Nov 2, 2021
1: Get the best people and then trust them to do their thing.
No one is an expert on everything, but everyone is an expert at something. It’s all about finding those people and giving them the environment they need to succeed.
2: Avoid shortcuts.
Do your best always, even if it’s the smallest task. If you take shortcuts everywhere, they add up into something less than great.
3: It’s OK to change your mind. Stay flexible.
We try to make the best decisions we can with the information we have. New information is presented to us all the time, so you have to stay flexible through it all.
4: You’re not above or below any job. Everything is everybody’s job.
When we were opening Sir Joan in Ibiza in 2017, it was all hands on deck, literally. Minutes before the opening party, I was sweeping the floor.
5: Try not to listen to too many opinions. Go with your gut.
For example, when we were looking at opening Sir Adam in Amsterdam North, people told me I was crazy. There was nothing there, people wouldn’t cross the river, etc. I saw the potential in this neighborhood and went with my gut, and I’m so happy I did.
6: You can learn from anybody in the room.
Whether it’s a trainee or my teenage daughter, good ideas come from anywhere and you need to be open to hearing them.
7: Don’t follow design trends.
Forward-thinking spaces last the test of time.
8: Support the community.
Our hospitality projects are nothing without the support of our surrounding communities, from the art on our walls to the design ethos of a hotel. We can’t just take, we have to give back too. It’s a symbiotic relationship.
9: Be a purist, not a generalist.
It’s better to do one thing really well rather than lots of things decently.
10. Follow your passion.
The craft is always better when it's done by people with a passion for it.
