Strauss Zelnick: Multidimensional Success, Winning Investments, and Leaving Fear Behind

Gamma Project

Strauss Zelnick is an endlessly inspiring human being who truly embodies the concept of no limits. The founder of Zelnick Media Capital, a private equity investment firm in the media and communications industry. he’s also the CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors at Take-Two Interactive, a leading developer and publisher of interactive software and games franchises including Grand Theft Auto, Bio Shock, NBA2K, and many more. To give you a sense of the sheer magnitude of his accomplishments, Strauss’s roles leading up to his founding of Zelnick Media Capital in 2001 include serving as Chairman and CEO of Columbia Music, President and CEO of BMG Entertainment, and President and COO of 20th Century Fox. And those are just a few of the highlights. He also holds degrees from both Harvard Business School and Harvard Law School. I first learned of Strauss back in 2008, when I saw him on the cover of Men’s Fitness magazine, where I interned in my free time while studying journalism at NYU. I remember reading about this accomplished businessman who used fitness to fuel his success. Fast-forward five years to 2013. I’m the Deputy Editor of Men’s Fitness, and my boss tells me we’re doing a feature on this mega successful entrepreneur in his mid-50s who hits the gym harder than most guys in their 20s. I didn’t write the piece, but when the photos rolled in I saw a familiar face. And when it came time to edit the story, I remember being incredibly impressed that this guy—a family man, to boot—had not only grown his business exponentially but somehow found the time to get even fitter. After that, it was another couple of years before I heard Strauss’s name again. The weird thing about it was that four years had gone by, and then in the space of one week two different people, totally independently, told me about this guy that I just had to meet—of course, that guy was Strauss. I ended up meeting Strauss for a 6 a.m. workout, where we chatted between sets of high-intensity intervals, and it didn’t take long to see that this guy was the real deal. To record this interview, I met Strauss at his home in New York City, where we sat in his library and talked honestly about success, failure, integrity, and prioritization in the grand scheme of life. It was a weeklong seminar on leadership and philosophy condensed into less than an hour, and our brief but profound conversation has stuck with me ever since. -------------------------------------- This episode is brought to you by iFIT NOURISH. iFIT NOURISH delivers personalized nutrition to your door—with protein, vitamins, and minerals to support your individual needs. When you go to iFITNOURISH.com, you’ll fill out a quick questionnaire with basic information, like your gender, age, height, and weight, before providing insights into your lifestyle, like your typical energy levels, daily sun exposure, whether or not you’re a smoker, how often you exercise, the kinds of exercise you do, and—of course—your goals. In the dietary section, you’ll input how much fruit and vegetables you get through your diet, any dietary preferences—like if you prefer a vegan or vegetarian mix—food allergies, how often you plan to drink the shakes, and whether you intend to use them as meal replacements or supplements. You can also pick your favorite flavor. Whether you’re looking to build muscle, lose weight, increase your endurance, improve energy levels or athletic performance, or even just maintain, iFIT NOURISH was created to arm you with the nutrition you need to go after your goals while also providing a solid daily nutritional foundation. Your first personalized order is free. Just pay $5 shipping, and you’ll get a free shaker bottle. Try it for yourself today at iFITNOURISH.com.