As a well-regarded executive in the financial sector, John Pierce brings decades of real-life experience that serves as a model for the guidance and stories found in Unshakable Confidence. Having navigated a career with companies of every size—from behemoths to those scaling up—and completed what soon will be 14 Ironman competitions, John’s strategic outlook and bare-knuckle fighting spirit has given him a unique and powerful outlook that his consulting clients value.
Asked about himself and his approach to work and life, John shared these thoughts:
I like putting out dumpster fires. I like fixing things. Just to clarify, I can’t hammer a nail straight or do anything practical in a workshop or garage. But, after thirty years in the financial sector, I recognized that I am good at taking big rock problems, boiling the concepts down into digestible forms, explaining them in simple and understandable ways, and finally chunking out solutions that create solid foundations for companies to thrive long-term.
Currently, I work with a select number of companies to help them overcome challenges that are often complex and stubborn—where conventional solutions and the current team have not made meaningful progress. That’s my sweet spot.
When I was asked to reflect on my life and career so far, I realized nothing I’ve accomplished could have been predicted.
I grew up in the mid-west: Toledo, Ohio. “Mid-west” nice is real. During summers, we would leave the house in the morning and ride our bikes to a park and play, returning home for lunch when one of the Mom’s rang a lunch bell. Then, back outside until we had to be home (when the streetlights went on).
I always had a job, even as a kid. Toledo has four seasons so during summer I mowed grass and delivered the Toledo Blade. When winter hit and snow came, I took my red shovel and worked shoveling driveways and sidewalks, and came home exhausted, with cash falling out of my pockets. That’s when I found I like the concept of money. That never left me. I didn’t have the “killer instinct” yet but I realized this cash thing was not bad.
I went to grade school at Our Lady of Perpetual Help and was not a good student, in fact, I was placed with the “slow kids.” Now, I’m a Mensa Life Member. What I realized is that I was just a disinterested and non-motivated kid. High school in Toledo was at the best college prep school in the area, St. Francis De Sales. I started to emerge as the real me at SFS, but still no killer instinct and not an athlete. I ran the mile in track and was slow as can be—I didn’t know back then I would never be fast, but I could go forever. It’s that ability that accounts for how I have completed 13 full distance Ironman’s (2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and a little marathon to finish the day). SFS challenged me although Brother Roth was kind enough to pass me in Spanish despite my complete incapacity for a second language. I still scratch my head wondering how my three kids have mastered Spanish, Russian, and German.
Later in life I gave back by being on the SFS Endowment Board for 20-years (well past the “maximum” of the established five-year term). Father O. finally let me off the hook.
SFS was where I started to develop a passion for things like black and white photography, girls, the fun of learning and developing life-long relationships. College was at The University of Cincinnati where I muddled through academically and grew up away from home. My mom still will not forgive me when I drove my blue Buick Skyhawk away to college, paid for with snow shoveling cash, and left Toledo for good.
Post college, I didn’t want to work for the firms that everyone seemed eager to join—like Proctor & Gamble or Cintas. Instead, I naively started a childcare company. It grew into five centers in three states, with 120 employees. Run by a clueless kid just out of college. It was a harrowing and energizing experience that showed I was more naturally an entrepreneur rather than a corporate guy. I wound up ignoring that for the next 30 years, when I sold my company and joined a succession of corporate employers, including Merrill Lynch, Ameriprise, Stifel, and Cetera. Being on my own left its mark, and I brought the entrepreneurial experience and swagger to each corporate role, mostly with success.
While I was trying to keep the childcare company afloat, I needed a stress outlet, so I started studying Tae Kwon Do with Master Ahn in Cincinnati. I learned a lot about myself as I earned my black belt. Forms (those routine moves that are essential practice elements)—Bad. Sparring and fighting (reacting in the moment)—Good. Fast forward to today, I remain better on my feet, on the fly, and dealing with challenges and problems using my intellect rather than creating PowerPoints or memorizing speeches. Now, I do a keynote speech once a quarter for firms where I know my message and style will have impact.
So, even today, Memorize—Bad. Dealing with complex problems and issues that scare others—Good.
In my first corporate job at Merrill Lynch, I started in Cincinnati and then had my world flipped on its head when this Ohio kid was sent to Philly. Amazing learning experience where I saw the real-life consequences when mentors can help or harm and where coaches can show you how to soar to the sun and teach you, if you are willing, to not let the wax feathers melt in the heat.
Merrill acquired an asset manager when I was running Philly, and I was sent to London a few times to learn how to deliver their capabilities to other field leaders. That’s also where I earned my MBA from the University of London in International Finance, with my work focusing on the evolution of fee-based business.
I am an advocate of life-long learning, regardless of how you go about education. If you are not learning, you are stagnant. As I see it, if you are stagnant, you are dead.
After 14 glorious years at what was “Mother Merrill” where I did the obligatory stint in New York City, I went to Ameriprise. There I encountered 110 branch managers who had mostly recruited college kids just starting their careers. These managers had never recruited experienced advisors, which was my mandate.
I took on the brutality of cutting low activity-low performance managers and feeding the rock stars who delivered high performance-high activity. I also helped make transformational changes in careers and lives, by helping high activity-low effectiveness people reach the top ten percent of leaders.
I get so much intrinsic joy helping my clients become a one percenter because it does not just help them, it changes generations in that family. Getting the phone call that “you changed my life” is better than the money falling from my snow pants shoveling in Toledo. Pivoting a 120 plus year firm was a phenomenal, and at times, brutally difficult exercise and I was blessed to experience it and learn from it.
Before my last corporate role, I earned a doctorate from the School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania, in part because it was recommended by my coach. This achievement reflects my commitment to continuous learning and sheer will to finish what I start. Had I known how difficult producing my dissertation would be from start to finish, I may have never started. Sometimes naiveté is the gateway to something great. The result of that work provided some of the learning and seeds that make up this book.
My last role in corporate was in financial services, but away from employee firms to an independent broker dealer owned by a private equity firm. This was another situation where the CEO, during our interview, told me I had two options: incremental change or burn it down. He then said private equity is not patient (and I learned that the hard way), so I burned it down, and built the most effective high performing recruiting team, pound for pound, in the industry. After a liquidity event I had to sit out a year, and decided to use the time wisely—hence, Unshakable Confidence took shape along with my preparation for a 14th Ironman.
To re-cap: I work hard and like money; I wasn’t dumb just not motivated; life-long learning is evidenced by my undergraduate, MBA, and Doctorate; I am slow as molasses but can go forever as evidenced by 13 Ironman finishes so far; I’m not great at following order (forms) and I like to fight (Black Belt), and help others win.
I’ve enjoyed amazing experiences at Merrill, Ameriprise, Stifel, and Cetera but the corporate grind is over for me. I’m focused on a limited number of corporate consulting clients, a few C-Suite coaching clients, and four keynotes a year.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you that while I have the courage to take on change and challenges, and am willing to try new things, fear is something I have learned to manage. To ground myself I have active practices that keep me steady: reading, yoga, journaling, exercise, and a faith practice. It’s been fun writing this. While I was a little afraid that sharing my life’s journey would seem like boasting, I realized that writing this is simply my truth. It is my life.
I suggest you take on your journey in the same way—with both courage and sensitivity to how you keep yourself emotionally, intellectually, physically, financially, and spiritually well. After you read the book, purchase another copy for someone you want to help, and implement your game plan!
