Failure Often Precedes Success - August Felker - Founder and CEO of Oberle Risk Strategies
Jul 2, 2024
auto_awesome
August Felker, founder of Oberle Risk Strategies, shares insights on his childhood defining moments, mentorship, college experiences as a camp counselor, leadership lessons, and the power of resilience in the face of failures. His journey from sales challenges to entrepreneurship, learning from selling acquired businesses, and the surprising aspects of his life are discussed in an engaging and inspiring conversation.
Consistent effort and perseverance are key to achieving success, focusing on daily activities rather than outcomes.
Learning from past experiences, including failures, is essential for continuous growth and development.
Support from family and loved ones plays a crucial role in navigating challenges and making significant life decisions.
Deep dives
Motivation to Focus on Inputs
Emphasizing the importance of focusing on daily activities rather than outcomes, the speaker reflects on the significance of consistent effort. By setting a goal of making a certain number of goal calls each day, irrespective of the outcome, the speaker learned the value of perseverance and optimism in achieving success.
Reflecting on Crucial Learning Journey
Discussing the impact of past experiences, the speaker delves into his formative years at a prestigious high school and a transformative period as a camp counselor. Through challenges and successes, including failures in sports, sales, and leadership roles, the speaker highlights the continuous learning and growth throughout his journey.
Support and Decision Making
Acknowledging the crucial role of support, the speaker reflects on the unwavering encouragement and understanding received from family, specifically his wife, during pivotal career decisions. The speaker recounts the challenges and triumphs of relocating, building a successful business in the insurance industry, and navigating significant life choices.
Resilience and Self-Discovery
Reflecting on the surprises in his life journey, the speaker underscores the resilience and determination required to overcome challenges and pursue entrepreneurial endeavors. Despite initial uncertainties, the speaker discovered an inner capacity to persist, adapt, and find fulfillment in unexpected paths.
Meditation as a Tool for Clarity
Detailing a personal exploration into meditation as a means to manage anxiety and improve focus, the speaker shares insights into a newfound practice. Describing the gradual benefits of meditation on mental clarity and well-being, the speaker demonstrates a commitment to self-improvement and mindfulness.
Reflection on Entrepreneurial Journey
Summarizing the speaker's transition into entrepreneurship, the discussion touches upon the challenges and rewards of venturing into business ownership. From overcoming anxiety to adapting to unexpected paths, the speaker's journey showcases resilience, growth, and a commitment to continuous learning and improvement.
My guest today is August Felker, the Founder and CEO of Oberle Risk Strategies, a forward-thinking insurance agency serving a national client base from its home in St. Louis, Missouri. August has over 20 years of insurance industry experience and has successfully bought two companies using the search fund model. His lineage in the insurance space extends back through his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, all of whom owned insurance agencies in St. Louis. In our conversation, August and I discuss the impact his high school has had on his life, the formative experience of being a camp counselor during college, and how failure has often been the pre-cursor to success in his life, among other topics.
(00:02:10) - August’s defining moments of childhood
(00:14:43) - Mentors
(00:19:30) - College experiences as a camp counselor
(00:23:41) - Leadership lessons
(00:28:18) - Creating an environment of tradition
(00;31:36) - August’s early career in San Francisco
(00:36:03) - Learning Sales, Marriage & Launching a Search Fund
(00:45:40) - Learnings from selling an acquired business
(00:55:21) - The power of resilience
(00:59:00) - What has been most surprising about your life?
The content of this podcast does not constitute investment advice, an offer to provide investment advisory services, or an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy an interest in any investment fund.