Lessons Learned in Finance and in Life

Learning moments in a career can be successes and failures. It’s what a leader does after that really matters. Knowledge Is Power goes one-on-one with leaders in different industries to uncover these experiences.

 

How have your first bosses and mentors shaped your career?

Although some people may think back to things that they have said, Kevin Davis learned more from what they did instead.

“My second mentor was really demonstrative of the fact that you could be an incredible success in finance without necessarily being ruthless and hard-ass and taking advantage of people,” he mused. “He was a real gentleman, and he fortunately gave me the chance to grow as a person and grow the business, and I really loved those years.” – Kevin Davis

“I would say that I learned more from my bosses’ mistakes than I learned from their successes,” he reflected.

Knowledge is Power host Brandon Pfluger brings to the podcast Davis, the founder and executive director of First Workings, a nonprofit that identifies and works with talented students in New York City public high schools and connects them with internships or mentorships at large corporations.

Before turning to the nonprofit sector, however, Davis also led a long and illustrious career in finance as well. In this episode of the podcast, he shares some of the life and lessons he’s learned along the way.

“My first boss, he was a pretty tough guy. And right from the start I learned my first lesson, which was, ‘Always treat other people the way you wish yourself to be treated’,” Davis said, before he recounted one of his earliest memories of him — one that ended with a BLT sandwich to his face.

However, Davis also remembers mentors that treated him with respect. “My second mentor was really demonstrative of the fact that you could be an incredible success in finance without necessarily being ruthless and hard-ass and taking advantage of people,” he mused. “He was a real gentleman, and he fortunately gave me the chance to grow as a person and grow the business, and I really loved those years.”

Subscribe to the MarketScale Radio podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts for the latest lessons and insights from thought leaders and industry experts at the top of their respective fields.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @MarketScale
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

Mike Dermont Diversified talks AV and healthcare experience
AV’s Critical Role in the Future of Healthcare Experience
July 15, 2025

As healthcare organizations face growing pressure to improve healthcare experience, patient outcomes, streamline operations, and address chronic staffing shortages, audiovisual (AV) technologies are becoming essential tools in delivering high-quality care. From in-room monitoring to patient communication systems, the AV industry is stepping up to meet the evolving demands of a sector that touches every life….

Read More
Applied Digital
Workforce, Housing, and Growth: How Applied Digital Is Revitalizing a Rural Town Through AI Infrastructure
July 15, 2025

As AI infrastructure spreads beyond tech hubs and into America’s heartland, companies face a new imperative: not just to build facilities—but to build trust, local partnerships, and long-term value for the communities that host them. In Ellendale, North Dakota, Applied Digital’s Polaris Forge 1 campus has become a case study in what rural revitalization…

Read More
Sepsis
Challenges of Identifying and Reducing Sepsis Mortality – Episode 2
July 15, 2025

Michael Rothman explores the complexities of sepsis identification and management, highlighting the challenges posed by varying definitions and clinical pathways. He discusses the ineffectiveness of current sepsis screening protocols, which often yield high false-positive rates and fail to reduce mortality meaningfully. The episode concludes by questioning the focus on sepsis-specific initiatives and suggesting that more…

Read More
engineering community
The Future of the Engineering Community: Equity, AI, and Real Connection
July 15, 2025

The Engineer Who Builds Communities, Not Just Systems! Angelie Vincent has spent more than two decades in aerospace engineering, but her real legacy might be the communities she’s built along the way. Now an AI Integration Engineer at Boeing, Angelie joins Professional Quotient host Jason Winningham for a wide-ranging conversation on neurodivergent leadership, workplace…

Read More