Tag: near-death experience
The Healthy Advisor: How a Near-Death Experience Became an ‘Origination Point’ With John Connell

The Healthy Advisor: How a Near-Death Experience Became an ‘Origination Point’ With John Connell

By |

The summer after his freshman year in high school, John Connell went on the Texas Giant rollercoaster in Arlington, Texas, the tallest wooden rollercoaster in the U.S. at that time. John ended up in the hospital, with injuries the doctors weren’t sure he’d recover from. That became an “origination point,” a wake-up call that forever changed the trajectory of his life.

In this episode of The Healthy Advisor podcast, WealthManagement.com Executive Editor Diana Britton talks with John Connell, co-founder and CEO of Focal, about the life-changing experience. It shaped his perspective, inspired his relentless curiosity, and ultimately led to the creation of Focal, an artificial intelligence meeting management solution for financial advisors.

John opens up about the accident that nearly claimed his life as a teenager, how it fueled a lifelong commitment to impact, and why he believes hardship is a hidden teacher. He also shares how his global travels, time at Microsoft and passion for scaling meaningful change converged to create a company that helps advisors spend more time with clients and less on paperwork.

John discusses:

  • His childhood and early experiences that shaped him
  • His near-death experience and its long-lasting impact on his worldview
  • Lessons from global travel and embracing different cultures
  • The role of technology in driving societal change
  • How Focal is helping advisors reclaim their time and serve more clients

Resources:

Connect With John Connell:

Connect with WealthManagement.com:

About Our Guest:

John leads Focal as CEO, an AI note-taking platform and automation services provider. Focal goes beyond AI note-taking by helping firms automate KYC, onboarding, planning, and more. We are trusted by executives across Ritholtz, Fidelity, Vanguard, KPMG, and more as the industry’s most secure note-taker and automation provider, helping advisors save 8 hours a week and scale serviceable clients by 30%.

John started his career at Microsoft, where he managed a $1B P&L for Office 365 and contributed strategically to Microsoft’s landmark acquisition of LinkedIn. After relocating to San Francisco, he joined a video conferencing startup that was acquired by Dialpad. He then leveraged his expertise in enterprise SaaS and AI/ML to invest at a $5B AUM venture capital fund, later scaling an AI/compliance startup from its early stages as the first business hire to securing $36M in funding within three years.

John graduated from the University of Texas, combining studies in Finance and Management Information Systems with foundational experiences in wealth management at Merrill Lynch and equity trading at Jefferies in New York.

If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Spotify | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | RSS | More

FEATURE
The Healthy Advisor: From Near-Death to New Purpose with Martine Lellis

The Healthy Advisor: From Near-Death to New Purpose with Martine Lellis

By |

While studying at Duke University, Martine Lellis started to feel sick. It developed quickly into a hospital visit where she was diagnosed with pneumonia in both her lungs. The condition escalated into a near-deadly situation, so her doctors decided to induce a coma even before her parents were able to reach her.

 It became so serious that while in a coma, she received her last rites, the religious ceremony performed by a Catholic priest for someone who was dying.

 Thankfully, she woke up three weeks later to make a full recovery, although the road back to normal functionality was difficult.

 Diana Britton speaks with Martine Lellis, principal of M&A partner development at Mercer Advisors, on her near-death experience, its profound impact on her life, and how it has fueled her passion for making bold, compassionate choices in the financial services industry.

 

Diana and Martine discuss:

  • Martine’s near-death experience and its aftermath
  • Her recent experience meeting with the doctor who saved her life at Duke
  • Another health scare she had with long COVID
  • How overcoming significant health challenges shaped her professional and personal outlook
  • The importance of gratitude and resilience in her leadership role
  • Her current philanthropic efforts and commitment to giving back to the community

 Resources:

 Connect With Martine Lellis:

 Connect With Wealth Management & NREI:

 About Our Guest:

 Martine is Principal, M&A Partner Development, and is responsible for driving the growth and expansion of the organization through strategic mergers and acquisitions of other RIAs. Based on her more than two decades of experience in the independent wealth management space, she leads like-minded firms in their transition decisions, including assessment of fit, due diligence, financial analysis, talent mapping, and deal negotiations. Martine also currently serves as Chief Talent Officer, overseeing Talent Management and HR Operations for the company, with a focus on developing and growing the talent of the organization. She has been a member of the Executive Leadership Team at Mercer Advisors since joining the firm in 2020.

 If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.

 The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify, and wherever podcasts are found.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Spotify | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | RSS | More