#9 Excellence is the Capacity to Take Pain: The Four Seasons Legacy (Part 4)

What does it take to redefine an entire industry? To not just compete, but to set the gold standard of excellence worldwide? Today, we're diving into the story of a man who did exactly that. Isadore Sharp, the founder of Four Seasons. From a single hotel in Toronto to a global empire spanning Tokyo, New York and the Caribbean, Sharpe wasn't just building hotels, he. He was creating an expectation. An expectation that no matter where you were in the world, if you stepped into a Four Seasons Hotel, you were guaranteed perfection. But here's the kicker. Sharp didn't come from a luxury background and he wasn't a hotelier by trade. So how did he create what's now considered the greatest hotel brand in the world? And what can we learn from his relentless obsession with excellence? In this episode of Uncommon Excellence, we'll break down how Sharp expanded Four Seasons into the world's most prestigious cities, and why his leadership philosophy, which was hiring the right people and never compromising on standards, made all the difference. This is the story of Isadore Sharpe in the Four Seasons Hotel. And let's get into it. So just to recap, before we get into this episode, I want to recap kind of what we've been going over in the last three episodes. And this is our fourth episode now, but kind of the last three episodes to just kind of have an overview before we really, really dive deep into this episode. And so Israel Sharp, as you guys know, is the founder of the Four Seasons Hotel. And it is one of the world's top luxury hotel brands. And it's one of the greatest five star hotels in the world. And something that's really interesting is Isadore Sharp. He was actually a construction worker and he had no prior hotel experience before he was actually introduced into the hotel business. And how he got introduced was when he created his first hotel in Toronto, Canada. And so he put that hotel, I think it was a motel. And this goes back to our first episode, I believe it was a motel. And they started doing things right, but they just basically made it the best. But one of the main things that changed the way that Four Seasons actually operated was when Isdor decided to enforce a set of standards known as the Golden Rule. And this philosophy was basically really simple. Treat others as you wish to be treated. And what's really interesting is how did this shape the Four Seasons brand and hotel? Well, one, treat others as you wish to be treated, allowed employees to be first, which allowed the guests to also become first. And so Sharp believe that if he treated, treated his employees with Respect, dignity and care, they would naturally extend that same treatment to their guests. And unlike many luxury hotels that focus only on guests, Four Seasons prioritize employee satisfaction. That's something you don't hear a lot. Happy employees create exceptional experiences. And what's really interesting about that is that Isadore really focuses on, on his employees. You don't hear that a lot in hotel brands in this world right now. And that's what makes Four Seasons and really sets them apart. And another thing, so that's the first point, but the second point is it was a personalized anticipatory service. So what that means is that it was basically personalized. So the staff were trained to anticipate guests needs before they even asked. So an example of this would be if a guest mentioned that they love a certain tea or they loved a certain drink. This way it would basically be in their room their next time they visited or be noted down to for the staff to actually make that improvement next time. And I think this is called the guest history system. We'll talk about this later in the podcast episode. But the guest history system is where they take notes in a computerized system that when you visit and any Four Seasons hotel in the future, then that allows them to basically know what you like and so they can customize your experience based off of your preferences. Just like social media or any platform you go on. Now social media is a great aspect of that right now where if you go on Instagram or Facebook and you start liking business type posts, then it will allow you to see more like that. And so basically they just took that and put it in a hotel business and brand. And the next thing is empowering employees to make the decisions. So they didn't want rigid corporate policies, they wanted their staff to have the freedom to solve problems and create memorable experiences. And a Four Seasons housekeeper basically could arrange anything for a guest without waiting for their manager's approval. And a manager wasn't constantly patrolling their every move. And Isidor, when he enforced this golden rule, that was one of the things that he wanted to focus on where he wanted to take the power out of the manager's hand and give it to the staff and have the manager become less of a manager and more of a, a communicator and a thought leader and less of someone that's really constantly hands on. And so this is all under the golden rule. This is how it affected them and really changed that. And another thing is just how it really affected was long term thinking over short term profits And Sharpe refused to cut costs in a way that would impact service quality. And his philosophy was that if we maintain the highest standards, loyalty and word of mouth will drive success. And we'll actually see this in the expansion part of this story where the word of mouth really helps them become who they are known for nowadays. And