Don Kurz is the author of the new book Do the Hustle: Life Lessons from Studio 54, the Championship Lacrosse Field, and the Boardroom. He is also an entrepreneur, and is the executive board chairman of the creative agency Omelet LLC.
Q: What inspired you to write your book?
A: Two years ago, a major publishing company approached me about writing a career chronicle. They had researched my background and found my journey—from NCAA championships to taking companies public—compelling enough for a sizable audience.
Honestly, I was flattered. I spent two months working with them to develop a 30-page book plan, but when I finished, I felt underwhelmed. It had the requisite "do’s and don’ts," but it lacked soul. I realized I wasn't interested in a book purely for vanity or as a marketing brochure for my company, Omelet LLC.
That episode got my mind spinning. I knew my journey was unconventional, but the standard business formula didn't capture the "bruises and scars" that actually shaped me. Success isn't a straight line; it’s a catalog of lessons learned from breaking a few eggs.
I started a running Google Doc, capturing every unique, funny, or devastating memory without judgment. In two months, I had 10 pages of bullet points—the "raw data" of my life.
When I read them back, I saw a thread that I don’t believe anyone else has woven: the grit of elite athletics, the rhythm and swagger of the 1970s disco scene as an Arthur Murray instructor and Studio 54 regular, and the high-stakes adrenaline of entrepreneurship.
This path wasn't planned. It was dictated by circumstances—and often by failure. I realized that navigating these three disparate worlds taught me more about "decoding life's algorithm" than any boardroom meeting ever could.
Simultaneously, I began to think about legacy. As I have no children, I felt a new, profound obligation to pass on what I’ve learned.
On the Johns Hopkins lacrosse team, we always talked about leaving the program in a better place than we found it. I believe that as humans, we have that same obligation to one another. Teaching is most effective through storytelling, and I wanted to provide real-world applications for the "gut algorithm" that eventually led me to inner peace.
I wrote Do the Hustle to share these lessons—the wins, the losses, and the pivots. My hope is that it helps the reader navigate their own journey with a little more resilience and a lot more joy.
Q: How was the book’s title chosen, and what does it signify for you?
A: The “Hustle” theme is a metaphor for phases of my life. Hustle is foundational in sports, which was the focus of my youth through college. No matter what your physical attributes and natural abilities are, you can always control your effort level and hustle harder than anyone else.
After two serious knee injuries ended my lacrosse career my junior year in college, I started teaching the Hustle dance in the late 1970s at Arthur Murray Dance Studio and became a regular dancing the Hustle at the iconic New York disco, Studio 54.
Finally, as an entrepreneur, hustling is essential for success. You face constant challenges and obstacles and you must keep moving forward to succeed.
Q: What do you think the book says about success, and about failure?
A: Success is not a straight line - not even close. Every significant success I have had in my life was often preceded by a major setback.
My championship lacrosse career ended with devastating knee injuries. But that led me to the world of dancing and disco and the bright lights of Studio 54.
The thrilling success of taking a company public on Nasdaq ended in a boardroom coup that I was on the losing end of. But that ultimately led me to the path of my current company, Omelet, which has been both successful and joyful.
The key is to accept the brutal reality of a given situation, absorb its lessons without bitterness, and then embrace the new opportunities that exist ahead of you. With that philosophy, you will see that failures are a necessary part of your journey.
Q: What impact did it have on you to write the book, and what do you hope readers take away from it?
A: Writing the book has had a profound impact on me. This 18-month journey was at times joyous and at other times highly frustrating.
While not designed as a classic memoir, I use key elements of my life story to illustrate the lessons I learned and my advice to the readers to live a happy and successful life. This process required deep reflection and sometimes uncomfortable transparency.
I hope readers will understand that life has many cycles and that the path to success and happiness is available to anyone if they accept their current reality, and embrace the many opportunities available if one is prepared to work hard, take initiative, be kind, and then have trust that things will work out in the long run.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: On top of my normal duties as the executive board chair of creative agency Omelet LLC, I am working on marketing my book through in-person events, podcasts and selected social media communications.
I truly believe the book can inspire people to power through their difficulties and come out successful and happy. I want that success and happiness for as many people as possible.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Thank you for your interest in Do the Hustle - Life Lessons from Studio 54, the Championship Lacrosse Field, and the Boardroom.
My website, www.DonKurzAuthor.com has a lot more detail about myself and the book. Soon it will even have a playlist of the very best disco music of that special era. My primary social media presence is on linkedin.com/in/donkurz. I am available for selected speaking engagements.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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