Roy Blanchard’s journey from Army boots to investment banking boardrooms is a masterclass in grit, discipline, and earned opportunity. Raised in small-town Arkansas, Blanchard enlisted in the military at seventeen, trained thousands of Ukrainian soldiers, and returned home with a mindset forged by service.
Instead of leveraging privilege or pedigree, he hustled through commission-based real estate, studied deal metrics, and eventually cracked into one of the most competitive lanes in finance — investment banking.
This episode dives deep into the mindset shifts that make progress real: rejecting algorithm-driven appearances in favor of mastery and meaningful action.
Blanchard critiques the “poverty mindset” and the illusion of overnight success on social media, advocating instead for structure, sacrifice, and sustained focus. His mantra? Success becomes inevitable when you refuse to wait for permission.
One of the most tangible takeaways is the creation of the University of Arkansas Mergers and Acquisitions Club, which Blanchard founded to bridge the knowledge gap for nontraditional students. Rather than vague finance talk, the club trains members on valuations, financial modeling, and real-world client interactions — no gatekeeping, just execution.
Students who began as freshmen with no background are now mentoring peers and closing experience gaps that once kept them out of high finance.
Blanchard’s story speaks to veterans, first-gen college students, aspiring finance professionals, and anyone navigating a path without shortcuts. His path shows that the traits learned in service — resilience, integrity, technical sharpness — are directly transferable to success in the business world.
