David Grutman On The Truth About Power, Access, Success, & What It Really Takes To Build An Empire

16 Apr 2026 · 1 h 12 min · 40 chapters

Ask about this episode

Ask anything about it. ChatGPT or Claude reads this page and answers with the times it was said.

Connect VO and ask about every podcast you hear, including the moments you saved. Add to ChatGPT · Add to Claude

In short

David Grutman (Groot Hospitality) discusses building hospitality “empires” through grit, daytime operations, relationship power, access vs absence, and personal discipline (sobriety). He also explains how he manages celebrity/VIP dynamics, invests in brands, and why he wrote his book Take It Personal.

Guest backgrounds

David Grutman is a Miami/Vegas hospitality entrepreneur and founder of Groot Hospitality, known for Live Nightclub, Poppy’s Steak, Gecko, Casa Donna, Komodo, and other venues. He started in hospitality as a hostess/cocktail server/bartender in his teens and worked up to manager/general manager, then marketing and a nightclub group. He is married with children and has been sober for about 11 years.

Key claims

Owners fail when they assume “magic” from other industries; restaurants/nightclubs are people-driven and not controllable. Success requires boundaries, not constant accessibility (absence as strategy). Sobriety came after partying threatened his reputation and health. Power in rooms is less about “billionaires” and more about energy/real relationships.

Notable examples

Tom Brady testimonial for his book; Tom Cruise celebrity sighting; Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner advice; Super Bowl viral dancing; he personally sat many tables at a Gecko event for the Miami Open.

Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.

Chapters

Tap a time to open that second in VO

David's Early Days in Hospitality

0:45 to 2:37

David Grutman reflects on his beginnings in the hospitality industry and his aspirations.

“way from turning resilience into long-term success, relationship building, the importance of a grounding partnership, and how to find success in any venture.”

The Reality of Restaurant Ownership

2:37 to 5:12

Discussion on misconceptions about owning restaurants and nightclubs.

“And I'm there with my friend Ben Gorham, and both of us are regular guys.”

Navigating Sobriety in a Party Culture

5:12 to 7:25

David shares his journey to sobriety and its impact on his career in nightlife.

“So it's not so controllable as, you know, people do stupid shit, as you know.”

The Balance of Presence and Absence

7:25 to 11:00

Exploration of how accessibility and presence affect success in hospitality.

“I think I'm the coolest guy in the world.”

Understanding Power Dynamics in Social Spaces

11:00 to 14:02

David discusses the dynamics of power and recognition among guests in his venues.

“able to make sure they don't get caught up into the party?”

Billionaires and Recognition

14:02 to 16:53

Exploration of the perception and treatment of billionaires in social settings.

“But people always want to stress that that's a billionaire.”

Meeting and Falling in Love

16:54 to 18:06

David shares the story of how he met and fell in love with his wife.

“For what you've accomplished or trying to accomplish, and I think about this a lot, I look at some of my friends that are running around doing that, everything chasing.”

Life with a Partner

18:07 to 19:35

David discusses the benefits of being married and having a supportive partner.

“really strive, which is great for me, um, to make sure it's, it's, it's, it's a lot.”

Business Philosophy and Relationships

19:36 to 20:56

David talks about his approach to business deals and the importance of mutual benefit.

“This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp.”

Investing Insights and Brand Engagement

25:57 to 28:00

David shares his approach to investing and spotting talent in brands.

“I've watched your portfolio on Instagram and I know behind the scenes.”
Show all 40 chapters

Vacation Vibes and Brand Involvement

28:00 to 28:26

Discussing the impact of vacation and brand authenticity.

“I really appreciate all your posts on it.”

Spotting New Talent

28:26 to 28:54

Exploring the criteria for identifying new talent in various industries.

“It just won't, it doesn't get me excited.”

Current Trends in Music and Engagement

28:54 to 29:18

Talking about current musical trends and rising talents in the industry.

“So I try to be, I use every resource at my disposal to try to find what's the next hotness.”

Going Viral at the Super Bowl

29:18 to 30:18

Recounting a viral moment at the Super Bowl and its aftermath.

“It's like, what are all the kids talking about?”

Daily Routine and Work Ethic

30:18 to 31:45

Detailed breakdown of a productive daily schedule.

“Like, are you getting DMs from everybody?”

Home Design and Aesthetics

31:45 to 32:45

Discussion on the significance of home design and its personal reflection.

“but I go into my meetings and stuff like that.”

Fixations and Personal Quirks

32:45 to 33:59

Sharing personal quirks and fixations that impact everyday life.

“Oh, and then also I started like spiraling because you guys opened your fridge and everything is organized.”

Motivation Behind Writing a Book

33:59 to 35:54

Explaining the reasons for authoring a book and its intended impact.

“That being said, I wasn't invited to your home to do the podcast.”

Kim Kardashian's Influence and Support

35:54 to 36:52

Discussing Kim Kardashian's role and support in the author's journey.

The Importance of Quiet Confidence

36:52 to 38:11

Exploring the concept of quiet confidence in personal and professional life.

“Kim but how into business is she like the fact that she built skims and she builds brands and this girl does not stop.”

Competitor's Mindset and Personal Relationships

38:11 to 39:46

Examining the emotional aspects of business relationships and competition.

“So I'm in pink and flowers and colors and this and that all the time.”

Lessons from Influential Friends

39:46 to 41:49

Sharing valuable lessons learned from influential friends and mentors.

“Even though we ate at the restaurant for lunch, you want us to go for dinner?”

Learning from Influential Mentors

42:00 to 43:13

Discover the invaluable advice shared by notable figures that shaped success.

“Again, Tom lives in Miami, so I'm a go-to person for Tom.”

Breaking into Miami's Competitive Scene

43:13 to 44:38

Understand the dedication and hard work required to succeed in Miami's tough market.

“And also, if you read the history of Miami, there were some rough and tumble people there that have controlled Miami maybe for a long time.”

Building Relationships in Miami

51:34 to 53:13

Learn strategies for establishing strong connections in Miami's social scene.

“If you were coaching the next young guy that's trying to break into that city specifically, what would you tell them they need to do in order to make it guy, girl?”

The Importance of Presence in Meetings

53:13 to 54:38

Understand how being fully present in conversations enhances relationships.

“I make all my interns spend a day with me.”

Health Transformation Insights

54:38 to 55:21

Gain insights into health transformations and the role of peptides.

“and there's some interesting things that goes on.”

Daily Health Routines Revealed

55:21 to 56:00

Discover the daily health practices that contribute to overall well-being.

“What are all the little things you mentioned?”

Health and Wellness Routines

56:00 to 56:40

Discover the wellness practices and products the guest uses for health.

“Yeah, because there's caffeine in it as well.”

Tennis and Brand Partnerships

56:40 to 58:40

Learn how a love for tennis influenced a brand partnership and business growth.

“I have a physio who does dry needling twice a week And stretches me I'm very old, so I need to keep my body in a good position I do the peptides I take symbiotica every day Which is your favorite symbiotica?”

Building Relationships for Success

58:40 to 1:00:00

Understand the importance of relationships and adding value in business.

“And to be able to partner and have an iconic American brand like this, IP, I forget about tennis.”

Navigating Competition in Business

1:00:00 to 1:01:40

Explore strategies for handling competition and maintaining market presence.

“Well, it's interesting because you guys are obviously like in a weird way.”

Teaching and Mentorship

1:01:40 to 1:04:40

Find out how the guest translates business experience into teaching opportunities.

“They tried to start a hip hop night against me.”

Insights on Youth Entrepreneurship

1:04:40 to 1:06:10

Gain insights into the challenges young entrepreneurs face in today's market.

“So I wanted to spend the time to take those five years of courses to put it into a book.”

Being a Father and Family Dynamics

1:06:10 to 1:08:20

Learn about the guest's approach to fatherhood and family relationships.

“I would think that my girls, yeah, obviously, they know to come to me.”

Promoting the Book and Future Plans

1:08:20 to 1:10:01

Hear about the guest's new book and plans for future collaborations.

“I just want to say that they were so nice to my kids.”

Discussion on Interviewing as a Couple

1:10:01 to 1:10:28

Learn about the challenges and dynamics of interviewing couples together.

“But we couldn't have this conversation about your book and what you were - If she was here.”

Promoting David Grutman's Book and Social Media

1:10:29 to 1:10:52

Find out where to access David Grutman's book and his social media presence.

“Where can everyone find your book and find you on social media?”

Top Restaurant Recommendations in Miami and Vegas

1:10:53 to 1:11:11

Discover the best places to eat in Miami and Las Vegas from David Grutman.

“But Komodo, I'm telling you, is amazing in Las Vegas at the Felt and Bloom.”

Upcoming Events and Experiences

1:11:12 to 1:11:34

Discuss plans for visiting Las Vegas, including events and wellness experiences.

“I'm not so excited about Metallica in the Sphere, to be honest.”
Hear the part that matters, and keep it.Open this episode in VO. Double tap your headphones to save a moment as you listen.
Get VO free

Transcript

Automatic transcript. May contain errors.

