Going Beyond the Deal
Going Beyond the Deal
Podcast Description
Welcome to Going Beyond The Deal. The show for founders, business owners, and professionals who want to grow smarter, achieve bigger exits, and build a legacy that lasts.
Your host is no other than, J. Michael Fischer Jr – connector, life-long student of personal growth, and Managing Director at DBD – a bespoke investment bank that helps businesses handle big financial moves.
Each week, we look beyond the numbers and the deals to talk about what really drives success.
You'll hear from entrepreneurs, strategists, and top performers about the mindset, habits, and decisions that help businesses — and people — keep moving forward.
If you're getting ready to sell, raise capital, or just level up — you're in the right place.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast covers themes such as business growth strategies, personal development, and the intricacies of deal-making. Notable episode topics include succession planning in architecture and the vital role of accountants as trusted advisors, highlighting the importance of relationships and mental fitness in maintaining performance.
Welcome to Going Beyond The Deal. The show for founders, business owners, and professionals who want to grow smarter, achieve bigger exits, and build a legacy that lasts.
Your host is no other than, J. Michael Fischer Jr – connector, life-long student of personal growth, and Managing Director at DBD – a bespoke investment bank that helps businesses handle big financial moves.
Each week, we look beyond the numbers and the deals to talk about what really drives success.
You’ll hear from entrepreneurs, strategists, and top performers about the mindset, habits, and decisions that help businesses — and people — keep moving forward.
If you’re getting ready to sell, raise capital, or just level up — you’re in the right place.
Are you an executive or business owner secretly wrestling with doubt, fatigue, or fear that your leadership might not be enough in the next storm? What if you could tap into the hard-won secrets of a leader forged in war and tested in biotech’s wildest innovation cycles?
This episode is a high-voltage sit-down between J. Michael Fisher Jr. and David Esposito, CEO of ONL Therapeutics and decorated former Army officer. Together, they crack open the reality of modern leadership, reveal the invisible thread between military service and world-class execution, and share unfiltered routines for resilience and team alignment in chaos.
Listen now if you want to escape the pain of unanchored teams, avoid costly self-doubt, and grab exclusive tools that only proven leaders are teaching. Stakes are high, innovation waits for no one, and these lessons aren’t in any playbook… yet.
Timestamped Highlights
[00:01] – Why a Jersey kid chose West Point, and what it revealed about real purpose
[00:22] – The “Aha!” moment: Can military leadership really transfer into biotech?
[00:53] – How ONL Therapeutics protects vision—what most execs miss about relentless innovation
[01:48] – The moment family, community, and business shaped a calling to serve
[03:33] – Crushing self-doubt: Inside the pressure cooker of leading teams when everything’s at stake
[08:32] – What top business athletes, Green Berets, and private equity stars share—The secret ingredient
[13:35] – The 3 proven leadership lessons that build unstoppable companies (and why most miss #3)
[23:48] – Real talk: Managing fatigue, optimism, and the brutal truth when the gut punches keep coming
Mentioned Resources
- University of Michigan (Dr. David Zaks)
- West Point
- 101st Airborne Division (U.S. Army)
- Bronze Star Medal
- NIH – National Institutes of Health
About the Guest
David Esposito is the CEO of ONL Therapeutics, a cutting-edge biotech company pioneering life-changing treatments to prevent retinal cell death and preserve vision. A former Army platoon leader awarded the Bronze Star, David is known for his unmatched resilience and ability to transpose battlefield clarity into executive mastery. With more than 30 years in life sciences, he’s led teams through both soaring exits and humbling failures, always championing purpose and people above the transaction.
Important Links
- Follow my blog here: https://rebrand.ly/7e3544
- Book a call with us: DBD Investment Bank
Going Beyond the Deal is an original podcast brought to you by J. Michael Fischer Jr. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
Disclaimer
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