Stratospheric Leaders #19 Sara Furber: Inside the Mind of a Visionary Leader
In this powerful episode of Stratospheric Leaders, Georgie sits down with Sara Furber, CFO and Executive Committee member at Tradeweb - a company valued at close to $27 billion at the time of recording - for a conversation rich with wisdom, clarity, and the kind of career-defining insights we rarely talk about.
We often look at successful leaders and assume their path has been linear. We see the visible tip of the iceberg and miss the invisible layers underneath - the pivots, the doubts, the catalysts, and the moments that change everything. This episode goes beneath the surface. Sara is deeply real, and her advice is practical.
From early dreams of becoming a doctor to leading within one of the world’s most influential fintech companies, Sara’s journey is filled with lessons on ambition, self-belief, risk-taking, and the courage to dream bigger - even when you don’t quite believe in yourself yet.
Interesting areas covered:
• What did little Sara dream of becoming growing up?
• What do your first 30 minutes of the day look like?
• How do you decide what deserves your attention first when pressure lands in your office?
• What have difficult leaders taught you about becoming a good one?
• How do you stay curious when experience could easily make you rigid?
• What does self-doubt still sound like, even at the top?
• How do you prepare yourself before stepping into an important room?
• What would you tell your younger self now?
Her candour, humour and depth make this a must-listen for emerging leaders, seasoned executives, and anyone trying to understand what leadership really looks like when nobody is watching.
Enjoy! ✨
#StratosphericLeaders #Leadership #WomenInLeadership #ExecutiveLeadership #CareerGrowth #CFO #Tradeweb #LeadershipMindset #BusinessLeadership #Mentorship #Resilience #ExecutivePresence #DecisionMaking #LeadershipDevelopment #HighPerformance
For more conversations with extraordinary leaders shaping industries through clarity, courage and influence, subscribe to Stratospheric Leaders.
executive leadership lessons
women in finance leadership
how CFOs think
career ambition advice
leadership resilience
senior leadership communication
building trusted teams
executive decision making
leadership mindset for women
high performance leadership habits
career growth conversations
mentorship in leadership
balancing leadership and family
calm under pressure leadership
how leaders build influence
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:26 Sarah Furber’s childhood ambitions
02:06 Why medicine was not the right path
03:24 Ambition and what it really means
05:25 The conversation that changed everything
08:16 Why one mentor changed her career trajectory
10:50 Learning not to over-plan life
12:29 Why leaders are often wrong about the future
15:39 Building a trusted inner circle
18:38 Does leadership feel lonely?
22:23 Are leaders naturally more resilient?
26:06 Ruthless editing and family priorities
30:26 Learning to slow down
33:23 What children reveal about leadership
38:08 Sarah’s leadership style
44:30 Her biggest leadership weakness
47:43 Handling scrutiny in senior roles
51:49 What leadership should teach earlier
55:21 The advice she gives younger leaders
57:28 Sarah’s morning routine
01:04:38 What a better version of Sarah looks like