Everything I know about business I learned on St. Patrick's Day

 I love St. Patrick’s Day. It always reminds me of the many hours I spent as a child in an Irish pub. I realize that sounds odd, and you might question my parents’ parenting — but it was in that Irish pub that I learned about the fundamental tenet of successful hospitality that influences my decision-making to this day.

I’m a Coleman by birth. My family came to America from County Tipperary some generations back, and my dad, Danny Coleman, was one of those great American success stories. He started his career as a bartender and early on found he had a knack for making his guests feel welcome and at home. For him it is all about service and personality.

 When my Dad decided to open his own Irish pub in Washington, D.C., his early backers saw in him a young man who could create the type of place people would come to and stay. They were right.

'The more you can make someone feel like they belong, that they are expected, that you are happy to see them, the more impact you can have on how they feel about your establishment.'

 The Dubliner opened its doors on St. Patrick's Day in 1974 in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol. And over the next 42 years, as presidents came and went and the country was transformed by social, political and technological changes, the Dubliner has been a mainstay in Washington.

It has hosted peace talks and poets and even served a pint of Guinness on a recent St. Patrick’s day to President Obama.

 I spent countless hours as a kid in the restaurant my Dad started and later worked there waiting tables. I watched how my Dad greeted new and returning guests. His warmth and genuine rapport was amazing. From an early age I learned what true customer engagement meant, and I learned it from a master.

 I talked to my father recently to ask him how it is that the Dubliner has lasted so long when 90 percent of independent establishments fail within the first year, and the remaining are unlikely to last more than five. He said that the secret sauce — more than anything — is take care that your guests are having a good time — not just the folks who have money to spend, but everyone who walks in the door.

 “The more you can make someone feel like they belong, that they are expected, that you are happy to see them, the more impact you can have on how they feel about your establishment,” he said. Has been preaching this to staff for years. “You have to be able to deliver a smile — you show a guest to their table, you make them smile and already their day has gotten better.”

 In Irish culture the word craic is used to describe connection with people. Craic is about atmosphere, the art of conversation, a collective desire to have a good time. Open the doors of the Dubliner, and you are immediately stuck by the craic.

 As an adult, working in hospitality, I often think of my father and the magical atmosphere he created at the Dubliner. And I realize that it begins and ends with service.  The best food, the most gracious décor — neither holds a candle to the importance of good service.

These are lessons I bring with me every day to Marriott, and every day I see it in the way our associates treat our guests. It's about making everyone who comes through our doors feel like they belong and finding ways to make them smile and feel welcome. As with my Dad's pub, it's the secret sauce of great success.

 This St. Patrick's Day, the Dubliner will welcome 5,000 sons and daughters of Ireland to celebrate. My Dad recently turned over the day-to-day management of the Dubliner to my brother, Gavin. But he will be there greeting guests, seeing to people’s needs, and finding joy in the simple act of service.

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