Bisnow Bosses: A Minute With Adam Knobloch

Bisnow proudly presents a new series called “Bisnow Bosses” focused on introducing you to the men and women building Bisnow and your business in your local market. Our mission is to inform and connect you to do more business, and our Bosses take it seriously! Here’s a quick chat with Adam Knobloch, our go-to expert on data centers. We spoke with him about craft beer, real estate and technology — and a hair-raising drive down an Icelandic mountain.

Adam Knobloch is Bisnow’s director of data center events. Shoot him an email at adam.knobloch@bisnow.com.

Who are you? 

I’m a New Yorker constantly searching for hidden gems in the city’s food and music scenes.

Why Bisnow and why the commercial real estate industry?

I’ve always had an interest in how tech and real estate intermingle. I believe that technology will help the world become a better place. By working at Bisnow, I get to help shape how that transformation happens. 

I was drawn to Bisnow because this company has the ability to bring together the unique movers and shakers in the CRE sector to learn, share ideas and help grow the industry. 

What has been your most eye-opening experience at Bisnow so far? 

Sometimes, we get to host our events at our clients’ facilities. We hosted our DICE Midwest event in 2018 at a client’s development site, which was a former power plant right on Lake Michigan. It was one of the first times I’d seen a data center before it was fully developed and showed me firsthand what kind of forethought goes into this type of project. 

I was blown away by how these visionaries were able to see the value of a raw space long before a shovel has ever touched the ground. 

What was your scariest moment? 

My friend and I were exploring Northeastern Iceland and, as we approached a fork in the road, we noticed that the path straight ahead was mostly blocked off with a traffic barrier. After investigating the alternative, which was up a steep mountain, we determined that our only option was to keep going up. 

Just a few minutes after heading up the mountain, the road became harder to find. And when we finally reached the peak, we saw that the entire road ahead of us was covered in ice. At this point, I pressed harder on the brakes and the car began to lose grip. 

Even on mountains, roads in Iceland don't usually have guard rails. Thankfully and by sheer luck, I was able to maneuver the car into a snow ditch. 

At that point we were safe, but there was no one in sight in either direction. After some lucky calls to the local emergency lines, we were able to get towed out of the ditch and escorted down the mountain.

How do you describe your job to your friends and clients?

When I tell friends and colleagues what I do, I try to explain that I am a connector in a niche sector where great minds join together to grow, share ideas and find unique ways to collaborate. 

At the end of the day, events can achieve a lot of things. Luckily, the events I am able to be a part of offer me a glimpse of what will shape the future of the commercial real estate industry and society as a whole.

What’s your drink of choice? 

I’m an avid supporter of craft beer, and I try to make my way to the newest breweries around NYC, many of which are in Brooklyn. I appreciate breweries because they are both a great source of unique concoctions to sample, as well as places where I am able to ask and learn more about a hobby I have — brewing beer. 

My favorite local brewery these days is KCBC (Kings County Brewers Collective) in Bushwick. They are fearless with their creativity and execution. From Bourbon Barrel Aged Stouts to Sours and Hazy IPA's, they really nail it every time!

Where will you be 10 years from now?

My hope is that 10 years from now, I'll be able to look back and be proud of the individuals I've worked with, and the impact I’ve made on the things I find valuable. 

With every year, month or even day, I hope I can look back and say that I am better than before.

You can meet Adam at any of Bisnow's upcoming data center events or contact him at adam.knobloch@bisnow.com or 914-589-6817.