Miami Heat: How David Grutman turned hospitality into a cultural empire

Summary

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The Speed of Culture Podcast

Miami Heat: How David Grutman Turned Hospitality into a Cultural Empire

Host: Matt Britton (Founder & CEO, Suzy)
Guest: David Grutman (Hospitality Entrepreneur, Founder of Groot Hospitality)
Date: April 14, 2026

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Episode Overview

This engaging episode features an in-depth conversation between Matt Britton and hospitality powerhouse David Grutman. Known for transforming Miami into a world-class nightlife and dining mecca, Grutman shares the stories, philosophies, and strategies behind his hospitality empire. Listeners gain insights into shifting consumer trends, the power of authentic networking, building celebrity-caliber brands, and Grutman’s new ventures in entertainment and consumer goods.

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Key Topics & Insights

1. Building a Brand in Nightlife & Hospitality

• Early Days of Promotion ([03:00-04:00])

  • Discusses transitioning from traditional tactics like handing out flyers and fax invitations to leveraging social media to build buzz and personal connections.
  • Reveals that, even pre-social media, the work was about “magnifying your message” via the best available platforms.

• Authenticity in Brand-Building ([04:26-05:22])

  • Grutman emphasizes managing his own social media for authenticity.
  • “It’s like having your own show. I just like to show my lifestyle and hopefully you buy into how I’m living.” — David Grutman [04:29]

• Hospitality as a Way of Life ([05:22-06:23])

  • Shares his love for hosting, desire to be the Miami "keyholder," and drive to make guests feel special at every interaction.

2. Pivotal Moments & Relationships

• Securing Marquee Events & Transforming Miami ([06:23-08:14])

  • Tells story of convincing Victoria's Secret to move their show—and afterparty—to Miami, behind the transformation of the city as a cultural hotspot.
  • "There are moments in your life that you’ll never forget. And that's definitely one of them." — David Grutman [07:41]

• Recognition of Strong Female Collaborators ([08:21-08:57])

  • Attributes success to collaborations with formidable women like Monica Mitro and Amy Thompson.
  • “Those are the ones that change the world.” — David Grutman [08:38]

3. Event Excellence & Team Leadership

• Crafting Unforgettable Experiences ([09:31-11:13])

  • Details the importance of every element—music, lighting, service—in the “anatomy of an event.”
  • Admits to obsessive attention to detail: “I’m a sick human being… I correct it right on the spot.” — David Grutman [10:33]

• Sustaining Excellence ([11:29-12:18])

  • Celebrates team success but stresses the importance of stamina and collective focus to rebuild and repeat success daily.

4. The Power of Network: Friends, Not Just Contacts

• Building Genuine Relationships ([17:49-19:38])

  • Rejects shallow networking; aims for authentic, mutually valuable relationships.
  • “I really think networking might be the worst thing I’ve ever heard. I go to things trying to build authentic relationships with people.” — David Grutman [02:05], [19:27]

• Dynamics with Celebrities ([18:20-18:57])

  • Staying grounded with A-listers: “If you just focus in on that one celebrity... that’s when you lose.” [18:39]

5. Business Expansion: Consumer Brands & Investments

• Entering Consumer Goods ([19:53-22:08])

  • Describes strategic collaborations and investments, such as resurrecting the Prince brand and partnering with GoPuff.
  • “Founders just call you and go, ‘I never imagined in my dreams this would happen.’ That is the reward of all rewards… Forget about the money.” — David Grutman [21:34]

• Spotlighting Disruptive Brands ([22:43-23:13])

  • Enthusiasm for new entrants like Olipop and Coconut Cult.
  • Coconut Cult: “It’s going to win the battle of gut health. As a Jewish boy, it’s changed my life.” [23:00]

6. Entertainment & Media Moves

• Bad Bunny & Latin Music Impact ([23:29-25:35])

  • Tells inside story of early collaboration with Bad Bunny and Drake, leading to the hit “MIA.”
  • Partnership with Live Nation and launching the Gecko restaurant with Bad Bunny.

• Venturing into TV & Production ([26:22-27:45])

  • New production company with Evan Rosenfeld & Wheelhouse.
  • Breaks into reality TV by producing a docuseries about social media star Alex Earl for Netflix.
  • “Being in Miami, I come across so many amazing characters that … their story needs to be told.” — David Grutman [26:52]

7. Personal Structure, Balance & Advice

• Daily Routine & Boundaries ([28:47-29:30])

  • Tennis every morning, then work/life integrated from his home, followed by family time and evening work in restaurants/clubs.

