Breathe, Investigate and Think: Interview with Greg Peters, CEO of Zilliant

I recently went one on one with Greg Peters, CEO of Zilliant.

Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth? 

Greg: I tend to refer to myself as the “accidental CEO.” I grew up playing sports which certainly taught me teamwork and leadership skills, but I never aspired to be CEO of a software company. I attended a small liberal arts college where I played sports and upon taking my first college exam, I failed. I learned at that moment that nothing is ever handed to you. My business career started in public accounting, and then I briefly worked in sports marketing. From there, I entered the world of tech. This led me to move to New Jersey where I became CFO of a tech company. One day they called and told me they were letting the current CEO go and wanted me to be the acting CEO. Not wanting to pass up an incredible opportunity, I took the role, and ultimately threw my name in the hat for the role permanently. From there, I got involved with a tech company in Austin, and took that one public. The investors at that company were also investors at Zilliant, where I am in my current role as CEO. I have always felt that at its core, software is really about people and so is sports - so the role of a tech CEO always made sense for me.

Adam: In your experience, what are the key steps to growing and scaling your business? 

Greg: A company needs capital. Any CEOs first job is to know that. Next, you must have a plan and understand your own business model. In my experience, knowing when to scale and when to wait is key.

Adam: What do you believe are the defining qualities of an effective leader?

Greg: I believe in servant leadership. I don’t want to ─ and I can't ─ make every decision inside the company. Do we have the right culture? The right people? The right processes? Those are the decisions I focus on. Ultimately, I strive to empower my employees.

Adam: How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level? 

Greg: There are leaders throughout an organization. Truly, leadership and leaders have nothing to do with job titles. Leaders are always thinking of company success. Leaders are willing to challenge the status quo and are never afraid to ask questions. They aim to be intellectually curious and want to improve and get smarter every day. Leaders are willing to make mistakes and learn from them. They are good communicators, whether written or verbal. Most importantly, leaders inspire their employees to want to be at the top of their game within their organization and in life.

Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives and civic leaders? 

Greg: I don't believe there is only one specific or effective leadership style, and I have seen a lot of different types. Every leader needs to be authentic. Every leader needs to make sure everyone in the organization understands the vision. Why does your organization exist and what is the value? For the world and for the employees? And, most importantly, a really good leader understands that people are everything.

Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading and managing teams? 

Greg: The key to building a strong team is cultivating a strong culture. At the heart of that is hiring smart, good people and providing them with resources they need to do their job while trusting them to do it well on their own.

Adam: What are your best tips on the topics of sales, marketing and branding? 

Greg: They are linked ─ that is for sure. And they need to be consistent. The way you market needs to tie back to what a customer sees. The way you sell needs to be consistent with how you service and support that customer. And truly knowing your brand is at the core of all of it.

Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received? 

Greg: Honestly, I think it goes back to when I first became a CEO for the first time, more than 20 years ago. One of the board members said to me, ‘Congratulations, you’ve heard the truth for the last time’. That may sound odd but what I believe he meant was that going forward I must know that everyone has an angle, and never act impulsively based on what someone may say. Breathe, investigate, and think. I usually give myself a night before I make a big decision.

Adam: Is there anything else you would like to share?

Greg: It is my belief that leading people is one the most joyful and fulfilling things you can do in this life, and for me the most satisfying part of the job is the profound impact you can have on people. I consider one of my main responsibilities to foster the growth of my team and help people become successful, and I take that responsibility very seriously.


Adam Mendler is the CEO of The Veloz Group, where he co-founded and oversees ventures across a wide variety of industries. Adam is also the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one on one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. Adam has written extensively on leadership, management, entrepreneurship, marketing and sales, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities and non-profit organizations.

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