“If You Knew How Hard It Was, You Wouldn’t Do It” – Ambition, Risk & Real Wealth with Stephen Felle

“If people knew how hard it was to set up your own business, they 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. Key takeaways include: Ambition needs a channel – how not being good at sport pushed Stephen to find his edge in business and relationship-building. The evolution from stock-picking to wealth management – why “boring” compounding beats flashy trading apps 60% of the time. Celtic Tiger lessons – how visible excess (helicopters to the Galway Races, soaring bank shares) masked systemic risk. The hidden cost of rapid career success – work–life imbalance, stress, and the danger of tying identity to title. Entrepreneurship reality vs romance – why most people underestimate the financial and emotional strain of starting up. Ireland’s new wealth story – business sales, pensions, and high earners replacing leveraged property as the main driver. What good wealth management really is – holistic planning around pensions, gifting, college funds, tax, and family goals, not just “which fund”. Transparency as a differentiator – the importance of clear fees, realistic returns, and saying “no” to opaque 8% schemes with hidden commissions. Continuous mentorship matters – even at CEO level, having seasoned investors as sounding boards is a competitive advantage. Perspective after illness – why Stephen frames leukemia and startup scars through the lens of luck, support, and privilege. All while balancing a young family, big ambition, and the constant pressure of building something from scratch. A must-listen for entrepreneurs, high-earning professionals, and anyone in Ireland wondering how to turn income into long-term, resilient wealth—without losing yourself in the process.