We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Joshua Tourdot. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Joshua below.
Joshua, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
When I really think about it, my resilience probably comes directly from my mother. She’s fiercely competitive, she absolutely hates losing, and while I didn’t inherit that same aversion to loss, I did absorb the love of competition she modeled. For me, the fun in life has always come from the possibility of failure rather than the possibility of success. I find failure fascinating because I don’t define it as “losing”; I define it as either giving up or repeating the same actions while expecting different results.
That perspective turned failure into something motivating rather than paralyzing. Every misstep becomes an opportunity to adjust and learn. The more I fail, the more I push myself into unfamiliar territory, and the more comfortable I become with discomfort. Over time, that repeated cycle of trying, failing, adapting, and improving has strengthened my resilience in a very real way.
I genuinely thrive in environments where the outcome isn’t guaranteed. Without the possibility of failure, life feels flat and uninspiring. Embracing that uncertainty, rather than avoiding it, is I believe where my resilience truly comes from.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Professionally, my work centers around helping build and operate Midnight & The Wicked, one of Philadelphia’s most recognizable nightlife venues, but the real story behind that is rooted in partnership. I never set out in search of inspiration or a passion project; what motivated me was the opportunity to work alongside my best friend, Artem Ustayev. This venue began as his dream, and my role has always been to put my full effort behind bringing that dream to life. Through his vision and generosity, and through my commitment to facilitating whatever needed to be done, we’ve created something far larger than either of us could have imagined alone.
From day one, the journey has required patience and persistence. Nightlife moves quickly on the surface, music, lights, crowds, energy, but behind the scenes it’s a slow, deliberate build. There wasn’t one single breakthrough moment; instead, the progress revealed itself gradually, as we realized the business was responding to the input, care, and methodical decisions behind it. That understanding became essential: to take things day by day, not get consumed by the chaos, and trust the process of steady, thoughtful work.
Naturally, challenges and doubt have been constant companions, both in business and in life. But I’ve learned to see them as necessary parts of growth rather than obstacles. A challenge is simply a problem waiting for a solution, effort, or both. Doubt only exists when you hope for something better, so in that sense, it becomes a motivator, a reminder to think deeper and push harder. I’ve always believed that negatives are mirrors of positives, and we choose which reflection to focus on. For me, choosing the positive has been key to moving forward.
At the heart of all this effort is a simple goal: to give people a great experience. Whether through the music, the cocktails, or the atmosphere, nothing is more rewarding than hearing that someone loved their night with us. Hospitality at its best should make people feel something, welcomed, energized, connected, and that remains the guiding principle behind everything we do.
That commitment to experience also drives our evolution. We’re always refining and expanding, and one initiative I’m particularly excited about is our upcoming monthly cocktail launch program, where we’ll introduce rotating seasonal or holiday-inspired cocktails throughout the year. It’s a way to keep the menu dynamic and aligned with the creative spirit that defines Midnight & The Wicked.
Ultimately, success for me isn’t about numbers or accolades. It’s about continuing to work beside Artem, supporting each other’s families, and building a business that provides opportunities for the incredible team that has joined us on this wild project. At its core, this business has always been about people, the people we work with and the people we serve. Artem once told me, people may not remember what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.
My hope is that Midnight & The Wicked is remembered in exactly that way, not just for what it is, but for the way it made people feel, the memories created within its walls, and the unforgettable nights shared here.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Looking back, the first and most impactful quality in my journey has been a willingness to problem-solve relentlessly even if that means being completely wrong, starting over, and repeating that cycle as many times as necessary. In any business, especially one as fast-paced and unpredictable as nightlife, you rarely get things right on the first attempt. The real skill is staying open to correction, learning quickly, and refining your approach without letting ego or frustration slow you down. My advice to anyone early in their journey is simple: don’t just tolerate being wrong expect it, and use it. The faster you accept mistakes as part of the process, the faster you grow.
The second quality isn’t traditionally labeled a “skill,” but it’s been essential to everything I’ve built: the ability to form strong partnerships with the people around me. Midnight & The Wicked exists because of the trust, communication, and shared commitment between myself and my business partner and best friend, Artem. No one succeeds in a vacuum. Find people whose values align with yours, invest in those relationships, and build something together that’s stronger than what any of you could have created alone. For those starting out, prioritize the people who show up with you and for you they will shape your success more than anything else.
The third quality is something I try to practice every day: listen first, think second, speak last or sometimes not at all. And to be completely transparent, this one is hard. It’s not something that comes naturally to me; it’s something I have to work on and remind myself of constantly. In a high-stress environment, it’s easy to react quickly or jump into problem-solving before fully understanding the situation. But when I slow down and actually listen to my team, my partners, my customers the right decisions become clearer. Speaking last isn’t about holding back; it’s about being intentional. For anyone looking to develop this skill, focus on understanding before responding. It builds better decisions, stronger relationships, and deeper trust.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
The most impactful thing my parents did for me was give me the space to figure things out on my own. They didn’t micromanage, they didn’t shelter me from challenges, and they didn’t pretend life would always be easy. Instead, they trusted me to make my own decisions, and my own mistakes, and to learn from both. That level of trust taught me responsibility, resilience, and the understanding that growth comes from doing, not from being told.
They also gave me something equally important: a sense of stability. I always knew that, succeed or fail, I had a foundation to stand on. That combination, independence with support in the background, shaped the way I work today, the way I problem-solve, and the way I navigate uncertainty. It’s something I’m grateful for every single day.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://midnightandthewicked.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midnightandthewicked_/?hl=en
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/midnight-and-the-wicked-philadelphia?osq=Lounges
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