The Automotive Leaders Podcast Meet Paul Glantz, co-founder and chairman - Emagine Entertainment
The pandemic hasn’t been easy for business leaders. And that’s especially true for people leading businesses that physically bring people together.
But rather than lamenting the challenges of the last 18+ months, Paul Glantz, co-founder and chairman of luxury movie theater company Emagine Entertainment, believes he’s the “luckiest guy on earth.”
A CPA by training, Paul spent 27 years of his career at Proctor Financial — the last 10 as its president. The entrepreneurial bug bit and Paul started a company rooted in his passion for the movies. Today, Emagine operates 27 luxury theatres with a combined 23,141 seats and 244 screens in Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
The pandemic has proved to be a tough hurdle for Emagine. “To be candid with you, I misjudged the duration of the pandemic on several occasions,” Paul admits.
In this episode of Finding Gravitas, Paul talks about navigating a challenging business environment since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the company’s decision to continue to pay employee health insurance — after it was forced to furlough some workers. Paul believes in leading with empathy, but says keeping loyal employees is ultimately about “enlightened self-interest.”
He also discusses how his company drives innovation and implements new technology. Although Emagine is known for introducing digital and luxury enhancements to the theater experience, Paul doesn’t see himself as a visionary. Instead, he views innovation as necessary for sustainability in business.
“A lot of the things that we've done in our theatres, folks say, Oh, you've been such an innovator … this is great,” he explains. “Candidly, I think everything we've done has been largely driven by the need to survive.”
Paul and host Jan Griffiths discuss what it means to lead authentically as well as how gratitude can inform leadership style.
Themes discussed in this episode:
- The “most difficult thing” Paul had to do in his entrepreneurial career
- Why business success starts and ends with great customer service
- Giving back to more than 1,000 different organizations
- How a fear of failure drives Paul’s desire to serve
- Admitting problems and acknowledging weaknesses
- Why it makes sense to put the interest of others ahead of your own
- Being a leader who doesn’t like daily routines
Featured Guest: Paul Glantz
📽️ What he does: Paul is co-founder and chairman of Emagine Entertainment, which operates 27 luxury theatres in Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. An expert in the cinematic exhibition industry, Paul led Emagine to the forefront of dramatic technological enhancements.
💡 On Gravitas: “It's leading with conviction but recognizing you don't have all the answers, and incorporating the views and the input of others to help you form a better organization.”
Episode Highlights
[4:21] Origin story: Paul discusses his background and explains why he thinks of himself as “the luckiest guy on earth.”
[9:18] When COVID came: Paul talks about the state of his movie theater business when the pandemic first hit as well as his mindset. “To be candid with you, I misjudged the duration of the pandemic on several occasions,” he tells Jan.
[15:10] Leaders might not have the answers: Jan and Paul talk about acknowledging weaknesses as a leader.
[14:32] Servant leadership: At Emagine Entertainment, teammates are treated with “kid gloves” and a lot of empathy. During the pandemic, Paul made sure general managers never missed a paycheck. He did have to furlough some employees but continued to pay their health insurance.
[27:08] Tech and leadership: When thinking about leading with technology, Paul doesn’t consider himself a visionary. He shares how a disappointing opening night led him to make bigger investments in technology.
[33:12] Setting the tone with customers: Paul emphasizes the importance of customer service, noting that all success in business stems from pleasing the customer.
[39:32] Ch-ch-ch-changes: Leaders need to move with the times. Paul reflects on adapting to change (even when it’s not convenient). “If we don't embrace change, if we don't recognize that there are perhaps better ways to do business ... I think we're doomed to failure,” Paul says.
[44:15] On Gravitas: When asked what gravitas means to him, Paul talks about leading while recognizing you don’t have all the answers.
[49:19] No two days are the same: Paul describes himself as “the least regimented guy in the world.” He starts his days at different times and enjoys a mix of things in his schedule.