Tony Sirianni and the AdvisorHub team do a great job with the Advisors to Watch Summit. We’ve attended past summits, and the content and people we met made the trip more than worthwhile.

This year’s agenda is stacked with plenty of reasons to attend, including a presentation on AI in wealth management from Stanford’s Jeffrey T. Hancock, plus leadership lessons from Boomer Esiason. Jets fans, we trust you’ll be gracious.

If you’re heading to New York City, you’ve probably already got a few must-dos on your list, for work and play. We’d suggest adding one more: dinner at Eleven Madison Park.

The food is good. Scratch that, great. But how they treat their guests is what makes it worth talking about here.

Though he is no longer the co-owner, Will Guidara’s fingerprints are still all over this iconic, three-Michelin-star restaurant. His approach to taking care of guests is at the heart of his New York Times bestselling book, Unreasonable Hospitality, an easy and important read for anyone in a business built around serving people.

A Little Background Before Dinner

Guidara helped build Eleven Madison Park’s reputation for exceptional hospitality, and the stories from his years there have given people in plenty of other professions something to think about.

Fans of the TV show The Bear may recognize some of the ideas as well. In the “Forks” episode, the restaurant staff overhears guests saying they haven’t tried Chicago deep-dish pizza. A pizza is fetched from another restaurant, carefully plated, and served as a surprise.

That scene draws on a real experience Guidara describes from Eleven Madison Park. He overheard guests lamenting that they were leaving New York without having tried a street-cart hot dog. So he went out and bought one, which was then prepared and served to the table.

Guidara later became a co-producer on The Bear. You can see why that story appealed to the show’s creators.

You can also see why those guests would remember it. They’d come for an extraordinary meal. Along the way, someone heard an offhand comment and cared enough to act on it.

If you’ve got a long flight to New York, you might want to grab a copy of the book. You’ll likely arrive with a few ideas for your own practice.

What Advisors Can Borrow

We’ve written before about what financial advisors can learn from Guidara’s approach. You don’t need a restaurant’s budget or a team standing by to fulfill special requests to put some of it to work.

Start with the conversations you’re already having.

A client mentions that their daughter just started her first job. Offering to help her understand the retirement plan paperwork could be a welcome introduction to the next generation.

Another client is counting down to retirement but seems uneasy whenever the subject comes up. You’ve covered the income plan. It may be worth asking what else is on their mind. They could be worried about losing the routine, friendships, or sense of purpose that came with work.

Or a client mentions their spouse has surgery scheduled. Make a note to check in. When you do, give them room to answer before moving on to business.

These are ordinary moments in an advisory relationship. Following up shows clients you were listening, and it often leads to a better understanding of what they need from you.

There’s a lesson for the whole office, too. If a client has told you about a difficult family situation, the colleague handling their next call should have enough context to respond thoughtfully. Clients appreciate being remembered. They also appreciate not having to repeat a painful story.

Give the Details Some Thought

It’s easy to read a story like the hot dog example and start looking for a grand gesture. But the gesture worked because it fit those particular guests.

The same is true in your practice. One client might love an invitation to a crowded appreciation event. Another would much rather have a quiet lunch and an unhurried conversation. Knowing the difference is useful.

Think about the experience of a first-time client, too. Do they know where to park, what to bring, and who they’ll meet? Have you explained what the first meeting will cover? Afterward, is it clear who’s doing what next?

You may have held that meeting hundreds of times. For the person walking into your office, it could be their first conversation with a financial advisor. A little preparation can help them feel comfortable enough to ask the questions they came with.

Guidara’s book is full of stories that encourage this kind of attention. Some are ambitious. Many will have you thinking, “We could definitely do something like that.”

If Eleven Madison Park makes your itinerary, give yourself time to enjoy the whole experience. It’s a splurge that can pay dividends in your business for years.