this is, this all stems from the Golden Rule. And why this works is because it created a culture which, where service felt natural and not forced. With a manager, it really makes it, the staff feel forced. But with this, he wanted to create an experience that felt very natural and very smooth, very easy. And this also built lifelong guest relationships or relationships with just their guests. And many of these people actually became loyal Four Seasons coming customers. So they weren't just a one time guest. They wanted to create a legacy with their customers to the point where they just keep coming back. And another thing why this Golden Rule helped them or why it worked is it also differentiated Four Seasons from competitors who focused only on luxury amenities. And this really allowed Four Seasons to expand. So the Golden Rule was enforced early when they had three to four hotels in the Four Seasons brand. And so they enforced this rule when they had a ton of hotels in Canada and a couple in America. And with that they were able to really enforce this standard of excellence throughout their company, which allowed them to have what they have now, which is a hundred, over 100 locations, I think, I think it's around 100 right now. And so this is really interesting. And so now we get into the expansion part of the book and they start expanding into places like Washington D.C. new York, Maui, the Caribbean and even Japan. So they're trying to expand into the islands, the eastern coast of America and then Asia. And so the first place, Washington D.C. basically it was the location that helped them have their power and influence. And so Washington D.C. as we all know, is a global hub for politics, diplomacy and business. And this is a city where world leaders, executives of high corporations and high profile figure figures, they, they regularly visit this place. And so Four Seasons basically when they got a hotel here, they needed to prove it belonged among the best hotels serving this kind of elite class of humans or elite class of society. And so the lesson behind this with the location is that a hotel's address is more than just its geography. It's more of a statement of who you are, right? And like think about it. And like Beverly Hills down in California, if you have, it's more just of the location of it. It's more of a statement like if you're in Beverly Hills, you're located in there. You people think you're more prestigious, but you got to own up to living there, right? And this is the same thing that four seasons four season does with when they locate in Washington D.C. and so basically this really shows character and tests you and your company when you do something like this, right? When you expand and you serve a greater audience or customer. And so this is a cool story, but once Sharp got the location, this lady named Anna. I'm sure I'll pronounce this wrong, but Chenault asked if the hotel would like to donate $10,000 to the campaign of Ronald Reagan, who was at that time running for California governor. And they eventually said that they would give him a suite at no cost. And they couldn't give the $10,000 because they didn't actually own the the place. And so this allowed them to get in the, into the political realm and allowed them to become trusted by world leaders and eventually the future president of the US and the reason why was because Anna Chanel and Ronald Reagan were going to hold a three night fundraiser. And what they didn't realize at the time is that they would be hosting people that were some of the most influential and wealthiest business leaders in America. And this included the chairman of Chrysler, IBM and even Ford. And basically this led to Ronald Reagan always recommending the Four Seasons Hotel. And this really allowed. Ronald Reagan loved it. And this really allowed Four Seasons to become a top name luxury brand in the US So, so a way to think about this is they had consistent excellence throughout their whole time. And then once they were discovered by more famous and political figures, they were recommended because of their excellent service. And they were some of the first people. So some really cool innovations that they had during this time is they were some. They were the first people to introduce the concept of, of a concierge in America. That's crazy. Concierge. They were the first hotel to do that. And it became so valuable and popular that almost like most hotels quickly followed. And this was one of the things that helped Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, at least to get to the very successful start that it did. And within 15 months of opening the Washington Hotel, the First Class magazine selected Four Seasons as, quote, the best hotel in North America. That's crazy. And remarkable too. Really remarkable. I mean, the best hotel in North America within like, what is that, 15 months. That's a little over a year. Yeah, a little over a year. That's crazy. I mean, best hotel in North America. I mean that. That's crazy. And so then their next location was the Pierre, which is in New York. And this is a really interesting kind of storyline where the Pier was one of the most prestigious hotels in New York City. And it had a deep history of serving elite guests and business moguls. And when Isadore Sharp and Four Seasons actually took over its management, it became a major learning experience and balancing legacy with innovation. And so something that's really interesting is they buy it or they take over from J. Paul Getty who sold it. And I think, I can't remember when, but J. Paul Getty bought it for 2.5 