• Philosophy Behind the Book ([29:39-30:54])

  • Motivation to write “Take It Personal” stems from teaching hospitality and wanting to give a blueprint for success.
  • “[There’s] certain things along the way that I made a priority, and I put that all in the book, because I want to be able to give the next generation a blueprint.” [29:46]

• Core Mantra: Take It Personal ([32:04])

  • Success attributed to deep personal investment: “Take everything super personal. Why’s that person not in your restaurant? Take it personal.” — David Grutman [32:04]

• Advice for Young Listeners ([31:19-31:52])

  • Focus on win-win outcomes: “When you go into something ... not for your own gain ... it pays off ten times over.” [31:52]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Authenticity in Social & Business:
  “I do my own social media … I think I just like to show my lifestyle and hopefully you buy into [that].” — David Grutman [04:26]

• On Team Building:
  “If it’s just me, then I’m going to be trapped and I’m never going to be able to expand and grow my brands. But if it’s about all of us, then it’s way more powerful.” — David Grutman [12:18]

• On Industry Relationships:
  “When you go into something and your ethics and beliefs is something just for yourself gain and not for the other person, it pays off ten times over just to do good for that person.” — David Grutman [31:33]

• On ‘Taking It Personal’:
  “Take everything super personal, why that person’s not in your restaurant. Take it personal. Why things aren’t going right, because you have to look at yourself.” [32:04]

• On Supporting Friends:
  “People’s cheerleader is the greatest thing you could do in life.” — David Grutman [28:35]

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Important Timestamps

• 02:05 – On real relationship-building vs. networking
• 04:14 – The evolution of promotion strategies
• 06:23 – Story of bringing Victoria’s Secret to Miami
• 10:33 – Micromanaging details at events
• 12:18 – The power of empowering your team
• 17:49 – Approaching networking and friendships
• 19:53 – Getting into consumer brand investments
• 23:29 – The Bad Bunny x Drake x LIV Miami story
• 26:22 – Starting a new production company and Netflix show
• 28:47 – How Grutman structures his day
• 29:39 – Writing his book, “Take It Personal”
• 31:19 – Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
• 32:04 – Grutman’s core mantra

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Episode Takeaways

• Authenticity Wins: Whether in social media, building teams, or networking, authenticity trumps opportunism.
• Detail Matters: The guest’s obsession with every event and interaction shows that excellence comes from never coasting.
• Relationships are Everything: Strong, genuine relationships pay compounding dividends—in business, life, and culture.
• Legacy Thinking: Grutman’s move into teaching, writing, and production is about giving back and shaping the future.
• Personal Investment Drives Success: Taking things personally—even setbacks—can be a powerful motivator for improvement and growth.

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For anyone seeking to grow a brand, expand a network, or learn from a hospitality legend, this episode is teeming with inspiring stories and actionable wisdom—straight from David Grutman’s South Beach empire.

Transcript

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[LinkedIn Advertiser]

Are your ad campaigns lighting up the dashboard but not the pipeline? That's bullspend and marketers are calling it out in dashboard confessions.

[David Grutman]

My boss asked for results, so I opened my dashboard for the only positive

[Podcast Host]

sounding metric I had.

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[David Grutman]

A lot of people say, oh, I'm going to go to this networking event. I hate that, man. I really think networking might be the worst thing I've ever heard before in my life. I really go to things trying to build authentic relationships with people. And I'm not trying to hit 100 people. I'm trying to really build one or two really great relationships.

[Podcast Host]

To thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape, brands must move at an ever increasing pace. I'm Matt Britton, founder and CEO of Suzy. Join me and key industry leaders as we dive deep into the shifting consumer trends within their industry, why it matters now, and how you can keep up. Welcome to the Speed of Culture. Up. Today on the Speed of Culture podcast, I am thrilled to be joined by David Grutman, one of America's most influential hospitality entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs overall. He's credited with transforming Miami to a world class nightlife and dining destination. Dave, I'm so excited for this. Thanks so much for hosting us in your beautiful south beach home.

[David Grutman]

Thank you. I'm so happy you're here.

[Podcast Host]

Absolutely. So let's start off with, as I told you before we started, I have a lot of background in nightlife. Somebody who we both know. Jason Strauss is my partner at Boston University.

[David Grutman]

But that's a little bit of a red flag. I'm gonna be honest with you.

[Podcast Host]

You know, we had a great partnership because he brought all like the New York kids. He went to a New York private school. I grew up in Philly, didn't really know anyone, and I brought the masses. And this is before social media. I had teams of people handing out flyers for me.

[David Grutman]

Faxes, right?

[Podcast Host]

Exactly. Different world. And he just had a network. And it was that combination that worked. But now we're in a completely different world. And you've done such a great job at building your personal brand and the brands of all your venues using social media. And I guess my question for you, as someone who's been in nightlife equally as long, how has it changed over the years in terms of building a brand specifically in the hospitality space?

