The Boutique Search Firm Blog

The folks behind Katsuya, the successful group of Japanese restaurants developed by Sam Nazarian’s SBE group, do a great job at training their staff. A repeat guest at their restaurants is more than likely guaranteed good, informed service. Personally, I have always wondered how the servers get the orders right most of the time in […]

Nepotism is favoritism granted to relatives. The term originated with the assignment of nephews to cardinal positions by Catholic popes and bishops. Nepotism is found in the fields of politics, entertainment, business and religion. In my book, it is cronyism with a big N. Take it from the headhunter: Nepotism is POISON. Worse yet, nepotism […]

“Drinking rum and Coca Cola, Workin’ for the Yankee dollar.” The good folks of the Mafia have fond memories of Havana when it was Las-Vegas-by-the-Sea: the showgirls, the fancy hotels, the nightclubs, the restaurants, pristine beaches and the illegal pleasures that come with it. The Batista régime did its utmost to encourage vice and the […]

At this writing, there are three individuals, all three the very best in their field, who unfortunately do not have access to each other, better yet do not even know each other. Yet they cannot be immensely successful unless they fully merge their talents. One is the developer of a unique and remarkable product or […]

It seems not a single person who has visited Dubai has returned without a litany of superlatives singing its praise. Apparently, it is the Paris of Les Années Folles, the Manhattan of 1935, the California of the sixties. Everything there is bigger, better, shinier. The number of guest rooms is increasing substantially every year as […]

“This is your captain speaking: If you were pleased with your flight, I have left envelopes on the cockpit door for your convenience. Your tips are greatly appreciated.” Friendly dinosaur Marriott made a huge announcement a few days ago: from now on, no matter what kind of Marriott product you use, whether it is a […]

One of the basic services expected of an executive search firm (especially a retained one) is to put together valid and thorough professional and character references on short-listed candidates. Obviously, the temptation is to ask said candidates for a list of references, but isn’t that tantamount to asking a dog to sit in order to […]

Once upon a time, in the Swiss village of Niederwald, César Ritz was born into a family of goat farmers. He started his hotel career at age 15 (like every one else at the time). Fast forward to 1889 when Ritz found himself at the head of London’s newest and most opulent hotel: the Savoy. […]

I was recently having coffee with an otherwise outstanding and refined hotelier, who shared some of his challenges with me. The owner of his hotel was constantly urging him to keep the hotel full. My colleague felt it was unhealthy as it was pushing his people to their limits and the wear and tear on […]

I am often asked if, at the Boutique Search Firm, we have a “specialty”. Yes indeed we do: the top-luxury hotel. It is a fact that the General Manager of a top-luxury hotel running an average rate of $600+ will have little in common with the General Manager of a so-called “full-service” hotel. By the […]