In this episode of the iPartners Grow Your Wealth podcast, host Travis Miller sits down with experienced financial services executive Jaki Virtue to explore a career defined by leadership, calculated risk-taking and a willingness to embrace challenges. Drawing on more than 25 years across investment banking and corporate leadership roles, Jaki shares lessons from her upbringing, international career and experiences building high-performing teams. The conversation highlights how entrepreneurial thinking, resilience and a commitment to continuous learning have shaped a career dedicated to leaving organisations stronger than they were found.
Growing Up With Entrepreneurial Role Models: Growing up in a family of entrepreneurs, Jaki was exposed early to the importance of hard work, independence and resilience. Her parents pursued unconventional paths, with an adventurous spirit and willingness to create opportunities rather than wait for them. These influences helped instil a mindset that embraced challenge and encouraged curiosity, laying the foundations for a career that would continually evolve through new opportunities and unexpected experiences.
Finding The Right Path Through Experimentation: Jaki’s career was far from linear. Beginning with an initial attempt at physical education teaching before moving into finance and accounting, she discovered the importance of understanding personal strengths and pursuing areas that genuinely inspire enthusiasm. Early roles at Arthur Andersen and later in investment banking provided the technical foundations that would support a long career in financial services. Rather than following a rigid plan, she embraced opportunities as they emerged and learned that passion and adaptability matter more than adhering to a perfectly mapped-out career path.
Building A Career Around Challenge And Transformation: Throughout her professional life, Jaki gravitated towards roles involving complexity, transformation and solving difficult problems. From international assignments in London to senior leadership positions across major institutions, she found energy in tackling challenges that others might avoid. Her philosophy centres on creating systems and structures that allow entrepreneurial leaders to innovate while ensuring organisations have the operational foundations necessary for sustainable growth. This passion for enabling others became a defining characteristic of her work as a chief operating officer.
The Influence Of Exceptional Leaders: Reflecting on the people who shaped her career, Jaki credits both her parents and several influential leaders with helping her develop confidence and perspective. During her years at Deutsche Bank, she experienced a culture that encouraged ambition and provided opportunities for talented individuals to pursue international careers. A key lesson from those mentors was the importance of supporting people’s growth rather than holding onto talent for short-term convenience. Great leaders, she believes, invest in people even when it means helping them pursue opportunities elsewhere.
Embracing Risk And Backing Yourself: One of the strongest themes throughout the discussion is the importance of believing in yourself and being prepared to take risks. Jaki describes accepting overseas opportunities while raising young children and repeatedly stepping into unfamiliar situations that offered growth. Rather than waiting for certainty, she advocates acting decisively and adapting along the way. Her advice is simple but powerful: back yourself, surround yourself with capable people and avoid letting fear prevent you from pursuing meaningful opportunities.
Making Decisions Quickly And Adapting Fast: High-pressure environments taught Jaki that leadership often requires making difficult decisions without perfect information. Waiting too long can be more damaging than making an imperfect choice. Her approach is to gather as much information as possible, make decisions quickly and remain flexible enough to change course if necessary. Problems are viewed as challenges rather than obstacles, and mistakes become opportunities to learn rather than reasons for hesitation. This mindset has enabled her to navigate complex situations and deliver outcomes during periods of significant change.
Entrepreneurship Rewards Courage And Relationships: Travis Miller and Jaki discuss the similarities between entrepreneurship and leadership inside large organisations. While building something independently can feel daunting, she believes the most successful entrepreneurs recognise that they do not need to do everything alone. Seeking advice, surrounding yourself with the right people and leveraging strong relationships are essential ingredients for success. She admires those willing to leave secure careers and pursue their own ideas, viewing that leap of faith as one of the most impressive acts in business.
Learning The Importance Of Balance And Presence: Despite many professional achievements, Jaki openly reflects on the challenges of balancing career ambitions with family life. Years of intense travel and demanding roles highlighted the importance of being present with loved ones and making conscious decisions about priorities. A particularly meaningful moment came when her children commented on how much they appreciated seeing more of her in a role with better balance. That experience reinforced the value of working smarter rather than simply working longer and demonstrated that success should encompass both professional achievement and personal fulfilment.
Why Saying Yes Creates Opportunity: Looking back on her career, Jaki encourages people to remain open to opportunities, even when they appear unexpected or unconventional. Saying yes to experiences often leads to growth and new possibilities. She believes careers do not need to be perfectly linear and that diverse experiences provide the skills and resilience necessary for future challenges. Rejection and setbacks should not be viewed as reasons to retreat but as motivation to push forward and continue learning. As she explains, hearing “no” simply creates another challenge to overcome.
Building Long-Term Wealth Through Understanding And Patience: The conversation on the iPartners Grow Your Wealth podcast also explores investing principles and the importance of education. Jaki emphasises that investors should only allocate capital to opportunities they genuinely understand and should carefully assess both investments and the people behind them. Chasing quick wins and immediate gratification can be dangerous, while patience and compounding remain powerful wealth-building tools. Understanding risk, conducting due diligence and maintaining a long-term perspective are central to achieving sustainable financial outcomes. These principles align closely with the philosophy championed by iPartners and Travis Miller throughout the podcast.
Creating A Legacy Through People And Purpose: When reflecting on success and legacy, Jaki focuses less on titles and more on impact. She hopes to leave organisations fitter, faster and better than she found them while helping others achieve their aspirations. Whether through family, colleagues or the businesses she serves, her greatest satisfaction comes from seeing people develop confidence, resilience and curiosity. Ultimately, her legacy is not measured by individual achievements but by the growth she inspires in others and the positive change she leaves behind. It is a philosophy that perfectly captures the spirit of the iPartners Grow Your Wealth podcast and the enduring value of leadership grounded in purpose.
