ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Sam Schneider and Gregg Mayer sit down on Inside Deal to discuss Mayer's unconventional path from investment banking and private equity into operating roles, ultimately leading him to Bisnow as COO and CFO. Mayer shares how early career experiences taught him the value of deep relationships and the importance of balancing visionary leadership with operational discipline. He explains how a restructuring assignment years earlier shaped his management philosophy around pairing complementary skill sets—what he calls the yin and yang of leadership. After joining Bisnow in 2018, Mayer faced immediate culture shock, moving from a numbers-first environment to one where mission and values drove every decision.
They discuss:
- Why asking instead of telling unlocked better performance from his team
- How Bisnow's culture enabled the company to break even during COVID despite being a live events business
- How AI is amplifying Bisnow's ability to create actionable insights from proprietary content across hundreds of events
- Why personal brand-building starts long before graduation and matters throughout a career
This episode offers a rare look at how embracing vulnerability and cultural adaptation can redefine leadership effectiveness in fast-moving media businesses.
(00:00:00) - Intro
(00:02:37) - Investment banking to private equity
(00:06:36) - Learning from Alpine Capital partners
(00:09:02) - Restructuring experience and management lessons
(00:13:11) - Balancing leadership and open dialogue
(00:15:10) - Becoming an operator at a storage company
(00:19:59) - Joining Bisnow and culture shock
(00:29:07) - COVID hits the events business
(00:33:53) - Tragedy and leadership through loss
(00:38:47) - AI and the future of live events
(00:47:11) - Building a B2B media company today
(00:48:39) - Career advice for recent graduates
(00:54:17) - Greg's competitive advantage
Links:
Gregg on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregg-mayer-92335316a/
Bisnow - https://www.bisnow.com/
Sam on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-schneider-11234826/
Imperium Capital - https://www.imperiumcap.com/
University of Michigan Ross Weiser Center for Real Estate - https://studyrealestate.umich.edu/