million because it was going bankrupt. And then he eventually sells it or he owns it. I think he sold it to a group of people, a bunch of owners. And then the owners wanted Four Seasons to take over its management and so they did that. So they didn't own it. And this is really interesting because once they didn't own it, that was able, that was a really big conflict for Isadore Sharp. And so something that they learned was that prestige alone is not enough and it's always service that wins. And the Pierre was an iconic hotel with a prime location on Fifth Avenue. But by the time that Four Seasons got of involved, it was really struggling. And so Sharp realized that a famous name does not necessarily guarantee guarantee success, but excellence in service does. And so the lesson behind this little, you know, story or this little lesson within this lesson is that brand reputation must be backed by consistent world class execution. And so the it really presented a challenge of managing and not owning because unlike most Four Seasons properties, the Pierre wasn't owned by Four Seasons, it was just managed by them. And this basically meant that Sharp didn't have the full control over the property, which created a friction between Four Seasons and the building's owners. And so the lesson behind this is that without full control, containing the Four Seasons standard is really difficult. You need a lot of control in order to maintain excellence in your standard. And so the limit of the Golden Rule when, when ownership clashes with the vision is very interesting because Sharp's Golden Rule philosophy emphasized empowering employees and delivering unmatched service. But without ownership, some cost cutting decisions were made that compromised the Four Season standard. And so the result was that Four Seasons eventually ended its management agreement at the Pierre in 2005. And the idea or the key takeaway behind this is that culture and, and service only thrive when leadership is fully aligned. That is leadership within the management and the ownership. And if ownership and management aren't on the same page long term, Excellence isn't sustainable. This goes for if you're running a business or just anything, right? You want to have long term excellence, but you need to make sure everyone's on the same page. And that's why you can't compromise on quality even in a place like the Pier where it's a legendary property. And despite the prestige of this or of the Hotel Four Seasons, it wasn't willing to operate at a lower standard than its other hotels. And instead of diluting their brand, which is genius, the Four Seasons chose to walk away, which, that's why, I mean, is genius. That is really smart, you know, they chose to walk away. And you know, again, this key takeaway, you know, is that long term brand integrity is more valuable than short term profits. And you know, again, like not every hotel is going to be a fit for Four Seasons. And rather than compromising, Four Seasons chose to protect its brand standard and identity. And this really showed to the world, but also personally, internally in the Four Seasons that it wasn't just about running hotels or luxury hotels or just making a lot of money. It was really about maintaining an uncompromising standard of service. And you can really see this in this next story where great companies aren't defined. This is a great quote, I love this. But great companies aren't defined. But what by what they do when things are going well. They are defined by how they respond when everything goes wrong and how you see this uncompromising standard of service. And really this quote personified is in this next story, which in 1981, tragedy struck four Seasons and a fire broke out at the place called in on the park in Toronto, which was a Four Seasons managed hotel. And six people ended up losing their lives. And for Isadore Sharpe, this wasn't a business crisis. It wasn't just that. It was deeply personal. And he had built Four Seasons on the belief that, that treating people well was the key to success. And now people had put their trust in his hotel and they had lost their lives. This was a major blow. And really the question is, what do you do when something like this or something this terrible happens? And you know instantly, you know, this is what he did. Like you take responsibility, you learn and you make sure it never happens again. And so instead of shifting blame or moving on quietly, sharp own the problem. Four Seasons immediately overhauled its fire safety protocols. And not just in Toronto, but across every property they managed. And they went beyond the industry standards and they set new ones. They actually spent $2.5 million on a new system and and by, I think a guy either working there or by someone else, a journalist or something, they were called the most fire safe hotel in North America. And this was after the incident had happened and they installed this new system. And from that moment on, guest safety became just as important as luxury. And this was a harsh leadership lesson for Isadore. But the, the lesson was that excellence isn't just about offering the best service. It's about protecting the people who trust you. And this moment shaped Four Seasons for decades to come because it proved that when a leader truly believes in their values, they don't just apply them when things go right, they double down on when things go wrong. And so the biggest takeaway is that great leaders don't just take credit for success, they take responsibility in their failure and they make sure it never happens again. And so now we get into