Nine out of ten people who are failing blame their failure on somebody else. And that is the common denominator of failure.
Rarely does a congressman stand up and defend a liquor company. Rarely does a congressman stand up and defend a bar.
I do a lot of corporate consulting work. I've been doing it a long time.
I was 12 years old and in summer camp. I started a company called Aardvark Industries, which provided basic services to camp counselors.
I guess I've just always had an entrepreneurial spirit.
I believe that every person's failure is their fault, every single time.
In my extensive experience, I can honestly say that Sculpture Hospitality's inventory solutions are world class and, by far, the most comprehensive in the industry.
Don't build a bar for yourself. Build it for your customers. It's all about them: the walls, the finishes, the textures, the food, the beverages, literally everything has to be for them.
Pushing for excellence is a fight. You have to fight to hire the right employees, fight to get the supplies you need, to move line items around. Being a great manager means pushing to get those few extra inches every day. It's almost like a football game - the team that wins sometimes wins by just inches.
I'm a really happy guy. I have a great career, a wonderful wife and family.
Don't open a bar if you think all you need to be is social and greet the customers. You have to run a business.
The 'hottest bar in town,' to me, means high energy.
If I were to pick the life of someone whom I professionally mimic in many ways, it would be Howard Hughes, surprisingly.
When I meet with people who are ineffective managers with failing businesses, I can't change what they do - I have to change the way they think.
The gift of giving and paying it forward has always been traits I consider to be invaluable.
Bar owners tend to be social rather than operators. Most bar owners do not manage their numbers. They do not have spreadsheets or reports to manage their budget, cost, or inventory. I would say 90% of independent bar owners do not even have a budget.
The Knack were a very, very powerful band, and you got to understand, when they came in, all the punk stuff was still going on. There was an amazing conflict within the scenes.
If your main reason for opening a bar is to have somewhere for you and your friends to hang out, then build a bar in your basement, and stay out of the industry.
Make no mistake: confrontation is unavoidable in business.
When I'm angry on TV, I'm actually not. I'm manipulating you as an owner.
