The Tim Ferriss Show

chevron_right

#665: Danny Meyer, Founder of Shake Shack — How to Win, The Art of The Graceful “No,” Overcoming Setbacks, The 6 Traits of Exceptional People, The 4 Quadrants of Performance, Lessons from Hospitality Excellence, and More

whatshot 905 snips

Apr 6, 2023

Guest

Danny Meyer

Danny Meyer, founder of Shake Shack and Union Square Hospitality Group, shares his remarkable journey from law to the culinary world. He discusses the art of saying 'no' gracefully and the importance of nurturing relationships with key stakeholders like staff and guests. Meyer emphasizes the value of learning through unpaid internships and the traits that make exceptional hospitality workers, such as empathy and integrity. He also reflects on failures, like closing the restaurant Tabla, and how they offer vital lessons in both business and personal growth.

01:52:14

forum

Ask episode

web_stories

AI Snips

view_agenda

Chapters

menu_book

Books

auto_awesome

Transcript

info_circle

Episode notes

volunteer_activism

ADVICE

Sales Success

Be curious and learn as much as possible about the business and the person you're selling to.
People take as much interest in you as you take in them.

volunteer_activism

ADVICE

Learning a Business

To truly learn a business, invest time, whether paid or unpaid.
Don't just scratch the surface; immerse yourself to reap long-term rewards.

insights

INSIGHT

Business Stakeholders

Every business has five stakeholders: staff, guests, community, suppliers, and investors.
Prioritize stakeholders strategically; Meyer prioritizes employees first, creating a virtuous cycle.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Exploring Culinary Excellence and Business Insights

03:25 • 2min

chevron_right

A Culinary Journey: From Law to Hospitality

05:21 • 24min

chevron_right

The Value of Free Work and Learning in the Culinary Industry

29:49 • 5min

chevron_right

Nurturing Stakeholder Relationships

35:00 • 15min

chevron_right

Hiring for Hospitality Success

49:49 • 24min

chevron_right

Embracing Failure and Redefining Hospitality

01:13:37 • 26min

chevron_right

Irony and Integrity: A Dining Experience

01:39:17 • 7min

chevron_right

Embracing Local Flavor: A Unique Shake Shack Experience

01:45:56 • 2min

chevron_right

Essential Nutritional Support and Sleep Optimization

01:48:21 • 4min

chevron_right

#466

• Mentioned in 64 episodes

This Is Marketing

You Can't Be Seen Until You Learn To See

Seth Godin

In 'This Is Marketing', Seth Godin presents a transformative view of marketing as a generous act of helping others solve problems. The book focuses on key principles such as targeting the smallest viable market, delivering anticipated, personal, and relevant messages, and building trust through permission marketing. Godin argues that effective marketing is about creating positive change and helping people become who they want to be. He provides actionable insights, case studies, and a strategic focus on storytelling, tension, and customer-centric approaches. The book is designed for entrepreneurs, small business owners, freelancers, and marketers looking to reframe their marketing strategies and connect meaningfully with their audiences.

#690

• Mentioned in 49 episodes

Setting the Table

Danny Meyer

In this landmark book, Danny Meyer recounts his experiences and the lessons he learned in developing his philosophy of Enlightened Hospitality. Meyer started Union Square Cafe at the age of 27 and has since built a restaurant empire. His philosophy, which emphasizes strong in-house relationships and customer satisfaction, is applicable to any business. The book covers various aspects of running a restaurant, including selecting real estate, hiring, training, and providing exceptional service. Meyer's approach to hospitality extends to guests, the community, suppliers, and investors, and he provides practical advice on how to maintain long-term success through these relationships.

#115

• Mentioned in 160 episodes

The 4-Hour Body

An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman

Tim Ferriss

In 'The 4-Hour Body,' Tim Ferriss shares the results of over a decade of self-experimentation and research, involving hundreds of elite athletes, dozens of MDs, and thousands of hours of personal testing. The book covers more than 50 topics, including how to lose weight quickly, gain muscle without steroids, sleep less and perform better, and improve sexual health. Ferriss emphasizes the importance of finding the smallest changes that produce the biggest results, making it accessible for readers to achieve significant improvements in their physical health and performance.

Brought to you by Eight Sleep’s Pod Cover sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating, Athletic Greens’s AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement, and LinkedIn Marketing Solutions marketing platform with 900M+ users.

Danny Meyer (@dhmeyer) is the founder and chairman of Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG), which comprises some of New York’s most beloved and acclaimed restaurants, including Gramercy Tavern, The Modern, Maialino, and more. Danny and USHG also founded Shake Shack, the modern-day “roadside” burger restaurant, which became a public company in 2015.

Danny is the author of the New York Times bestseller Setting the Table, which articulates a set of signature business and life principles that translate to a wide range of industries. He is the recipient of the 2017 Julia Child Award and was named by Time magazine as one of 2015’s 100 most influential people. Danny and USHG’s restaurants and individuals together have won an unprecedented 28 James Beard Awards, including Outstanding Restaurateur in 2005.

Please enjoy!

This episode is brought to you by LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, the go-to tool for B2B marketers and advertisers who want to drive brand awareness, generate leads, or build long-term relationships that result in real business impact.

With a community of more than 900 million professionals, LinkedIn is gigantic, but it can be hyper-specific. You have access to a diverse group of people all searching for things they need to grow professionally. LinkedIn has the marketing tools to help you target your customers with precision, right down to job title, company name, industry, etc. To redeem your free $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to LinkedIn.com/TFS!

This episode is also brought to you by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could use only one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is usually AG1 by Athletic Greens, my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body in 2010 and did not get paid to do so. I do my best with nutrient-dense meals, of course, but AG further covers my bases with vitamins, minerals, and whole-food-sourced micronutrients that support gut health and the immune system.

Right now, Athletic Greens is offering you their Vitamin D Liquid Formula free with your first subscription purchase—a vital nutrient for a strong immune system and strong bones. Visit AthleticGreens.com/Tim to claim this special offer today and receive the free Vitamin D Liquid Formula (and 5 free travel packs) with your first subscription purchase! That’s up to a one-year supply of Vitamin D as added value when you try their delicious and comprehensive all-in-one daily greens product.

This episode is also brought to you by Eight Sleep! Eight Sleep’s Pod Cover is the easiest and fastest way to sleep at the perfect temperature. It pairs dynamic cooling and heating with biometric tracking to offer the most advanced (and user-friendly) solution on the market. Simply add the Pod Cover to your current mattress and start sleeping as cool as 55°F or as hot as 110°F. It also splits your bed in half, so your partner can choose a totally different temperature.

Go to EightSleep.com/Tim and save $250 on the Eight Sleep Pod Cover. Eight Sleep currently ships within the USA, Canada, the UK, select countries in the EU, and Australia.

[05:21] The meaning behind Maialino.

[08:58] Control vs. surprises.

[10:53] A pivotal conversation.

[19:46] Converting the cranky.

[22:16] ABCD: Always be collecting dots; always be connecting dots.

[25:35] Danny's first steps to chefdom.

[31:06] Being paid the worst to learn from the best.

[34:56] How business is like gardening.

[40:37] A virtuous cycle of stakeholders.

[43:57] The politely genuine decline.

[49:47] Six qualities Danny looks for when hiring.

[56:07] Work ethic lessons from Theo Epstein.