this part where relationships with Isadore Sharpe matter a lot. And a guy that he meets who runs a hotel in Maldives I believe is B S Sharp, or I think that's how you pronounce it, but Israel Sharp just called him bs. And so BS is he was a, basically a guy that grew up in Singapore and he's a businessman, an Asian businessman, and he was a hotelier who played a significant role in the expansion of four seasons in Asia. And BS's partnership with Sharp was instrumental in the growth of four seasons in the Asian market. But not only that, but they also partnered in hotels in London, Singapore, Bali and, or Bali and Shanghai. And that's just to name a few. There was like three more. And he became a valued friend of Sharp. And they built their relationship based off of or based on mutual trust and mutual advantage. And Isadore really believes that that is an underrated component of success in business. And that was something that really helped him in business. And so he partnered with BS to make a hotel in Maldives, which allowed them to help the Maldives government. And they really set a trend and let basically they set a trend of every major hotel wanting to have a location there. And Sharp's main philosophy with opening basically every hotel was that it had to be new and different and be some way better or better in some way than the last hotel. And I love this quote in the book where he's talking about the owners taking a longer view of their ownership in the Four Seasons hotel. And he said that they know that if a hotel is built to four season specifications, they'll have a property their, their grandchildren can be proud of. And this is really talking about the legacy, right? The Legacy that's really important in the Four Seasons Hotel, but also in a founder's mindset or becoming uncommon and excellent in what you do has to. You have to put legacy first with the right mindset. And so people that have a similar mindset. This goes back to Disney's land, that book where Arsendal France, he tells a parable, and that parable was two men are laying bricks. Somebody asked one of them what he is doing and is told, I'm laying bricks. And to the same question, the other man answers, I'm building a cathedral. And the whole, the metaphor, the meaning behind this is that you want to focus on your legacy. And all the greats and leaders do this. They focus on their legacy, whether that's the legacy of the company or the legacy of them and their family. You want to focus on the legacy. You want to build that cathedral. You want to have a property that your grandchildren or you want to have something that your grandchildren can be proud of. And that's all about legacy. And this is something that is. Or Sharp nails down in his excellence in standards with the Four Seasons Hotel. And the same, the same thing with Disney hiring people that also have the same philosophy. And kind of transitioning out of this, out of the legacy phase, we get into amenities. And so a large factor in actually four season success has been its commitment to lead, but not only in service and structure, but also in everything a hotel offers, whether that's amenities, fitness facilities and just food and this. So I have a list of kind of what this includes, but this includes the Four Seasons bed, which is really funny because it was the most comfortable bed according to Julia Robertson over Oprah Winfrey. Israel Sharp put it in the book where Oprah Winfrey, Oprah Winfrey asked Julia Roberts a question like, you know, have you ever. Or she just went and talked about the Four Seasons and she was like, oh, the Four Seasons bed is one of the best beds ever. And Oprah Winfrey. Winfrey agreed with her. And that's something that was. That stood out to me. They were excellent and they had really good quality and everything, or in little details. So whether that was your bed and how you slept, the pillows, they kept notes on guest preferences which allowed them to know what they love. And they gave that to them the next time that they would stay. And this was called a guest history system, what we talked about earlier in the episode. But basically what this was, was or what this created was you would be able to like leave the hotel, come back, you know, whenever, and they would Know, this funny story actually with this guy in the book was that they were able to find out that this guy didn't like his soda outside of his can, because they would take it outside of the can and pour into like a water, like a glass, you know, bottle. And they found out that he didn't like that he preferred to keep his soda in a can. And so they put that in the guest history system. Or the guest. Yeah, the guest history system. And they were able to customize his preferences just off of that one experience. And that was just a little detail that really helps their service to their guests. And they also, they also created the first hotel ever to include a spa at the hotel. So they were the first hotel to have a spa in the hotel. They created premier dining experiences with outstanding food that was primarily healthy, but the food would be tailored to the location that you were located in. So if you were in San Francisco, you would get a taste of seafood. If you were in Asia or Japan, you would get a taste of local food. And so that was another thing that was included in the amenities that really contributed to the success of Four Seasons. And another thing is, was. Or another thing that really contributed to the success of Four Seasons were the early leaders that Isadore Sharp appointed. And this goes back to the Disney's Land Disneyland