# Danny Meyer, CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group, Joins MBAs for Block Lunch

Danny Meyer, CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group, joined Dean [Peter Henry](http://www.stern.nyu.edu/faculty/bio/peter-henry) and MBA students for NYU Stern’s Block Lunch event series this fall. Meyer shared his personal and professional story beginning as a Political Science major in college and his path to becoming one of New York City’s most prominent restaurateurs.

He shared several pieces of advice:- You can afford to pick a job that won’t be your last job
- Surround yourself with people who are both honest and gifted
- Get all stakeholders – staff, investors, suppliers – to root for your success
- Look for opportunities to invest in your local community and encourage employees to get involved and volunteer
- With great leadership comes great humility – You’re only as good as your last transaction
- Employee happiness is critical for long-term success

![Danny Meyer_Block Lunch_1](/sites/default/files/assets/images/con_045134.jpg)

Meyer also described his recipe for sustainable business success: 49% service and 51% hospitality. According to Meyer, hospitality is the X factor that keeps his restaurants, including Union Square Cafe and Gramercy Tavern, top-ranked in NYC’s Zagat guide. Taking this management strategy beyond the restaurant sector and applying it to industries spanning healthcare, finance, entertainment and more, Meyer and colleague Susan Salgado, a Stern alumnus (PhD ’03), have launched a new consulting business called Hospitality Quotient. (Read more in the fall 2013 issue of [STERNbusiness](http://www.stern.nyu.edu/sternbusiness/fall-2013/index.htm), pg 16.)

![Danny Meyer_Block Lunch_2](/sites/default/files/assets/images/con_045135.jpg)

Business and Policy Leader Events

— 11/4/2013

With great leadership comes great humility. You’re only as good as your last transaction. - Danny Meyer

###  Past Block Lunch Events

- [Susan Jurevics, CEO of Pottermore](/node/7982)
- [Christopher Howard, President of Hampden-Sydney College](/node/7939)
- [Tom Bernstein, President and Co-Founder of Chelsea Piers](/node/7839)
- [Danny Meyer, CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group](/node/7354)
- [Mo Koyfman, General Partner at Spark Capital, and Jeremy Philips, Managing Partner of Occam Partners](/node/7348)
- [Dina Powell, President of the Goldman Sachs Foundation](/node/6560)
- [Helene Gayle, President and CEO of CARE USA](/node/6481)
- [Michael Warren, Principal of Albright Stonebridge Group](/node/6482)
- [Hugo Lindgren, Editor of *The New York Times Magazine*](/node/6007)
- [Ken Mehlman, Former Chairman of the Republican National Committee](/node/6006)
- [Gordon Brown, Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom](/node/46977)