Dharmesh Shah, HubSpot co-founder, has paid for every dinner with clients and colleagues for 25 years. When Nick Gray tried to pick up the check at a meal with Sam Parr and Neville, Dharmesh forced a refund to cover it himself. He says this relentless habit of treating builds the trust that closes big deals.
Dharmesh is maybe a multi-billionaire. He started HubSpot, which is like a $30 billion company. He grew up poor in India and he was like, someone told me that when I moved to America, that apparently what these people do is they go buy everyone's dinner as much as possible to meet clients and take care of clients. And so he has paid for 100% of the dinners that he's ever gone out to for everyone. I went out to dinner with him and it was me, Nick Gray, Neville, and Dharmesh. Dharmesh walks to the bathroom at the end. Nick Gray goes, watch this. He runs and he pays for it. Dharmesh sits down and Nick goes, my treat. Dharmesh stands up, he goes, this is unacceptable. I'm sorry, I can't. Well, hold on. And he runs to the back of the kitchen. He makes him refund Nick Gray's credit card, and he gives his credit card. And he comes back, like, committed at 22 to 100% of the time pay for everyone's dinners. I've done it for 25+ years, and so by you paying for dinner, I will not allow that streak broken.
