Episode 140 – Leadership, Values & the Hero’s Journey with David Aferiat

David Aferiat – Co-Founder (Exited FinTech), Executive Coach, Leadership Strategist, The Avid Group

 

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Episode Summary

In Episode 140, Drewbie sits down with David Aferiat, a seasoned entrepreneur who spent 20 years building and scaling a FinTech software company before successfully exiting—and now helps founders and leadership teams navigate growth, culture, and scale without breaking themselves in the process.

David shares the behind-the-scenes reality of landing massive enterprise deals with companies like E*TRADE, TD Ameritrade, Schwab, and Interactive Brokers—and why closing the deal is often the easy part. The real challenge? What happens after you win.

This conversation goes deep into leadership identity, scaling pains, values-driven decision-making, and why every time you double your business, you break it—and why that’s actually a good thing.

From redefining perseverance, to building meetings that don’t suck, to reframing leadership as a guide on the hero’s journey, this episode is a masterclass for founders, sales leaders, and executives navigating growth.

 

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Episode Highlights

• Selling and licensing FinTech software to major enterprise platforms
  
  

• Why landing big clients forces you to rebuild your company from the inside out
  
  

• “Every time you double your business, you break it” — and why that matters
  
  

• The shift from one-to-one selling to one-to-many decision-makers
  
  

• How enterprise sales change customer service, product development, and staffing
  
  

• Managing identity after a successful exit from a 20-year business
  
  

• Why anchoring identity in values—not roles—is critical for leaders
  
  

• Redefining perseverance as daily rituals toward a better future version of yourself
  
  

• Designing meetings that create momentum instead of draining energy
  
  

• The danger of endless one-on-one meetings and weak leadership structures
  
  

• Building mutual accountability through team-based problem solving
  
  

• The “toothbrush test” for leadership alignment and daily focus
  
  

• Why employees—not customers—are the real heroes of the business
  
  

• Leadership as a guide, not the hero, in the organization
  
  

• How values become the filter for hiring, promoting, and firing
  
  

• Using assessments to uncover hidden friction in sales, marketing, and operations
  
  

• Simplifying, prioritizing, executing, and communicating as leadership fundamentals
  
  

 

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Key Takeaways

1. Scaling always breaks the company—and that’s normal.
Every growth stage requires rebuilding systems, roles, and processes from scratch.

2. Big deals don’t just change revenue—they change everything.
Customer service, R&D, staffing, and accountability all shift at scale.

3. Your identity must outlive your title.
Founders who anchor identity to roles struggle after exits or transitions.

4. Values are revealed through decisions, not websites.
Real values show up in how leaders hire, fire, promote, and prioritize.

5. Perseverance is not burnout—it’s intentional daily rituals.
Success comes from designing habits aligned with a future version of yourself.

6. Meetings should build momentum, not resentment.
Well-run weekly leadership meetings drive clarity, accountability, and speed.

7. Weak leaders hide in one-on-ones.
Strong leaders build alignment and accountability in the group.

8. Your team are the heroes—you are the guide.
Leaders exist to empower others to win, not to be the star.

9. Psychological safety unlocks execution.
When teams trust each other, problems surface faster and solutions follow.

10. Simplify → Prioritize → Execute → Communicate.
Leadership doesn’t have to be complicated—but it must be intentional.

 

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Connect with David

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidaferiat/
🏢 Company: The Avid Group
📍 Atlanta, GA

David regularly shares leadership insights, growth frameworks, and reflections on the hero’s journey for founders and executives.

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