How Michael Ovitz and Steve Schwarzman From BlackStone Find 10s
Aug 6, 2025
Discover how to grow your B2B business through impactful newsletters. Learn the vital traits to seek in a CEO, emphasizing adaptability and the need for a supportive network. Uncover the potential in unconventional talent, focusing on curiosity over traditional credentials. Explore the innovative shift of boards from governance to active sales roles, featuring insights from prominent leaders. Finally, grasp the principles of effective talent acquisition and collaborative design for lasting success.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Hiring Glenn Lorry at MoMA
Michael Ovitz hired Glenn Lorry to lead MoMA despite Lorry lacking a typical background in modern art.
Lorry learned extensively on the job and transformed MoMA into a globally relevant institution over 30 years.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Look Beyond Surface Presentation
Don't judge talent by current presentation; seek signal beneath the surface.
Train your eye by meeting many people to recognize exceptional outliers.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Prioritize Institutional Momentum
Institutional momentum matters more than individual brilliance for lasting success.
Design boards and teams to consistently create velocity and progress, not just governance.
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What if your next CEO hire could 10x—or destroy—your portfolio company?
Michael Ovitz, legendary founder of CAA, built a $100M+ firm by spotting raw, misfit talent and turning it into power. In this solo episode, we break down the exact frameworks Ovitz used—and how HoldCo builders and investors can apply them to identify elite operators, structure trust systems, and build institutions that last.
If you're hiring leaders, backing talent, or scaling a portfolio of companies—this is a playbook you can't afford to skip.
Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Why Michael Ovitz Matters 00:05:07 - Big lessons when hiring a CEO for your portfolio company 00:05:25 - Sponsor: Scalepath 00:06:40 - Don’t overindex presentation and don’t judge by how equipped someone looks today 00:07:59 - Meet hundreds and thousands to train your eye 00:10:36 - Institutional momentum is more important than individual brilliance 00:16:32 - Sponsor: Spacebar Studios 00:17:59 - The top 0.01% of people I back just never stop 00:20:11 - Reward those who create a movement 00:22:28 - Decentralized decision-making 00:27:12 - Ego is the enemy of multiples 00:29:28 - Be brutally honest but relationship-driven 00:33:07 - Time is the ultimate enemy 00:36:14 - How to build time discipline in your investment firm or HoldCo 00:40:44 - Add these three questions to your DD 00:41:22 - How to win when you play the long game with people
HoldCo Builders