Jeff Smulyan has had a long and illustrious career thus far. As the founder of Emmis Communications, he helped give David Letterman his start, created the world’s first all-sports radio station, owned the Seattle Mariners MLB team, and created Hip Hop Radio powerhouse Power 106 in Los Angeles—and he isn’t done yet. Jeff Smulyan is the founder, CEO, and Chairman of Emmis Communications, a publicly traded media company based in Indianapolis. His entrepreneurial journey has been a roller coaster ride, owning a Major League Baseball team, starting America’s first sports radio station, creating the world’s two largest hip hop radio stations, and managing some of the world’s most talented people, including David Letterman, Ken Griffey Jr., and Don Imus.
In our conversation with Jeff, he shares incredible insights from his book, Never Ride a Rollercoaster Upside Down. He discusses the importance of being able to make fun of yourself, selling the human way, developing thick skin, and turning it into a superpower. Jeff also highlights what makes Indianapolis a great place to work and live, and the good and bad aspects of company culture. Tune in to hear Jeff's stories and learn valuable lessons about leadership, managing successful teams, handling deals gone wrong, and the parallels between baseball and business.
