Business Leaders - Michael Dorf

Michael Dorf is founder and chief executive of the City Winery. Established in 2008 the restaurant and event space was the first of its kind in Manhattan, and has since expanded to Chicago, Nashville, Atlanta and Boston. A long career in the events industry, he also founded independent music venue, The Knitting Factory in 1986. An author, his book ‘Indulge Your Senses: Scaling Intimacy in a Digital World’ explores the many lessons learnt along the way. In this in-depth conversation, Michael explores why he feels entrepreneurship is “in my DNA,” and reflects on sacrificing his own apartment to pursue his dreams; delves into leading two iconic music venues to success and his ambitious plans for further expansion of the City Winery; and discusses the detrimental impact the pandemic has had on business - facing the challenges of long-term closure, but with growth in demand post-pandemic, resulting in sellout shows.