0:01Welcome to The Bosticks, starring Lauren Bostick and Michael Bostick. Together, they are The Bosticks. Hello, everybody. Welcome back to another episode of The Bosticks. Today, we have our friend David Grutman. David is a visionary entrepreneur, hospitality titan, and founder of Groot Hospitality. I'm sure many of you have been to some of his places in Miami or Vegas, places like Live Nightclub, Poppy's Steak, Gecko, and more. But his influence extends far beyond the Miami and Vegas nightlife scene. He's also one of the most well-connected people in the world with relationships that span industries.

0:34He's a serial investor and entrepreneur and a great father and husband. Most recently, he's just written his first book called Take It Personal, which we talk about in this episode, and where he shares all the things that he's learned along the way from turning resilience into long-term success, relationship building, the importance of a grounding partnership, and how to find success in any venture. This book is not just for the nightlife entrepreneur or the restaurateur like we discovered in this episode. It's really for anyone trying to build anything. I think this is one of the most personal conversations David's had on a show like this.

1:03And with that, he shared a lot of insights that I don't think he's shared in other places. We had a great time with him, as always. With that, our friend, David Grutman. What's the first epiphany that gets you into the hospitality industry? Do you remember something even before you got in that you were like, damn, I really did like hospitality always? So I always thought bartenders was probably the coolest job ever. And when I started bartending, I was like, this is very cool. but then I would watch the managers on the floor leading the like pacing the whole experience for people and that's when I was like I need to be a leader I don't want to just be a bartender what are you like as a bartender like let's talk about I was I was in my 20s Lauren I was very good looking let's start there right but you started looking and I was throwing by I was I thought I was cocktail from Tom Cruise and are you are you like on stage Mr.

1:50Performer by the way Great, great. By the way, Tom Cruise is the greatest of all time. Same birthday. Funny you say that. I had this debate with our - Michael, go like this. Did you see Tom? Did you see Tom? Yeah, I could see him. But he doesn't get - I think that like, and listen, you know a lot of big names, a lot of big people. I think like that's the white whale. Like you don't really see that guy popping in your places too often. I saw him one time at a friend's 50th birthday and he was doing splits on the dance floor. This is like, this is a great story actually. This is like maybe a year ago.

2:23It was Victoria Beckham's 50th birthday. And he's about to leave. Bit of a name drop. Yeah, let's cut that out. Let's start over. No, that's amazing. No, leave it. He's fucking around. He's fucking around. We're not cutting anything out. Go. We're cutting this out. So he's about to leave. And I'm there with my friend Ben Gorham, and both of us are regular guys. And the door's about to open. and he looks at us and he goes, I'm going in, boys. And he puts his sunglasses on and they open the door and one million flashes happen. He's like, I'm going in. And he just knew what he was about to go through.

3:01And he just went for it. A lot of celebrities are very attracted to you. And don't downplay it, they are. I don't know about that, but okay. What is it? I think they feel safe with me. I think they know. I'm just not trying to be, like, trying to scum them. Uh, also I want them to have the best experience in Miami. It's the greatest city ever. Uh, and I think I, I, I put a lot of my friends into deals that I do too. And, you know, investment deals. When you started bartending, did you have the thought process that you would build it into something this big or was that not even a seed in your head?

3:39For context, for this audience, a lot of people are aware of you, but when you describe who you are and what you do at this point in your career, how do you describe, how do you describe it? You have a lot of spaces now. So I'm in the fun business. Let's start there. So I have, I mean, many of your listeners have definitely danced on the tables at Live Nightclub. So Live, Live Nightclub, I mean, Live Beach, Poppy Steak, which is one of the most fun restaurants with David Poppy. I don't know if she loves that. Casa Donna, Gekka with somebody else, and Komodo. In Komodo, I have one in Miami, Dallas, and in Las Vegas.

4:12So how many venues now in total? Not that many, eight, nine, 10. But they're very well known. And these are the hot places. Okay. So did you know when you're bartending that you want to build this empire? No, no. I had no idea. I just wanted to become a manager. That was the first step. Okay. So what happens after you become a manager? Become a general manager. And then I do marketing at a nightclub and I see about events and sponsorships and stuff like that. And then I started a marketing agency to activate these brands trying to come into Miami. and then I run a big nightclub group in Miami.

4:49And then from there, I ended up with a small little nightclub called Live. What do you think some of the biggest lies people believe about owning restaurants and nightclubs are? You know, there's something funny. I've been seeing on Instagram and TikTok, there's this viral thing where people think a restaurant owner comes in and has like an espresso waiting for him. And then it shows what it's really like and he's holding boxes and da-da-da. I mean, first of all, you're in the people business. So it's not so controllable as, you know, people do stupid shit, as you know. And there's always something going on.

5:21I mean. My dad owned restaurants my entire childhood. Did you work in the restaurants? I worked in. Who's a bartender? 14 to 25. 11 years. What did you do at 14? Hostess? Hostess. Hostess went from cocktail server, cocktail server at 17, cocktail server to bartender for 10 years. Did you do this in Arizona? Nope. California. California. Yeah. And I saw the grit of what it takes. What's so cool about you is that you are a practitioner because you've done every single area of the business. Where I see owners that are fucked is when they make some money at a different venture and they think just because they made money at a certain venture that they can go open a restaurant.

6:06No, no. I love when somebody that's made a lot of money in a different industry comes and goes, I'm buying three nightclubs and five restaurants. And they don't realize how quickly you lose money in these spaces. And they're like, why didn't anyone tell me? They all think they know the magic without, you know, why don't you open one first? Get that one going. How did you learn, though, to master the business? Because it is such a hard business. It's a very hard business. People think it's just, again, you just show up and it's like a party going on and all that. I always talk about the daytime makes the nighttime.

6:41It's really the daytime stuff that the, this, the parties, the experience, all that is just part of from everything that you do during the daytime and how I, I listen, I'm a student. So I'm sure like anybody else, when you find something that you love and you're passionate about, you just, you're so thirsty to find out information and find out, you know, how do you do it? You know, another thing I saw in the business is a lot of people getting sucked into the alcohol, the drugs. Sure. And of course, I had my stimp with that for sure. I think I had great people around me that said, you're about to lose everything that you worked so hard for.

7:17So that's why I had to go sober. Walk me through that. Okay, let's put it this way. Is this a year ago? Is this 10 years ago? 10 years ago. Oh, congrats. So maybe 11 years now. But Liv is rocking and rolling. I'm drinking my own Kool-Aid. I think I'm the coolest guy in the world. and uh and of course i was partying a lot i was single i was partying and my true friends came to me and they said listen i think you need to go away and i'm like go away what are you talking about where are we gonna go san tropez where are we going they're like no there's a special place in arizona for you and i'm like okay what do you want to do and i and i thought in my head of course this is exactly what a cool club owner should be doing and they're like let me tell you something, my man, you're going to lose everything.

8:02Not only that, you've worked so hard your whole life to build your reputation and it's going to be gone in one second. So there's a very nice place that we found for you for 30 days and you're going to go. And I went and I came back with a completely different mindset. And it's just now I'm out there and I see people really wasted. And it's not about partying and having a good time. It's about like really hurting themselves. themselves and that's what i used to do i used to do it so i would hurt myself so now i wonder i'm like what happened in their childhood what traumas did they experience for them to have to medicate like this when you look at your own experience what trauma were you medicating for wow you're trying to make me cry i told you you're not going to make me cry i'm really not trying to make you gotcha no listen i was single again we talked about i was a single kid i probably felt like i was insignificant growing up didn't have a lot of supervision i went to boarding school for high school.

8:58I was just never had that hardcore family like I tried to give with my girls and my wife. That's so interesting because to me, you are in a business of significance now. Yes. But listen, I think that's what drew me maybe, you know, subconsciously to the business. Right. It makes sense. So how do you maintain your sobriety with all of this going on? Can I tell you, that's the easiest thing. People are like, how do you go into a nightclub or how do you like it's it's my job first of all but like i don't need to have a cocktail in order to be around people i feel like i'm confident enough now to be with to sit with anyone and be able to have a conversation and if you need alcohol or drugs in order to make you feel like you're going to be okay just to sit down with somebody i think you need to figure that part out well we obviously we know you personally obviously we know your beautiful wife and we've met your kids and you're a great father and husband and Lauren talks about all the time.

9:56And we mean that as a compliment. Do you think that this industry is compatible for most men or do you think you need to be wired a specific way? Because I imagine for a lot of people, there's a lot of temptation. There's a lot of room for mistakes. There's a lot of room for party. You have to be really intentional. I imagine more so than like if I show up to the office. Yeah. Listen, I don't know. Your office has a lot of people working here. I'm sure there's plenty. There's no music. They're not You're not shaking butthole and doing like dances and, you know, doing like some bottle service and there's not alcohol.

10:28It's a little bit different. We could have arranged that today in the studio. I mean, the deer office are lit in there. It's crazy what's going on over there. Listen, I think like anything else, you have to put boundaries on everything. Like I'm not trying to be in the nightclub until 5 a.m. I mean, I don't know. I have boundaries. I play tennis early at 8 a.m., so I'm not going to be able to make that tennis if I'm whatever. I make sure I schedule early meetings whenever I travel. I mean, I just do a lot. So how do you, so if someone's going to be your partner, one of your restaurants, or if they're coming in and they are going to work with you, how do you coach them to be able to make sure they don't get caught up into the party?

