Roman Sledziejowski’s career trajectory is a testament to his ambition and expertise in the financial industry.
At the age of 18, Roman Sledziejowski became the youngest licensed stockbroker in the United States, managing over $40 million around the time he received his high school diploma.
Long before that, Roman Sledziejowski was already a trendsetter and leader amongst his peers, becoming valedictorian of his high school while working part-time at Salomon Smith Barney. He also excelled in sports, serving as captain of the school’s varsity soccer team, playing striker, and was awarded the most valuable player (MVP) award three years in a row. He also competed on the school’s varsity track and field team at various meets throughout New York state.
After graduating, he became the youngest National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) licensed stockbroker in the United States. He began working full time as an Investment Associate at Smith Barney, Member of Citigroup. Sledziejowski started trading stocks on the Warsaw Stock Exchange and flipped his $800 savings into $18,000 in just three years.
Roman later studied economics at the prestigious Columbia University in New York.
In 2013, Sledziejowski co-founded Savant Strategies, a global management consulting firm. His company provides consulting services to middle-market companies in Latin America, Europe, and South America. The Polish-born American businessman currently serves as Vice Chairman at Savant Strategies.
During a recent interview, Sledziejowski explained more about his leadership style.
“I have a very laissez-faire approach to management,” Sledziejowski said. “I believe in almost completely delegating projects and tasks to specific team members and systematically monitoring progress. Naturally, the very key to this approach is having a high level of trust in your team’s competence and work ethic.”
Rising to the Challenge: An Unexpected Role at a Prestigious Conference
When asked about a time he faced an unfamiliar task, Roman Sledziejowski shared an experience from his early twenties that left a lasting impact.
“In my early 20s, I was asked to be a member of a panel at a rather prestigious investment conference held in Switzerland. This was a significant distinction, and it was a first for me. What made it rather intimidating was that the other panel participants were anywhere from 30 to 40 years older than I was at the time.
“Less than two hours before the panel kickoff, all participants were notified that the panel moderator had become ill and could not attend. Since, ironically, my English was the strongest out of all the panelists and the prevailing language was English, I was asked by the organizer to become a substitute moderator in front of a room filled with several hundred highly accomplished executives.
“I remember to this day the immediate feeling of my heart stopping for a few seconds. Still, I managed to gather myself and agreed to do this under the circumstances. I calmed myself down and spent an hour reviewing the moderator’s agenda and his cues for administering the event. Considering the circumstances, I did quite well in this impromptu role. I received many accolades from both the panelists and the audience, and ended up forging many new relationships as a result.
“From this adventure, I learned a valuable lesson about the importance of accepting challenges in life head-on and not shying away from the unknown and things that are intimidating.”
Roman Sledziejowski Career Accomplishments
Roman Sledziejowski’s career trajectory is a testament to his ambition and expertise in the financial industry. Known for his strategic investments and leadership skills, Roman quickly ascended the ranks within major financial institutions, making significant contributions and forging a path to success.
In 2002, Roman Sledziejowski became the Vice President of Investments at Prudential Securities in New York City. By 2004, he was promoted to First Vice President of Investments. At just 25 years old, Roman became the Senior Vice President and Investment Officer of Wachovia Securities, which was then the third-largest investment firm in the United States, with over 10,000 brokers working in 700 office locations and $680 billion in assets under management.
While at Wachovia Securities, Roman began making personal investments in multi-family rental properties in New York, Tennessee, and Arkansas. He purchased and redeveloped nearly 400 residential units through various partnerships between 2004 and 2009.
In 2006, Roman Sledziejowski founded Innovest Holdings, a financial holding company based in New York City. Innovest Holdings operated through four main subsidiaries: TWS Financial LLC, a full-service broker-dealer based in Washington, D.C., with over $500 million in annual market transactions, primarily serving foreign high-net-worth individual clients and international financial institutions; TradeWallStreet.com, one of the leading online broker-dealer platforms at the time, catering to individual investors; TWS Investment Partners LLC, a real estate investment and finance company with over $100 million in real estate projects; and TWS Capital Partners LLC, an offshore investment advisor with client assets exceeding $1 billion.
One year later, Roman Sledziejowski co-founded MyPlace Development, Sp. Z o.o., a real estate development company based in Poznan, Poland, alongside Sebastian Kulczyk, who served as the company’s CEO. Roman held the position of Chairman of the Board until early 2010. In December 2009, he finalized the sale of his interest in MyPlace Development for $7.3 million in cash to Kulczyk Real Estate Holding SARL in Luxembourg.
In 2013, Roman co-founded Savant Strategies, an international management consulting firm. However, due to personal issues, he took an extended leave of absence from the firm in 2016. During his absence, Savant Strategies continued to grow, expanding its services and client base.
In 2021, Roman returned to Savant Strategies as Vice Chairman. The firm provides management consulting services to middle-market companies, primarily in Latin America, Europe, and South Africa, leveraging Roman’s extensive experience and expertise in the industry. His return marked a new chapter for the company, aiming to strengthen its global presence and deliver strategic solutions to its clients.
The Challenges of Leadership: Roman Sledziejowski’s Perspective
Roman Sledziejowski believes that the most challenging part of being a leader is keeping calm and maintaining clear thinking in the face of adversity affecting the organization. He has experienced the impact of crises firsthand and understands the importance of solid leadership during challenging times.
“Often, in times of crisis, Murphy’s law demonstrates itself on multiple fronts,” Roman explains. “It is extremely challenging to keep everyone on the team focused, motivated, and undaunted by the challenges at hand when significant headwinds emerge.”
Roman has navigated numerous crises throughout his career, including the financial turmoil of 2008. His ability to stay composed and provide clear direction has been crucial in steering his teams through difficult periods. His experience underscores the importance of resilience, adaptability, and strong communication in effective leadership.
Sledziejowski emphasizes the importance of leading by example to build trust and confidence quickly within a team. He believes in making his team realize from the outset that he is one of them and that each member is a crucial element of the entire squad.
“If you make your team realize that what you are asking them to do is exactly what you are willing to do yourself, then confidence ensues rather quickly,” Roman explains.
He also believes in giving his team members plenty of space while maintaining an “open door” policy whenever they need support or guidance. By embodying the principles he asks of his team and fostering an environment of mutual respect and openness, Roman Sledziejowski builds a foundation of trust and confidence that allows his team to perform at their best. His leadership style underscores the value of solidarity, accessibility, and leading by example.
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