamie’s reflections and tactical advice immediately relevant.

Connect with Jamie:   / jamiethorpe3  

For show notes and bonus resources, visit www.PeopleLeaderAccelerator.com/podcast.

-- About The People Leader Accelerator Podcast --

Our goal with this podcast is simple: to help people leaders navigate the messy, complex, and deeply rewarding work of leading teams and organizations with more clarity, confidence, and community.

Whether you’re the first HR hire at a startup or an experienced executive at a company with scale, you’ll find actionable insights you can use right away.

We can’t wait to share these conversations with you.

Welcome to the journey!

Listen, learn, and connect:

🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, YouTube).

💡 Find show notes and bonus resources at peopleleaderaccelerator.com/podcast.

📬 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to level up as a people leader.

🤝 Connect with your hosts:

Jessica Yuen: linkedin.com/in/jessicayuen | jessyuen.com

Andrew Bartlow: linkedin.com/in/bartlow | peopleleaderaccelerator.com