11:08So listen, there's only so much code. People will, like, listen, I have Poppy Steak and Poppy's my partner and Poppy, listen, he is a party, right? So, but even Poppy knows how to regulate himself to not go past that point. I don't think it's endearing to people if you're just the party guy all the time, because then you're too accessible anyway. I think part of my business is not being so accessible. That's interesting. Let's talk about that more. Hold on. I need to hear about that. You think about absence as much as you think about presence. Well, listen, you don't want to be not present, but you also don't want to be so accessible that people could just access you all the time.

11:46Who wants that? I totally agree with you. Well, there's a power in saying no. Let's start there. And it's funny because especially in the hospitality business, guys, in the restaurant, in the nightclubs, the quickest way to get someone to stop going to your nightclub is to give them a VIP card. Because if there's not that little bit of, oh, no, am I going to get in? I don't know if it's going to happen. If they just have a card that just gives them instant access, that eliminates them from coming to your nightclub. Now, the restaurant business is the opposite. You want to be, hi, how are you? It's so happy you're here.

12:18You want to be recognized. You want to remember their cocktail. You want to know their favorite food. You want to make them feel like this is their home. So it's two different kind of mentalities. How'd you learn that? I learned it from opening restaurants and nightclubs and seeing it. But even in your restaurants, your restaurants are some of the most popular restaurants in Miami and the cities you're in. In Las Vegas, at the Fountain Blue, Las Vegas. Yeah, Michael, you got to say the whole thing. I need to go out there in October. I'm going to call you. So how do you decide? He might be able to get you in.

12:49How do you decide who gets a table and what table? So listen, I would love to say it's all coming through my desk. I have an amazing team. And they know that tables and even in the nightclub, they're like real estate plays. And then you also want to be able to pair people against each other that you think will have champagne wars, as you know, being a bottle server. And same thing with restaurants. we always leave a little room for those VIPs that we know that we have to take care of. And then we want to make sure there's room for people that save their money all week and they want to go let it rip in one of my places.

13:25From your perspective, when you're looking at a room, one of your restaurants is packed and there's everybody's in there, who's the real power in the room? Is it the money guy? Is it the famous person? Is it the network? When you're sitting around, you're like, oh, that's where the real energy of the room is gravitating towards. You know, people have come up to me and said, hey, there's a billionaire over there. There's a billionaire. And I'm like, there's a billionaire. Okay. Like, there's always a billionaire. And it's always, they're always like, that billionaire wants to hang out. And I'm like, okay, I'm happy to say, even if it's like, anybody just wants to say hi.

13:59And I happen to be in the restaurant and someone's there. I'd love to say hi to them. But people always want to stress that that's a billionaire. And I'm always like, okay, man. but it's so funny that a lot of these billionaires, uh, and I see with artists a lot, like certain artists, their manager will be like, Hey, there's this billionaires. You need to go say hi. I don't know why you have to go say hi because they're, because they're a billionaire. All they want to know is how come they're not recognized. Like you're not recognized. Uh, maybe their life is not as fun and whatever it is, but listen, uh, I love powers of power of industry and anything.

14:30It's great to meet great people, but I don't know. Whoa. What are you doing? Coke zero. Coke zero. You better believe it. Don't you think in a Baccarat cup with crushed ice? Hope you're looking at the details, Dave. Thank you. Thank you, Emily. Where do I put this? We need to get a little table. Look, he found another edit. He thought he wouldn't find another edit. He did. You are married to someone who is her own powerhouse in her own right. New show now? New show. What's the real story? Because it's conflicting on Instagram about how you guys met and who liked to. The conflicting thing is if she called me the next day or I called her.

15:17I'm telling the truth. She called me. She loves to say that I called her. But like, even when like, it's true. It's true that she called me first. I have to tell you, it's like, it's conflicting. She doesn't want to look like she did that, but she did do that. So you meet her. Do you fall in love immediately or was it a slow burn? No, so I take her to lunch the next day after meeting her the night before. Okay. I fly back. She's in New York. I fly back to Miami. Her friends are all coming to Miami that weekend. I convince her to come. Her friends don't end up coming. She thinks I set the whole thing up.

15:52That being said, she comes on a Friday. I just never wanted her to leave again. I got engaged nine months later. And, you know, we're having our 10-year wedding anniversary. Wow. in next in two weeks you probably had girls throwing yourselves throwing themselves at you and i'm sure she had men throwing themselves i don't know if she had men throwing themselves i'm gonna say she did i hate to break it to you i bet she had a line out the door down the street you you have access to all this different what makes her stand out i know my answer but i want to hear it from you so let's forget obviously she's the most special person outside and inside We know all that.

16:32All that's fine. But a life with my wife is doesn't even is it so amazing compared to I feel bad for single people out there that have to keep going and going and going and going. It seems to me like that's just a really dark. Not that I'm you know, if you're not married, don't you have to get married. But for me, life is just 10 times better with my wife, like being able to share experiences, kids, love, everything and having a partner. It's the greatest thing in the world. For what you've accomplished or trying to accomplish, and I think about this a lot, I look at some of my friends that are running around doing that, everything chasing.

17:10And I'm like, it's such a distraction. You got to be on all these dates, talking to all these people. You're stressed. I could even imagine dating now. Hey, would you like to go to dinner? I have no clue. What would I say? No, but I mean, I just think from a pure output and focus perspective, if you're having to manage all of that chaos, how are you able to then really focus on your ambition? And then there's still kids and love and all that with my wife. It's not like there's not a focus that goes into that because, you know, like anything, relationships take work. But I'm talking about like how distracting all the dating is.

17:41I don't even know this world you speak of. Yeah. They're the same. How do you and Isabella keep it hot? So, you know, you go through these. We try to make sure that we, you know, do things every other day and stuff like that. not the, because once you start, you know, it's very easy in a marriage to start going to that once a week or once every two weeks things. And I think that's when it goes. And I think we just really strive, which is great for me, um, to make sure it's, it's, it's, it's a lot. Her career has taken off. How do you support her career as a husband? Like, are you giving her any advice as she grows as an entrepreneur?

18:21So she'll ask me for advice here and there, but she's very smart. She's actually way smarter than me, but she'll come to me sometimes on how do I structure something or, you know, what do I think about that? But she's a boss. My wife is really good at what she does. First of all, her jewelry is so, she really found her sweet spot. I think, as you know, all the girls love to wear is a Grutman jewelry. And I think that hopefully the brand lives past her. like I think that's what's so important right now as she's growing if someone was describing your style in business are you like are you like a golden retriever I don't know what that means I mean are you are you are you soft are you hard are you like are you what's your business style so I want people to think twice about trying to screw me over that's for sure let me not forget that because I am in the nightclub business.

19:19But I also want people to know that I do win-win business. And it's something I preach about a lot. Like if we do a deal together and I'm the only winner and you're the loser, it's not going to be a relationship that's going to stick around for a long time. And it's not where I'm like doing the touchdown dance. Like I got one over on this person. I'd much rather for me, you run around saying, oh, I did this deal with David and we killed it. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Let's talk about mental health. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and it's so important to put a focus on your mental health, take care of yourself.

19:50We've had so many high performers come on this show over the last decade and talk about how important it is to take care of their mind and how important it is to talk to someone about what you're going through, what issues you're facing, and make sure that you're not holding all that in and bottling it and not sharing it with someone that you trust. This is why Lauren and I have been longtime fans and partners of BetterHelp. BetterHelp brings therapy right to the comfort of your own home from your own digital device. Long gone are the days we have to drive across town, sit in a waiting room in this awkward room, and wait for a therapist.

20:17Like I said, BetterHelp makes it easy and cost-effective right from the comfort of your own space. Because here's the thing, life is a journey. Some days feel good and others feel overwhelming. Whatever's keeping you up at night, it's easy to feel like you have to figure it all out on your own. But the truth is no one has all the answers and no journey should be alone. Having someone with you to listen, to understand, and support you can make all the difference. BetterHelp therapists work according to a strict code of conduct and are fully licensed in the U.S. and BetterHelp does all the initial matchmaking work for you so you can focus on the therapy goals.

20:44A short questionnaire helps identify your needs and preferences and their 12 plus years of experience and industry-leading match fulfillment rate typically means that they get it right the first time. Of course, if you aren't happy, you can switch at any time for any reason to a different therapist. And don't just take it from me with over 30 ,000 therapists. BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform having served over 6 million people globally. So check them out. You don't have to be on this journey alone. Find support and have someone with you in therapy. Sign up and get 10 % off at betterhelp.com slash skinny.

21:11That's betterhelp.com slash skinny. Quick break to talk about Just Thrive and the Just Thrive Gut Essentials. If you've accepted bloat, cravings, and the post-meal crash after eating as your new normal, I'm challenging you to feel better, and I'm giving you the cheat code, the Just Thrive Gut Essentials Bundle. Lauren and I have been talking about Just Thrive on this show for years now because we think they are the best when it comes to gut health and maintenance. We've had Tina, the founder of Just Thrive, on this show multiple times, and every time we learn something new about the gut and gut health.