[David Grutman]

Well, I mean, as you're building a brand, you always find what the best way to do it. Back then when Jason and I started, it was faxes, then it was evites, then it was flash evites with music and movement and all that. And then it was very event driven and just mailed out invitations. And then now with social media, it's a whole nother platform. So there's always been some sort of platform for us to find, to try to magnify our message.

[Podcast Host]

But I think you've particularly done a great job at just embracing social media. And you seem really natural at it, whether you're talking about yourself, your ventures, your, your vast network, like what's been your approach to it.

[David Grutman]

So I do my own social media. No. So let's start there. So it's authentic. And I think I just like to show my lifestyle and hopefully you buy into like, how I'm living my life and all the touching points about it. So social media has just been like, listen, I guess it's like having your own show, right? Basically. So I kind of show my tennis, my meeting with people, my me going to the restaurants, other people's restaurants, consumer brand investments, how I used them, why I went with them. I just think it's important people get a glimpse of your life.

[Podcast Host]

And part of what you do is seem like you just let. You're not afraid to let everyone in. Right. Because I think some people are private. And you obviously live an amazing lifestyle just in terms of the way you spend your time and the network you have, but you're not afraid to share it with people. And my take from following you from afar is you love having people at your home, just like you love doing that. And have you always been that way?

[David Grutman]

Yeah, I've always. Like, I love hospitality at the end of the day, and I love hosting people. And I've been doing it for so many years. I wanted to be that key holder when you come to Miami. I really want to be the person that you call and reach out to that makes sure that everything's perfect. And it started off just taking people to restaurants and then to my restaurants and then in my home, and then hopefully party with them at nighttime at liv. So it's been very cool to be that person.

[Podcast Host]

So the first time I heard your name was in 2003, when someone who I know, you know, Ed Raczak. I was launching Victoria's Secret Pink for Ed and Les, and we built this giant gift box in south beach and basically opened up and we had a huge event. And that night, Ed wanted us to take a bunch of people out, and he's like, I'm gonna call Dave Grutman. And I was like, who's that? And he told me about you, and you came and you. Obviously, it was before you had this whole infrastructure here. Take us back to the early days when you came to south beach, and what was the path that got you to where you are today?

[David Grutman]

So I think when you talk about that part of my life, it was the VMAs and a lot of big marquee events were coming to Miami, but there was no real company or person for them to be able to communicate with. Like, they were getting serviced in New York.

[Podcast Host]

Who was the guy? Basically, right?

[David Grutman]

Not only who's the guy, but also at that time, I had a firm with a guy named Brian Gordon. Ryan Shimon and Ryan. Well, yeah, and we used to activate for the brands and. And listen, New York and LA always got the bigger event and stuff like that. But then we Grew the event business and being able to service them in a way that they needed to be serviced in a corporate way. Because there's always that balancing act between, oh, let's throw a party, and what's the corporation need to get out of it? Right. What's the branding? What's the message to get out? And at the end of the day, what's the target to push the new brand they're launching or song or artist or whatever it is? I mean, they're all brands, right? So that was good. And then, you know, Ed Raczik, when I got the deal at liv, and I took him to the back of the Fontainebleau, it was dirt back there. And I go, ed, I got this new club, Liv coming at this new Fountain Blue resort. I think it's going to change Miami. I need you to move the Victoria's Secret show from doing it in New York or la, because those were the only two places at the time. And I need you to do it for the grand opening of the Fountain Blue. And he looked around and he looked at me and he goes, okay.

[Podcast Host]

I'm like, he'll be a place in Miami at the point.

[David Grutman]

He still has the same place at Il Vilaggio.

[Podcast Host]

Yes.

[David Grutman]

And Ed, to his credit, he's one of those vision makers. Yeah. So he was like, let's do it. And I remember it just really, those are. There's moments in your life that you'll never forget. And that's definitely one of them. When I was able to call Jeff Sofer.

[Podcast Host]

Right.

[David Grutman]

Who owns the Fountain Blue, and say, jeff, I got the VS show for us and we'll do the after party at liv. But I think it's going to be a great thing for your resort. And Jeff right away is like, of course, let's go. And it was one of the most in my life, one of those big blue checks that was just like.

[Podcast Host]

I mean, Ed gave me my first big break, too. So shout out Ed Razak. And advertising, of course.

[David Grutman]

Best.

[Podcast Host]

And there are people along the way who will just, you know, you probably think when you look back at your life of those moments.

[David Grutman]

Yeah. I mean, listen, Ed Raczik had Monica Mitro with him as well. And to Monica's credit, I really had to work Monica for many years saying, yeah, she's. And I love really strong women like that. And I've come across so many in my life where everyone else is like, oh, I hate that. And I'm like, no, these are the women that if you do what you say, you're going to do. They do everything for you. And those are the ones I really focus on more than anything because they're the ones that change the world. So she's one. Amy Thompson was one that managed Swedish House Mafia and stuff like that. But to me, there's a couple really strong women figures in my life that's helped me be better at what I do.

