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.
***
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

Welcome to Monday Morning Pep Talk! In Episode 267, I’m tackling a question I hear all the time:

"Where do I start with a CRM?"

Many advisors struggle with setting up their CRM. They know they need it but feel overwhelmed about where to begin. If that sounds like you, you’re not alone.

A well-structured CRM is the foundation of a predictable and enjoyable business—helping you stay top of mind, build trust, and create consistent opportunities. But getting started is often the hardest part.

This episode will give you a step-by-step roadmap to set up your CRM without the overwhelm.

📌 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✔️ The five key lists every real estate advisor needs in their CRM
✔️ How to pull and organize contacts from email, phone, social media, and past transactions
✔️ Why a structured CRM leads to more repeat and referral business
✔️ How to take action immediately instead of waiting for a perfect database

🚀 Step 1: Define Your Five Key Lists

Before adding names to your CRM, you need clarity on who belongs there. The Take Flight framework organizes contacts into five essential lists:

✅ Top 100 Clients – Your most loyal, high-producing clients.
✅ Top 100 Referral Partners – Trusted professionals who send you business.
✅ Warm List – People likely to buy or sell in 12 months.
✅ Hot List – Active clients planning to buy or sell in 90 days.
✅ Local Collaborative Brokers – Market peers who provide insights and share inventory.

A CRM isn’t just about collecting names—it’s about staying connected to the right people.

🔎 Step 2: Mine Your Data Sources

Now that you know who belongs in your CRM, it’s time to pull their information systematically:

📩 Email & Calendar: Search for keywords like client, closing, contract, referral.
📱 Phone & Texts: Check frequent contacts—who do you engage with regularly?
🔗 Social Media: Review LinkedIn, Instagram DMs, and Facebook messages.
📑 Past Transactions: Pull MLS data from the last 3–5 years for past buyers and sellers.
🎟 Networking & Events: Consider past mastermind groups, conferences, and coaching programs.

A structured process ensures you’re capturing high-value contacts—not just filling a database.

📲 Step 3: Take Action As You Build

A common mistake? Waiting until your CRM is fully built before reaching out.

🚨 Don’t do that.
If a name surfaces, reach out immediately—send a quick text, check in, or schedule a coffee. Your CRM isn’t just for storing contacts—it’s for relationship management.

📊 Why This Matters: The ROI of a Well-Maintained CRM
Advisors who actively nurture their database see:
✔️ Higher conversion rates
✔️ More repeat business
✔️ Stronger referral pipelines

A CRM isn’t just an admin task—it’s a game changer for long-term success.

📌 Final Thought: Start NOW ✈️

This episode gives you the blueprint—now it’s time to execute. A strong CRM creates a predictable, enjoyable business when built with small, intentional steps.

📩 Get More Coaching & Resources

📬 Join My Email List:
https://askjimmiller.com/contact/

📲 Follow Me on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/askjimmiller/

🔗 Connect on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmillerchicago/

✈️ Where Do I Start? (CRM Strategy for Real Estate Advisors) | Monday Morning Pep Talk # 267

Monday Morning Pep Talk - First Impressions

Why do we procrastinate?  Find out why in this PODCAST.   I discuss how procrastination is really an argument has with itself.

Monday Morning Pep Talk, JUST DO IT!

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

Monday Morning Pep Talk- The Mind of a True Champion

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?

Monday Morning Pep Talk - Are You Committed or Are You Interested?

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.

✈️ Where Do I Start? (CRM Strategy for Real Estate Advisors) | Monday Morning Pep Talk # 267

Ask Jim Miller

Related tracks