#5 Michelle Neal: Pushing Limits, Driving Change and Building Loyalty

In this episode, I sit down with Michelle Neal, a trailblazing executive in financial services with a proven track record in leading global markets and infrastructure businesses. With expertise spanning multiple asset classes, regulatory landscapes, and a focus on digitizing complex, scalable infrastructures, Michelle brings unparalleled insights to the table. Having held senior roles, currently as CEO of Fnality International, as well as at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, BNY Mellon, and RBC Capital Markets, she shares her remarkable journey through the industry. Tune in for her hard-earned lessons, innovative strategies, and invaluable advice—whether you're charting your career path or refining your leadership approach- this one’s for you! 

Key Takeaways from This Episode:

• Michelle's personal journey: building a strong work ethic, drive and commitment from an early age. 
• What drew Michelle to Fnality: its mission driven values that resonate deeply with her. 
• Practical strategies for driving innovation within large organizations. 
• Key traits Michelle seeks in top talent: the qualities that set individuals apart. 
• The vital role of clear and consistent communication in effective leadership. 
• Insights on navigating unexpected challenges during times of crisis. 

Memorable Quotes:

"Things that are complex can in some ways make you look clever, but genuine mastery is making complicated things simple."

"People can be super smart, but that doesn't necessarily mean they have common sense or good judgment."

"When it comes to the why, you need to be the CRO – Chief Reinforcement Officer. People rarely absorb a message the first time—they need to hear through multiple channels, in multiple ways."

"Not every crises will give you the luxury of time, but when it does take the time to think and be strategic rather than just react, in order to stem your losses quickly."

"Declaring failure is counter to human nature, but it is necessary to support innovation and growth. You don't have room for sustained failures, but you do probably have room to ideate, fail, try again and course correct."

"It’s important to love what you do, but that doesn't mean you have to love what you do for every task or every minute, because sometimes work is very rewarding and sometimes work is just work. "

"Develop good habits, learn from mistakes and get better at incrementally improving."

"I don't have all the answers. I think I'm only midway through the journey. I am trying to have a mindset to have no regrets."

If you want to learn more practical lessons and real-world leadership insights from remarkable founder CEOs, you can ⁠⁠⁠order Georgie's book Stratospheric CEOs out now.