By Jamie Ihms

When looking for a resource on business strategy or hospitality, Horst Schulze is undoubtedly a great place to start. His wisdom from many years in the hotel industry, including founding the Ritz-Carlton hotels, is invaluable for businesses striving for excellence.

And that’s one of my favorite things about this book. His whole journey throughout his career has been to teach himself and his staff to always, always be the best. Not to charge the most, or bring in the most revenue. Not to have the biggest profit margin, or to do better than the guy down the road (although, all those things fall in line). To be the best. To perform in excellence in all departments. Every role, from the housekeeping staff, to the doormen, to the receptionist, and up to the managers, are all expected to work with that same excellence, because they are all vital to the success of the business–and treated as such

The subtitle to this book is, “A No-Nonsense Guide to Becoming the Best in a World of Compromise”. It truly is no-nonsense. You’ve heard, “Do what you love, and the money will follow”? Horst laughs outright at such an arrogant statement and suggests instead, “Do what the customer loves, and the money will follow”. With every idea, policy, or suggestion that he makes, there’s a story behind it. These are not just thoughts that he has, or quotes that he heard. They are truisms learned by experiencing what works and what doesn’t. He provides tangible, applicable evidence for why the way he works got him to the top.

Mr. Schulze is also very transparent about his own shortcomings, while having pride in his successes. He shows great respect for all kinds of human beings and even displays ways that he has eloquently and respectfully handled situations with difficult customers. Staying level-headed and first trying to solve whatever complaints were brought up, then providing a “better fit” for that customer (essentially kicking them out), he never once belittles or berates the customer. Instead, he serves them to the end. This is such an important thing to remember, because there will always be people who aren’t happy with the products or services we provide, even when we’re the best. We just have to decide how our company is going to handle such situations.

Conclusion: I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. It’s an easy read with actionable items and valuable takeaways. If you’re shaping your business, a manager, or even a solopreneur who needs some focus on what the company vision should be, this is a great use of your time. You can be sure to find this book in our Member Library at Heirloom Workspace.