[Podcast Host]

It's awesome.

[David Grutman]

Yes. Because they keep you in check. And I did a Super bowl party for them right before that in Arizona, and I knocked that one out of the park for whatever reason. Everything felt perfectly. They had a commercial in the super bowl that year, so they want to do an event afterwards for it. And from that, by knocking that out of the park, it gave me the leverage to say, I think this is going to be something great for you as well. And everyone bought into it.

[Podcast Host]

And to knock an event out of the park means a lot. Right. You have to have the right people there, but that's only part of it. So what does it mean to knock an event out of the park? Especially when you're on the road, so to speak. It's one thing if you're at your venue.

[David Grutman]

Yeah, the road, first of all, you're kind of like, you know, you're not at the mercy, but you're like, thank God I've built up enough name for myself that when I go to another venue or another city, they're not going to try to mess around and they follow my direction. And my team is so good at making sure they know exactly what I'm looking for and what's important to the brand. Because it's subtle branding. It's making sure that people don't feel like they're walking into a commercial, but at the same time, they know exactly why they're there.

[Podcast Host]

Right. But you also have to think about the elements, like the anatomy of an event. Right. It's the music, it's the vibe, the

[David Grutman]

performance, the popup performance, the one that no one knows about, the lighting, the music, everything. It's all pieces of a puzzle to create something great.

[Podcast Host]

Have you struggled throughout your career? When you think about, I've been at Liv during Art Basel, like at the peak of an event, like Calvin Harris there, and you see that every detail is perfect in terms of the lighting, the sound, the service, everything to get there. Have you struggled with, I guess, the dichotomy of allowing your team to do it, but then at the same time, you looking at every single detail.

[David Grutman]

Yeah, I'm a sick human being.

[Podcast Host]

Right.

[David Grutman]

Where either My friends love going to dinner with me or hate going to dinner because I'm looking at all the different tables with the lighting and table service, and is the plate dirty in front of the person? Is there glasses empty? And I'm constantly looking. And I'm not one of these guys like some of my counterparts that will just write it down in an email and then they send it the next day. I correct it right on the spot. And that's not always the best way to do things, but it's the way I do things right. And it's how I learn. Otherwise I'll forget it and I won't. So. Yes, but when everything's perfect, like what you just said in an event, and you just look around, you're like. It's like a perfect art piece to me.

[Podcast Host]

It is.

[David Grutman]

Or like the wine, it's amazing. I just. I love it.

[Podcast Host]

I mean, I've produced some events in my life, and when they go well, and you look out there and people are having an amazing time and you knew that. You put all the pieces together.

[David Grutman]

No, it's like the Catalina Wine Mixer. It's insane. It's perfection to me, I love when you see everything moving. Right?

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. Check that out. Never been.

[David Grutman]

And right afterwards, you high five with your team. And this is where a lot of people in our business miss it is. You have an event that goes perfectly like that, and they forget that there's tomorrow, and tomorrow we have to do it all over again. And being able to have that stamina for you and your team to keep them focused on that, that's where the real power is. And that's how you keep building brands bigger and bigger and.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, so, like, greatness is in the agency of others. And one thing I've noticed about you is that you have a squad, right? You have a team and people. And those people aren't just people that work for you. They're people that are kind of part of like your extended. And they've built their own social media brand. Well, and, you know, I've known Purple for years and people like that who you've, like, talk to me about how that comes about and how you're able to lead, but still kind of make it seem like there's not like a hierarchy, but they're all just extension of your network.

[David Grutman]

Yeah, listen, because in our business, people want to see certain faces around it. I can't be everywhere at all times. So how great is it that I have a team that builds their own profile as well and then integrates it into our places, right? So at any time you could be one of our venues and see a familiar face that you might see on Social or you might have connections with or whatever it is. If it's just me, then I'm going to be trapped and I'm never going to be able to expand and grow my brands. But if it's about all of us, then it's way more powerful.

[Podcast Host]

And I want to move on to some of the other stuff that you're working on now. But the last question on the nightlife side is you're a family man now. I read that you don't drink. And it's one thing when you're getting high off your own supply. So just be like going out and partying when you're running. I think that has a short. The most successful nightlife entrepreneurs don't party when they're out. I think you've kind of set the standard for that. But my question for you is, is it harder to do what you do now that you're not really in the scene as much, even though you go there a lot? Like, how do you balance that?

[David Grutman]

So I think by not being super accessible is also okay too. I don't find it an issue, to be honest with you at all to not drink and be at my club.

[Podcast Host]

I like.

