21 questions
Equal Parts Hospitality CEO talks community building and breakdancing
1. What is your company’s mission statement?
To conceptualize, fund, build and manage profitable assets in the hospitality industry. We will think about hospitality differently than has been done before and by doing so, we will return capital to our employees, shareholders and community.
2. What advice have you received that has helped you the most?
Round peg, round hole. Focus on what you are great at and less of what you are not. To do the inverse is a productivity killer.
3. Can you think of a moment in your life that pushed you to become who you are? A defining moment?
The day I landed in Los Angeles at 16, alone, and realized that I was truly in charge of my own destiny. I was excited and terrified at the same time. Once I wiped the tears from my face, I immediately got started dreaming.
4. Can you think of a time in your career where things were not going well, but you managed to turn it around? How did you persevere?
In my first business, I focused largely on myself and not on building a solid team. Ultimately it created a single point of failure and when sales were down, we struggled financially. I ended up selling a piece of that company to my first employee who had an opposite skill set to me which saved the day.
5. What are the key principles that guide you in your day-to-day life?
To inspire and excite those around me. Helping people assess the opportunities before them and creating solutions to their challenges is incredibly satisfying.
6. What makes you laugh?
My wife. She has such a terrific sense of humour.
7. What is your guilty pleasure?
Listening to Pearl Jam, loudly, while eating an ice cream cone on the way to the cottage.
8. What was your first job and what did you learn from it?
My first job was sweeping out tobacco barns. I learned that I did not want to grow up and sweep out tobacco barns. I also learned that if you put down your broom, you lose your job.
9. What do you do to wind down from work?
I’m not sure I ever actually unwind but I have an insatiable appetite for reading and Netflix, which helps tune me out.
10. How do you motivate people?
I like to pitch an idea for a concept and then hand everyone a paint brush. People love to participate in building something special — they ultimately play a much larger role in its success than I do.
11. What is your biggest pet peeve?
Landlords that are too lazy to rent out/renovate vacant apartments above storefronts. There are hundreds of potential units available, which would not only assist in affordable housing, but add more life to our streets as well.
12. What are you good at?
Visualizing a space, conceptualizing a brand, and then pitching like hell to myself that it’s a good idea.
13. What do you want to work on?
Treating our 240-plus employees better than any other hospitality organization anywhere. We are starting to put our money where our mouth is by creating an employee crash pad downtown that will inspire creativity and collaboration.
14. What is on your bucket list?
Taking my wife on a trip to her home in Naples, Italy and have her relatives take me for pizza.
15. What is Hamilton’s most valuable asset?
I would say it is the people who have lived here through the ups and downs. Those are the folks that not only keep it real but know that it takes a village to raise a city, so to speak.
16. What is the city’s biggest liability?
I would say the city’s surface parking lots downtown. Although parking is necessary until self-driving cars are mainstream, buildings with people, life and activity are all much better choices. Parking belongs underground.
17. How do you balance your life?
Hmmmmmmmm …
18. What is your favourite spot in Hamilton?
HAMBRGR on King William — please don’t tell my wife.
19. What do you think people would be surprised to know about you?
When I was broke, I used to breakdance for quarters on the Santa Monica Pier in 1984.
20. What advice would you give to young entrepreneurs?
Learn to read income, cash flow and balance sheet statements. Despite it not being one of the sexiest things you signed up for, it will save your hide one day when nobody else is paying attention.
21. What is your dream job?
Breakdancing for quarters on the Santa Monica pier.
‘‘ Focus on what you are great at and less of what you are not.
Co-founder and CEO of Equal Parts Hospitality