episode with Walt, right? He appointed people like Roy Disney, C.V. wood, Joe Fowler. He appointed people that had certain talents that he didn't had, but did it to their best ability, whatever he assigned them in. So Joe Fowler was that ship captain who built basically all the rivers, built the Mark Twain boat. He was the guy that was running all that, you know, behind the scenes behind Disney. And, and that was almost a cast for Disney, kind of like the Avengers or like the cast behind Disney that made Disney Disneyland. It's a success. And so I have about 10 people that were early leaders in Isadore Sharp's own life, but also really helped and contributed to the founding and success of Four Seasons. And it was the Four Seasons was really not just the achievement of Israel Sharp, but more of a result of a team effort. And Sharp had this uncanny ability to surround himself with talented, passionate individuals who shared his vision and values. And these early leaders, they weren't just employees. They were like co creators of the Four Seasons legacy. And the first one that really stands out for Israel Sharp is Max Sharp, who is Israel's father. And this was the guy that basically instilled, helped instill the golden rule into Isadore Sharp's life. And Max Sharp, of course, just like a quick background. He was the. He was a Polish immigrant, and he taught Isadore the values of hard work, integrity, and humility. This goes back to our first episode where Isadore is on. He's building something with his dad. He pours these steps of concrete and. Or building these things of wood, these steps of wood. And his father knows he's doing it wrong, but doesn't tell him until after. And he's like, hey, this step is too small, this one's too large, and they're a little bit crooked or whatever. And he had to redo it. And so that was just a little taste of the hard work and humility aspect that Max Sharp taught Isadore, where Isadore had to learn that, like, hey, you got to do this to your best ability. And that was a hard way of learning something. But it really stuck with Isadore. And so he really instilled into his son, or in his son, the importance of treating people with respect and fairness. And this philosophy became the cornerstone of Four Seasons culture. And, you know, his father's influence wasn't just personal, it was also professional. And he showed Israel that success isn't just about building a business. It's about building trust. And really, this showed that with that trust in the Four Seasons business philosophy, it really showed that you want to have trust with not only your guests, but with employees. And not just that trust, but also relationships matter. And so the legacy that Max really left behind became the foundation of the golden Rule, which we've been talking about over and over and over again, which is treat others as you wish to be treated. And this philosophy really permeated every aspect of Four Seasons. Four Seasons really, like, soaked in this philosophy and really lived it out to its fullness. Isador Sharp brings up the fact that you want to. We want to take action. It would be worse for us to talk about it and not have anything happen to happen at all. It's better to, you know, try to make it happen, and then it's a failure, but then you can kind of refine it and do it again. And so, you know, another person that really shows up in this biography of Four Seasons in Israel Sharp is that. Or this person is Murray Coffler or Murray Koffler. And this is kind of the mentor or mentor who believed in the vision. And so his role was kind of the early investor, mentor, and close friend. And he was the founder of Shoppers Drug Mart, which was. And he was one of the first people to believe in Israel Sharp's vision. And he didn't just provide financial support. He offered guidance, encouragement, and mentorship. And Koffler's business just philosophy and his views and Sharp, his belief in Sharp's potential were like, crucial during the early years of Four Seasons. And so he. His investment, the legacy he left behind was his investment wasn't just in the company, it was in Isadore Sharp. And his confidence helped Sharp navigate the challenges of building a luxury brand from scratch. Another person, our third person in this list out of 10 people is NAN Wilkins. And she was kind of the operation leader who set the standard. Israel Sharp says that in. In his biography that he wouldn't be able to do any of this without her. And so she was an early employee and a key operations leader. And so she was one of the first employees at Four Seasons, but she played a crucial role in establishing the company's operations standards. And she was known for her meticulous attention to detail, but she also created a warm, welcoming atmosphere for guests. She was basically the embodiment of the Four Seasons ethos, which is excellence in every detail. And the legacy that she leaves behind is that her dedication to service excellence really set the tone for the high level of hospitality that Four Seasons became known for. She proved that luxury isn't just about grand designs. It's about the small touches of that make guests feel at home. And she was really, she was like a walking, talking influence of what Isadore really believed and really showed. And she was the perfect example and employee that lived this out in her work. Another person, the fourth person on our list is Fred Eisen. And he was kind of the financial strategist who kept the ship steady. And. And so he was the CFO and strategic advisor. And he joined Four seasons in the 1970s, and his critical role was in managing