What does leadership look like when systems fail? And when the consequences are human, not theoretical?
In this episode of Making More, Billy Fischer sits down with Robert Reed, a seasoned financial services leader whose career spans the Chicago Stock Exchange, the 2008 financial crisis, and today’s fight against human trafficking through financial intelligence.
Robert’s professional journey begins on the floor of the Chicago Stock Exchange and carries through the collapse of Bear Stearns and crisis operations at JPMorgan. These formative experiences shaped his understanding of leadership under pressure—where clarity, calm, and responsibility matter more than titles or technical expertise.
Now serving as COO of the International Bank of Chicago (and previously the Director of Operations at Dark Watch), Robert operates at the intersection of financial systems, compliance, and anti–human trafficking intelligence. The conversation explores how modern financial leadership increasingly carries a moral dimension: protecting institutions means protecting people.
Throughout the episode, Robert emphasizes:
Rather than romanticizing resilience or heroics, Robert frames leadership as disciplined presence—staying grounded, asking better questions, and making decisions with long-term human consequences in view.
The episode closes with a shared reflection on what it truly means to make more: more capable people, more ethical systems, and more leaders worthy of the trust they’ve been given.
Find Billy on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/bigeyedfisch/ or visit his website, billyfischer.focalpointcoaching.com.
