Welcome to the Arena from ICR – Conversations with Today's Innovators & Business Leaders Eli Manning and Drew Sheinman, Partners at Brand Velocity Group — Pro Sports and Private Equity: A differentiated approach to managing PE portfolios
Summary:
A company culture where you win together or lose together as a team gives everyone an incentive to perform at their best. It also creates supportive environments where strategic risk-taking is encouraged, opening the door to new opportunities. In private equity, a lot of scrutiny goes into every investment decision, but there's one factor that has historically been overlooked: human capital. However, there's been a shift in recent years. Companies ahead of the curve in recognizing value in the human element in their portfolio companies now have a chance to pull ahead in what is becoming an increasingly competitive space.
My guests today, Eli Manning and Drew Sheinman, are both partners at Brand Velocity Group. BVG is a PE firm with a unique investment approach, partnering with the companies they acquire to help them innovate and accelerate their businesses through specialized operating resources, in-house marketing, and their thoughtful approach to human capital. Before joining BVG as founding partner, Drew's career spanned time with William Morris Endeavor, Coca-Cola, Madison Square Garden, the Baltimore Orioles, the New York Mets, and the Breeders' Cup (among others). He's also made some significant industry contributions including developing new financial models for commercial real estate, and athletes becoming business owners. Eli Manning is a two-time Super Bowl winning NFL quarterback and two-time Super Bowl MVP, who has turned his attention to private equity and brings along an impressive track record of adding value to the brands he endorses, invests in, and is otherwise associated with.
In this episode, I learn about the ways BVG differentiates from other firms, and why they felt like the right fit for Eli as he was considering his next move post-retirement from the NFL.
Highlights:
- BVG's differentiated approach to private equity (03:52)
- Eli explains how he became involved with BVG (05:23)
- Eli describes the benefits of BVG's marketing strategy, and why he enthusiastically supports their internal incentive program (07:15)
- Drew explains the structure of BVG's high-profile accelerator program (09:05)
- Drew shares how BVG is attempting to make private equity a more appealing industry for young talent entering the workforce (13:02)
- Drew and Eli discuss The BBQ Guys and their association with the Manning family (14:15)
- BVG's "white space opportunity" strategy, and their partnership with Original Footwear (18:53)
- Why Jay Glazer is a good fit to represent Original Footwear (19:47)
- Eli looks ahead to his future with BVG (21:06)
- Eli's thoughts on the New York Giants' 2022 draft strategy (23:08)
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If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, elizabeth@lowerstreet.co.