Grey Matter

Larry Fitzgerald: President, Larry Fitzgerald, Inc. & Pro Football Hall of Famer

The Trait That Built a Hall of Fame Career

Larry Fitzgerald is an 11x Pro Bowler and now a first-ballot NFL Hall of Famer. Since retiring, he’s built a second career as a successful investor, with a portfolio spanning more than 160 companies.

Despite being one of the greatest wide receivers in the modern era, what often gets overlooked is how much his inquisitive mind played in his success, and the discipline to treat the moments that tested him most as turning points for his evolution. That showed up in the way he approached the game, and it has carried into the way he has approached business.

In this episode of Grey Matter, Larry sits down with Consello Founder, Chairman and CEO Declan Kelly to talk about what it takes to keep learning at the highest level, why the hardest adjustments are often the most important, and how the moments that test us can become the moments that move us forward.

Larry discusses:

Why he draws a hard line between mentorship and sponsorship, and how Dennis Green gave him both
What Kurt Warner told him early in his career that he initially resented, and why he now calls him the most important quarterback he ever played with
Why he agreed to give up the position that made him famous at the peak of his career, and what it taught him about pride
How growing up between a sold-out stadium and a hospital ward shaped the way he processes both success and failure
Why he never once pursued a trade in seventeen years, and what he tells young executives who call him asking whether it’s time to leave

The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent those of The Consello Group. Consello is not responsible for and has not verified for accuracy any of the information contained herein. Any discussion of general market activity, industry or sector trends, or other broad-based economic, market, political or regulatory conditions should not be construed as research or advice and should not be relied upon. In addition, nothing in these materials constitutes a guarantee, projection or prediction of future events or results.

Larry Fitzgerald

President, Larry Fitzgerald, Inc. & Pro Football Hall of Famer

Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is widely known for his accomplishments on the football field. He played 17 seasons in the NFL as a wide receiver with the Arizona Cardinals. He was named to the NFL 100 All-Time Team, which recognized the best players of the first 100 years of the NFL. In 2016, he was awarded the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, the League’s highest honor recognizing charitable work. In fact, Fitzgerald’s accomplishments off the field as a philanthropist, business owner, and investor have made an indelible impact on our community.

HOST

Declan Kelly

Founder, Chairman and CEO

Declan Kelly is the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Consello. He is an advisor to many of the world’s leading companies and CEOs.

Prior to founding Consello, Declan was the Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of Teneo. During his ten-year leadership, Teneo became one of the world’s leading advisory firms.

From 2009-2011 he served as the U.S Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland at the U.S Department of State, appointed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. In this role he is recognized as having helped bring significant investment to the region and played a significant role in supporting the efforts that led to the historic devolution of policing and justice powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly, giving Northern Ireland fully devolved governance for the first time in its modern history.

Prior to his government service, Declan held senior leadership roles at FTI Consulting and Financial Dynamics, two leading international consulting companies. He previously started, co-ran, and sold his own consulting company in Ireland called Gallagher & Kelly. Before that he worked as an award-winning journalist for more than a decade.

Declan has been recognized on several occasions for his philanthropic and nonprofit work and his public service.

In 2008 he became the youngest ever recipient of the American Irish Historical Society’s prestigious Gold Medal, presented annually to one person deemed to have made a unique contribution to Irish American society.

In 2012 he was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, presented to individuals of different ethnic backgrounds who distinguish themselves by their contributions to society in the United States.

He is an honorary visiting professor in management and leadership at Queen’s University, Belfast, where he received an honorary doctorate in 2011 for his contribution to the community and economy of Northern Ireland. For the last decade he has overseen the Northern Ireland Mentorship Program which has enabled more than 100 students to date to spend a year working inside leading U.S. corporations before launching new careers in Northern Ireland.

Declan has served on numerous nonprofit boards over the last two decades and has helped raise hundreds of millions of dollars during that time on behalf of worthy causes and organizations. Declan is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

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