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Elliott Broidy Authority Mag

Elliott Broidy Of Broidy Capital Holdings: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became A Founder

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This interview was originally published on:

https://medium.com/authority-magazine/elliott-broidy-of-broidy-capital-holdings-5-things-i-wish-someone-told-me-before-i-became-a-96bc89c16d19

Your team is your greatest asset. Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you in areas you need. You can’t do it all; trying is a recipe for burnout and makes failure more likely.

As a part of our interview series called “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became A Founder”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Elliott Broidy.

Elliott Broidy is an entrepreneur who has used his extensive experience and talent to found, invest in, and in some cases, manage as CEO, more than 160 companies over his four-decade career. Since 2014, he has focused on technology businesses (including, more recently, AI) in the defense intelligence, homeland security, public safety, and law enforcement sectors. He is the Chairman and CEO of Broidy Capital Holdings, LLC, founded in 2022 in Boca Raton, FL, and its predecessor, Broidy Capital Management, headquartered in Los Angeles from 1991 to 2022.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I’ve always had a deep passion for buildings things, whether that be businesses, relationships, or solutions to real-world problems. The entrepreneurial mindset comes naturally to me. My entrepreneurial journey began in Los Angeles with a small investment business, which was a good start. But on 9/11 everything changed: my priorities, my interests, and where I felt I had to direct my businesses and attention. I felt a calling to dedicate all my skills, resources, and energy toward the public safety, defense, and security industries. I found myself profoundly motivated in those dark days to protect not only the United States, but our allies. Since that time, that has been my professional focus.

Can you tell us a story about the hard times that you faced when you first started your journey?

In 2003, I founded a fund whose core mission was to invest in non-high-tech companies in Israel. I faced tremendous skepticism from potential investors. At the time, Israel was in the middle of the Second Intifada, a continuous terrorist assault by Arabs in the West Bank and Gaza that ultimately cost thousands of lives. There were horrible suicide bombings throughout the country, including at a Passover seder, restaurants, nightclubs, buses, and so on. In that context, many people couldn’t understand why I would want to invest resources there. But I knew the Israeli people. I believed in Israel’s economy and its resilience, which has been on display recently as well. So, I decided to stay the course, working closely with potential investors to build trust and achieve tangible results. Looking back, that challenging period increased the value I place on diligence and perseverance. In my opinion, those are the key attributes of the successful entrepreneur. There will always be challenges of some sort or another. The question is: how do you deal with them? How do you not quit? How do you think and work through it? Those are the crucial elements.

Where did you get the drive to continue even though things were so hard?

In my life, I’ve been blessed with opportunities, and I have always felt a keen sense of purpose and responsibility. When you’re in that position, it’s important to make the most of it to help other people. I really can’t stress that enough. Whether I am investing in businesses that create jobs, or supporting causes that combat antisemitism, or contributing to public safety initiatives, I am proud of the important work that I am doing — but I know that there is a lot of important work to be done. That’s a key driver for me.

My lovely wife Robin and my three children are invaluable motivating factors. Every single day I wake up, and I think about them, and it inspires me to bear down, get to work, and create opportunities. I also think about my personal hero, Winston Churchill, and the adversity that he faced while leading Britain during World War II. Churchill once said, “The price of greatness is responsibility.” I think about that quote often. Churchill said this in the context of fighting against Nazi Germany, which represented an existential threat not only to his country, but to Western civilization. The audience for that speech was Harvard students, who would go on to be our country’s leaders and prominent businessmen, lawyers, doctors, etc. He wanted to instill that conviction in them, because it is so profoundly true. So, I want to emphasize it to readers of Authority Magazine.

So, how are things going today? How did grit and resilience lead to your eventual success?

Things are going very well. I moved from Los Angeles to Boca Raton, Florida in 2022 and started Broidy Capital Holdings, LLC, which focuses on technology, investments in defense, public safety, and AI. I am also the founder and Managing Partner of Threat Deterrence Capital Holdings, LLC and LEO Technologies Holdings, LLC.

Without an ample amount of grit and resilience, none of my success would have been remotely possible, I can tell you that. They’re the key ingredient to success. Success doesn’t come without setbacks, for anybody, in any field. Michael Jordan got cut from his high school team. Tom Brady was the 199th pick in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. J.K. Rowling’s manuscript for the first Harry Potter book was rejected a dozen times while she was living on welfare as a single mother. It’s about how you handle those setbacks and follow through.

