Sean Feeney - Reinventing the Restaurant Business - [Invest Like the Best, EP.366]

My guest today is Sean Feeney. Sean is the co-founder of Grovehouse Hospitality Group and the owner of Lilia and Misi, two of New York City’s most sought-after restaurants. He left his job in Trading to chase down a dream with Michelin star chef Missy Robbins. Sean leveraged his finance background to write his own rulebook for the restaurant industry, crafting several establishments that now boast several thousand people on the waitlist any given night. His story is as entertaining as it is inspiring. As we go step by step through his business endeavors, he points out all of the times he was told “it’s just always been done this way” and how that revealed to him where he could innovate. Sean’s restaurants are the perfect example of building a business into the fabric of a community, collaborating with other brands in authentic ways, and staying true to yourself along the way. Please enjoy this awesome conversation with Sean Feeney. 

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Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes. 

Past guests include Tobi Lutke, Kevin Systrom, Mike Krieger, John Collison, Kat Cole, Marc Andreessen, Matthew Ball, Bill Gurley, Anu Hariharan, Ben Thompson, and many more.

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Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

Show Notes:

(00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like the Best

(00:03:58) First Question - A Chance Encounter with a Michelin-Starred Chef

(00:08:52) The Birth of a Culinary Partnership

(00:12:49) Embracing the Genius Within

(00:16:41) Innovative Approaches to the Restaurant Business

(00:24:53) Creating Demand: The Art of Exclusivity

(00:28:49) Learning from the Best: Insights from Kith's Success

(00:34:21) Defining Exceptional Hospitality

(00:44:20) The Power of Customer Relationships in Hospitality

(00:52:31) Unlocking Team Potential 

(00:53:33) The Philosophy of the Perfect Turn

(00:54:05) Balancing Art, Commerce, and Satisfaction

(00:56:13) The Impact of Authentic Experiences and Brands

(01:03:24) The Evolution of a Hospitality Brand

(01:06:38) Community Engagement and the Power of Simplicity

(01:24:40) Creative Responses and Business Lessons Learned

(01:36:05) Lessons From Working In The Restaurant Industry 

(01:43:01) The Kindest Thing Anyone Has Ever Done For Sean