When Stephen Hunt bought the Rutherford Hotel in 2015, he had no idea about his historical ties to Maitland.
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He had always felt at home here, but it was afterward, when his brother called and told him that his great grandfather was born in and married in Maitland, that the connection made sense.
The Rutherford Hotel has changed hands since then, but the Hunt family stayed put, and have been in Maitland now for over seven years.
Mr Hunt is the managing director of Hunt Hospitality, and currently owns The Imperial Hotel in Maitland as well as The Kent Hotel in Hamilton, Finnian's Tavern in Port Macquarie, Seabreeze Hotel in Nelson Bay, Ocean View Hotel in Urunga and Harrington Hotel in Harrington.
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Earlier this year he published his first book Find. Build. Sell. How I Turned a $100 Backyard Bar Into a $100 Million Pub Empire.
The business/self-help guide is full of lessons and anecdotes from a life in hospitality and business.
Mr Hunt said Find. Build. Sell. is basically a blueprint for success in business, including stories from his career in hospitality and how to make something profitable.
He hopes readers will take away tips to improve their business as well as themselves.
"Everything I talk about is something you can do to help improve your position. Some people don't ever want to be their own boss but this can help them grow within their own industry," he said.
So what made the family stay in Maitland? Mr Hunt said it's the great sense of community.
"I've lived in quite a few places around the world and I don't think I've every felt as comfortable until I moved to Maitland," he said.
"Living in other areas sometimes you can feel like an outsider, but never in Maitland.
"It's a very welcoming area where people treat you like you've lived here your whole life."
Mr Hunt and his wife Fidelma have five children - two girls and three boys.
The family live in Oakhampton Heights, and the boys play for Maitland Rugby Club.
Mr Hunt said his lovely wife is a very calming influence when it comes to his business endeavours.
"When you go home and share a problem she's a great listener, and she's also very solution focused," he said.
"And with the five kids, she's just so busy."
The pair met in a pub in Sydney where Mr Hunt was licensee.
Mrs Hunt is a psych nurse, which is because she is very clever and emotionally intelligent, according to her husband.
A launch for Find. Build. Sell. is planned for 6pm on Friday, June 24 at Maitland Rugby Club, where there will be a presentation and a question and answer panel with other business professionals.
For every book sold at the launch, $5 will be given to Variety, the Children's Charity.
The book can be purchased on Booktopia, Amazon and Audible.
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