Jay Shetty Podcast

#1 Entrepreneur Reveals the Real Secret to Success (You’re Focusing on the Wrong Thing)

What if everything you’ve been told about success is missing one key ingredient, how deeply you care? Jay sits down with David Grutman, one of the most influential names in global hospitality, who built a world-renowned empire from the ground up. Together they unpack a powerful idea that challenges conventional wisdom: what if the real secret to success isn’t detachment, but deeply caring? From his early days as a bartender to creating iconic experiences that shape culture, David reveals how taking things personally, your work, your relationships, and every detail of what you put into the world, can become a driving force for growth. While most people are taught to brush things off, David chose the opposite, turning mistakes, rejection, and feedback into fuel to sharpen his craft and raise his standards. Jay highlights how David’s success wasn’t built on titles or transactions, but on genuine human connection. From remembering a guest’s drink to building long-term relationships with artists and entrepreneurs, David reveals that real influence comes from adding value without expectation. Jay reflects on how many people chase quick wins or surface-level networking, but true impact lies in playing the long game, showing up consistently, investing in others, and creating meaningful experiences that people never forget. In this episode you'll learn: How to Turn Mistakes Into Growth How to Build Relationships That Last How to Make People Feel Seen and Valued How to Build Confidence Without a Title How to Give Feedback That Actually Works How to Stay Grounded While Winning Every setback carries a lesson, and every interaction is an opportunity to build something meaningful. When you focus on adding value, staying curious, and giving your best, you begin to create momentum that others can feel. If you’re ready to level up how you show up in life and relationships, don’t miss David Grutman’s latest book, Take It Personal. Pre-order your copy today, visit: https://zandoprojects.com/books/take-it-personal-hardcover With Love and Gratitude, Jay Shetty JAY’S DAILY WISDOM DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX Join 900,000+ readers discovering how small daily shifts create big life change with my free newsletter. Subscribe here: https://news.jayshetty.me/subscribe Check out our Apple subscription to unlock bonus content of On Purpose! https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast What We Discuss: 00:00 Intro 01:07 Why You Should Take It Personal 05:06 The Small Details That Make People Feel Seen 07:11 The Real Path to Self-Improvement 07:59 Turning Anger Into Growth 09:06 How to Give Feedback That Actually Works 11:20 Creating a 10/10 Customer Experience 12:52 Every Day Is a New Opportunity 14:33 Building Something From Nothing 16:27 The Power of Genuine Relationships 19:51 Does Networking Actually Work? 22:28 How to Play the Long Game 26:50 The Truth About Real Success 29:30 Lessons From a Difficult Childhood 30:56 Becoming the Parent You Needed 31:53 Balancing Ambition and Family Life 33:32 Evolving Into Your Next Chapter 35:54 The Power of Being a Connector 37:55 Scarcity vs. Abundance Mindset 39:47 Check Your Ego at the Door 41:56 Staying Grounded While Winning 43:03 The Strength of a True Partnership 45:28 What Makes a Truly Great Idea? 46:42 What Makes Someone Worth Betting On? 48:39 Learning to Slow Down and Reflect 50:32 Finding Joy in the Present Moment 54:53 David in Final Five Episode Resources: Website | https://groothospitality.com/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/davegrutman/ Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/davidgrutman/ X | https://x.com/DaveGrutman https://www.instagram.com/jayshetty https://www.facebook.com/jayshetty/ https://x.com/jayshetty https://www.linkedin.com/in/shettyjay/ https://www.youtube.com/@JayShettyPodcast http://jayshetty.me

David GrutmanguestJay Shettyhost

Apr 7, 20261h 2mWatch on YouTube ↗

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

David Grutman on relationship-driven success, hospitality mastery, and long game

Grutman argues that the real competitive edge is caring so deeply about the customer and relationship that you’re willing to take mistakes and missed loyalty personally and use that pain as fuel to improve.
He breaks down hospitality as a game of small details—remembering preferences, seamless service, and immediate “win-them-over” moments—while treating every day as a reset rather than relying on yesterday’s wins.
He describes leadership as balancing direct, specific feedback with “emotional bank account” deposits so teams feel seen, not tortured, and performance improves without demoralization.
Through stories like connecting Bad Bunny and Drake, he makes the case that “networking” is inferior to authentic, agenda-free relationships played over years, with gratitude and generosity compounding into unexpected opportunities.
He reflects on ego, failure, and family—crediting tough early experiences, a grounding partnership with his wife, and intentional parenting as the foundation that keeps ambition sustainable across new chapters like investing and TV production.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

Caring deeply is a business strategy, not a personality quirk.

Grutman reframes “take it personal” as a competitive advantage: if a guest chooses a competitor or has a poor experience, you treat it as actionable information rather than something to brush off.

Small moments create “seen” customers—and repeat customers.

Remembering names, drinks, and preferences (and having them ready) builds loyalty faster than big gestures because it signals attention and respect at scale.

Great service is seamless, not suffocating.

He differentiates “over-serviced” from “taken care of”: guests want the experience to feel effortless while still having space to enjoy their own night.

Feedback works when it’s specific and emotionally funded.

He advocates being precise about what went wrong (pacing, execution, guest impact) while also making regular deposits of recognition so corrections don’t feel like constant punishment.

Ego grows faster with success than with failure—so it needs active constraints.

Grutman says he’s had more trouble with success because it breeds untouchability; he relies on trusted friends and his wife to keep him grounded and receptive to help.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

I think it's because of how deep I take it. I- Like how much I care about your experience, how much I care about the person, how much I care about that relationship. And if you care that much, there's no other choice but to take it personal.

— David Grutman

I think the little things that you make people feel seen and cared about is what really matters.

— David Grutman

People say to me, "Oh, I wanna go network." I'm like, "What the f- is networking, man?" I go, "Networking is the worst thing. I wanna go have authentic relationships with people."

— David Grutman

I've had more problems with success than I've had with failure. Failure, okay, we move on. You, you forget about it the next day. But as success gets your ego so big, that's where the issues happen.

— David Grutman

And that part of the journey was where the magic was.

— David Grutman

“Take it personal” as a performance philosophyGuest experience and micro-details in hospitalityReal-time operations and feedback deliveryEmotional bank account and leadership confidenceEquity vs. fees; entrepreneur risk realitiesLong-game relationships vs. transactional networkingEgo management, gratitude, and family foundationSuper-connector mindset; scarcity vs. abundanceData vs. intuition in menus and ideasInvesting in brands through an ecosystem strategyMentorship (direct and indirect) and self-investmentExpanding into media/production and storytelling

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