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Richard Dolan has spent his life providing guidance and building legacies for people at the world’s highest levels, and his newest venture is sure to be another success in a career full of them.

Growing up in the 1970s in inner-city Toronto as the son of a mother from South America and father from Ukraine, Richard Dolan may never have envisioned himself working with and providing guidance to some of the world’s best-known business executives, celebrities, athletes and politicians. But after a self-made career as an entrepreneur, which began with merchant banking in 1991, Dolan is now one of the world’s most accomplished and sought-after authors, speakers, business strategists and thought leaders, and he is building legacies for others along the way.

Dolan has written 14 books, covering such subjects as wealth, branding, business leadership, life, motivation and personal and professional success. He has served as president of five privately held companies with diverse interests ranging from mutual funds, wealth management, hedge funds and human capital development to marketing, branding, communications and leadership. His presentations and talks draw thousands worldwide.

When speaking with Dolan, it is impossible not to be captivated by his confidence and invigorated by his energy, and in telling Dolan’s story it is also impossible not to name-drop. He has worked with everyone from former U.S. President Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, Richard Branson and Deepak Chopra to athletes such as LeBron James, Michael Phelps and Mike Tyson to myriad movie stars and other cultural celebrities.

As the president and CEO of the RICH Group of Companies, he specializes in helping his clients shift their relationship with money, wealth and worth. Through his innate ability to relate to anyone regardless of their station in life, his affable nature allows him to have what he describes as “courageous conversations” with his clients in order to set them up for success.

“I’m equally trained in business and business management, and I have found that the people who have had the greatest challenge with their money were generally celebrities, who may have been getting poor advice,” says Dolan in a recent interview with Dolce. “I found that the more courageous the conversation, [the higher that person’s] level of icon or legendary status. The key is to not be a ‘yes man’ or buckle because of the weight of a celebrity’s status, life force or magic, but just relate to them, as we’re both the same — just two people trying to make it through this thing called life.”

Whether he is providing his expertise on performance and performance psychology for such clients as NBA and Formula One teams, luxury car manufacturers, banks, hotel chains, Chanel, SONY Television or Google, Dolan has made a lasting impression on clients over the years. “I appreciate Richard and the impact he makes in the world,” President Clinton has said. “Richard is brilliant at what he does,” says Oprah Winfrey. “Richard’s approach to create and realize a legacy-based life is revolutionary,” adds Richard Branson.

“WORTH IS DEFINED BY THE VALUE YOU GIVE TO AND GET FROM LIFE. FOR ME, WORTH IS EVERYTHING”

In the wake of accolades such as these, and despite providing guidance to the highest levels of the world’s leading corporations and influencers, Dolan remains grounded by an appreciation of his position and remains humble in his approach to life. He has also developed a deep understanding of his own legacy.

“Just because you have money, it doesn’t make you rich,” says Dolan. “So, as we get older and more mature and move on in the stages of life, you begin to understand what is of value is ‘worth.’ And worth is defined by the value you give to and get from life. For me, worth is everything. So I often say to people that legacies are not defined by what you leave. What you leave is defined by how you live, how you love, how you laugh, how you led, and that is our legacy. Success is living life on your terms. I believe that you create your own luck, and you cause what comes your way.”

Dolan is now embarking on a new venture, returning to his core expertise in wealth management with Legacy Global, a financial services and planning firm with local roots and international reach.

“I was born on Bay Street and I was built on Wall Street, so I grew up in that space,” says Dolan, explaining his new venture. “I’ve written books on the business of wealth management, real estate investments, income planning and legacy designing, so I’ve decided to return to the business that built me and to start curating for people legacies that are by design. What I’m looking to do is to help people reimagine ‘legacy’ for themselves, their lives and their loved ones, by unleashing a new conversation to turn their financial lives from good to great in money, wealth and worth.”

No doubt another success is on the horizon for Richard Dolan in a career defined by accomplishments at the highest levels and a personal legacy built by design.

richarddolan.com
@richard.dolan

INTERVIEW BY MARC CASTALDO