The Novogratz defy easy classification. Are they designers? Developers? A lifestyle? A line of merchandise? The one thing they will agree on, as family patriarch Robert puts it: they're "hustlers." Ever since they began their incredible journey in the wild west of early 90s real estate, they've hardscrabbled their way to the top of the New York design scene, bumping in to unscrupulous landlords, the police and the Gotti crime family along the way -- all while raising seven picture perfect kids. Bob and Cortney Novogratz embody the best of New York: self-taught, utterly determined, creating something beautiful out of the grit and the grime, and acutely aware of their own brand and its value.
I joined Bob and Cortney at their palatial home-cum-art gallery on Manhattan’s west side and asked them about doing business as a family, the power and pitfalls of TV, and what they refer to as the 'glorious insanity' of entrepreneurship:
Novogratz: After about 5 years of designing and building homes for ourselves people started asking us to design for them. We then started getting press and people were calling us designers. At that time we had no business cards, website or even a company name. We named ourselves “6 design” after our 6th project that we had completed at the time. We finally felt like designers. If you want people to take you seriously, you have to take yourself seriously first.
Simon: Despite the fact you tend to resist being pigeonholed, you do have a very clear idea of your 'brand'. What does brand mean to you and how would you define yours?
Novogratz: Our brand is about family, color, fun, big art and livable spaces. It’s cool but not pretentious. Building your brand means being different, standing alone and being recognizable with a certain look. We live in such a homogenized world and a world of access. You have to simply be your thing.
Simon: You've done business as a family for over 20 years now. How do you manage to keep the business and personal separate? How do you balance the demands of the business with that of the family? Any advice for budding husband and wife teams?
Novogratz : Well as long as you don’t kill each other that’s a great thing. You areable to spend a lot of times with your family /kids and still work around the clock. We’ve always had our office at our home which gives us this opportunity and flexibility. You have someone to constantly bounce ideas off of and someone who will always be on your team. What works for us is when one person is down, the other always seems to pick up the slack or vice versa.
Simon: You've had two successful tv shows which drove your appeal and brand recognition but eventually walked away from both. Why?
Novogratz: Bravo was a tremendous network and our show was fantastic, yet we were not willing to show our asses on TV and that’s what that station is about for the most part. We will always be thankful to bravo as they are the network who helped build our brand as you’ve seen with a lot of their talent over the years. HGTV is a tougher place to build your brand. We did 27 makeovers in 18 months on top of our large scope jobs. It was simply too much work.
Simon: You talk about the glorious insanity of starting out in business and this is something i hear regularly. Entrepreneurship seems to require a little bit of craziness or, at the least, throwing caution to the wind. Can you expound on that?
Novogratz: Entrepreneurs are huge risk takers, it’s just that simple. People never tell you to jump off the highest bridge without a net but that’s just what we do. The key is to be able to bounce when you hit the ground because it’s never a straight line to the top. It’s about fortitude, balls and believing in yourself when no one else will.
Simon: Can you talk a little about the multiple business lines you have at the moment and how you see was one fitting in to the Novogratz brand?
Novogratz: Yes, we are still in CB2 which has been a marvelous experience. Our table top collection is in Macy’s and will soon be available on bed bath beyond online. We have a fun collection at
Novogratz: A new Rizzoli book about our home in Trancoso Brazil, a new hotel in Sonoma and we are redoing a castle in the Hollywood hills and it’s looking like we also have a new TV show in the works.
Simon: How important has NYC been to your growth as business people? Tell me about moving here and what New York helped you accomplish?
Novogratz: NYC has been everything to us as per the growth to us and as to people.. When we first moved to the big apple in 1993 we had no idea we would end up doing all the things we accomplished. We both felt that there were lots of smarter people, better looking educated, worldly, etc. Than us yet we were confident from day one. We felt we were real and authentic and always were ourselves. Living in Soho in the 90s we were around art, fashion and design on a daily basis. It basically hit you over the head. We met and became friends with artists, musicians, fashionistas photographers who had huge influences on us. We became more aware and for of a lack of a better word "cooler.” it inspired us in more ways than you know. When we started building homes in Soho we became part of the community. In a small 4 block radius brands like Tory Burch, Dwell Studios (Chritiane Lemieux), Kate Spade, Thomas O’Brien, the shade store all launched their first stores and brands. It was a great time in New York and we were lucky to be part of it.
Simon: I always ask my interview subjects for some advice for prospective entrepreneurs - 5 tips if possible. What you like to have been told 30 years ago which you had to find out the hard way?
1. Sell your losers and ride your winners. We’ve made many mistakes trying to nurture people or projects that were bad from the start. You need to go with your gut but if it does not feel right cut it off.
2. You’re only as good as your team. We have hired people without really checking references correctly or hiring them because we liked them. You need good people to make it. It’s a balance as the best people will eventually leave you because they think that can do all themselves, which you hope for but it’s not as easy running your own company.
3. Stay young. Keep the same moxy you had when you started. If you look at most rock stars, directors, ect., their best work was done young. Have you heard a good rapper over 40? No, they are now on sitcoms. Keep your edge and don’t get soft. Stay relevant.
4. Stay in your wheel house and do what makes you money. Social media is great and an asset but don’t spend too much time on it. Stay in the real present world/life. That means interacting with people, problems, issues, and tangible things. All great successes have been when we got our hands dirty and accomplished things.
5. Stick to your gut. Yes, always work with talented people and give people rope. But it’s your brand. Your intuition. Constantly make things happen. As your brand grows, you will be dealing with bigger companies and entities and you must figure out how to navigate. Thank being said, stick to your vision!