21:40What we love about the Just Thrive Gut Essentials Bundles is it pairs two clinically proven gut superstars, the Just Thrive Probiotic, which we've been taking for years, and their new digestive bitters, which are an absolute game changer. The Just Thrive Probiotic is the only probiotic clinically proven to arrive 100 % alive in your gut for a difference you'll actually feel. We're talking less bloat, better energy, and even clear skin. Then there's the digestive bitters. It packs 12 science-backed herbs and one tasteless capsule that jumpstarts your digestion and supports GLP-1 production, so cravings don't control you.

22:08Together, they'll transform your health of your gut so you can feel like your best self fast. We've trusted them for years for our own gut health, and we've recommended to anyone that's ever asking for a gut health product. Because for over a decade, Just Thrive has been helping thousands of people take control of their health with science-backed solutions you can trust, from their award-winning probiotic to their full line of gut immune and brain health supplements. Just Thrive is ready to help you live your healthiest life. Take the Just Thrive Feel Better Challenge today and save 20 % on your first Gut Essentials Bundle.

22:34All you have to do is visit justthrivehealth.com slash skinny and save 20 % off with promo code skinny. See the difference for yourself or get a full product refund. No questions asked. That's justthrivehealth.com slash skinny. Be the best you with Just Thrive. This episode is brought to you by Zizol. I am so allergic to cats. The worst. And I use Zizol allergy 24 hour. Okay. If you're like me, if I like even smell a cat, I don't feel good the next day. So it's really important that I always have my Zizol allergy 24-hour relief in my handbag. It starts working, and I can tell you guys this quick.

23:12It's like in as little as 45 minutes. Zizol relieves allergy symptoms, including sneezing, runny nose, itchy, watery eyes. I get a lot of watery eyes and an itchy nose and throat for 24 hours. It gives you continuous 24-hour allergy relief that won't fade. It's also designed to be taken at night. So it's already working at full strength in the morning when pollen levels are the highest. I'm also sensitive to pollen and Austin is difficult. 24-hour prescription strength relief from outdoor allergies such as pollen, ragweed, grass, and trees. And then you also are going to get relief from those indoor allergens such as dust, mold, pet dander.

23:55Visit www.zyzol.com for more information. That's X-Y-Z-A-L.com for more information. Whenever I go on any kind of fun vacation, I always look to Alice and Olivia. So if you've not checked out this brand, you have to. I've been shopping this celebrity loved label forever. I feel like I found it when I was in New York City before kids and I went into their little boutique and I just fell in love with their whimsical charm. Everything was so sophisticated. The silhouettes were so major. They even had like corporate cool girl essentials, but also you could find the perfect party top. And when I went into the store, I felt like I really embraced the whole experience and I've been a fan ever since.

Read the full transcript

24:44Whenever I need something that's like gold or like with beautiful buttons or with thoughtful detail, I always go to their site. If you're unfamiliar with Alice and Olivia, let me explain. So they have all the on-trend pieces for every spring occasion. I also like how the brand celebrates personal style and it champions women empowerment. It is owned by this major badass. Her name is Stacey Bendit. She's really passionate about creating some really major pieces for women. So gowns, ready to wear, handbags, accessories. Everything is like a wearable work of art. And And when you check this brand out, you will understand what I'm saying.

25:24Allison Olivia was born out of the founder Stacey Benden's quest to design the perfect pair of pants back in 2002. Exclusively for the Bostix listeners, Allison Olivia is offering 15 % off everything from new arrivals to bestsellers. Visit AllisonOlivia.com slash skinny and 15 % off will automatically be applied to your cart. That's A-L-I-C-E-A-N-D-O-L-I-V-I-A.com slash S-K-I-N-N-Y to get 15 % off. Exclusions may apply. You're a really, really savvy investor. I've watched your portfolio on Instagram and I know behind the scenes. What gets your attention when it comes to investing? I think it's just seeing the engagement and how it makes me feel inside as well.

26:10And then I kind of go from there. But by the way, my wife's taste is very good. I saw her eating skinny dipped in bed and my wife doesn't eat anything with sugar or nothing, anything. The fact that my wife kept ordering skinny dipped. And then when the, when it came across my, my desk and I could be an advisor and an investor in it, I jumped at it for the single reason that my wife was eating it. And I know how much she, she loves skinny dipped. That's interesting. So you're looking at what she was doing and you, and you, I look at pop culture. I look at what people are doing. I think I'm big into energy and seeing what people love.

26:45Symbiotica too. Wow. That's a good one. It's a great one. Symbiotica. I mean, great founders. We love those guys. I mean, they're amazing. And the fact that I could work with them and help raise money for this round that they just did. And I think we brought in the best people in the world. But the greatest thing was everyone thinks I'm some magician with it, but everyone was already using it. It was so easy to go to like the weekend and be like, hey man, you want to invest in Symbiotica? And he's like, yeah, it's on my writer. Like, yeah, of course. Like everyone did it. Maybe you should invest in Coke.

27:21Maybe you should. Coke Zero? Or maybe we should say it's Olipop. Olipop. It's the Olipop Vintage Cola. I did invest in Olipop. Olipop. Now listen, you know, Poppy, listen, congratulations to Poppy. But I wasn't really sold on the Poppy flavors. I like the Olipop nostalgic flavors way better. It was a much higher valuation than Poppy was at the time. And listen, Poppy has crushed it. They got a great exit. I think Rohan is a genius with beverage. And so happy for everyone that was in that deal. I hope Olipop 2 will have an exit. I think it'll be a great one. It does great. I know you love vacation, the sun.

28:03I love vacation. I really appreciate all your posts on it. The shimmer oil, you guys on vacation, use vacation when you're on vacation. Put the shimmer on your legs. It gives you the prettiest, like most subtle glow. I like that a lot. But you're also like, you're involved in a lot of brands that I think also embody a lot of what you do in your lifestyle. They're fun brands, right? They're not like, you're not like in some random thing that would have nothing to do with you. It just won't, it doesn't get me excited. For me to add value, I have to be excited about the brand. Authentic. What about when it comes to you spotting talent?

28:37I see you with a lot of new talent, and I know you've made a lot of introductions that have led to things. Do you think about spotting new talent in a certain way? I have to. I have to see what's going to be the next hot thing if I just follow the trend afterwards and I miss it. So I try to be, I use every resource at my disposal to try to find what's the next hotness. So what are you looking for? Are there certain themes? Are there certain character traits? How do you spot that early? Is it something you see in the restaurants? On a product, what kind of engagement is it getting on socials and stuff like that?

29:14On talent, I'm looking to see what's the... It's not about how many... It's like, what are all the kids talking about? What's the youth talking about? What are they talking about right now? Well, funny you say that. They're definitely talking about Prospa, these two DJs. They're talking a lot about Prospa. Kedema John Summit of course three years ago I made that big investment he's of course just outside he's on fire crushed it disco lines you're doing your show with Alex Earl I'm producing a show with Alex Earl and her family and it's so good you guys are gonna love this it is wow and not just about Alex it's the whole family TJ the father the step mom the mom you know the sister the young kids now are TikToking but the whole family, it's a full unit.

30:03The video of you dancing at Super Bowl went viral. You saw that? What do you mean you saw that? Stop. You saw that thing at Super Bowl? Stop. Damn, what a surprise. Damn, how can we not see it? It's pinned to your top post. No, no. I mean, it was a very viral moment for me. What happened after that moment? Like, are you getting DMs from everybody? What's going on? First of all, I've never received so many texts. Yeah, for sure. At one time. Like, people I haven't talked to in 20 years. But like this, like this, like this. Funny, we're on our way home from Super Bowl that night. And all my, it's a red, we're flying overnight.

30:43And my friends are all sleeping. And of course, I'm nonstop on my phone just seeing everything. And we land and they're like, oh, we had a great sleep. I'm like, oh, I wasn't able to sleep. They go, yeah, because you're a sicko. You sit on your thing nonstop seeing that. insane. Well, because it's just, I don't think it was on anyone's bingo card. Really? Like, he was like, what do you, like, you just like popped out there and then you're just like in the house dancing. And listen, you looked good. My wife was like, I never seen you dance like that before. And they said to me, first of all, there's a big screen in front of you, right?

31:14You see the big screen jumbotron and I'm seeing myself like this. And they're like, damn it. Why did you have to keep looking up and dancing? I'm like, because I'm seeing myself up there. It's cool. Come on. Everyone's looking at themselves. Yeah. Right. Everyone's going to do it. Of course. Okay, so people see the fun stuff. They see the restaurant. What does your real schedule look like day to day? You're up eight. You're playing tennis every day. I play tennis every morning, eight to nine. Then I do, you know, very heavy weights, obviously. From nine to 9.20, I call it the executive workout.

31:43Nine to 9.20. And then I start going into my, sometimes it's 9.25, but I go into my meetings and stuff like that. So your meetings are only at your house, we heard. Yeah. Why? I mean, you've been to the house. It's a beautiful house, yeah. I have to say, I have to say you have one of the most beautifully designed homes I've ever been in. Thank you. Because you know how like some people will buy like a huge mansion and like, how do I say this nicely? There's like no taste. Right. There's no taste. There's white marble and fake polar bear couches and like something they saw. I don't know. My house is, our house is a little bit different.

