The best business show in the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) area! The DMV Business Show takes you inside the world of local business and community leaders. Join our host, Otto Sevilla as he unpacks their story and how they got there. You can expect to hear advice and learn about their journey.
Robert Dowling, President and CEO of West 4th Strategy, LLC shares his inspiring journey on The DMV Business Show!
Robert was born and raised in the DMV (DC-Maryland-Virginia) area.Growing up, he developed a passion for sports, particularly golf, and was influenced by his father's experiences in the restaurant business. His mother, who was instrumental in managing the family's restaurant, sparked his interest in the operational side of things. Robert's first job was as a bank teller at First Virginia Bank (now part of Wells Fargo) during his senior year of high school, giving him an early taste of the finance industry.
Robert went on to pursue a double major in finance and management at Virginia Tech, with the goal of becoming a Chief Financial Officer (CFO). He discovered that many CFOs came from an accounting background, which initially deviated from his own focus on finance.
After graduating, he earned his master's in finance at Boston College. Robert's work experience began with KPMG's structured finance group in Tysons, Virginia, where he modeled mortgage-backed securities for investment banks in New York.
When the financial crisis hit in 2008, Robert's team at KPMG was reassured by their partners that their jobs were safe. However, Robert, having been aware of the market's volatility, decided to start looking for a new job. This experience shaped his opinion that a CFO should focus more on strategy rather than accounting, and that a good controller is essential for a company.
Robert joined a startup investment bank, Kipps DeSanto, after being approached by a headhunter. He worked in sell-side investment banking and advisory for government contractors for 11 years, starting as an analyst and eventually becoming a vice president.
Robert's career path eventually led him to President and CEO of West 4th Strategy, a company he describes as unique due to its focus on federal government services. With over 120 employees across the US, Robert's company is dedicated to providing professional and IT service support to federal agencies.
Catch Robert's full episode on The DMV Business Show!
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Exiting News!
The DMV Business Show was named one of the 15 Best Maryland Business Podcasts! 🙌🏼
We are thrilled that The DMV Business Show has been honored as one of the best Maryland business podcasts worth listening to in 2024!
To think this was started in the beginning of the pandemic over 3 years ago as way to highlight local business and community leaders in the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) area.
We now have over 150 episodes out and Season 4 will be coming out soon!
This achievement would not be possibly without the support of our wonderful community and guests.
Thank you and thank you to FeedSpot for selecting us.
We look forward to continuing to serve you with the best show.
Stay tune for Season 4 of The DMV Business Show!
#DMV#business#entrepreneurs
