15 Years Doing What I Hated… 8-Figure Exit. Worth It?

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.