32:23I have a Brazilian wife, so I've become obsessed with Brazilian furniture and design. And my wife, yes, she has great taste. No, but it's a beautifully curated space. Right. Right. It doesn't look like you just went to a furniture store. It was really hard for me to focus on conversation at your house. I'm just telling you. The whole time I was like, had to take in every last detail. I love that. The glasses above in the kitchen. No. Oh, no, no. In the kitchen, you have that wall. The show kitchen. Oh, and then also I started like spiraling because you guys opened your fridge and everything is organized.

33:00Isabella has like the wood caps and the silver caps and there's like green juice that's labeled and there's like a lemon tea, like everything. And there's liquid death, Olipop, and now Symbiotica is in that fridge lined up as well. Do you think you have OCD? Beyond. Yeah. Yeah. Because I get fixated on stuff. No, no shit. Let me tell you. Let me tell you. So yesterday morning I was in Dallas and I did good morning, Texas. Okay. And I look in the waiting room. There's a thing for wifi guys. You have to log in, get an email, then get a code and that, that, that. And I got so fixated on the lady.

33:38I go, I go. And I took a picture of the wifi thing. So throughout the time I kept saying, going back to lady, but can we talk about the wifi situation just to get it? Why can't it just be wifi guests, whatever. but it was login code someone's email that to verify that they could get wi-fi and i'm like and but i was so fixated even in my interview i'm thinking about this wi-fi code situation for the building what were you thinking about when you came here the rebrand where you're throwing off a little bit on the rebrand let's talk about that guy so happy to so go ahead have an intervention i knew it so i've been very excited to do your pod as you know the fact that i'm here at austin you didn't come to miami to do the pod says a lot let's just start there i don't like to leave my house for nothing.

34:22That being said, I wasn't invited to your home to do the podcast. You should have said that. I think we put it out there. That's for sure. No one said it to me. No, no, no. My wife was like, I went to Austin. You need to go to Igo. But why can't they bring it? We can reenact this in the house. I would have done it with your house as a backdrop. No one told me. Okay. So anyway, so. So I'm here. I've been dying to do this. And all of a sudden and you decide to do a name change the week before my pod's about to happen? You go for, I mean, who does that? It's a good thing for you. I'm telling you there's more eyes on it now that we did the rebrand.

34:59But why could you just wait for the week after? You don't, you want the rebrand. I'm telling you it's a better thing. The fact that you thought I should be the guinea pig for the rebrand. No, we tested some other people. We've had a couple more. Who have we had? We did RFK. RFK Jr. He was the guinea pig. Stop, stop. He was the guinea pig. Stop. It's a good thing, I promise. We're like, we need like a no-name. Like, bring RFK. Yeah, no-name. Fine. Do you decide, because you don't need the money. Right. And you don't really need the fame. Do you decide to write the book, take it personal? Yes. Because you want to give information to the next Dave who's 8 or 10 or 11 or 20 that's about, that wants to do what you do.

35:39What's the motivation? Can you throw me that book, please? so the reason why i wrote this book guys it's and i'm glad you asked it's not just for the hospitality it's not just for the entertainment business it's not just for venture capital it's for life it's like a blueprint that i used for my life whether you're opening a car wash or you're a sales clerk or you're a realtor whatever it is the things that i wrote down in here it's going to help you in your life it's not about being a celebrity it's not about opening up lots of restaurants and nightclub it's about living your life starting relationships and really like being able to succeed and fail and succeed again do you ask kim kardashian to write the forward and give us the like the history of that i mean i've met i've known kim and i've been taking care of kim for for longer than i can remember from when she was paris hilton's cute friend you know what I mean like from back then so uh yes and uh we have a coupon system so I asked her very nicely if we could if she could do my forward and could I tell you she even blinked right away then that's how loyal Kim is I mean she's just an amazing but she also inspires me not just by being Kim but how into business is she like the fact that she built skims and she builds brands and this girl does not stop.

37:02She'll sit in the, in the glam chair at 5.00 AM and again at 5.00 PM and keep doing meetings all the way through. And Oh, and by the way, be a great mom. So when she writes your forward, what was that like for you to read what she said? Uh, well, I mean, it was, it's, it, for me, I just, I feel like I'm a great friend. She's a great friend, but as you know, your friends are, by the way, if I asked you guys to do it for, I know you would do a very endearing forward. Of course. It's important. You can't get Kim next time. Michael, forward by Michael Bostic. Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. Formerly known as the Skinny Confidential.

37:38No, no, no. We're just the Bostics. We rebranded. What I said is I was always known as Bostics. I feel like that's my... He's been in front of a pink cover photo. I've been trying to escape that fucking pink for 10 years. Is that what it is? You feel weird about being in front of the pink? No, he's been in front of the pink for 10 years. But there's a lot of rolly things. What I would say, though, listen, Dave, You're a very comfortable, confident man. But a lot of these guys, you'd ask them to come on the show and they'd be like, oh, it's pink. And I'm like, you know. Wow, really? Yeah. Some of these guys.

38:04It's kind of insulting to our female audience. Some of the most macho men you would think they'd get a little bit nervous about coming. First of all, not only am I married, but I have two girls, six and eight. So I'm in pink and flowers and colors and this and that all the time. That's the hottest thing in a man. It's called quiet confidence. I like that. My advice, if anyone's listening, it's the most important quality in a man. A man who is quietly confident there is nothing sexier. It's not in your ego. It's not loud. It's not obnoxious. It's subtle. You know, I'll tell you what happened. This is the truth with the rebrand.

38:34It was a started off of her media property, the blog and 20 years ago. And then we didn't we thought it was gonna be like a fun random thing. It was him and her. We built a brand. We built a brand. And then what happened was we built the other brands and people be like, wait, who is this? You're married. What's the show? What's the brand? What's your like? It was confusing. So now I'm like, OK, there's two people. we're married, the bossics, and then there's these other things. It's about building an ecosystem. Tell me about the competitor's mindset. It bothers the living shit out of me. You got mad at us one time.

39:02We came in and we ended up going to, I think it was like the Four Seasons restaurant and you were upset. I remember that. No, no, it wasn't the Four Seasons restaurant. It was another restaurant. Which one was it? That was the last time you were there. Which one was it? Because I asked you, I go, where are you guys going? You're in town for one night and it was a restaurant that wasn't mine and I was very upset with you. Yeah, that's rude, Michael. We're not going to do it again. Michael sets it up. I didn't know it upset you so much. I was like, I felt bad. Yeah, I got very, by the way, I even went after her.

39:23I know. I know. You went after everybody. Let it rip. So what, tell me about the competitors mindset. I think you screamed in my daughter's face. Again, guys. I think you yelled at my child. No, I'm just kidding. It's part about taking it personal. I mean, again, you're my friends. We're friends. We spend an amazing day on the boat. You're in my house and you think it's all right to go eat at another restaurant that's not mine? I like the honesty. Yeah, it's like a little fucked up to me, no? Even though we ate at the restaurant for lunch, you want us to go for dinner?

39:52There's other restaurants in one restaurant that I have in my catalog. I just want to make sure for next time I go to Miami. Yeah, you can have lunch at Casa Dona and then go eat at Gecko or Komodo or Poppy Stick or whatever it is. Next time we're going to hit every spot in a two-day period we're going to do breakfast, lunch, dinner. I'm here for it. Let me help. What is something that Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have taught you? I know you're very good friends with them and we had a little barbecue. I want to know how you like what they've told you. That's like really great advice. Well, let's start with Ivanka.

40:22Ivanka is great. You know what Ivanka is the best at is she sends you the best. And I try to do it too, but she's so much better at it is she'll send you messages, just cheering you on all the time. Right. Very good at that. She's like, Hey, I just saw this. I'm so proud of you for doing this. No one else could do this, but you and, and she'll send you notes. Like what a great win that was. And she does it with my wife nonstop. She did it with us for the rebrand. Did she? Yeah, she did. I just did that because I wanted to stay on with you, but keep going, keep going. Okay. Jared just gives you very thoughtful advice.

41:00Like he really takes that second to like think about it and be very thoughtful on how you should handle something very strategically. Both of them are thoughtful and purposeful in their friendships. It seems like they don't just have relationships just to have them. No. And Ivanka and my wife have a very special relationship. And when they first moved her, you didn't know, right? My wife was like, oh, I don't know. And then she's so obsessed with Ivanka that Ivanka just does so many great things for her and wants my wife to win so much. It's really special. You have Tom Brady on the back of your book.

41:35Weird. That's on the back of your book. That's a pretty big deal to have the goat write a testimony. There's a few goats on there, just to be clear. I haven't gotten down the list. I'm starting with Tom Brady. Don't worry, I won't miss the detail. Tom Brady to give you a testimonial. That's a big deal. Yes, I think it's a huge deal. It's so nice of him to be able to do that for me, which is great. Again, Tom lives in Miami, so I'm a go-to person for Tom. But I just want, you know, listen, And it's been great to see Tom, you know, go through retirement. Tom go through a new, you know, a new family situation.

42:18And to watch him win over and over again and just keep going. There's a reason why Tom's Tom. What are some advice that these people that you have access to, what's some advice that they've given to you? You have Tom, you have Serena Williams, David Beckham, Mark Wahlberg. What's advice that they're telling you that really helped you? Rich Kleiman. I mean, all in their different ways, you know, uh, not like I, I need, I love having mentors, but I, I'm so lucky to come across some of the greatest people in the world, not just celebrity wise, but also in business. And I think the way I look at things is I try to extract things from people that I, I really want to learn from.

