If the walls of Kosher delis could speak, they would (schm)ooze invaluable wisdom and endless laughs. Harley Finkelstein (Shopify) and David Segal (DAVIDsTEA) are Jewish entrepreneurs influenced by the greats who came before them. But, they realized no one was archiving the best behind-the-scenes stories ever told. Before time was up, they set out on a passion project to preserve the memories, mishaps, and wins of the people who have seen it all. Big Shot tells the stories of the people that shaped an entire generation.
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Billion-Dollar Threads: How Morris Goldfarb Stitched Together a Fashion Empire
Thursday, August 1, 2024 • Duration 01:01:39
In this episode of Big Shot, we sit down with the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of G-III Apparel Group, Morris Goldfarb. Morris took over running his father’s company at the age of 24. His journey is deeply rooted in the inspiring legacy of his father, Aron Goldfarb, a Holocaust survivor who immigrated to the U.S. and founded G-III in 1956. Morris has transformed the company from a small women's leather outerwear business into a global fashion powerhouse, managing brands like DKNY, Calvin Klein, and Tommy Hilfiger. In our conversation today, talk about:
The emotional impact of being the son of a Holocaust survivor
Morris’s strategies for growing the family business and taking it public
The setbacks G-III faced in 1995 and how Morris was able to successfully pivot the business
Brand acquisitions and licensing that became the bread and butter of G-III
Morris’s life outside work, including family and philanthropic accomplishments
And much more!
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In This Episode We Cover:
(01:50) Morris’s childhood in Israel and New York
(04:42) Morris’s dad, Aron Goldfarb’s memoir about the Holocaust, Maybe You Will Survive
(08:54) How Morris was affected by the Holocaust survival stories of his family and friends
(10:20) Aron Goldfarb’s clothing business and why he wanted Morris to get a city job
(12:36) How Morris took over the family business at the age of 24
(14:30) Morris’s ambition and early years expanding G&N Sportswear
(16:05) Morris’s consulting and building factories in South Korea
(19:59) G-III’s journey to going public
(22:40) Why Morris had to pivot the business in 1995 and move towards licensing
(31:50) The current state of G-III
(32:52) How Morris fought nepotism working at his father’s company
(34:17) Acquisitions that grew G-III
(38:18) An explanation of how licensing works at G-III
(40:18) The pitfalls of direct to consumer businesses
(42:26) Morris’s thoughts on licensing vs. owning brands
(43:24) Morris’s partnership with Carl Banks
(46:30) Morris’s family life and what it’s like working with his son
(50:53) Why G-III is not a great fit for most emerging brands
(52:50) What made Morris finally feel like he’d made it
(54:29) What chutzpah means to Morris
(54:55) Morris’s philosophy on giving back and why he built a Jewish cemetery in Poland
(59:18) Why Jews have made so many contributions to business, science, and academia
The Godfather Of Fast Casual | Ron Shaich (Panera, CAVA)
Thursday, June 20, 2024 • Duration 01:41:42
When you think about a "convenience store manager," you probably don't imagine a future billionaire. But that's exactly the path Ron Shaich took from humble beginners selling Tollhouse cookies to a $7.5 billion restaurant empire. In this episode of Big Shot, Harley Finkelstein and David Segal welcome Shaich, the founder of Panera Bread, who shares his incredible journey from a nonprofit convenience store to his pivotal decision to create Panera Bread. Ron is a master at finding the trends others can't see before becoming popular. He shares the challenges and successes that defined his path, highlighting the power of adaptability and innovation. And breaks down the difference between risk-taking and risk-avoidance, and how leaning into one over the other can lead to incredible success.
The episode is filled with incredible takeaways, including:
How Ron has the best-performing restaurant stock of all time (44x return compared to the S&P 500)
Why his first store in college was a spite store
What he learned from his IPO with Au Bon Pain
How he created an entirely new category, “Fast Casual”
And so much more
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In This Episode We Cover:
(02:35) Ron’s early years growing up in New Jersey in a family of left-wing political activists
(07:50) Ron’s gap year working for a congressman
(09:45) How a false accusation of shoplifting prompted Ron to open a convenience store
(14:50) How Ron fell in love with business and his time at Harvard Business School
(19:28) The rewards of entrepreneurship
(20:40) What business has in common with politics
(23:22) How Ron made money selling flea collars in college
(26:00) Why Ron got his inheritance early
Integrity Is More Than A Principle -- It's The Secret To Entrepreneurial Success
Thursday, September 28, 2023 • Duration 25:57
Some of the best stories in business are the ones you never hear about. They are the deals that fell through, the partnerships that never happened, and the employees who didn’t make it. Behind those moments are decisions that shape some of the best businesses. And, when you speak with some of the world’s greatest entrepreneurs, you realize that those moments are shaped by strong values. In particular, the best entrepreneurs lean into integrity to turn risks into rewards. On this episode of Big Shot Shorts, you’ll learn how Jonathan Wener, Aldo Bensadoun, and Issy Sharp all took the hard road by trusting in integrity, doing the right thing, and making life-changing decisions that defined their businesses and led to undeniable success.
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In This Episode, We Cover:
(00:00) The variable not discussed enough in business
(01:35) A crazy story about Starbucks and Spotify
(04:35) Why Jonathan Wener left $10 million on the table
(07:20) How to build great relationships and develop trust
(11:45) “You’re going to outgrow us before we outgrow you.”
