EP77: The Hidden Rewards of Professional Missteps

This episode delves into the critical career decisions that shaped these business leaders' paths. Clay candidly shares his experience of leaving Telecheck after 9/11 and buying a business - a decision he calls his "biggest failure" and "most costly mistake." He opens up about the financial devastation and valuable lessons learned from this setback. Deborah reflects on her bold move to leave Marriott International despite having "the best job, the best people, the best colleagues." She discusses the challenges and rewards of expanding her capabilities beyond corporate roles. As our discussion unfolds, Clay and Deborah offer honest insights into navigating business disruptions, dealing with failure, and the unexpected turns that led them to their current success at Chief Outsiders. About Clay Spitz: Clay Spitz started his career in a family service business which was eventually sold into an industry rollup. He has considerable experience as a marketing, sales and operating executive in companies ranging from midsize privately held to Fortune 1,000 corporations. Spitz has been a senior executive at Terminix International, TeleCheck International and Olshan Foundation Solutions and has owned a business. Clay joined Chief Outsiders in 2010 as one of the very early members of the firm, and rose to Managing Partner and then COO.  He is now forming Wise Path Advisory to help other executives achieve their highest potential through coaching, advisory and board service. Links from this episode: Clay Spitz on LinkedIn Deborah Fell on LinkedIn Chief Outsiders