Quotes from Tilman J. Fertitta

I know how to finance something. It's easier today because, as you're more successful, everybody wants to do deals with you. But even in the beginning, when I took Landry's public, I owned 100 percent of it. I never had investors or anything. I was just always able to find a way to do it.

I run in a local park two or three times a week. I probably should do more than I do, but I also do weight-lifting along with that cardio.

I have no issue with raising minimum wage, but then the customer can't say to us, 'Why are you raising your prices?'

I just don't understand the Big 12 not wanting to own Houston, Texas, which is soon to be the third-largest populous in the United States. To me, it's a no-brainer. I'm just kind of disappointed and shocked it's not an automatic.

I like dealing with a peer so I can bully them. Because then, it's not bullying. It's just warfare.

You have to know your strengths and weaknesses. If you don't have a particular strength, you need to go out and replace that.

We don't use consultants at Landry's. We're our consultants.

Most entrepreneurs come up with a product, or they come up with an idea and they think they can be successful with it. But if they don't know the financial side of their business and understand credit and working capital and what it takes money-wise, you can't be successful. The product is just a product.

I don't care what business it is. I have the greatest respect in the world for that guy that can take an engine apart of a car and put it back together, or the house painter that can paint a perfect line, or the cameraman who can shoot the best shot. We're all talented in our own ways - just some of us make more money than others. That's all.

We're all born with different talents. I'm really not that smart, but I can see things - financially and development-wise. It's just the way we're made.

If you don't change and mix things up, you're going to get run over. One of the things we preach is change, change, change.

We will do whatever it takes to keep Tom Herman at the University of Houston. We're not going to lose Tom Herman because of money. If Tom Herman wants to go to LSU or Texas or Oregon or Baylor or wherever else, we cannot stop him from doing that. But it's not going to be because of money.

I buy things that are good properties that I'm going to have forever. I just don't have any intention to sell anything. I believe you acquire good assets and you keep them and operate them.

When we buy somebody, we cut the head off. We keep the operators who are looking - I hate to use this term - they're looking for a leader. We lead very well. And we immediately spend money on them and make them better. Everybody wants to be led. Except for me. I want to lead.

I'm not on a special diet, but I do try to stay away from a lot of fried foods and from a lot of carbs. Yes, I eat a little bit of all of it.

I could not pass up the opportunity to build and operate a casino next door to my hometown. This casino will be where Louisiana locals and Texans will want to play, stay, and enjoy themselves.

When you have to stay late, you stay late, and when you don't have to stay late, you go home. But, you do whatever it takes to get the job done that day.

By adding Houston to the Big 12, all it does is make the Big 12 a power conference.

You don't see a lot of super-high-end hotels being built in Houston because it's so expensive to build, unless you're in New York and can charge $1,000 a night.

What I don't like - and I'm concerned about - as a Houstonian is that the SEC is starting to own Houston... There's more talk about the SEC than there is the Big 12.

I always ask candidates two things: 'How many times have you been fired?' and, 'Do you watch your clock when it's time to go? Do you look at your phone? Do you look at your watch?'

Everybody notices if you're the last one in in the morning and the first one to go in the evening. Always remember that as an employee.

There's a lot of administrator and ex-administrators and board of regents from Baylor that say that Art Briles was a scapegoat at Baylor. I've had calls from ex-chairmen of the board of regents there, current big booster there, lawyers that represent Baylor. I have not had one negative call about Art Briles.

You've got to stay strong to be strong in tough times.