#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

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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!


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*


[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.


[1:03:19] Should they stay or should they go?


[1:13:37] Softly landing from a favorite failure.


[1:21:35] Taking on tipping culture.


[1:36:30] 51 percenters.


[1:38:04] Most gifted books.


[1:39:17] Seth Godin is a mensch.


[1:41:20] Danny's billboard.


[1:42:21] Hope vs. optimism.


[1:44:10] Parting thoughts.


*


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Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold
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Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de
Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly
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Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael
Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan
Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit
Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim
Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval
Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth
Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard
Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid
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