the company's finances during its rapid expansion in the 1970s. And so his financial expertise and strategic thinking were instrumental in structuring deals for new properties and ensuring the company's stability. And so he was kind of the unsung hero behind the scenes. He was the guy. He was kind of like a Roy Disney type figure where he's doing all these things for Walt, but Walt's more the visionary. But he was. He was just making sure that the company's vision was backed by finance, by solid financials, and he was kind of like the Roy Disney type figure. And what's really interesting about these people on this list is it's a lot like Walt Disney or a lot like the Founders that we've been studying or the people that you hear about where it's like, it's like a cast of avengers or a cast of people that are perfect, but they are the people that make up your company that you couldn't do it without. These are all A players, right? Going back to Brad Jacobs, these are all a players who basically Mr. Beast, in his handbook that I read, it was like 36 pages. But in his handbook for his employees, he talks about that an A player should be an extension of me and that they should learn to do their job so well that they're better than me at their job and I don't need to go do it for them, but they can do it better than me. But that's the only thing they're working on and obsessing over. And what's really interesting is it's the same thing with Walt Disney, same thing with Isadore Sharpe, same thing with Brian Jacobs. It's a players doing their thing, what they know how to do best and really just doing that job really, really well. While you have the founder doing his job and being the visionary. That's really what this whole thing condenses down to. The next person we really get into is Chris Wallace. And he was the general manager who led by example. He was another operations leader and he was one of the early general managers who helped establish Four Seasons reputation for exceptional service. And he was known for his hands on approach. But Wallace inspired and motivated his teams to deliver the best possible experience for guests. But he was a leader who led by example. He also embodied the Golden Rule in everything he did. And what he left behind was that he, he proved that great service starts with great leadership. And he made sure that the standard of excellence of the four of Four Seasons hotels was consistently upheld. And that's something that is really important, right? Isore Sharp needed to enforce the Golden Rule of excellence or just the Golden Rule. But he needed people to help him with that or else this whole thing would fall apart. They wouldn't have the Four Seasons. They'd probably still be in the Pierre. But it's all working. He, he really wants to enforce this standard of excellence and this standard of the Golden Rule. And the next person is that or is Michael Lambert. And he was kind of the president who expanded the empire. And so he was actually the president of Four Seasons Hotel and Resorts. Israel Sharp is the founder and a chairman. I think he left in 2010. I think he was bought out. But going back to Michael Lambert, he was the president and he really was a key leader during Four Seasons global expansion in the 1980s and 90s. I think this is when they are getting into Japan, Asia, just around the globe. And so he really, he really solidified his position as a he or he solidified Four Seasons position as a global luxury hospitality leader. And he showed that it's not just about maintaining the standards. So like reaching the bar, it's actually about raising the bar with every new property. Right. This is what Sharpe envisioned where he wanted every property to be better. Well, Michael Lambert was the guy that wanted to raise that bar and really helped him with it. And probably one of the most important people that we're going to talk about and just really important is Isadore Sharp's wife, Rosalie Sharp. And she was kind of the design visionary who shaped the aesthetic of Four Seasons. So she was his wife and probably his best business consultant in that sense. But also she was a designer and she was actually hired by Four Seasons to design the hotels. And so she was actually deeply involved with shaping the design and esthetic of the hotels. And her taste and attention to detail helped establish the brand's reputation for elegance and sophistication. She also played a significant role in fostering a family like culture within the company. And so she really helped create that culture where employees felt like part of a family. But she also ensured that Four Seasons wasn't just a hotel chain, it was a home away from home. She wanted people to come into this hotel and think, wow, this is like my second house or second home and this is a nice place to stay. And she really was his best encouragement. And a couple more people that we're going to talk about is Wolf Hanks. And he was the global operator who managed Consistency and he expanded the brand internationally. But he was also known for his attention to detail. He was also the guy that Israel Sharp placed in the role of working on the concierge because he had done it so well in London and all these different global places that he did that in Washington. And he was able to really do that really well. And so he proved that excellence isn't just about one great hotel, it's about every great hotel. And so it's really interesting. And the next guy we're talking about is Eddie Creed. And he was the trusted, like confidant who set the foundation. And he was an early general manager as well. He