15 Years Doing What I Hated… 8-Figure Exit. Worth It?
Episode description
127 founders (net worth: ~$1M–$100M+) opened up their personal books. Want to see how your finances stack up? https://www.joinhampton.com/wealth-report
How Ronan Berder accidentally built a consulting agency, scaled it to 8 figures, and sold it, despite never enjoying the work.
Here’s what we talk about:
- Why Ronan stayed in China running a business he didn't love, and the deep sense of duty he felt to his team.
- Walking away from an opportunity to follow his passion in order to focus on scaling the business that already had momentum (despite not enjoying it).
- Navigating two failed acquisition attempts before finally exiting for 8 figures.
- The surprising anticlimax of selling his business and realizing… nothing really changes.
- His brutally honest reflections on burnout, entrepreneurship, and why he feels most alive under pressure.
- A transparent look at his current investment portfolio, from fixed deposits to high-conviction plays in AI and Bitcoin.
- Why Ronan says success comes down to discipline, stubbornness, and grit, not genius or perfect strategy.
- How it feels to finally focus on his true passion.
Sponsors:
- Get US caliber talent at offshore prices with https://www.oceanstalent.com/
Cool Links:
- Hampton https://www.joinhampton.com/
- Lower Street https://www.lowerstreet.co/
Chapters:
(01:08) Ronan's Current Life in Singapore
(03:02) Transition to Coding and Open Source Projects
(09:39) Early Life and Career Beginnings
(11:47) Starting a Business in China
(17:43) Growth and Realizations in Business
(21:19) Living a Minimalist Life
(22:24) Balancing Work and Personal Life
(24:23) Business Challenges and The Impact of COVID-19
(28:27) The Final Push and Burnout
(29:36) Selling the Business
(32:05) Life After the Sale
(38:55) Financial Management Post-Sale
(41:35) Reflecting on the Journey
This podcast is a ridiculous concept: high-net-worth people reveal their personal finances. Inspired by real conversations happening in the Hampton community.
Your Host: Harry Morton
- Founder of Lower Street, a podcast production company helping brands launch and grow top-tier podcasts.
- Co-parents a cow named Eliza.