Throughout my career there have been investments that didn’t pan out, a partnership that dissolved, and a lot of sleepless nights and headaches along the way. That’s how it goes. But it’s about the mindset with which you confront it. Do you let the setbacks define you, or do you perceive them as opportunities to grow and to thrive? I see them as opportunities. It is also important to be tactically flexible and adaptable while keeping a clear focus on the mission — this helps to turn obstacles into momentum.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Early on in my career, I recommended an investment in a company based in Hawaii that was pioneering deep-sea fishing for large shrimp. Unfortunately, the captain of the fishing vessel was drunk a lot — he had a bedspread in his captain’s quarters made from purple Chivas Royal bags that had been tied together. That should have been my first clue. I tried to work with him for almost two years to make the company successful. One day he went out to sea thousands of miles away from Hawaii without approval. When he came back, I was so mad that I fired him on the spot. Of course, his crew went with him. What I forgot was that there were thousands of pounds of deep-sea shrimp on the boat that needed to be unloaded. I enlisted my CFO and a few other employees to help me unload the ship. Someone lifted a crate out of the hold and threw it to the next guy. Each crate was heavy, and you had to do a deep knee bend to catch it properly. There were over 100 crates. At the end of the day, we were all in pain but mine was really severe. It turned out that I had a double hernia and needed surgery! Moral of the story: Think about the ramifications of firing someone before you fire them!

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

Broidy Capital Holdings is uniquely focused on improving public safety and homeland security and leveraging emerging technologies such as AI in doing so. We are a powerfully motivated company. Nothing is more important than public safety and homeland security. Without them, nothing else is possible.

By investing in innovative technologies that assist law enforcement and defense agencies, we are making the world safer. For example, Circinus, LLC is a defense contractor that specializes in providing open source intelligence services to the U.S. government and in creating open source intelligence centers for U.S. allies in the Middle East. LEO Technologies, LLC is a software developer that creates state-of-the-art transcription and AI-based analysis software for law enforcement. I am deeply proud of the important work that these companies do for the betterment of our communities, the United States, and the world.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

The most important thing, which a lot of people overlook, is to prioritize your health. Without your health, you can’t have anything else. I have recently focused on fitness, walking daily and staying active. It is also important to dedicate time to disconnect from work and spend time with your family and friends, which gives you the fuel you need to be an effective leader. And without a support network, burnout and failure become that much more of a probability.

Another thing is learning to delegate effectively. Highly ambitious and highly driven people often have difficulty doing this. They want to do it all. But you can’t, it’s simply not possible, and you will burn out if you try. Assembling a team that you can trust, and then delegating to that team, gives you the time to recharge and allows and motivates your teammates to grow alongside you. It gives you the space you need to think strategically and to make important decisions.

Lastly, always remember why you started the business. Transport back in time to what motivated you in the first place. It is important to lean into that mindset. Purpose is what keeps you going day after day, week after week, month after month when the challenges seem truly insurmountable.

None of us can achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

I’m especially grateful for my wife, Robin. She has always been my sounding board, my partner in every sense, and a steady source of wisdom. Early in my career, when I faced tough decisions, she encouraged me to make the choice that would be a win-win for both parties, trust my instincts and keep going. Her strength and insight have been invaluable, not only in business but in all aspects of my life. I can’t thank her enough.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

Philanthropy is very important to me, and it is central to my life. As I said previously, success comes with the responsibility to give back. That was the ethos of the great philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, and I very much subscribe to that view.

In that vein, my family donates considerably to Boca Regional Hospital, the Cleveland Clinic in Weston, Florida, the Boca West Children’s Foundation, and the Adolph and Rose Levis Jewish Community Center. In the aftermath of the October 7 attacks, we have made it even more of a priority to contribute to organizations dedicated to fighting antisemitism and saving lives in Israel. As such, we are proud to support organizations like Friends of the IDF, Magen David Adom, The Counter Extremism Project (which is now more focused on combating antisemitism), the Jewish Agency, and many law firms and organizations fighting the good fight against antisemitism on U.S. college campuses and elsewhere.

These causes are near and dear to my heart. I am proud to support them and to contribute in any way to their positive impacts.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me before I started leading my company” and why?

  1. Trust your instincts but back them up with data and think through the ramifications. Gut feelings are powerful and very important, but decisions are best made with as much accurate information as possible. Think through the possible consequences — remember my example of the deep-sea fishing boat above!
  2. Mistakes are not failures; they’re lessons. Every setback will teach you something valuable if you let it. Each one is a learning opportunity and a chance to improve. This mindset is nonnegotiable to be a successful entrepreneur.
  3. Your team is your greatest asset. Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you in areas you need. You can’t do it all; trying is a recipe for burnout and makes failure more likely.
  4. Balance matters. Success in business should never come at the expense of your health or relationships with your loved ones. Take a long walk. Make sure to connect with family and friends.
  5. Stay grounded in your purpose. Remember why you started, whether it’s your family, your mission, or the difference you want to make in the world. This will keep you focused and allow for clear strategic thinking.

