Media & press
Press, awards and media kit.
Everything you need to feature G: bios, talking points, interview questions, quotes, headshots and two decades of coverage.
Talking points
Call G about
Available for interviews, podcasts and features. Responds within 72 hours.
- Building companiesLaunching from zero, finding product-market fit, pivots that work.
- Systems and structureWhy growth breaks companies that run on effort, and how to fix it.
- Hospitality and restaurantsOperating, scaling and the realities of the industry.
- Real estate as an operatorBusiness-first investing, redevelopment and overlooked sites.
- ReinventionBankruptcy, recovery and rebuilding a life and a career.
- The immigrant entrepreneurStarting at 10 with no English and building in business.
Recognition
Awards and honors
In the news
Coverage and milestones
- 2026After nine years, G sells The HaymakerinGenuity newsletterRead →
- 2025From Rock Bottom to a $14M Deal: CityPlat acquires the former Kmart site at Western Blvd and I-440inGenuity newsletterRead →
- 2025F*ck Rock Bottom hits #1 on AmazonAmazon best sellerRead →
- 2025Resilience: Turning the Unexpected into the UnstoppableKeynote, Appalachian State UniversityRead →
- 2020Hope in a Meal: G Patel launches Hope for HospitalityRaleigh MagazineRead →
- 2020New initiative gives hot meal to hospitality workers in needWRALRead →
- 2020Gaurav “G” Patel joins CityPlat Commercial Real EstatePress releaseRead →
- 2020“Help Us”: Triangle restaurant owners speak out during COVID-19Triangle Business Journal
- 2017Eschelon Experiences’ Gaurav Patel named Restaurateur of the YearFSR MagazineRead →
- 201540 Under 40 honoreeTriangle Business Journal
- 2014The future is bright: The Raleigh success story of restaurant owner G PatelWalter MagazineRead →
Media kit
Bios
Gaurav “G” Patel is a Raleigh entrepreneur, author and speaker who builds companies from the ground up and the systems that let them thrive. He founded Eschelon Experiences, which opened nearly two dozen restaurant and bar concepts, helps lead CityPlat, a real estate investment firm with more than $400 million in assets under management, and wrote the #1 Amazon best seller F*ck Rock Bottom.
Gaurav “G” Patel is a Raleigh entrepreneur, author and speaker. His work centers on building companies from the ground up, creating the structure and systems that let organizations thrive, and rebuilding when things break. Born in the farming village of Zervavra in Gujarat, India, he moved to Morehead City, North Carolina, at age 10 speaking no English, and learned hospitality in his family’s hotel.
After studying business at North Carolina State University, G founded Eschelon Experiences in 2006. The group opened nearly two dozen restaurant and bar concepts across the Triangle, each with its own brand, including Mura, The Haymaker, Cameron Bar and Grill and Edwards Mill Bar and Grill, and grew to more than 1,000 employees. Across his ventures, G has employed more than 5,000 people. He also co-founded Social House Vodka. The Triangle Business Journal named him to its 40 Under 40 in 2015, and the NC Restaurant and Lodging Association named him Restaurateur of the Year in 2017.
After the collapse of his restaurant group in 2019, G rebuilt. Since 2020 he has helped lead acquisitions, development and investor relationships at CityPlat, which has more than $400 million in assets under management and has managed over 2 million square feet across multiple states. In 2025, he published F*ck Rock Bottom, which reached #1 on Amazon.
G writes the inGenuity newsletter, publishes free playbooks for builders and speaks on building companies, systems and resilience. He lives in Raleigh with his wife, Julie, and their two children.
For producers
Sample interview questions
What did running more than 1,000 employees teach you about systems?
Why do growing companies break, and where do they break first?
How did you rebuild after bankruptcy in 2019?
What does an operator see in a property that others miss?
What is the Recalibration Blueprint, and who is it for?
What would you tell a founder in their first 90 days?
Quotable
In G’s words
“Rock bottom wasn’t the end. It was the reset button I didn’t know I needed.”
“Real estate doesn’t build a business. A strong strategy does.”
“A pretty space that doesn’t support your operations is a liability with nice lighting.”
“Growth is more about refinement. It involves removing what doesn’t serve the bigger picture.”
“You are not defined by your setbacks. You are defined by how you respond to them.”
Headshots
Approved photos
High-resolution images for press use. Credit: courtesy of G Patel.
Fast facts
At a glance
- NameGaurav “G” Patel
- Based inRaleigh, North Carolina
- Known forBuilding companies from the ground up and the systems that let them thrive
- VenturesFounder, Eschelon Experiences (2006), nearly two dozen concepts; co-founder, Social House Vodka; Partner, CityPlat (2020 to present)
- Results5,000+ people employed across his ventures; $400M+ in real estate assets under management at CityPlat; over 2 million square feet managed
- EducationNorth Carolina State University, business
- BookF*ck Rock Bottom (2025), #1 Amazon best seller
- AwardsTBJ 40 Under 40 (2015); NCRLA Restaurateur of the Year (2017)
- CommunityTammy Lynn Center, Raleigh City Farm, Band Together, Hope for Haiti Foundation, Hope for Hospitality (2020), American Cancer Society Real Men Wear Pink (2019)
Testimonials
What partners say
“His drive and dedication serve as a powerful motivation for me and many others. G's leadership style is exceptional, seamlessly blending his professional acumen with his personal ethos.”
“G has consistently demonstrated professionalism, integrity, and strong ethical principles. His exceptional talent for bringing together the right people to drive success is unmatched.”
“Two phrases that immediately come to mind when I think of G are 'ridiculously efficient' and 'top-notch business acumen.'”
Press inquiries
Interview, podcast or feature?
G responds within 72 hours. Prefer email? Write to [email protected].