About

Built by people who open venues.

Winning Ideas is a hospitality consultancy based in Charleston, specializing in competitive socializing across eatertainment, sportstainment, and sports tech. We work from concept through launch and into multi-unit growth.

The founder
Founder

Craig Winning

30+ years in hospitality operations, UK and US.

  • Batbox, Chief Operating Officer
  • TOCA Football, senior operations leadership
  • Shorty's, Founder & Chief Operating Officer
  • Punch Bowl Social, senior operations leadership
  • Franworks, senior operations leadership
  • Fadó Irish Pub, senior operations leadership

Craig brings over 30 years of hospitality operations experience across the UK and US, with senior roles at Punch Bowl Social, Fadó Irish Pub, Franworks, and TOCA Football.

He opens venues for a living, from independents to national brands, with specialized attention on eatertainment and sportstainment, as well as consulting on sportstech.

That live founder seat is what separates Winning Ideas from a traditional consultancy. It gives the firm a current view of investor expectations, hardware supply chains, and venue partner economics. You get advice from someone doing the work now, not recalling it from a decade ago.

Core strengths

Why founders and owners call us.

Credibility

Venues opened

Operator credibility built on opening dozens of venues, from independents to national brands.

Formats

Hardware-led knowledge

Working knowledge of golf, football, baseball, soccer, mini golf, axe, darts, shuffleboard, and racing sims.

Perspective

Founder and operator

Founder and operator perspective in a single seat, so the advice carries accountability.

Reach

UK and US fluency

Market fluency for brands moving across the Atlantic in either direction.

Get started

Work with an operator.

Book a free consultation and put a live founder seat on your side of the table.

Book a free consultation