ANDIAMO - Jeff David
MAURIZIO BUSSOLARI
Founder of Jeff David Hospitality
As the founder of Jeff David Hospitality, what motivated you to start a consultancy focused on leadership and innovation for start-ups in the service industry?
I had a moment in my life where I was going on to my 15th year as a GM, and half of those years I was fortunate to open some pretty prestigious properties in places like Aspen, Anguilla, Times Square etc. I even won the prestigious "Hotelier of the Year" award. I was on top of the proverbial mountaintop - but I realized I hated the view. I discovered in hospitality that the more I know I know about this business, the more I realize I don't know shit. With no disrespect to my fellow hoteliers, we are witnessing a shift and disruption in our industry, and I see GMs and companies not adapting quick enough - and I despised the ego and ignorance that came with hotel leadership. No one ever talks about that. I traded in being the smartest guy in the room to being the dumbest, and became an entrepreneur.
What is your favorite Bellino product and why?
I like the 300TC Hotel Sateen line. Back when I opened and lived at Proper Santa Monica in 2019, I was a lifetime percale fan as I like the feeling of a starched mens shirt as I crawled into bed. As I got older and my tastes change, I like Method Co.'s choice in a sateen as I feel better comfort as I like the room ice cold (as a contrast to my hot showers!)
The Knickerbocker has a rich history, originally opening in 1906. How did you balance preserving its historic charm while incorporating modern amenities and design elements to appeal to contemporary luxury travelers?
Back when I opened the Knick, I had a staff of about 300, and I wanted to use the hallowed address of 42nd and Broadway and the original vision of John Jacob Astor to create purpose in the culture, as if they were part of a bigger cause than just the resurrection of a legendary building. Fast forward over a hundred years later we see a different definition of luxury. The designers created size, space and silence, in other words a large, dark quiet room in Times Square! That created oasis provided a respite from that hustle and bustle of 70 million visitors a year - which I think is the penultimate in luxury.
You are currently working on an ambitious mixed use development in Atlanta: can you share any heads ups on the project and hospitality assets your company Method Co will be managing?
Atlanta is great and this project will be our largest to date as its a combined hotel, private club, short term furnished apartment rental, four restaurants and about ten-thousand square feet of private event space. It’s in the Old Fourth Ward on the Beltline near Ponce City Market....definitely the coolest place to be in the city. By the end of next year Method will be in 9 states with 22 restaurants and 11 hotels.
Who has been your biggest inspiration throughout your career?
Who hasn't been an inspiration! I think I get my flow and my energy from my staff and colleagues actually. I read a lot of biographies and I love watching inspiring historical speeches on YouTube, but nothing gets me up for the grind than the people who work in the foxhole with me.
How did your efforts to support the fight against guns and gang violence in the Caribbean shape your perspective on community engagement and social responsibility?
I lived in Virgin Gorda, Anguilla and got married in Nevis, so I always saw the locals point of view. It wasn't until 2010/2011, when one of my young staff killed another young man on my same team - both not even 20 years old - in an alleged right-of-passage drive by shooting. Later that year, my closest mentee who was like my little brother, Randy "Dolla" Audain, was shot during Carnival celebration, which was supposed to the most joyous and festive week in the Caribbean. I had to beg, plead and deal with my own money and energy to get him airlifted privately to Barbados for the closest trauma hospital. When we arrived, we were met with an overcrowded ER waiting room as it was filled with inmates suffering some nasty injuries from a prison brawl. After removing some shotgun pellets in the grey matter in his skull, he was stabilized and we headed home where I had to do a few roadside BBQs to raise money for the aftercare. It was then that I closed the hotel for a half day, got all the 500 staff together with the local clergy and government. It was not only for a moment of silence, but I think the whole island saw my temper as I cursed out and vowed to fight the violence myself if I had to. It was definitely a defining point of my life, and it was fueled with love and power simultaneously. I think I won Hotelier of the Year that year too. Twelve years later, I am proud to be on some executive boards for a few non profits, from first time black and brown homeowners, to advocating adoption for the underprivileged youth of this country. Some things are bigger than hospitality.