[David Grutman]

I love it. I get to see more things going on and stuff like that. And you know what? I don't know if everybody wants to be partying with me. I'm an older man now. But it's cool, man. Listen, I think it's very powerful not to have to drink and not to do that.

[Podcast Host]

And healthier too.

[David Grutman]

Yeah, healthier. And I don't think in today's society that's the part about going out anymore. I think people just like to gather and have fun and do whatever. Now listen, I sell alcohol for a

[Podcast Host]

living, so I hope that change your business.

[David Grutman]

No. So, you know, listen, I don't judge people for doing it. But of course I want people to party and have a good time and let their inhibitions go down. This is south beach and this is Las Vegas. So if there's a place to do it, I want to be done at my place.

[Podcast Host]

Do you see the nightlife market changing with the private members clubs like Zero Bond and Chipriani? Like, is that. And there's obviously ZZ's in a lot of places down here. Is that changing the nightlife game overall?

[David Grutman]

Miami table market, you know, so Miami doesn't have that many members club. Like they do in New York and L A right now yet. But yeah, listen, I know in those markets, like, you know, all my friends are going to Crane Club or Zero Bond, but. And stuff like that and J Margot, but they're just more nightlife extensions of people wanting to gather for us in Miami. At the end of the day, people want a big club experience, they want a lounge experience, and they want to have a more festive time at dinner.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[David Grutman]

So it works.

[Podcast Host]

It's interesting. A lot of people say, oh, consumers are never going to consume AI generated content. And I actually wrote a post on LinkedIn today. If you go to EDC or you know better than anyone, people gather around, listen to music that's not made by instruments and they don't care because it's about how it makes them feel. They're musicians, but they don't use instruments. And to me, creative people can make AI content and I don't see the difference personally.

[David Grutman]

Okay. I mean, but people still want to experience.

[Podcast Host]

My point is that a lot of people don't believe that AI content's going to take off. And my proof is that essentially it already has. Exactly. We'll be right back with the speed of culture after a few words from our sponsors.

[LinkedIn Advertiser]

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[David Grutman]

I remember telling my boss it'll be

[Progressive Insurance Announcer]

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[David Grutman]

Yeah, it. It wasn't.

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[David Grutman]

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[Podcast Host]

So let's move on to just network like you have built such a great network. If I look at your book, which we'll get into in a second, you have Tom Brady, David Beckham, Serena Williams on the back. Superstars, right? How have you been able to build this network over time? And it doesn't seem opportunistic to me. These people are truly your friends. Like, what has your approach been?

[David Grutman]

Well, I don't try to take advantage of them obviously as well. And I think by just having great relationships and trying to add value to people's lives and they naturally want to do great things for you. So it's not like, I think when you go into something opportunist people, you know, like anything else you could feel when someone's trying to be opportunist with you or not, and if it's authentic or not, 100%.

[Podcast Host]

And how do you get to be comfortable around the Tom Brady's of the world? Like it feels like you talk to them like you would talk to anybody else. Like, was that always in you or is it something that you had to develop over time?

[David Grutman]

I think like anything else, I think by just talking to people all the time until asking people their stories and stuff like that and just having that interaction. Being in the hospitality business kind of trains you to be able to talk to anybody any time. But if you just focus in on that one celebrity and not the other people around, that's when you lose.

[Podcast Host]

Right.

[David Grutman]

So I wouldn't be here today if I just focused on the Tom Brady's and not all the people around him or all the people at the dinner that I'm with. When there happens to be a celebrity or a master of business or anything like that, I mean, you're not chasing. Yeah, I just, I'm here to have a conversation and entertain and just make people feel comfortable.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. Awesome.

[David Grutman]

But not just the one person. The 10 people at the table.

[Podcast Host]

Right. That's important versus zoning in on the most famous person. Yeah, people do that.

[David Grutman]

And I've been to dinners like that. Who, when they didn't know who I was, and I'm just like, oh, God.

[Podcast Host]

Right. Because you really know what's behind that.

[David Grutman]

It's just like.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. And that's probably why ultimately you've been able to build great relationships across the board.

[David Grutman]

Yeah. And I don't go into the relationship saying, what can I get out of?

[Podcast Host]

Right, right, right. So I'm sure a lot of it's just about value exchange. And you're looking to.

[David Grutman]

And, you know, a lot of people say, oh, I'm going to go to this networking event. I hate that, man. I really think networking might be the worst thing I've ever heard before my life. I really go to things trying to build authentic relationships with people.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[David Grutman]

And, you know, I'm not trying to hit 100 people. I'm trying to really build one or two really great relationships.

[Podcast Host]

And speaking of spanning relationships, you've obviously done a lot outside the nightlife industry, and we're here in your office and seeing all these different brands that you've invested in.

