Tilman Fertitta - Shut Up and Listen!: Hard Business Truths that Will Help You Succeed

CONTENTS

PRAISE FOR

SHUT UP AND LISTEN!

Tilmans message isnt just for people in business. His approach to leadership, service, and knowing your strengths and weaknesses can be used by the most junior cadet or the most senior officer.

Art Acevedo, President, Major Cities Chiefs

Association and Chief of Police, Houston, Texas

You will want to reread and review Tilmans timeless lessons for business owners over and over again.

Tom Brady, six-time Super Bowl Champion, four-time Super Bowl MVP, three-time NFL MVP

Tilmans swag comes through loud and clear on every page, telling you what you need to do to be successful.

James Harden, NBA Houston Rockets All-Star and MVP

Tilman offers up compelling lessons on how to build and run a business. If you want to rocket your business to new heights, this is the book for you.

Scott Kelly, Capt. US Navy Retired, former NASA astronaut

Take heed of every lesson and bit of advice dispensed in this groundbreaking and insightful book. Just as Tilman changed the University of Houstons trajectory, he can change yours too.

Renu Khator, Chancellor, University of Houston

System and President, University of Houston

Tilman doesnt just understand businesshe understands what the customer wants because of his rare ability to see the world through other peoples eyes.

Michael Milken, Chairman, The Milken Institute

Mr. Fertitta provides great insights to apply to the management of businesses, and people, that span all industries and all cultures.

Yao Ming, business executive, former

Houston Rocket and NBA All-Star

Once you instill the principles of this book into your mindset and culture, you will know success.

Stephanie Ruhle, MSNBC anchor, NBC

News business correspondent

Tilman shares his secrets on how to succeed in a highly competitive marketplace, whether youre running a small business or operating a multibillion-dollar sports team.

Adam Silver, Commissioner of the NBA

Ive seen Tilmans unique business strategies in action many times. All through the book he breaks them down in ways that are not only easy to understand, but can be used in any type of business.

Brian Sullivan, CNBC anchor

Copyright 2019 by Tilman Fertitta

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published by HarperCollins Leadership, an imprint of HarperCollins Focus LLC.

Published in association with One Street Books.

Any internet addresses, phone numbers, or company or product information printed in this book are offered as a resource and are not intended in any way to be or to imply an endorsement by HarperCollins Leadership, nor does HarperCollins Leadership vouch for the existence, content, or services of these sites, phone numbers, companies, or products beyond the life of this book.

ISBN 978-1-4002-1374-0 (Ebook)

ISBN 978-1-4002-1373-3 (HC)

Epub Edition August 2019 9781400213740

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019938796

Printed in the United States of America

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O ver the course of more than four decades, I have spent my career covering the greatest athletes and winners the world has ever seen, interviewing legends Muhammad Ali, Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, and Michael Phelps. The dedication, devotion, hard work, integrity, intellect, imagination, commitment to excellence, and heart have made them global icons.

The same principles apply in business. So I think I have an idea why youre reading this book. Its because you want to learn from an incredible winner in business.

Tilman Fertitta has risen to the top of the mountain and is one of the biggest winners in business history.

If youre a business professional, you may know Tilman as owner of Landrys Inc. and the many hotels, restaurants, and casinos they own and operate, or from his CNBC show, Billion Dollar Buyer. If youre a sports fan, you may know him as owner of the Houston Rockets, or for serving as chairman of the Board of Regents at the University of Houston, where he has helped build the institution and athletic program to prominence.

If you know Tilman personally, as I do, you know that he oversees his various businesses with a passion and energy that is just as strong today as it was when he opened his first restaurant over thirty-five years ago. Even with all of his success, his drive is like he just arrived at his first day on the job. There is no room for complacency working with Tilman, and no detail too small when it comes to the experience he provides to his customers. There is no question that Tilman knows what it takes to start and manage a successful business. He knows how to motivate those who work with him, and he leads by example. He instills confidence, and empowers people, to get the best out of them. He trusts himself, so he is able to trust those around him. In fact, there are very few people you could turn to who know what it takes to succeed in business more than Tilman.

In Shut Up and Listen!, Tilman shares his secrets and strategies that have made him so successful and does so in his blunt, humorous style that readers will love. He uncovers common blind spots that can trip up entrepreneurs, and offers proven strategies that will help them grow. I dont know many people who can say, as Tilman does in the introductionYou may think you know what youre doing, but Im going to show you what you dont knowand be right.

I highly recommend Shut Up and Listen! The wisdom and actionable insights Tilman offers in this groundbreaking new book are a potent combination that business owners of all types will value long after their first read. Its a lifetime of business lessons presented by a man who is willing to share a map of how you can navigate in business, and join him on the victory platform.

Jim Gray

Hall of Fame, Emmy Award

winning sports journalist,

reporter, and producer

I could not have written this book without the support of my entire family. My parents, Vic and Joy, and Paige, Michael, Patrick, Blayne, and Blake, and my brothers Jay and Todd, have heard every Tilmanism in this book and more.

I would like to thank those who provided critical feedback during the writing and editing process for this book, including Patrick Fertitta, Michael Fertitta, Steve Scheinthal, Dancie Ware, Melissa Radovich, and Dash Kohlhausen. My editor Lavaille Lavette was the catalyst for this book and has been there every step of the way to make this book a success.

I particularly want to acknowledge my friends and contemporaries who took time to make contributions to the Tilman I Know section of this book, including Rich Handler, Dave Jacquin, Capt. Mark Kelly, Capt. Scott Kelly, Michael Milken, and Dr. Renu Khator.

Lastly, without the dedication of all of my Landrys, Golden Nugget, and Rockets employees, I would not have built my organization to what it is today, and there would not be a book to write. I often brag about how fortunate I am to have kept so many long-tenured employees. I take their dedication as the ultimate compliment. I particularly want to acknowledge the following executives, all of whom have been with me for approximately twenty years:

Andy Alexander

Keith Beitler

Jeff Cantwell