42:57And there's, of course, with every person, you're not going to like everything that they believe in a hundred percent. There's just no way. so to have the ability to be able to great take great things from people and then leave out the stuff that's not you know that's not for you is how i really get the most out of stuff i want to switch gears a little bit and talk about miami specifically with the greatest city in the world yes should we move there to you i've been begging you guys to move there okay but then you're like then you're like in tampa visiting i had to visit my hands are you a stripper are the bosticks gonna open a strip club she's not a stripper either i had to go to visit my aunt and say is she a stripper not anymore and i'm just kidding she's never was it's a joke because you're in you're in tampa a lot okay okay i want to know really mr from mr miami what it actually took to break into that city and get to the top of the heat because it is probably one of the most competitive markets in the world and continues to grow competitively like people think it's the gold mine over there.

43:58And also, if you read the history of Miami, there were some rough and tumble people there that have controlled Miami maybe for a long time. So I wonder what it actually took for you to break into that and what it would take. Listen, I think I had to dominate my field in order to make it in Miami. I dominated, dominated, dominated. I didn't do tennis. I didn't do this. I focused on my work. I went the extra mile. I was in early, last out. So what did that look like actually in the early it is day to day. Like, what did you have to do? I had to get there by 9am and I had to leave it. Like I'd take a break at five or six to take a nap, have some food and go right back in.

44:33But like no one in my friends will tell you and people in the business will tell you no one will outwork me. Nobody. So that's what it was just like pure grit, determination, hard work. People are like, Oh, just like, Oh, it just happened. No, man. And I'm there to make sure it's perfect. Even today, I just did like the players party, a gecko for the Miami open. I sat almost every table myself just because that's how important it was to me that nothing happened bad at that experience. Let me tell you about the Easy Five Pant by Lululemon. First of all, Lululemon just knows how to design to flatter women.

45:09I have been wearing Lululemon since high school. I remember going to the Carlsbad Forum and just stalking their whole site. Like, I used to work right next door to Lululemon and after work, I would get off and I would go into their store and I would just be obsessed from the leggings to the tops. I wore it all. And I was a peer bar teacher. So I like was into it. Okay. And I still am into it now. They just know how to design. Everything flatters. So there's this pant. Okay. It's called the easy five pant. it's like a structured pant that has just the right amount of stretch for me postpartum I'm still in the midst of losing 15 pounds this is very important it feels broken in this pant there's no like stiff break-in period and I can move so I can weight lift I can wear them all day I'll wear them from like the gym to get my cappuccino at Swedish Hill to come into the office to go home.

46:07I love a comfortable, like buttery structured pant. And this is the one. Definitely check out the Easy 5 pant by Lululemon. They know what looks great and what lasts. Here's the thing you need to know. Lululemon does limited color runs. So when those new styles drop every Tuesday, they go fast. You don't want to wait. If it's not for you, Lululemon offers free returns no risk. That's lululemon.com. New drops every Tuesday. Go now. So I do this manipulation with my children. It's called chocolate water. Okay. And what I do is I mix Paleo Valley's chocolate bone broth protein into raw chocolate milk.

46:47So good. I get it at the farmer's market. I'll just mix in the Paleo Valley protein. They don't even notice. And what I like about it is they're getting this really amazing protein. It's like a bone broth protein. And they're also having a little bit of milk, which is fine. They love it. They ask for it. It's like a milkshake. I also just like their protein for myself. I do two scoops of their bone broth protein. I am the chocolate all the way around. I love, love, love their chocolate protein. I even told the founder when she came on the show, she's been on twice. I was like, this is my favorite protein.

47:24It's the best. You could even have it like heated up in water. It's delicious. It's not like chalky gross protein. They also have beef sticks. So while you're on their site, grab some beef sticks for your handbag. And then they have an organ complex. And you guys know how I feel about organs. I eat my organs. I have changed my hair and nails. I really think the organs have helped so much because all the vitamins and minerals and aminos. You can't go wrong on Paleo Valley. truly like they just really think of everything. It's real ingredients, quality sourcing, no junk, no filler. They hit all the things.

48:00Head to paleovalley.com slash skinny or use code skinny at checkout for 20 % off your first purchase. That's paleovalley.com slash skinny or use code skinny at checkout. Let me tell you about Bull and Branch's signature sheets. These are made from 100 % organic cotton. Now, I am someone that believes in frequencies, and I also believe that the fabric that you use has a frequency. I mean, this is like actually science. This is not lore and science. This is real. And when I sleep, I want it to be the best. And 100 % organic cotton is the move. It's breathable. You feel luxurious. It's buttery. You fall asleep faster.

48:38You stay comfortable all night. My kids love it. They're always in my bed. So it's important that I have a really nice fabric. Bull and branch signature sheets, they just hit it. Okay. They hit all the things. 100 % organic cotton, like I said, instantly make your bed feel breathable, inviting. And it's a one-time upgrade that pays off every single night. There's no setup, no habit building, no guesswork. It's just noticeably better sleep. So turn your red light on, get your mouth tape on. You got to get the skinny confidential mouth tape and then fall asleep in your buttery soft 100 % organic cotton sheets.

49:15That's the move, okay? I think that the ultimate skincare hack is getting good sleep. So just master your space when it comes to sleep. Check out your sheets, get your mouth tape, and get all the things around you dialed out. Upgrade your sleep during Bull and Branch's annual spring event. Take off 20 % site-wide plus free shipping at bullandbranch.com slash skinny with code skinny. That's Bull and Branch, B-O-L-L-A-N-D, branch.com slash skinny code skinny to unlock 20 % off. Exclusions apply. See site for details. Eden Rock St. Bart's, times the skinny confidential. This collaboration has been years in the making.

49:54I have been going to Eden Rock Properties for a very long time, and I fell in love with the way that they thought about branding. Every single detail. They don't miss anything. It's such an experience. And when I thought about what brand I wanted to collaborate with, Eden Rock immediately came to mind. So we went down to St. Bart's and we sat with their team and we conceptualized what this collaboration would look like. And so it's here. The Eden Rock St. Bart's Times Skinny Confidential red ice roller. It's in their signature red. It has a gorgeous, like look at this, ah, silver roller. It's so beautiful.

50:34It's very summer, you know. I could see this in an ice bucket while you're on the beach enjoying some rosé or a margarita. It goes right in the ice. And then we also launched Mouth Tape. So it's red too. So you're going to get those red lips, very summer-esque. And again, it's in the Eden Rock St. Bart's branding. And then we launched Facial Towels. Everything is limited edition. It's very exclusive. Once it's gone, it's gone. And these facial towels are plastic-free. They don't have any formaldehyde in them, and they're so adorable to throw in your beach bag. I use them to wipe my kids' hands.

51:12I use them after an oil cleanse. This collection is so major. I'm so excited about it, and it's so fun to see the Skinny Confidential come to life in red. You can shop our collaboration at the link in the show notes or on shopskinnyconfidential.com. You can also shop at the Eden Rock St. Bart's Boutique and the Spa. Eden Rock, St. Bart's, wherever you are. If you were coaching the next young guy that's trying to break into that city specifically, what would you tell them they need to do in order to make it guy, girl? Build the best relationships with all the key people in Miami, for sure. Because, listen, the locals are going to drive you business no matter what.

51:47You want to make sure you know every great person in Miami. And then I think you need to make it like, you need to really focus on the details. I think people come into my place. I'm hyper-focused on my details. You say build the best relationships. If there is someone listening that doesn't know how to go about building the best relationships. Start in elevators. Say hi to somebody. Listen, people are like, oh, you're so confident. I didn't start off so confident. I was, listen, if you see some of these old photos of me, I was kind of a heavier set guy. I wasn't the best looking guy. Thank God for peptides.

52:21That being said, I think I started off just in an elevator, being able to get enough courage to say hello and say, Are you having a good day? And keep going about it that way. And then you start hosting some people for dinner. I love hosting people for dinner. When you're inviting someone to dinner and you're hosting them, you're kind of like in that, it's a different level for you, right? Because they're not, you're not like, excuse me. Yeah. And listen, then I started curating experiences for people. When people came into Miami, I would take them to Wynwood. At that time, it was just a bubbling street art area.

52:53I would show people parts of my city that no one else would show them and they felt like they were in the know and they connected with me and then when I would take them out to eat I would try to find the off-the-menu items the ones that the dishes that blew me away I focused on that any chance you could get to show somebody an experience that they just can't do themselves changes the relationship that is a great tip it sounds but everyone says oh how do you just have so much like it didn't happen overnight and no I wasn't so confident that I thought I could talk to anybody at any time being a bartender definitely helped right because and people are always like oh I want to I want to I want to act I want to go you should go do some impromptu you know impromptu what is it called um improv improv because improv really gets you in that mindset too of being able to do stuff off the cuff if someone were to follow and shadow you for a week What would they be surprised about and what would they be disappointed in?