Can you share a few ideas or stories from your experience about how to successfully ride the emotional highs & lows of being a founder”?

The emotional highs and lows are inevitable, but I’ve learned that staying grounded is key. When things are going well, I remind myself to stay humble. When times are tough, I lean on my family and my values to keep perspective. I’ve also learned the importance of taking breaks when needed — you can’t lead effectively if you’re running on empty. These are important ways to try to avoid those emotional highs and lows, which can be exhausting and, for some people, enough of a reason to get off the roller coaster ride entirely.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

If I could start a movement, it would be one that focuses on empowering the next generation. Whether it’s through education, mentorship, or access to opportunities, giving young people the tools they need to succeed is the key to building stronger communities and a better future. When I am not working, I mentor young people trying to figure out their next step in life, whether it be which university or graduate school to attend, which industry to start in, or how to get ahead in their professions. I can’t emphasize enough how important this is to me. I believe in supporting programs that help underprivileged youth, foster children, and students with big dreams, because they’re the leaders of tomorrow.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

Readers can check out my blog on Medium and follow me on X, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!

My pleasure. Thank you for having me.

 

Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali’s Accountant Tells His Story For The First Time!

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This article was originally published on:

https://athlonsports.com/boxing/muhammad-alis-accountant-tells-his-story-for-the-first-time

He reveals struggle to stop ‘The Champ’s’ lavish giving

When Mohammed Ali needed an accountant, he turned to Arthur Andersen, one of the world’s largest accounting firms, which put a 23-year-old, Elliott Broidy in charge of Ali’s dollars and cents. Broidy came to see a surprising side of the world’s most iconic boxer.

“I was just lucky I got assigned an account like that,” Broidy said. “I was a big boxing fan and obviously a huge fan of Muhammad Ali’s.”

He met Ali in 1979 and this is first time Broidy has talked about his time with the boxing legend.

While it was the twilight of Ali’s boxing career, it was just the start of Broidy’s. He had just graduated from USC School of Accounting. He had reporting to Arthur Andersen’s steel gray tower in Los Angeles for barely six months.

At the time, Ali was a brand-new client of the accounting firm.

At their first meeting, Ali stuck out his hand and Broidy put out his. “When he shook my hand, it disappeared into his,” Broidy said. “It was an adult shaking a six-year-old’s hand.”

During Ali’s visit to Arthur Andersen’s Los Angeles office, Broidy wanted to known how the champion wanted to me addressed. Mr. Ali? Mr. Clay?

Ali sounded almost offhand. Either “Ali” or “Champ” would be fine.

Ali was a hit with every person in the office no matter their position, from the partners to the secretaries. “He was incredibly warm and nice,” Broidy said.

Ali had spent some of his most formative years in Chicago’s South Side — where Ali spent his “exile period” after he famously refused to enlist during the Vietnam War—and had been referred to Arthur Andersen by Ali’s Chicago-based law firm, Hopkins and Sutter.

Ali handed Broidy a big pile of work. “The purpose of Ali’s engagement of Arthur Andersen was to address multiple years of IRS audits and future financial planning,” he said. “His record keeping was less than optimal, which was particularly challenging for our team.” Broidy has a talent for understatement.

Over the course of their three years working together, from 1979 to 1982, Broidy, on his own initiative, would meet monthly with Ali at the boxing icon’s Los Angeles mansion in Fremont Place, a gated community adjacent to Hancock Park and Windsor Square. This was near the end of Ali’s boxing career, coinciding with his 1980 bout with Larry Holmes—for which Ali was reportedly paid $8 million—as well as his 1981 match against the mediocre Trevor Berbick—which, billed as the “Drama in Bahama,” would be the then-39-year-old Ali’s final adventure in the ring after he lost in a unanimous 10-round decision.

“I was optimistic about Ali’s chances,” Broidy, who attended the Holmes fight, said, “But Larry was too strong, too young.”

But Broidy’s focus was Ali’s challenges outside the ring. Reviewing Ali’s finances, Broidy tried reining in some of The Champ’s reckless spending. While’s Ali’s gross income for 1972 to 1981 was north of $80 million, including endorsements and appearance fees, which in today’s dollars would be almost $250 million, his kindness manifested itself in the piles of money he provided to the people in his life, including his spiritual leader and business partner Herbert Mohammad, his manager, Angelo Dundee, his photographer and friend, Howard Bingham and many other people in his entourage. Herbert Mohammed ran the Nation of Islam, a religious sect.

