Stephen Starr didn’t plan to get into the restaurant business.He set out to be a radio DJ. Then a nightclub owner. Then a music promoter.Along the way, he booked a young Jerry Seinfeld for $75, promoted shows for U2 and Madonna, and spent years pretending to be more successful than he really was.Then, in his late 30s, Stephen walked into a glitzy martini bar in New York.He was so taken with it, he decided to start his own version in Philadelphia.Today, Starr Restaurant Group generates nearly half a billion dollars in annual revenue and includes some of the most successful independent restaurants in America: Pastis, Buddakan, Le Diplomate, Parc, Makoto, and dozens more.The surprising part?Stephen did not start out as a foodie.Instead, he became obsessed with the theatre of dining: design, upholstery, lighting, music. A “wow!” feeling when you walk in the door.In this conversation with Guy, Stephen talks about the hard lessons he learned in the comedy and music business, and the unexpected path he took to redefining dining.What You'll Learn:The unglamorous economics of rock concerts and restaurantsHow rejection, romantic heartbreak, and failure can become powerful motivatorsWhy he believes he's spent his career "throwing the party" without attending itHow building the right team of designers can make a restaurant feel magicalWhy Stephen says today's entrepreneurs have a much harder path than his generation didThe model Stephen says new restaurateurs should follow todayTimestamps:See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.