was one of the first employees actually hired by Israel Sharp, but he became a trusted individual in the company. But he was also instrumental in setting the standards for service and operations across Four Seasons. And something that you're gonna notice throughout this whole story of all these people. I think we're on number nine right now. Eddie Creed. Nine different individuals who helped with the same goal that Isdor Sharp was promoting. He was the visionary, he was the founder, but these were the people that were doing it right. They were pushing this out. You need to get a cast of people or a crew of people like this to make your business successful. And like the next guy, John Young, he was the cfo, and he really helped with all of this. But he really showed that, you know, that his role was also crucial because he also paid attention to the finances. I think he was like the second guy after the other guy we just talked about, which was. I think it was. Let's see, who was it? It was Fred Eisen. I think he was after him. But he was another guy that really focused on just excellence and in finances and making sure that Four Seasons could accomplish its vision. But what did we just do? We just went through 10 individuals who helped the company alongside Isadore Sharp, and make Isadore Israel Sharp's company, Four Seasons, into an A player team, an a A player company, right? And this is really the power of a great cast. What made Four Seasons truly exceptional wasn't just Israel Sharp's vision. It was the cast of characters who brought that vision to life. From Matt's Sharp, Matt Sharp's moral guidance, to Murray Coffler's mentorship, from Nan Wilkins operational excellence, to Fred Eisen's financial stewardship, each person played a critical role in shaping the company. And this reminds me a lot of Walt Disney, like we've been talking about. And he said, you can dream, create, design, and build the most wonderful place in the world, but it takes people to make the dream a reality. And Sharp, just like Disney, understood that great companies aren't built by one person. They're built by a team of passionate, dedicated individuals who share a common vision. And so the takeaway with this whole section of your. Your cast of characters, of the people you have in your company, is that Israel Sharp's story is a testament to the power of people first, leadership. He didn't just hire employees, he built a family. He didn't just create a hotel chain. He created a culture of care, respect, and excellence. He didn't just have a. He didn't just achieve success. He refined an entire industry. Just like Walt Disney, right? Think about it. Walt, Walt Disney, Brad Jacobs, they all have it in common. But most importantly, Walt Disney, the Amusement park industry was not there until, until Walt Disney really put that in and he redefined it. He literally redefined it. Amusement park industry. The amusement industry was just basically your local fair. It was just your local fair. Coney island was the best in that whole realm of amusement park industry. What did, what did Walt Disney do? He made something that everyone had to follow suit because it was so good. You look at Universal, now you look at Paramount. I think Paramount used to have a park, but especially Universal. They've been, you know, working to get a park just like Disney. But Disney was the one that started it. We actually just went to Disneyland and, and you're just seeing all these rides that Walt Disney like poured his life into and they're not going to be the same, but the story is still there. And like the Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, all these different rides, and you go to these different places that Walt had the vision for and you think, wow, this is incredible. This is amazing what Walt did. But he redefined that whole industry. Without Disneyland, you wouldn't have any of that. And so I was actually asked the last day or a couple days ago, what would be better, you know, Disneyland or some of these newer parks like Universal or all these things. I'm sure you've seen the ads of Universal's new park coming out. The Epic Universe, or the universe of Epic or something like that. But it's like a five park land. It's amazing. And I was asked like, what do you think is better? And something that really stands out to me is that what's better? Well, they're totally different. Like Disneyland is nostalgic because Walt Disney was the first guy who made it. You can't compare. It's apples to oranges. You really can't compare. But he redefined that industry. And so what does it take to build a world class company like that? Well, it takes vision, courage and an unshakable commitment to excellence. But most importantly, it takes great people. Disney did this, Brad Jacobs did this. And now like ultimately Isadore Sharp did. Because at the end of the day, it's not the buildings or the amenities that define a brand. It's not even about all that. It's the people who bring it to life. And this comes with Israel Sharp, who we've been talking about. Like when he lost his son, he realized it doesn't, the money doesn't matter. All this doesn't matter. It's about making a great experience for people that's long lasting. That's why he supported this Guy running for, you know, cancer to bring cancer awareness. His son died of cancer. And so it really made him change the outlook of life. And so really, like, the conclusion of this whole, like, part of this book is like, what is the price of excellence? You know, we've, we've spent this whole episode dissecting what made Four Seasons great. And the answer