53:49So it's a great question. I make all my interns spend a day with me. And we don't know. It's just whatever. You don't know if so-and-so is going to be there or nobody is going to be there, right? I think what people would be surprised with is how hyper-focused I am. Because I'm meeting hour after hour like this. That when someone comes to a meeting with me, I'm really present in that meeting with them. I'm not on my phone. and I'm not trying to do a thousand other things while they're there. To me, someone that's meeting with me is the most important person in the world at that time. How do you think about social media and your own social personal brand with what you're doing?

54:24So I think it's important for me to just to show what's authentic to me. I don't, I do my own Instagram. There's nobody doing my Instagram for me. I think it's also a great way for people to get a snapshot of your life. I think I have, listen, I think I have a pretty cool life and there's some interesting things that goes on. And I think to be able to share that on social media is great. You have spoken with Gary Brecka. Yeah. We all love. And it seems to me, and I might be speaking out of turn, but it seems to me that he's helped change your health. Is that correct? Yeah. I mean, and his daughter, Madison, another great, great person.

55:01Gary met me like right before, like right before COVID. And I was already starting to go through that transition with a great trainer, Anthony Rhodes. and then COVID happened and I had the time to really hyper focus on my health and getting skinny and getting strong. And he's really been such a big part of that. What are the things that you did to take control of your health? What are all the little things you mentioned? Peptides. We want to know what peptides. I don't know my, I don't know the formula that I take, but I know it's a lot or it was a lot before, but is it for like, is it a weight management?

55:35Is it for mind? Is it for sleep? No, sleep. I take the NeuroGum sleep. I love NeuroGum sleep, the dissolvable. It changed my life. Oh, that's right. I've never heard of that. You've never heard of NeuroGum? No. Okay, I'm going to send you some. Okay. Proud investor. No, but it's NeuroGum's top 10 TikTok shop every week. Gen Z, the next generation, this is how they get there. Yeah, because there's caffeine in it as well. There's a daytime and a nighttime. Got it. And the NeuroGum Daytime has like a half a cup of coffee in it for you without the crash, without the burn. No nicotine? No nicotine in there.

56:13Although I do love, I do unfortunately love nicotine, but I love sesh. A cigarette or like a - No, I would never smoke a real life cigarette. Now I do the sesh. Investor in sesh? Investor in sesh. Okay, all right, all right. Just go get into this. Best flavors. It's the better for you nicotine pouch. Sesh. Okay, so go on. You do your peptides. I want to keep knowing all the little things that you do for health Weird, weird, okay, weird Anyway, so What else? I have a physio who does dry needling twice a week And stretches me I'm very old, so I need to keep my body in a good position I do the peptides I take symbiotica every day Which is your favorite symbiotica?

56:59Well, I mean, listen, at this point it's changed So I used to love their, oh, I still love it the methylated B. I do the vitamin D. I do the vitamin C. You don't do the creatine? No, I don't do the creatine right now. I love the creatine. Right before tennis or weights. Do you do the goo creatine or do you do like the powder? I don't even know what the powder is. I do the vanilla. The vanilla. It's so good. It's their new creatine. You know, every time. It's stacked. Every time Chihab, Geron or Shervian come in, there's like 18 new products and I'm like, I'm trying to keep up. No, no, no. Here's the sleeper cell that no one is talking about.

57:29The elderberry. People love the elderberry. It's so good for your immune system. That's what I was going to say. Sparkling water. No, the number one, number one, the glutathione. Really? I also get an IV once a week of Meyers cocktail with a glutathione, and I get exosomes once every six weeks. Exosomes, like a facial. Oh, yeah. What do you mean? So it's an IV. It's like it's the top part of a stem. It attacks all inflammation, just goes fucking nuts on your body. And you don't feel any different from getting the IV, but when you get your test results, I used to, listen, I'm a Jewish guy, so I...

58:01Everything. All of it's gone. I don't know what that means. It means we're probably the most unhealthiest race there is. Okay. It means it's just not good when you get your test results. This is making it better. It makes it amazing. Did you buy Prince because you like tennis? Or did you play tennis and then buy Prince? So I did Prince with ABG before I even played tennis. When I grew up, Andre Agassi to me was like... Watching him play in the U.S. Open and watching, you know, all these great tennis players play tennis with Prince. And to me, it was a historic American country club brand. And I always looked, it was the first brand I ever really did.

58:42And to be able to partner and have an iconic American brand like this, IP, I forget about tennis. And then during COVID, I pick up tennis. And now I become obsessed with tennis. I'm like, I have this tennis brand. I don't play tennis. I'm just worried about country club and collaborations and all that. and now I care more about the on-court than I do about the off-court. What was it like for you when Sabalenka thanked you in her speech? It was great. It was like the Super Bowl. I mean, that's pretty major. I don't know if anything was like the Super Bowl, Dave. I still can't believe you saw that.

59:16She thanked three people in her speech, and one of them was you. Yes. So that's great. I mean, listen, you build relationships. You try to add value over and over again like we talked about. and in my book I talk about that's the main thing in a relationship is you don't go into a relationship to see what you can get out of it. You go into a relationship is how can I add value to that relationship? How can I make this person's life better? And seeing the look on their face when something great happens for them that you helped orchestrate is amazing. How do you think about your relationship with Noah?

59:48I know that he's - Noah Tepperberg. Yeah, of course. I feel like he's sort of done, it seems to me - Well, what's interesting about - I don't think it's a win-win relationship for Noah and I. I take so much from him. I really do. Well, it's interesting because you guys are obviously like in a weird way. In the same inferno. Same frequencies. Different, but like competitive in a way, no? Yeah, for sure. Especially in Vegas. Yeah. Like it's a very competitive market. That being said, I would love to tell you it's a win-win relationship between me and no, but I take so much from him. He's such a great man and he gives me such great advice.

1:00:24Michael Rapinoe at Live Nation the same thing I would love to say hey it's a win-win relationship and it's just not I go to these guys for everything and they come back with just words of wisdom for me it's Jeff so far I just I I'm lucky enough to have great people around me that I could go to for real advice what are you going to them for and what's the advice they're giving back I mean there's a million things guys I would love to tell you that I think I I know it all or how would I deal with that situation? Or let me ask you a question. Does this feel weird to you? Like it feels weird to me when something doesn't make me feel right.

1:00:59I always want to ask, maybe I'm looking at it wrong or maybe I'm misunderstanding, but my intuition is usually right. To be honest with you, I should, I should learn to trust it even more than I do. Are your parents blown away at what you've done? So my father passed away, but before he passed away, Liv was already ripping. And for him, it was great for me to be able to tell him the numbers each, each night. And cause My dad was the president of SunTrust. He was a very conservative banker. And it's the opposite of what I do, right? My mom's still alive. And she's just, you know, she's like, this is crazy what goes on with you.

1:01:31We've talked a lot about a lot of the good stuff. You mentioned this earlier a little bit. What's it like when someone gets on your bad side?

1:01:41So I try to let things go more now. But, I mean, listen, I try to, like, pee in their cereal any chance I get when someone's just when i don't know i just now i'm at that place in my life where i don't think i have to like in your younger years what my younger years were really bad

1:02:06no but listen when i was younger i would really try to ruin people's lives like that would that would cross me or whatever um i remember when a new club would open against me i'm like you know listen, Live on Sunday is a very dominant night. And this new nightclub had opened. They tried to start a hip hop night against me. And I would make the talent cancel the day of. That's diabolical. And always say, and make them say, wait, and make them say family emergency. So they knew every time that this talent would cancel, they would say family emergency. They knew who it was. And I would send them my sales from Sunday night, Monday morning to their emails and say, how was your night?

1:02:47here's how my night's going no no i was a really sick human being sick sick no but i mean like i think it's honest and how would you get that talent to do that because obviously you have to have a lot of pretty good relationships would they go play at live no not when they were already booked there and then if if i thought i would say listen you took this job i'm never going to book you again for the rest of my life not just for live on sunday but for the or live but for the rest of my life. And let me tell you something. I'm not going away anytime soon. This new club, they're from out of the country.

1:03:21Nobody knows who they are. I think you should really think about your relationship with me over the long game with them. What happened to the new club? They don't, they're gone. They're gone. So what happens now? But I would send them to my sales. And you know what? I see them once in a while. They talk about it. They go, Dave, you know how fucked up it was that you would send me your sales from the night before? And this is when Live on Sunday was just the pinnacle of it. So what made you evolve? Was it your kids? My wife, maybe a little bit. She called me. Noah. Also, people around me, like, you don't always have to, like, sometimes not doing any, just, you know.

1:03:56So what happens now if someone tries to come up against one of your hot dogs? No, listen, there's so much competition. There's no way I could control it like I did before. People are like, how do you let all these New York restaurants enter Miami? I'm like, okay. Hey, like, I can't stop someone from coming to Miami. But what I can do is try to build relationships so big with people that they feel, at least for that split second, maybe they shouldn't go to that other restaurant before coming to mine. And I want them to at least make sure they stop in one of my places while they're there for two or three days.

1:04:25But that's relationship-based, guys. And that's focusing on that and making sure that person knows what's important to me is that you come and support my places. When you go now, I see you doing this a lot. When you go and speak at schools, you have a course too, right? A class. So I taught a college course for five years at FIU. No one? Five weeks, three hours. I just wrote a book. The course inspired the book. Oh. So I wanted to spend the time to take those five years of courses to put it into a book. That's cool. So back at that time, and now it's in the book, what was the main thing that the schools were basically booking you for, working with you?

