Uncommon Courses is an occasional series from The Conversation US highlighting unconventional approaches to teaching.
Course title:
“The David Grutman Experience”
What sparked the thought for the course?
The first time David Grutman, a businessman from Miami, who a growing hotel empireWhen he told me he desired to teach a course, I believed he meant he wanted to offer a single guest lecture.
He had already been a guest speaker within the nightclub management class for several semesters, so handing a session over to David didn't appear to be such an enormous leap.
When David made it clear that he desired to teach a complete course on entrepreneurship – based on his own experiences – I believed this might be a terrific opportunity.
Naively, I started to offer recommendations on how you can conduct the course based on the educational framework of Florida International University. David didn't follow a single thing I said. His unique approach ultimately paid off.
The course he teaches – by which celebrities equivalent to DJ Khaled, Pharrell, drake, Bad bunny, David Beckham, Jason Momoa, Rick Ross, Serena Williams, Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber – consistently receives the best positive feedback of all our courses. Students listen for nearly three hours per class period. Faculty members teach the course together, as I originally did.
David's guest speakers at all times bring a way of practicality and realism to his courses. For example, when talking about devoting 100% to your online business and taking risks, his guest speaker Rick Ross echoed that sentiment, saying he makes strategic decisions when investing in something he likes, like his Investing in Wing Stop.
Similarly, Bad Bunny told students that he couldn't work on a project without feeling and identifying with the eagerness. Actor Jason Momoa said, “Hospitality is giving my heart. “I'm self-made and needed to do all the things myself,” which is analogous to David's own journey as an entrepreneur, who began as a bartender.
When David promoted the course on his Instagram, we received over 100 registrations throughout the first two hours. At this point, most of our in-person classes had not more than 50 students. His final class in spring 2024 had over 400 students – so many who we had to make use of a ballroom as a classroom.
What will probably be examined within the course?
David focuses on the cornerstones of success in hospitality: authenticity, relationships, personality, the ins and outs of first and second generation operations, selecting a distinct segment, work-life balance, and far more. He also goes into detail about it and shares his successes and failures in business.
What is a crucial lesson from the course?
The strongest and lasting lesson might be to be persistent and never hand over.
For example, David told stories about his successes in addition to stories about his failures. He recounted how he became convinced that three restaurants he had opened at the enduring Firestone tire shop and garage in Miami Beach had failed and that he needed to make the difficult decision to shut them shortly after they opened. But that didn't stop him from opening his next restaurant in Coconut Grove, The Key Club, followed by his next successful enterprise with rapper Bad Bunny, Gekko.
In each of those cases, David shared what he learned from the failures and the way he could avoid making the identical mistakes in the longer term. He also talked about knowing when the suitable partner at the suitable time results in success, like his long-time friend Noah Tepperberg, founding father of Tao Group, when he opened their first three way partnership. Casadonna.
Despite his humble beginnings as a bartender, he never let anyone tell him he couldn't make it. He told the story of how his first employer, Jeffrey Soffer, declined when he desired to open his first restaurantKomodo Miami, because Soffer said, “You're not a restaurant guy, you're a nightclub guy.” Today, Komodo is considered one of the Highest grossing restaurants within the country, and each Komodo and Papi steak are the brand new restaurant's star attractions Fontainebleau Las Vegas.
What does the course prepare students for?
David emphasizes the importance of humility and learning from others and illustrates the necessity to put the well-being of the organization above personal ego, even on the expense of negative publicity, equivalent to when he needed to close the three restaurants in Firestone. This lesson highlighted the importance of collaboration and constructive feedback in entrepreneurship.
The development of an ecosystem is one other vital point. David emphasizes the importance of constructing his businesses in order that guests need to party with him at his nightclubs, eat at his restaurants and stay at his hotels. He emphasized aligning with personal values to construct credibility and attract partnerships, which promotes community engagement and ecosystem growth.
Finally, the course emphasizes the importance of embedding the brand's purpose into every aspect of operations, from hiring to partnerships, and authentically embodying the corporate's mission and values.
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