is clear. And I love this quote. This is probably my favorite. Probably, yeah. One of my most favorite quotes I've ever read in a book. Excellence is the capacity to take pain. And I mean, just think about what we've covered, right? The fire at n. The fire at the end on the park in 1981. That was a defining moment. There were six lives lost. But instead of running from that responsibility, Isadore Sharp faced it head on. And he changed the industry to make sure that would never happen again. They also expanded World Light worldwide to Washington, Japan, the Pierre in New York. But each new market came with doubters, failures, and lessons. So. But instead of lowering his standards, Sharp doubled down on them. And another thing is like the Golden Rule as a management philosophy. It's a simple idea, treat others as you would like to be treated. But that really transformed Four Seasons into the best service company in the world. It wasn't easy to enforce the Golden Rule. It wasn't easy to expand worldwide. It wasn't easy losing six people to a fire. But there, these were unreasonable standards that they were chasing. And while competitors chase profit margins, Four Seasons chase perfection. There were no compromises and no shortcuts. But another thing that they had was the ability to walk away once their, like, views and beliefs were being compromised. Like in the Pier Hotel in New York, which was one of the most famous hotels in the world. Sharp walked away because he couldn't control that experience. And he also was being compromised in his values, and he couldn't let that happen. And so really, all this is like, painful stuff. Excellence is the capacity to take pain, but it ultimately comes down to sacrifice. It's decades of relentless work, and you have to choose long term excellence over short term comfort. Comfort. And what is the takeaway? Right, what is the takeaway from this episode? Most people want success, but few are willing to pay the price. Again, most people want success, but few are willing to pay the price. And Isadore Sharp and Four Seasons paid that price. They took those hits, they endured those setbacks. They built something that set the global standard, the world standard for luxury hospitality in the hotel industry. So just to kind of wrap up, here's the question. For you, when things get hard, when you fail, when people doubt you, when success demands an unreasonable standard, will you have the capacity to take the pain and keep going? Will you be excellent? Again, like, I just want to repeat this. Like, when you fail, when people doubt you, when things are getting hard, and when success demands an unreasonable standard, do you compromise? Or will you have the capacity to take that pain and keep on going? Because ultimately, that's the difference between being good and being great. And as Israel Sharp proved it, excellence is earned through pain. And just a final thought before we wrap up this episode, but the next time you experience failure, doubt, or even struggle, just remember what has been talked about in this episode and ultimately this book. The pain isn't a sign to stop. It's actually a proof that you're on the right path. And so it's really important that you remember that, because it is really easy to get lost in the weeds when you're working. But. But really, all the key players in the world, all the best in their job, all these billionaires, they've had pain and they've had to endure it. But that means you're on the right path. You know, there's a song I listen to, Pressure makes diamonds. If you don't have that pressure, you don't make diamonds. If you have that pressure, you can make those diamonds. And ultimately, that's another way of saying, if you have pressure, it makes you better. If you have hard pain, if you have pain, it makes you better. If you don't, I mean, you can't learn, you can't grow. And that's ultimately what this whole episode is about, right? You want to know. If you want to know you're on the right path, then you gotta have pain. Excellence is earned through pain. And so whether that's doing things for decades of work and no one acknowledges you for it, whether that's saying no to something or even chasing unreasonable standards, ultimately all of this is painful, right? Israel Sharp had to go through that. All this is pain. Whether that's, you know, losing lives, losing a loved one in your life, or, you know, expanding your business, or it. Like setting a standard of excellence or the ability to say no, or just sacrificing decades of relentless work for what you love to do, ultimately, it's all excellent if you can take that pain. And I. I just love that. I love that quote from him. And so this was a good podcast episode. We will continue on to part five. I would argue that this book is probably the best book I've read. On my for my podcast. It's not as fluid as Disney's Land. Disney's Land was very easy to talk about and very easy to it was a story, right? You, you follow the story. Everyone knows the story with this. This is more like key takeaways that you can take in your own life and in just business and how to make a few billion dollars. Very good. Very interesting. I would argue, though, that this is probably the best book I've read for this podcast and done. And so I would love for you guys to buy this book. It's in the link below. If you buy it, you'll be supporting the podcast and just it would really help. But ultimately, just getting these key lessons into your life, it really helps you and it helps me. And I appreciate you listening to this podcast episode. And I will talk to you again soon.