The CEO's Real MBA: Leadership Lessons From a Failed NYC Bar

What if your biggest business failure at 22 became the foundation for a successful career on Wall Street? Scott Greenfield, a leader in the financial industry, joins Harmonious at Lunch to share his unconventional journey from owning a bar in New York City to becoming a top executive and mentor.

Scott argues that the most critical business lessons—managing capitalization, building powerful relationships, and learning from failure—aren't taught in a classroom but are forged in the trenches. He breaks down how an undercapitalized bar venture taught him more than any formal education and how a single relationship built there launched his entire financial career. Discover his leadership philosophy of "staying in the middle of the highway" and how his personal journey as a father to a son with autism has profoundly shaped his approach to mentoring with adaptability and empathy.

In This Episode:

[00:00] - Intro: How Can Owning a Bar Make You a Better CEO?

[01:13] - From Fraternity Brother to NYC Bar Owner at 22

[03:00] - The Crash Course in Business Failure: Capitalization & Breaking the Rules

[06:21] - The Power of Relationships: How a Bar Regular Launched a Wall Street Career

[10:35] - Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone to Gain a Worldly Perspective

[13:15] - The Final Lesson: How to Seize Opportunity and Never Waste It Again

[15:10] - Leadership Beyond Business: The Passion Driving Autism Advocacy

[17:01] - Connect with Scott Greenfield

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For strategies to achieve greater clarity in yourself and your employees, visit the HumanOp Website: https://humanop.com/

Learn more from Scott Greenfield: Visit Fifth Avenue Financial to learn more about Scott's work in the financial industry: https://fifthavenuefinancial.com/ Support Scott's passion project, Go Long for Luke, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness and funding for autism programs: https://golongforluke.org

Connect with Scott Greenfield: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottgreenfield/

Follow Harmonious at Lunch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/humanoptechnologies/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HumanOpTech LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanop-technologies-inc/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@humanoptech

#LeadershipDevelopment #Entrepreneurship #BusinessLessons #Resilience #FinancialServices

For strategies to achieve greater clarity in yourself and your employees, visit the HumanOp Website: https://humanop.com/

Learn more from Scott Greenfield: Visit Fifth Avenue Financial to learn more about Scott's work in the financial industry: https://fifthavenuefinancial.com/ Support Scott's passion project, Go Long for Luke, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness and funding for autism programs: https://golongforluke.org

Connect with Scott Greenfield: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottgreenfield/

Follow Harmonious at Lunch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/humanoptechnologies/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HumanOpTech LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanop-technologies-inc/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@humanoptech

#LeadershipDevelopment #Entrepreneurship #BusinessLessons #Resilience #FinancialServices