What happens when doing the right thing costs you everything and teaches you more than success ever could?

In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Jeff Martinovich, Author of When Not If: A CEO’s Guide to Overcoming Adversity, who shares his astonishing journey from the boardroom to federal prison and back. Wrongly targeted during the 2008 financial crisis, Jeff refused three plea deals on principle and paid a heavy price. His story of resilience, redemption, and reinvention reveals hard-won lessons about leadership, integrity, and rebuilding after unimaginable loss.

Key Takeaways:

→ The cultural principles and “A-player” mindset that fueled his firm’s explosive growth.

→ What really happened when regulators came for smaller financial firms after 2008.

→ The meaning behind When Not If—why every leader must prepare for crisis before it strikes.

→ How a childhood fascination with investing led to a billion-dollar wealth-management empire.

→ How helping others in the prison law library became his unlikely path to freedom.

Jeff Martinovich earned his B.S. in Business Management from the United States Air Force Academy and his MBA in Finance from The College of William and Mary. He had the honor of serving his country during The First Gulf War at Tactical Air Command Headquarters, Langley, Virginia. Pursuing a second career in financial services, Jeff was Founder and CEO of MICG Investment Management, a billion-dollar wealth management firm nationally recognized for its rapid growth, WoW service and A-Player culture. Following the 2008 Financial Crisis, MICG’s proprietary hedge funds experienced regulatory scrutiny and allegations. As CEO, Jeff vigorously defended his firm, refusing three separate plea offers and instead choosing to defend his employees and himself in federal court.

In a bizarre narrative, Jeff was convicted and sentenced to 14 years in federal prison. Yet, then representing himself, the court decisions were reversed twice by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, two separate U.S. District Court Judges were removed, and his successful federal suit liberated him from a higher-security, violent prison. After nearly 7 years, Jeff was finally released to begin his journey of rebuilding, restoring, and turning disadvantages into advantages. His life has been a continuous string of business and family miracles ever since.

His perilous journey and miraculous restoration are the topics of national publications, to include When Not If: A CEO’s Guide to Overcoming Adversity, Forbes Books, January 2024. He spends his days helping CEO’s, entrepreneurs, and corporate leaders not make the mistakes he made on the way up, as well as teaching trench warfare tactics necessary to achieve victory when the black swan shows up at your office. He lives in Norfolk, Virginia with his wife, son, and new little girl. 

Connect With Jeff :

Website: https://www.jeffmartinovich.com/

X: https://x.com/JeffMartinovich

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeff.martinovich.2023/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-martinovich/

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