In this episode of The Distribution, host Brandon Sedloff speaks with Sarah Schwarzschild, COO of Mavik Capital, to explore what operational alpha looks like inside a high-performing real estate investment firm. With experience spanning investment banking, secondaries, and platform leadership, Sarah brings a unique lens to how strategy, culture, and execution intersect in private markets.
They dive into how Mavik has structured itself for speed, collaboration, and long-term performance—from flat organizational design to real-time data feedback loops. Sarah shares her approach to building systems that reduce friction, unlock better decision-making, and ensure every team member—from assistants to senior investors—has direct alignment through carried interest.
They also discuss:
- How Mavik balances flexibility with discipline in its investment process
- The firm’s unique capital strategy, including accordion-style fund sizing
- Why Sarah believes in weekly feedback, habit tracking, and prioritization as leadership tools
- Building an internal culture of experimentation, iteration, and psychological safety
- Why operational excellence is a source of alpha, not just back-office hygiene
- How technology, automation, and data scraping will define the next generation of investment managers
This episode is a masterclass in applying startup principles inside a real estate investment platform—ideal for any leader thinking about how to build with intention.
Links:
Mavik Capital - https://www.mavikcapital.com/
Sarah on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-schwarzschild-5426483/
Brandon on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bsedloff/
Juniper Square - https://www.junipersquare.com/
Book recommendations:
The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie - https://a.co/d/2eD81SB
Atomic Habits by James Clear - https://a.co/d/9eU79Op
The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler - https://a.co/d/iglqwPt
Topics:
(00:00:00) - Intro
(00:02:01) - Sarah’s background and career
(00:08:44) - What are you focused on from an investment perspective?
(00:10:51) - What is your span of control as COO?
(00:15:59) - How do you compare and contrast operationally Mavik vs. the industry standard?
(00:18:46) - Flexibility within a large organization
(00:20:35) - How do you effectively drive change?
(00:22:21) - Leadership philosophies
(00:29:52) - Achieving long-term outperformance
(00:35:18) - What are your priorities today?
(00:41:29) - What is the role of an operational leader in an investment committee?
(00:44:18) - Opportunities in the market
(00:47:02) - Sarah’s Jordan 1 shoe
(00:48:36) - Book suggestions
