CEO Corner: Season 3, Episode 5

“If You Knew How Hard It Was, You Wouldn’t Do It”

In this episode of CEO Corner, Stephen Felle, CEO at Fordel and former youngest director on the board of Davy, joins Sarah McGrath to talk ruthless ambition, the Celtic Tiger, and what “real wealth” looks like in Ireland today.

From starting in stockbroking as a teenager, to sitting at the centre of Ireland’s boom years, to walking away from a high-paying leadership role to launch a startup weeks before COVID, Stephen shares a rare, candid look inside wealth, risk, and reinvention:

growing up ambitious but “awful at sport” and finding his arena in business
the reality of 1990s stockbroking vs today’s world of financial planning & wealth management
life inside Davy during the Celtic Tiger – property mania, leverage, and the crash
becoming Davy’s youngest director and the personal cost of chasing titles & status
walking away to launch Argo… and burning ~€70k per month as COVID hit
why he launched Fordel as Ireland’s new “challenger” wealth manager for high-net-worth clients
how Irish wealth has changed: from leveraged property to genuine business & pension wealth
surviving leukemia at 26 and why he sees himself as lucky, not heroic
giving back through Temple Street, the Sean Cox fund, and St. James’s Hospital Foundation

All while balancing a young family, big ambition, and the constant pressure of building something from scratch.

Listen on:

Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/episode/3uKs…

Apple – https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/if-you-knew…

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CEO Corner, With Sarah McGrath

Each month, we deconstruct world-class industry leaders, asking them about their leadership style, the psychological drivers behind their success and how they became who they are today. This platform is for those who want to gain tips and insights from the best of the best and for those who enjoy hearing other success stories.

Sarah McGrath is a Partner and Co-Owner at 360 Search Recruitment Service in Ireland and the UK and a Co-Owner of Vy Nutrition.

Sarah helps ensure senior professionals get access to their employer of choice and obtain their desired objectives while building their careers. She works with some of the most prolific entrepreneurs within Financial Services.

Sarah holds a Degree in Business, a Four-Year Diploma in Nutrition and a Degree in Psychology. She is passionate about organisational psychology and corporate well-being, advising and speaking at many industry associations.

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