Owner and Partner of the One Off Hospitality Group

I have two quotes on my desk that I have looked at throughout the last 25 years.Calvin Coolidge’s quote Press On: "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race." And Robert Browning: "A man’s reach should exceed his grasp or what’s a heaven for."

In every job, no matter how short or long it lasted, I’ve learned something about myself that I’ve carried with me to the next position.

The "love of the game" clause continues to inspire me. I didn’t get into this business to make money, that wasn’t the motivating factor. What motivates me is my love for this business. From putting together the real estate deal straight through to design and build out, and steps of service and finally, welcoming each guest into our home. I borrowed that tagline from Michael Jordan,when he first got drafted and moved to Chicago. He was starting to make his mark as a great basketball player and they started to put limitations on him. Corporate made him stop playing pickup games on the streets of Chicago, so he put a clause in his contract and called it the "love of the game" clause, allowing him to play basketball on any lot or street corner in the United States.