In this episode, Nick sits down with Stephanie Lynch, CIO and CFO of Student Quarters. Stephanie leads the firm’s investment and capital raising strategy and has executed more than $4.5 billion in debt and equity across domestic and offshore markets.   Stephanie shares formative leadership moments, the lessons she carried forward and the ones she intentionally left behind, and how fear of failure shaped her resilience. She also opens up about a dramatic moment early in her time at Student Quarters when a corporate partner collapsed just four days into her tenure, forcing her to navigate a complete recapitalization.   This conversation explores what drives her to outperform expectations, how she approaches negotiation, and the attributes she looks for in future leaders. Stephanie also reflects on mistakes that shaped her communication style, the dangers of chasing short term wins, and the personal and professional milestones she’s excited about next.   We covered:   The leadership traits she adopted from mentors and the ones she chose not to carry forward   Her approach to negotiation and the tools she relies on in high pressure situations   What drives her to exceed expectations and outperform peers   Lessons from crisis moments and why communication is central to her leadership   How she evaluates rising leaders and the qualities she hires for   Resources and books she recommends for developing critical thinking and adaptability   Chapters   00:00 Welcome and introduction to Stephanie Lynch 01:00 Stephanie’s role and responsibilities at Student Quarters 02:00 Early leadership experiences and being thrown in early 03:00 Feeling unprepared at first and learning to rise to the occasion 04:00 Fear of failure, persistence, and letting go of the need for yes 06:00 Mentorship influences and shaping her leadership style 07:00 Communicating hard things and navigating difficult conversations 09:00 Outworking and outsmarting peers and influences from her music background 11:30 The corporate crisis four days into her new role 13:30 Considering quitting and why she ultimately stayed 14:30 Drawing on financial crisis experience to stabilize Student Quarters 16:00 The recapitalization challenge and finding the right partner 18:00 Her negotiation approach creativity, communication, persistence 20:00 Mistakes that changed how she communicates risk and strategy 23:00 What she looks for in future leaders 24:00 Curiosity, communication, and embracing change 26:00 Negative drivers to avoid and the danger of short term wins 27:00 Recommended reading: Adam Grant and The Widow Clicquot 30:00 Is leadership worth it reflecting on meaning and motivation 31:00 Corporate milestones and future goals for Student Quarters 33:00 Launching Fund II and preparing for new investor opportunities 34:00 Personal goals travel, music, and exploring yoga teacher training 35:00 Closing thoughts and gratitude