What activities or hobbies do you engage in that help you maintain a healthy work-life balance?
Sometimes I am in 3-4 cities a week, so balance is challenging. Going home to a small town on Cape Cod helps balance me as the benefit of living that town-and-country lifestyle helps me appreciate the fast and slow pace. When I am consistent in one city, I get in the habit of waking up at 4:30 am, working at 5:00, and shower and eat before I look at an email on my phone (outside my workout playlist of course). I also try to say a few decades of the rosary walking to the gym. Around 7:30am, I put my "leash" on which is the work and email part of my phone!
Can you talk about your inspiration behind co-founding a luxury hotel company based on solar-powered yacht residences to combat rising sea levels?
Yeah - that didn't take off as well as we envisioned, lol. I met these two incredible engineers that had a vision of sustainable marine boat living and their passion needed a buiness model. There were similiar prototypes in Dubai, but we didn't have Dubai-like funding. The prototype was too expensive at the time to scale, and too many developers could not think out of the box to give us a shot. The biggest hurdle was as real estate appreciated, sea vessels depreciated so it was a risk non-visionaries did not want to take
For you, what are the key elements of an exceptional hotel experience?
There are tangibles and intangibles, and its very subjective to the end user; and we all have our prejudices and preferences when the travel. Personally, really hot water and strong shower pressure is a must for me...when I find a hotel with that, I instantly rebook it. Universally speaking however, I believe it's consistency. I think the savvy traveler keeps a psychological score when they are in the hotel. If the service culture, cleanliness, decor, etc is consistent, they are more prone to be loyal. Quality and experience are important, but consistency is paramount.
Mentorship and giving back to the community are important to you. What is a meaningful mentorship experience you have had and how has it impacted you?
Mentorship is everything and its really what got me where I am. I wouldn't have the courage to leave my comfortable career and start my own business if I hadn't had some really impactful mentors in my life. Scott Case, the founder and CTO of Priceline.com was the one that really enlightened me to become a founder. Ric Elias from Red Ventures taught me about leadership, culture and purpose and Lenny Khler from Lubert Adler Philadelphia taught me about relationships and integrity over business. I can spend this whole interview mentioning other great leaders that I aspired to emulate, and I have devoted my life to mentor others to pay forward my gratitude. Where mentorship is a one-to-one symbiotic relationship, giving back to the community is a similar but different life pillar. That is taking that same altruistic DNA, and scaling it to impact others that are less fortunate. I guess that also stems from growing up in a Filipino immigrant household, where everyone does their part. My real devotion in life is to make a positive impact to others, whether it be mentees, employees or those in need. I feel blessed that I have a profession where I can influence others and leave this world with a better eulogy than resume.
When you opened the Knickerboxer, you wrote a handbook called the 'Knick's Guide to Being Good' for your team, can you share the opening letter from it?
Hello.
If you have received this book, then you are a part of our ever growing culture. The “good” that we refer to is just a simple way to say virtue or altruism. The word virtue means morally positive and the word altruism means selflessness. Think of the opposite of virtue as vice and the opposite of altruism as selfishness. These truths are universal throughout history. We are destined, as our address is the “Crossroads of the World,” to bring these fundamentals back to what hospitality really means in today’s society. It is a daunting task for such a sacred address and a building with such a profound and hidden past. We need to peel back the fundamentals of who we are as human beings to change the way we see things. We will create a culture in which everyone is equal under one rule: to protect each other from the vice and selfishness of this world, starting with how we treat each other. Using mutual respect, transparency, integrity and most of all good, I firmly believe we can change the world, one guest at a time.
Looking forward to the journey,
Jeff David
Can you also share the Six Laws of Good, as outlined in the Knick's Guide to Being Good handbook?
Everyone and everything is inherently good.
Good always gravitates towards good.
The mind and the heart are equal; listen to both.
Taking care of each other first is actually taking care of our guests.
Knowing why we’re here is more important than the “how” of it.
Good will always win.
What advice would you give to someone new to the hospitality industry?
Stay humble and conscientious, work your ass off, and always be intellectually curious - probably in that order.