1:04:59Like, what did they want from you? So they said, listen, anyone could go. Listen, I go to every school and go tell your story, and they bring 50 or 100 kids, 200 kids. I want to do 500 students. I want to teach a college course that they get college credit for. And I want to talk about the things they don't teach you in school. And I think that's what's really important. They don't teach you about how important IP is. They don't teach you about relationships. They don't tell you about long game and like go all the way. You know, all these kids want to graduate school and open their nightclub or open their restaurant right away.

1:05:27But now there's platforms, there's ways for them to be entrepreneurial, right? They don't need, like for us, it was very hard to be entrepreneurial back then. Maybe you traded some baseball cards. You were an entrepreneur. But now there's so many ways for them to start their own businesses. It's amazing. What mistakes do you see young kids making on YouTube or opening a restaurant or just running a business or being an entrepreneur in general when they're young? Not really taking it as a business, thinking that it's like a fun time kind of thing. Like for me, these are real assets. These are real businesses.

1:05:58And you have to treat it like a business. You have to build real infrastructure. You have to have HR. you have to you know what I mean you have to know what's going on you can't just be the talent anymore you have to have a real business sense I bet you really had to do HR with everything you got you have the gnarliest HR in the United States with his eyes and his smile your HR your HR is literal rigamortis catatonic dying so we have a very wait a second I have a very good HR I have the best HR Julie Howe greatest HR I'm kind of an HR by the way let's give her a shout out Julie Howe has taught me many things to not scream and not say you're going to find their kids.

1:06:39Thank you, Julia Howe, for that. What are you like as a father? You have two girls. What are you like? Are you soft? I would think that my girls, yeah, obviously, they know to come to me. Okay. We like to call it 90-10. 90 % Isabella, 10 % me on any decision. What do you mean? My kids say it too. They go, Dad, we know we have to go to mom because she's 90 % of the decision making and I'm 10 % of the decision making. Okay. And what are you like as a dad? I just want to be cuddled and loved by my kids so much. They're two different kids, by the way. I'm sure it's, you know, but I think it's the coolest thing in the world.

1:07:19I really don't take it for granted at all. I have pink shoes on right here you know what i'm saying so how are they different they're complete opposites and it's the same mix that made them what do you mean is one more like you and one more like isabella so the first one is kaya and my daughter kaya doesn't want sugar drinks green juice doesn't hurt anyone's feelings she cares about everyone's feelings she just wants happiness for everybody then there's vita and vita loves her and up to me daddy daddy they that the person trapped or the person spilt something on them or they felt, cause they know that I love that when people trip or somebody like hurts, you know, they, she knows I love it.

1:07:59Like you like the trip. Like if somebody said, I love when someone trips on stairs or like gets mustard on their shirt from the hot dog. I'm going to start sending you some memes. So, and she knows, she's like, daddy, so-and-so. And I'm like, so I connect with them on different levels. I see a lot of myself in Vida. I see a lot of myself in Kaya and I see a lot of my wife in both. I just want to say that they were so nice to my kids. They were so sweet to both of them. Right. Like very, very nice. And you should see them when they walk into a room. They go, hi, I'm Kaida. Nice to meet you. They introduce themselves.

1:08:35They do the whole thing. All right. Who should buy your book? Take it personal. I'm so happy you asked who should buy my book. I really feel like everyone should buy my book. And I'm not just saying it like that because there's life lessons in there for everybody. It's not just celebrity. It's not just hospitality. It's life. I am so excited. I got this custom book. You guys have to see it if you're on YouTube. This is so major. Thank you for bringing this. The next time you come on this show, let me look in the camera. What will the name of the show be? What will the name of the show be then?

1:09:05It might just be the Lauren show. It might just be the Michael show. I like that. You never know. Second marriage, I might have a new last name. You never know. The next time I do this show with you, it's in Miami at either one of your restaurants or your house with Isabella, him and her perspective. So you really, guys, I think you guys kept asking me, is my wife coming, my wife coming? Did you really want in my wife and not me? Are you using me to get to my wife? No, I didn't want, we didn't want her on the show and I'll tell you why, Isabella, if you're listening. We already had her on the show.

1:09:37She did great. She did great. We want to get the lay of the land. So then we want to get the lay of the land with you, but the next time you come on, it's together. This is the honest truth. Sometimes couples want to come on because we're a couple and they're like, talk to us both. But if it's the first time you're doing an interview with someone. No, no, no. You've got to get the light. It's awkward because you're like, you're trying to have two different - So tell me. It's like a threesome. So people will come on. They'll be like, okay, come on with me and my wife. And I'm like, yeah, we could do that if we had an additional conversation.

1:10:01But we couldn't have this conversation about your book and what you were - If she was here. No. Yeah, because then we'd be - It would all be about her jewelry brand. Is it Grutman Jewelry? Yeah. And listen, next time - Code skinny. But the problem is it's a really hard first - He's an investor. And by the way, we don't necessarily like it when people try to interview us as a couple because they don't know what to do either. There's a very few interviewers that know how to interview like two people at once. But the next time I'm just putting it out there, we're at the restaurant. Or the house. Or the house.

1:10:26And that's the background. And we're interviewing both of you together. I love that. We'll get the relationship juice. No, we've got a Miami trip coming up. We've got to figure this. Is that true? First you stop in Tampa for Monsena's. No, there's no Tampa. And then you go. I've got to go check the register. Odyssey 2000. Where can everyone find your book and find you on social media? Well, at David Grutman is on social media. And the book is everywhere from Amazon to Barnes and Nobles to everywhere. Which restaurant should they start with in Miami and Vegas? Okay, great question. Only one. Poppy Steak for sure in Vegas.

1:10:59That was built for Vegas. But Komodo, I'm telling you, is amazing in Las Vegas at the Felt and Bloom. I have not been there. And then you follow up by Liv. And then the next day, go to Liv Beach. I have not been. So we're going to Vegas in October. In October. Oh, great. I'm going to go see Metallica in the Sphere. I'm really excited about it. Are you? Yeah. Are you excited about that? I'm not so excited about Metallica in the Sphere, to be honest. I'm excited about it. I'm excited about the spa and your restaurants. But I want to go, because I know Symbiotica is doing something with you guys over there in Fontainebleau.

1:11:22We have a Symbiotica wellness bar there. Yeah. I'm going to go. They even have the vitamin C in the salad dressing. That is cool. I'm going to stay at the Fontainebleau. Great. I'm going to go. I'm going to check, and I'll go to your restaurants. Okay. And we're going to do the whole thing. I'll not go anywhere else. You're a visionary entrepreneur. I'm so inspired by you. Thank you for coming on the show. Thank you for having me. Thank you for my congratulations on the book. It's going to crush.

From the publisher

#962: Join us as we sit down with David Grutman – visionary entrepreneur, hospitality powerhouse, and founder of Groot Hospitality. From redefining Miami's nightlife to building a globally recognized portfolio of restaurants and clubs, David has set the standard for modern hospitality. In this episode, David breaks down what it really takes to build an empire focused on excellence – from obsessing over every detail to the importance of cultivating relationships, playing the long game, and the hard truths of turning vision into reality. Plus, he shares lessons and unfiltered insights from his book, Take It Personal.

 

To Watch the Show click HERE

 

For Detailed Show Notes visit TheBossticks.com

 

To connect with David Grutman click HERE

 

To connect with Lauryn Bosstick click HERE

 

To connect with Michael Bosstick click HERE

 

Read More on The Skinny Confidential HERE

 

Head to our ShopMy page HERE and LTK page HERE to find all of the products mentioned in each episode.

 

Get your burning questions featured on the show! Leave the Him & Her Show a voicemail at +1 (512) 537-7194.

 

To learn more about David Grutman and Groot Hospitality visit https://groothospitality.com. To shop Take It Personal visit https://bit.ly/DG-TakeItPersonal. 

 

This Episode is sponsored by The Skinny Confidential 

Shop the limited edition Eden Rock x The Skinny Confidential collab at https://boutique.oetkerhotels.com and at http://shopskinnyconfidential.com. While supplies last. 

 

This episode is sponsored by Boll & Branch

Upgrade your sleep during Boll & Branch's Annual Spring Event. Take off 20% sitewide plus free shipping at http://BollAndBranch.com/skinny with code skinny. 

 

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp

You don't have to be on this journey alone. Find support and have someone with you in therapy. Sign up and get 10% off at http://BetterHelp.com/skinny.

 

This episode is sponsored by Just Thrive

Get your health in check and save 20% on your first order at https://justthrivehealth.com/SKINNY with code SKINNY.

 

This episode is sponsored by Paleovalley

Head to http://paleovalley.com/skinny for 20% off your first purchase. 

 

This episode is sponsored by Lululemon

Visit http://lululemon.com to learn more. 

 

This episode is sponsored by Alice + Olivia

Visit http://aliceandolivia.com/skinny for 15% off. Exclusions may apply

 

This episode is sponsored by Xyzal

Visit http://xyzal.com for more information.


Produced by Dear Media

More from The Bossticks

All 141 episodes
David Grutman On The Truth About Power, Access, Success, & What It Really Takes To Build An EmpireThe Bossticks · 1 h 12 min
Listen in VO