Here’s a video and article I did for CNBC.

Wining and dining is paramount in business, especially on Wall Street. When the office lights go out and the city lights come on — it’s time to shine. What happens after the closing bell is as important as anything that happens during the day.

A business dinner isn’t all that different than dating. And let’s face it — some people are better at dating than others. It’s an opportunity to connect on a more personal level. The whole purpose of entertaining is to establish or strengthen a relationship. And hopefully that will result in more business. Regardless of which side of the table you sit on, there’s one main objective: gain trust.

I used to go on three business dinners a week over my 15-year career on Wall Street. That puts me at around 2,340 nights out on the town. It’s higher than average, but I needed every advantage I could get. I’ve seen it all, from bringing young cute female interns to sit next to me at dinner to a planned night of trapeze school on the West Side Highway. And despite popular belief, the majority of Wall Street wining and dining is civilized; it’s not done with twenty’s and G-strings.

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