[David Grutman]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

How did that start? And talk to me about the process and how it's going and what you're getting out of that experience.

[David Grutman]

So it's been one of the most rewarding experiences. And, you know, as you get older, you want to keep pivoting and or bring in other extensions of your ecosystem into your life. And I started making an ecosystem for me in the hospitality. I have, like, you know, a restaurant and a nightclub and et cetera. So they all kind of feed each other now. On the consumer brand side, I started doing it, like, right around Covid time. My first thing was I partnered with ABG and we took Prince out of bankruptcy and I did that. And I saw that I had an effect on a clothing brand or a lifestyle brand like that.

[Podcast Host]

You're a distressed brand. Authentic brands group does that. They partner with you.

[David Grutman]

Yeah. And by the way, they're the best partners. They're able to take a distressed or brand and work with you on building it and making it a great brand internationally. So that was great. But where it really turned the needle for me is I met the founders of Gopuff, Raf and Yak and Gopuff, which is the most amazing delivery service. They're incredible. We would talk to these young founders of consumer brand goods together so you have me and the GoPuff founders on the zoom with them. And it was, of course, you could see the person on the other line a little nervous. But I learned so much with them. How. And also the way I live my life is I want it to be win, win business. Now the three of us together could really take advantage of an up and coming consumer brand. Instead. We never did stuff like that. We said, listen, let's do this. We want to not only invest, but we also want to advise and we want to build your brand together. And I think you're going to get there no matter what. But with us, you're going to get there quicker, better, faster.

[Podcast Host]

Right. And just through the connections you have. Yeah, the whole thing. Right.

[David Grutman]

So after you've done it a few times and to see founders just call you and go, I never imagined in my dreams this would happen. And that is the reward of all rewards. Forget about the money and all that, all that is just a utility of changing people's lives.

[Podcast Host]

It's so true. If I look back on my career, the things, you know, once you make a certain amount of money, you look for the intangibles and what gets you up.

[David Grutman]

Exactly.

[Podcast Host]

To me, I look at people just how like Ed Raczak gave you, and I sure, you know, an opportunity. There are people who like, when you look back and you're like, wow, look what they're doing now. It's so rewarding.

[David Grutman]

And also people that, you know, have had my company for so many years, to see that there has been people that left me and started their own companies and they've been very successful, that makes me very happy.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[David Grutman]

So that's great too. But I think as you work with these, with skinny dip and Googles and coconut gold and Neuro gum and they're just exploding. Vacation is just at a crazy raise. It makes me so happy that I was a part of that.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. And I think the food and beverage space is changing so much. You look at GLP1s and people want to live lives. And the incumbents, the Coca Cola is in, Mondelez is. They're getting hurt by these new Ollie Pops.

[David Grutman]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Great example. And poppy investment.

[David Grutman]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

So we had David Lester on the podcast.

[David Grutman]

Great.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. Great guy.

[David Grutman]

Great guy.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[David Grutman]

I think Olipop is a disruptor of all disruptors. I think to me, Coconut Cult, now that they have these single serves that are out in.

[Podcast Host]

What is Coconut Cult?

[David Grutman]

So it's a probiotic yogurt. There's four. It's going to win the Battle of gut health. As a Jewish boy, it's changed my life, that's for sure. And it's just one of these very disruptive brands that you see come across your path. And I'm so lucky to be able to in it. It's awesome.

[Podcast Host]

And your latest venture is going into. You know, I was watching the Super Bowl a couple weeks ago.

[David Grutman]

You saw that?

[Podcast Host]

My.

[LinkedIn Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

My wife's like, that's Dave Grupman. I'm like, what?

[David Grutman]

No.

[Podcast Host]

And we rewound it. And I was like, no way. And then it made sense because I know you have a relationship with Bad Bunny.

[David Grutman]

Yeah. Yeah. For me.

[Podcast Host]

Well, first of all, how did that come about?

[David Grutman]

It's so funny. Back in the day, EDM was, as you know, was the most explosive music style there was. And we used to have a Thursday and a Saturday of EDM music. And then when EDM took a dip down, the Thursday was more the night that we incubated new DJ acts and that had to go away. Just focus on the Saturday. So we did a Latin on Thursday, and it's Miami. And I was like, okay, let's do it. And I saw the reaction of people when this guy, Bad Bunny would come and do the show or come and host the night or whatever.

[Podcast Host]

And this is before anyone knew him as early.

[David Grutman]

I mean, listen, these are very early days. And I'm having dinner with Drake, and Drake goes, who's the hottest reggaeton guy right now? And I go, oh, yeah, Bad Bunny. He goes, he doesn't respond to my DMs. I'm like, are you sure you have the right DM?

[Podcast Host]

Right.