(12:40) How Aldo’s billion-dollar business was born out of integrity
(14:15) It’s possible to be a capitalist and be fair
(16:20) The Four Seasons’s “sustainable competitive advantage”
(19:30) How McDonald’s influenced the Four Seasons
It's cliché to say that you can see further when standing on the shoulders of giants. But it's also a mentality that has served some of the most successful entrepreneurs. No matter how brilliant the individual, great leaders know that building a world-class team can take a company from being a good idea to becoming a household name. And wise employees know that if they can find a leader who understands the value of a team, then the opportunity and upside can be unlimited. In this episode, you'll learn how four different founders approach building teams, the value of good partners, and how the best founders are obsessed with helping their employees reach their full potential.
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In This Episode, We Cover:
(00:00) Intro
(03:15) Charles Bronfman’s partner formula
(04:40) The importance of chemistry
(05:30) How Issy Sharp made his first hire at the Four Seasons
(10:30) Building the cornerstone of the Four Seasons brand
(12:55) Why Four Seasons employees can stay for free
(13:35) Aldo Bensadoun’s day 1 message to employees
(14:37) How Aldo built integrity into his hiring process
(17:55) Jonathan Wener’s focus on making his employees wealthy
(19:40) The difference between operating a company and building a culture
Legacy Lessons: The Enduring Wisdom of Our Grandparents for Success Today
Thursday, August 31, 2023 • Duration 23:46
In today’s episode, we explore stories from our guests on how their parents and the previous generation profoundly impacted their lives. You’ll hear from Ed Sonshine, Jonathan Wener, Issy Sharp, Charles Bronfman, and Aldo Bensadoun about how they learned their relentless work ethic from their parents and the power of learning by example. It’s a great example of how each generation stands on the shoulders of the giants that came before them.
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In This Episode, We Cover:
(00:00) Welcome to Big Shot Shorts
(00:58) The power of the past generation
(04:22) Ed Sonshine on the two things his father taught him
(07:49) How Jonathan Wener learned his work ethic
(10:37) Issy Sharp on learning by example
(16:15) Charles Bronfman on learning to give back
(20:04) Aldo Bensadoun on treating others with love, respect, and integrity
In today’s episode, we dive into the concept of philanthropy and its importance for each of our season 1 guests. Tikkun Olam is a concept in Judaism that refers to various forms of action intended to repair and improve the world. You’ll hear this theme from each of today’s guests. Whether it is Issy Sharp explaining why he has helped raise $1 billion for the Terry Fox Run or Jonathan Wener saying that the best way to live a rich life is by giving back. We explore the importance of giving to the next generation and why we are truly put in this world to make it a better place.
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In This Episode, We Cover:
(00:00) Our second Big Shot Shorts episode
(03:40) Aldo Bensadoun: We are put on earth to fix the world
(08:03) The story of raising $1 billion for charity
(14:55) Ed Sonshine on the privilege money provides
(17:49) Charles Bronfman on philanthropy
(19:04) How to live a rich life through giving back
Winning Big with Chutzpah: Lessons from the Titans of Entrepreneurship
Episode 7
Thursday, August 3, 2023 • Duration 26:25
Looking for a masterclass on taking chances and winning big? This episode of Big Shot looks at the one trait shared by all the successful entrepreneurs and billionaires on the podcast -- chutzpah. It's one thing to say you can't fear failure. And it's something completely different to act in ways that seem crazy at the moment but turn out to be the perfect move. This episode shares the combined wisdom of Ed Sonshine, Charles Bronfman, Aldo Bensadoun, Jonathan Wener, Issy Sharp, and hosts Harley Finkelstein and David Segal. You'll learn how the best entrepreneurs approach risk differently than the rest, and that's a big reason why they succeed in ways others can't imagine.
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In This Episode, We Cover:
(00:00) Wow, what a first season of Big Shot
(04:02) Pitching Season 2
(05:15) Ed Sonshine on what chutzpah means to him
(06:19) Charles Bronfman on chutzpah
(07:05) Aldo Bensadoun shares his take
(12:02) Jonathan Wener on not taking no for an answer
(17:33) Issy Sharp on giving your best
(20:57) Harley and David on what chutzpah means to them
An Unfiltered Conversation With The Founder of The Four Seasons: Issy Sharp (Part 2)
Episode 6
Thursday, June 29, 2023 • Duration 01:00:36
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 dropping a bomb that you just wouldn’t foresee coming. We can’t wait for you to watch today and let us know your comments by leaving a comment or a review.
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How Issy Sharp Built The Four Seasons and Transformed The Hospitality Industry Forever (Part 1)
Episode 5
Thursday, June 15, 2023 • Duration 01:03:10
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.
(00:00) Welcome to Big Shot and meet our guest Issy Sharp
(05:45) Learn about Issy’s upbringing and the influence his parents had on him
Ed Sonshine: From Displaced Persons Camp To a Multi-Billion Dollar Real Estate Empire
Episode 4
Thursday, May 25, 2023 • Duration 01:06:39
Ed Sonshine is one of those people you could speak with for hours and barely scratch the surface of his life. Born in Bergen-Belsen Displaced Persons Camp after World War II to two Holocaust survivors, he immigrated to Canada as a young child. After already becoming a very successful lawyer, he founded RioCan, which, at the time, was the first REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) in Canada. As of this recording, RioCan operates 193 properties, has over 33 million in leasable square feet, and an evaluation of $15 billion. In this episode of Big Shot, you’ll learn what it was like being born in Germany after the war, how Ed built a real estate empire while still being a family man, why he thinks the Jewish community is extremely self-reliant, and much more.
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