Founder and Chairman Emeritus, Four Seasons Hotels Resorts
Verified interview transcripts, podcast appearances, and direct quotes from Isadore Sharp, Founder and Chairman Emeritus at Four Seasons Hotels Resorts. AI-verified speaker identity with full-text searchable transcripts.
“if you're going to be the best how what's going to distinguish you from others and I knew it couldn't be buildings so we had to come up with something that was more intangible and I thought that we're going to make the quality of our service our distinguishing feature I decided I would use the Golden Rule as our missio...”
“whatever it is get into the workforce do not try to make a schedule for your career aspirations like every five this five years from now I want to be X or that etc leading towards either making a lot of money or becoming a you know senior executive”
“I decided that we would only operate medium-sized hotels of exceptional quality and to try to be the best. Well the first part of that's no big deal, you want to specialize that's nothing special other people might do it, but to say to be the best that was a stretch because we only had seven hotels at that time. I didn...”
“I knew that if the senior people in the company were only giving it lip service this would never work. And when I said it was the most difficult time in my business career because I had to split company with the most senior people in the company. Not they were competent, they knew their job, they were hotelier people,...”
“So I decided we'd try to do something and be more visible and put ads in the newspapers and magazines which said something like we Four Seasons will donate uh ten thousand dollars and I invited 999 other companies to join with Four Seasons to make it a 10 million dollar run. And when he heard about it he called me on t...”
“I decided we can no longer own the real estate of hotel but I believed in real estate and I said but we should still take up participation in ownership so I arranged a business model that we would become a management company but we would still take an equity position that we could afford.”
“I've never had a fear of failure that doesn't mean when I was doing something it just doesn't even pass through my mind that it might not work. So I think it was that call it Gene that you have in your mind that look there's only one way to do it go talk to him.”
“The two investors each put up ninety thousand dollars they've never ever put up another Cent and we're Partners For Life. So if you think of what they earned that must be the greatest return of any investment in history it's never ever been achieved that they with ninety thousand dollars each became a finally a 25 shar...”
“The first strategic decision was to only operate medium-sized hotels of exceptional quality. The second strategic decision was to say that we are going to make service our competitive advantage. It wasn't going to be about the architecture, decor, or location. It had to be something that was sustainable over time.”
“The fourth decision was about the brand. That was set up beginning in 1986. I set out then to the general financial community that I said that I believe within 10 years we would be as well known for what we represented, meaning a hotel company synonymous with quality and luxury, we would be as well known for that as Hi...”
“when interest rates went from 8 to 10 to 22 percent and i at that time had arranged borrowings with the bank and uh which was you know normal but was considerable for my calling abilities and they of course call you up and say look what works at eight percent does it work at 20 and i said of course not they said well y...”
“if you have the conviction and the belief in something then it gives you the courage to be able to to back you've probably met a lot of fellow hotel managers and hotel ceos along the way i'm sure people who do similar things as you what do you all have in common in terms of your your key to successes well you have to r...”
“I could identify what I would I call now the four key strategic decisions I've really formed the foundation of the company... the first hotel took me five years but it opened in 1961 and then some years later when we opened and we're running the Inn on the park in London and this is the third hotel and that was column...”
“The most important decision that the company has ever made and that's when we defined how we were going to operate to create a work environment that would make our employees better able to do their job than other hotels and we wrote out our mission statement based upon that very simple profound statement of the golden...”
“we all have something to offer and we are only going to succeed as a team it's not about the me it's about the we well if we're going to make service our competitive advantage that is can only be done by the people who are going to deliver that product our line people the Dorman front Des housekeepers Engineers so if w...”
A chance opportunity can change the trajectory of your career. Gather an insightful outlook into our founder Isadore Sharp on ...
“There was no vision, there was no grand dream,” says Issy, reflecting on the nearly 50 years since the first #FourSeasons – a modest motor hotel – opened in downtown Toronto. “But there has always been a consistent thread, and it propels us forward today, as we continue to grow globally, and that’s service.” It may seem obvious that in the hotel business, service is a primary objective, but it is how that service is delivered that sets Four Seasons apart. “One way to characterize Four Seasons service would be to call it an exchange of mutual respect performed with an attitude of kindness.”…
We’re back today for part two with The Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts founder, Issy Sharp. If you didn’t check out part 1, be sure to watch or listen. In this episode, we explore how Mcdonald's surprisingly had the biggest impact on the Four Seasons' approach to hospitality and led to Issy firing most of his executive team, why the Four Seasons changed their entire business model and don’t own any real estate, and how the death of his son helped inspire him to help the Terry Fox run to become the largest cancer charity event in Canada. Not to mention, he ends the episode by absolutely droppin…
Today we’re joined by none other than Isadore (Issy) Sharp, the founder of The Four Seasons. We’re talking about one, if not the most iconic luxury hotel brands in the world. His story is incredible. From growing up and working in construction. To how he met his wife that’s he’s still with over 70 years later. This episode was so damn good we had to split it into two parts. In part one, you’ll learn what Issy’s upbringing was like, why Issy has never felt fear, the most important concepts that made the Four Seasons successful, and arguably the best investment of all time. — Where To Find Bi…
Since the beginning four seasons has been an innovator you were the first to put shampoo in guest bathrooms build fitness ...
Pie Digest discusses with Mr Sharp, the founder of Four Seasons Destinations, about conviction, courage, support, good management, innovation, being the first and common sense. To see our digital publications check us out on https://piemediagroup.com/ For more information visit https://www.fourseasons.com Don't forget to subscribe, like and share!
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Four Seasons founder and chairman Isadore Sharp talks about the golden rule and how it helped him build a high-performance company culture that became the best in the hotel industry. | Part 3 of 4
Four Seasons founder and chairman Isadore Sharp describes how he started in the hotel business. He relates how pursuing chance events and opportunities that arise out of coincidence can end in great success. | Part 1 of 4
Four Seasons founder and chairman Isadore Sharp shares tips for the modern entrepreneur. He discusses building momentum by taking leaps to enter the global arena—while learning from and aligning with local cultures and established international partners. | Part 4 of 4
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