'I want people to discover the hidden gems on our doorstep': Belfast mum-of-five quits corporate world to build a solo business helping Northern Ireland hotels thrive and staycations shine
Love Your Local: Michelle Davis, MD of Consulting & Staycations NI reflects on building a business around hospitality, family and promoting Northern Ireland’s must-visit spots
I’ve spent more than 20 years working in the hospitality industry across Northern Ireland, mostly in hotel sales and business development.
My career has always been about helping hotels grow — whether that’s increasing revenue, strengthening their commercial strategy or better understanding their guests. It’s an industry I’ve always been passionate about, not just for the business side, but for the people and places that make it so special.
In 2020, I made the decision to step out on my own and launch my consultancy business. At the time, I was also raising a young family — I had three children then, and today I’m a mum of five. Building a business alongside family life has been one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done, but without doubt one of the most rewarding. It’s allowed me to shape a career that reflects both my professional ambitions and my role as a mum, which is incredibly important to me.
The idea to start my own business came from seeing both the opportunities and the gaps within the hospitality sector. Northern Ireland has so much to offer — incredible places to stay, unique experiences and a strong tourism story — but many businesses need support to fully realise their potential. That was especially clear after the pandemic, when hotels and accommodation providers needed guidance but didn’t always have the budget for full-time roles. I wanted to use my experience to support them in a flexible, practical way.
Around the same time, I launched Staycations NI. The idea was simple — to create a platform that showcases the amazing places to stay right here on our doorstep. So many people don’t realise the hidden gems we have locally, and I wanted to make it easier for people to discover and enjoy them. It’s grown into a space that not only promotes accommodation but also supports local tourism in a meaningful way.
My work now is a mix of consultancy and building the staycation platform. I support hospitality businesses through sales training, commercial strategy and business development. One thing I’m particularly passionate about is helping teams understand that sales isn’t just the responsibility of one department. Front-of-house and food and beverage teams play a huge role in identifying opportunities, building relationships and driving growth, and I love helping them develop those skills.
There’s no such thing as a typical day for me — especially with five children! Some days I’m working directly with hotel teams, delivering training or developing strategies. Other days I’m focused on content creation, partnerships or planning new ideas for Staycations NI. Like most business owners, I wear a lot of hats — from marketing and business development to strategy and creative work.
One of the biggest highlights of my journey so far has been seeing the real impact my work has on businesses. I’ve been fortunate to develop a bit of a niche working with new openings or rebrands. One of my first big projects was working alongside Niall McKenna and his team to support the launch of the amazing events spaces at Waterman, Belfast. In 2023, I supported the Lamington Group with the opening of Northern Ireland’s first eco- hometel room2 Belfast. I love the sales training too. When teams start to feel more confident about sales and begin to see tangible growth, it’s incredibly rewarding. And of course, any opportunity to help showcase Northern Ireland as a destination is something I am passionate about. We have such a rich tourism offering - from beautiful countryside and coastline to unique places to stay- and being able to play a role in promoting that is something I’m very proud of.
Of course, it hasn’t all been easy. Running your own business comes with challenges, and there have been times when the responsibility of doing everything yourself feels overwhelming. Balancing that with family life adds another layer. But those moments have taught me resilience and adaptability — two qualities that are essential in both business and life. I’ve also been lucky to have a strong network of people in the industry who are always there to support and encourage me.
What I’m most proud of is building something that supports both my family and the wider hospitality industry. As a mum, it’s important to me that my children see that you can pursue your ambitions, keep learning and create something meaningful. I want them to understand that success comes from consistency, curiosity and showing up every day.
If I could go back, I’d probably tell myself to trust my instincts sooner. Like many people, I spent years building experience before taking the leap into running my own business. While that experience was invaluable, I’ve learned the importance of backing yourself and believing in your ideas.
Looking ahead, I’m continuing to grow both sides of the business. I’m expanding Staycations NI, with plans to introduce more curated content and even a second standalone website. On the consultancy side, I’m working with a growing portfolio of hotels and developing new training programmes, particularly for front-of-house teams, where I see huge untapped potential.
Northern Ireland’s tourism and hospitality sector has so much to offer. From stunning landscapes to unique places to stay, we have everything needed to attract visitors and encourage people to explore locally. If I can play even a small role in helping businesses grow and encouraging more people to discover the hidden gems on our doorstep, then that’s something I’m incredibly proud of.