Fernando De Leon turned $100,000 into a billion by betting on some pretty boring businesses.
He got his start as a real-estate investor in his 20s. After a prescient bet during the global financial crisis, De Leon expanded to ventures many investors may consider unglamorous, such as dental, veterinary offices and insurance.
The wagers have paid off. Here’s what he shared about what it took to build his multibillion-dollar empire, Leon Capital Group.
Watch the full episode here: https://on.wsj.com/4ubfFxC
Chapters:
0:00 Fernando being pushed out of Goldman
0:44 Fernando’s beginnings in Mexico
1:29 Making money at a young age to support his family
2:24 Asking for equity at age 12 and going to Harvard
3:30 Landing at Goldman Sachs after school
4:31 Optioning land and working for yourself
6:02 The turning point in real estate investing
7:09 The 2008 financial crisis
8:26 Going from a few million to $100 million
9:00 Can a financial crisis make or break someone’s career?
10:07 When you know you have an edge
10:39 Building a family office
12:21 How Leon Capital evolved after the billion mark
The WSJ Money Interview
What can some of the world’s most interesting tycoons teach us about money and success? WSJ’s Gunjan Banerji sits down with highfliers for a candid conversation about how they made it. Have an idea for a future episode? Or a topic you’d love our next guest to weigh in on? Write to the host at gunjan.banerji@wsj.com
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