Will Guidara made his name in the hospitality industry as the co-owner of Eleven Madison Park, transforming it from a "good" New York restaurant to a 3 Michelin star establishment that was ranked number one on "The World's 50 Best Restaurants" list in 2017.

In his new book, Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect, Will shares his personal memoir and manifesto, outlining his business management philosophy on the art of service.

Together with Martin Reeves, Chairman of BCG Henderson Institute, Will discusses how to be intentional in the pursuit of relationships with both the people you work with and those you serve, and the impact of digging deeper to explore new creative approaches that turn ordinary transactions into extraordinary experiences.
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About the BCG Henderson Institute
The BCG Henderson Institute is the Boston Consulting Group’s think tank, dedicated to exploring and developing valuable new insights from business, technology, economics, and science by embracing the powerful technology of ideas. The Institute engages leaders in provocative discussion and experimentation to expand the boundaries of business theory and practice and to translate innovative ideas from within and beyond business. For more ideas and inspiration, sign up to receive BHI INSIGHTS, our monthly newsletter, and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Unreasonable Hospitality with Will Guidara

Will Guidara—an elite New York restauranteur and author—talks about his storied career as a leader in modern luxury dining, delivering service that transforms a meal into a magical experience.

Will Guidara

On this Thanksgiving week 2025 and episode 304 of Take Flight Weekly, I revisit one of the most powerful performance basics in my playbook: gratitude. Not the soft version. The real thing. The kind that rewires your brain and anchors you when life is chaotic.
I'll walk you through my personal affirmation that starts with "I am so happy and grateful," unpack why I built it the way I did, and connect it to what the science of gratitude is proving right now. Then we'll get tactical with a simple, elite-level gratitude strategy you can execute in five minutes a day.

In Q4 2010, I was under real financial pressure. The business was hard, the numbers were tight, and I realized I had zero chance of winning if I didn't get control of what was happening between my ears. My goal was simple: Keep my emotional frequency at 51 percent or higher. Slightly more optimistic than pessimistic.

Around that time, I was studying Bob Proctor and John Assaraf. They made one point that landed hard: Success starts in your mind long before it shows up in your bank account. So I wrote my own affirmation, and I've now said it tens of thousands of times.
Meta-analyses of gratitude interventions show consistent gains in life satisfaction and mental health. Neuroscience work shows that gratitude practices light up reward and regulation centers in the brain. It's not just a "nice idea" anymore. It's a proven performance tool.

The Anatomy of My Affirmation
→ "I AM" – The two most powerful words. Your subconscious accepts whatever follows.
→ "So happy and grateful" – Happiness and gratitude are inputs, not trophies. They're a frequency you decide to live in.
→ "That money, success, and introductions" – Gratitude keeps you focused on opportunities you already have.
→ "Flow to me" – The kind of flow that shows up when your mindset, actions, and relationships are aligned.
→ "In ever increasing quantities from a myriad of different sources" – Gratitude is a flywheel that compounds over time.
→ "For the betterment of all those involved" – I never wanted success that only worked for me.
→ "My life is perfect" – I choose to see my current reality as raw material, not punishment.
→ "Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better" – Pure 1% better math.

What the Science Says
→ Gratitude improves mental health – Reduces anxiety and depression
→ Gratitude changes the brain – Activates reward and regulation regions
→ Gratitude improves physical health and sleep
→ Gratitude strengthens relationships
→ Structured gratitude tools work in as little as 6-10 sessions

Three Gratitude Habits for Advisors
→ The 60-Second Morning Affirmation
Before you touch your phone, stand up, breathe deeply, and say your affirmation. Say it like you mean it.
→ The Weekly Gratitude Text or Voice Memo
Once a week, send one client, mentor, or team member a note saying specifically why you appreciate them. No pitch. Pure appreciation.
→ Gratitude Reset in Real Time

When anxiety spikes, stop for thirty seconds. Name three things you're grateful for in that exact 
moment. Use gratitude as a pattern interrupt.

I coach to happy and grateful results, not production. Production is a lagging indicator. Execution of being grateful is a leading indicator. When you're grounded, happy, and genuinely grateful, your business expands with less friction.

That's not woo-woo. That's strategy.

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Take Flight Weekly Episode #304: Gratitude is a High Performance Strategy

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In this PODCAST, I cover the 7 characteristics of a True Champion and how that relates to business.

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In this podcast, I discuss the one of the most important questions you are going to ask yourself as you drive towards your goals.  Are you Committed or Are You Interested?

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So to correlate that to self development, meeting our goals or higher levels of success is our “computing issue”.  So today,  I have 5 simple, easy to execute, low cost and high impact SUCCESS HACKS that you can implement this week.

Monday Morning Pep Talk - 5 Success Hacks

Jim Miller is a success mentor and life coach who guides top real estate brokers from around the country while managing 2.3B+ in sales production as Designated Managing Broker with Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty in Chicago, Illinois.  He is also recognized as a top real estate coach to top Sotheby's International Realty brokers in 35 luxury markets.

Take Flight Weekly Episode #304: Gratitude is a High Performance Strategy

Ask Jim Miller

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