[David Grutman]

That night I called him and his team and they didn't believe it. I said, drake wants to record with you. He's recording his Scorpio's album now, Scorpion's album, and he'd like to see you tomorrow. They go, we don't believe you. So I hand the phone to Drake. Drake goes, either you come to me or I'm going to come to you. They come. The next day, they do mia. One of the biggest hits, I think, in Bad Bunny's and Drake's. I mean, it was just a monster hit and he never forgot it. And there's been other times along the way that we've been helping each other. And Live Nation buys 51% of my company. And Michael Rapinoe, who's the greatest partner, CEO, president, wrote about it in your book, he's just the greatest, goes, hey, I really want to do with Latin like I did with Hip Hop with Jay Z and Roc Nation. I want to. I go, well, there's one guy to do that, and that's Noah Assad, who's Bad Bunny's manager. And when Bad Bunny went to do the stadium tour deal, he said, I have another condition. I want David Grutman to do a restaurant with him.

[Podcast Host]

Wow.

[David Grutman]

So a. It makes me look great with my partners from Live Nation. First of all, the fact that he left this independent promoter that he was with for so long and go with Live Nation and launch this tour. And then he goes, I want to do a restaurant with David Grutman. And we have Gecko. And Gecko's just been such a special place, not only just for the food and times and stuff we get share there, but the fact that we did something special together.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. And he just said, I'm going to be in the super bowl halftime show when you come down.

[David Grutman]

Well, I went to his residency, which there should be a case study from Harvard on, because that's how impactful his residency in Puerto Rico was this summer. And he had something called Casita. So usually where the friends and family riser is, he built a Puerto Rican house with satellite dish and couches and bar and front porch and the whole thing. And I went to it this summer, and I was in there, and I happened to be with him when he got the call that they got the deal for the Super Bowl. And I go, we're doing the casita because I want to do the casita. I want to put the people in there. And it wasn't even a question. They were all about it, and they're just great people. Noah saw it, his manager, Bunny, and his whole team, and they've been with him for so long. There's special people out there, and it's great to be a part of that team.

[Podcast Host]

So speaking of entertainment. So I know that's your latest venture.

[David Grutman]

Yeah. Production.

[Podcast Host]

World of production entertainment. So let's talk about it. I know you have a big show with Alex Earl.

[David Grutman]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Coming out.

[David Grutman]

Finally got greenlit on something.

[Podcast Host]

It's amazing.

[David Grutman]

And currently we're filming the Black Coffee documentary right now. But I've pitched a lot, so it's been. It's me and Evan Rosenfeld, and we just partnered now with Wheelhouse. So we're partners with Wheelhouse on the production company. But right before that, I had pitched a lot of shows, and a lot of shows, they were like, no, it's not right.

[Podcast Host]

What makes you want to get into entertainment?

[David Grutman]

Because being in Miami, I come across so Many amazing characters that I feel like their story needs to be told. And knowing Alex and Alex's world, for me, it makes all the sense in the world for great tv. And convincing her and her entire family to want to do a reality show or a docu series. Sorry. Was not the easiest. I had to FaceTime a couple of big friends of mine to have them convince them. And then this Ben Winston, who runs Falwell, who I just know does such a great job. Ben didn't know Alex at the time, and I just kept pushing Alex. I'm like, ben, trust me, this is the one. And then as he did his research, he's like, she's the one. And finally, so we're partners on producing the show together. Three different streaming services made offers on it, but we went with Netflix. And I'm so excited for the world to see the Earls, because it's not just Alex, it's the whole family. And they're all such great characters.

[Podcast Host]

So cool.

[David Grutman]

Yeah. First of all, it's amazing what she's created, but I think you're gonna be equally amazed on what the rest of the family does.

[Podcast Host]

And, you know, Kim Kardashian obviously wrote the forward to your book. Of course, they kind of set the tone and the roadmap for reality TV and how it can help you branch big time into so many different ventures.

[David Grutman]

Of course, I mean, look, they've used that as a platform, and, you know, there's so many superstars in that family. They've gone on to grow their own brands, which is incredible.

[Podcast Host]

Yep. Kylie and Kim and Kendall.

[David Grutman]

I got my cloud protein popcorn last week. It's the best.

[Podcast Host]

And when something like that comes out, they know to send it to you. And you're always getting stuff in the mail here, and you're posting it, you're just building the network.

[David Grutman]

Well, it's about supporting your friends. So I think whether it's a post, whether it's even just calling them, saying, I got to tell you, it's what a great brand. Telling other people about it. I think people's cheerleader is the greatest

[Podcast Host]

thing you could do in life, 100%. So you got the entertainment venture, you have the restaurants, you have the nightclubs. You have, you know, all these ventures that you're doing. What's the pie chart of your day look like?

[David Grutman]

Well, every morning from 8 to 9, I do tennis.

[Podcast Host]

Every morning.

[David Grutman]

Every morning. Or I like to call it fence, because I don't overhand surf.

[Podcast Host]

Was that hard for you to carve out, given your family Commitments, your work commitments, to make sure that you do that every day. Because a lot of people don't take the time to do that.

[David Grutman]

So I think it's important to you. You make time for. So that's. By having a consistent time with that. That helps me kind of do the rest of my day. And I do meetings every half an hour to an hour, a lunch meeting. I do everything at my house, though, to be honest.

[Podcast Host]

Really?

[David Grutman]

Yeah. So every. Every meeting's here, lunch is here, and then my kids come home, like around between four and five, and I take like an hour or two with them to try to be present, have dinner with them, and then I do my second job of going to visit my restaurants and nightclubs.

[Podcast Host]

Very cool. So to wrap up here, the book Take It Personal. What made you decide to write a book, and what do you hope readers will get out of it?

[David Grutman]

I've been teaching a college course for the last five years at FIU Hospitality.

[Podcast Host]

The Dave Grutman Experience.

[David Grutman]

The David Grutman Experience. Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Very cool.

[David Grutman]

And the reason why I wanted to teach and the reason why I wanted to write a book is there was no blueprint for what I do back then. And I've been able to. There's a lot of stuff they don't teach you in college. And I think it's important that to be able to do what I do and where I'm at. There's certain things along the way that I made a priority and I put that all in the book because I want to be able to give the next generation a blueprint of stuff they may not learn in school or just ethics and beliefs and relationships and how that really, over time, by playing the long game, works out great.

[Podcast Host]

And it's not lost on me that you call the book Take It Personal because, like, you're inextricably linked to what you do professionally and who you are as a person. Some people, they're a lawyer. No one wants to talk about how they're lawyer during the day and they're a different person at night. But you are. It's all one. Is that a part of why you wrote the thesis of the book behind Take It Personal?

[David Grutman]

Well, I think because I keep things so inside me that I take it personal. And one of the best ways that I've ever learned was when I made mistakes. Someone came pretty truthful and hard with me, and it really resonated inside to me. I take things so personal that that's why I think I'm successful.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, I mean, speaking of which we have a lot of younger listeners of the podcast, and there's probably very few that wouldn't want to have the career trajectory and the life that you built for yourself. You know, you have a beautiful family and a great career and you're well liked and you have incredible experiences is what piece of advice would you give to younger people starting off on their journey so they can essentially realize their potential in life like you have?

[David Grutman]

I mean, I think for me, it's so I go into every interaction as a win win. And when you just go into it like you want to do good for somebody, it comes out great. And I always see, how do I make this?

[Podcast Host]

Not keeping score, not thinking what you're going to get back at it.

[David Grutman]

No, I keep score in fence, that's for sure. There's a guy named Cedric Gervais that we're getting. Yeah, he's. He's a terrible tennis player. But no, listen, I think when you go into something and your ethics and beliefs is something just for yourself gain and not for the other person, it pays off 10 times over just to do good for that person. And I think that's what's helped me so much in my life.

[Podcast Host]

Amazing. So to wrap up here, we always ask our guests if there's a saying or mantra. I know you have your tennis thing where you make everyone else say a mantra, so I'm going to make you do it. Now, what's a saying or mantra that's encapsulated your career, professional journey today?

[David Grutman]

I mean, I really just want to bring it back to the book. I want to be like, to me, guys, taking it personal is how you need to live your life. I mean, take everything super personal, why that person's not in your restaurant. Take it personal. Why things aren't going right because you have to look at yourself when things aren't going exactly how it is. You need to change your tone.

[Podcast Host]

Well, we're going to leave it with that. Thank you so much for taking the time. Man, this has been great to walk through your journey. It's inspiring as I knew it would be. I'm wishing you nothing but success with the book and everything else you have going on moving forward.

[David Grutman]

Thank you.

[Podcast Host]

Awesome. On behalf of Susie and Adwee team, thank you again to the great David Grutman for joining us today live from South Florida. The king of south beach is here and he has his new book, take It Personal, which is available April 14th wherever books are sold. I'm going to pick up my copy. Make sure you pick up yours as well. Be sure to subscribe Bring you the Speed of Culture podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Till next time. See you soon. Have one. Peace out. Bye bye. The Speed of Culture is brought to you by Suzy as part of the Ad Week Podcast Network and a Guest Creator Network. You can listen subscribe to all Adweek's podcasts by visiting Adweek.com podcasts to find out more about Suzy, head to Suzy.com and make sure to search for the Speed of Culture in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere else podcasts are found. Click follow so you don't miss out on any future episodes. On behalf of the team here at Suzy, thanks for listening.

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