One day, Ali’s close friend and personal bodyguard, James Anderson, came to Ali while Broidy was sitting with him and told him he needed money to help his ailing mother in Atlanta. Ali asked his assistant Marge Thomas to write James a check for $10,000 on the spot. After Marge and James had left the room, Broidy told Ali he too had a sick mother and asked Ali to write him a check for $10,000.

“Get outta here!” Ali said to Broidy, laughing.

Broidy began to genuinely worry if Ali’s money would last. After taxes, large percentages allocated to Herbert Mohammad and his manager, salaries and bonuses to his employees, and money given freely to his friends, along with taking care of his nine children from three wives and two other women—including Ali’s then-wife Veronica Porché Ali—it did not leave him with that much. So, Broidy took it upon himself to do a projection of how long it would be until The Champ ran out of money given his excessive spending.

“It wasn’t long,” Broidy said. “Ali said he didn’t care. He had to take care of his family and friends. Ali even took fights in his later years, including the Holmes and Berbick fights, just to get more millions into his coffers “so he could continue helping his friends and family.”

While those in Ali’s inner circle expressed concern about Ali getting injured during those late-career fights, Broidy concentrated on Ali’s spending. For the Berbick fight, Ali was being paid more than $1 million, and Broidy was worried that the Champ would squander it.

“I would talk to his attorney at the Chicago law firm and ask him, ‘How do we stop him from giving all his money away?’” Broidy recalled. “His attorney said, ‘We’ve been trying for years to stop him. He’s his own person and will always do whatever he wants.’”

Somehow, Ali’s money lasted for years. Decades later, Broidy was happy to learn that Ali had sold his likeness in 2005 and made tens of millions of dollars.

When Broidy was in Ali’s company, Ali often entertained him by cracking jokes or even doing magic tricks. “One time,” Broidy said, “He told me he could magically take my shirt off. He was so strong he whipped the shirt right over my head in one fell swoop only breaking a few buttons in the process!”

“What a great guy he was,” Broidy said. “He had an amazing sense of humor.”

That wasn’t to say Ali couldn’t be serious. When he was training for a fight, the legendary boxer’s work ethic was unparalleled, which explained why he was such a successful fighter.

Ali was equally passionate about his Islamic faith. While many, in the late-1960s, expressed skepticism about Ali’s reasons for evading the U.S. military draft, Broidy believed Ali was sincere in citing his religious beliefs as to why he refused to enlist. During his time working with Ali, in fact, Broidy observed firsthand Ali’s commitment to Islam.

“He would sit with me in his dining room reading the Koran out loud and explaining it to me,” Broidy said.

Eventually, Broidy left Ali’s side and resigned from Arthur Andersen, to manage the family office of Glen Bell, founder of Taco Bell, before pursuing other professional opportunities.

But all these years later, even after working with high-profile clients including real estate developer Maguire Thomas and MGM/UA Home Entertainment, Broidy’s time working with Ali stays with him. Most of all, he remembers the joy, optimism and lack of cynicism that Ali exhibited despite the challenges he faced, including his eventual struggle with Parkinson’s. As someone whose father battled Parkinson’s for 15 years, Broidy knew how hard that must’ve been for Ali.

In Broidy’s Boca Raton, Florida home is a LeRoy Neiman painting of Ali, hanging in Broidy’s office, as well as a signed Ali boxing glove that he purchased years ago. Whenever Broidy looks at the two items, he’s reminded of Ali’s kindness, generosity, determination and resilience—attributes that continue to inspire him.

 

elliott-broidy-watch

Inside the World of Watches with Elliott Broidy: A Conversation on Timepieces and the Patek Philippe 5016P-018

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This interview was originally published in The Inscriber Mag.

Recently, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Elliott Broidy, a notable entrepreneur, philanthropist, and passionate watch enthusiast. Known for his investments in companies focused on national security and public safety, Broidy’s interest in timepieces, particularly those from Patek Philippe, adds another dimension to his fascinating life. In this interview, he shares his journey with watches, his admiration for the Patek Philippe brand, and reveals one of the most prized pieces in his collection, the rare and intricate Patek Philippe 5016P-018 Minute Repeater Tourbillon Retrograde Perpetual Calendar.

NYW: Elliott, thank you for joining us today. Let’s start with your love for watches—where did it all begin?

Broidy: Thank you. it’s a pleasure to be here. My fascination with watches started in my teens. For me, watches represent more than just tools for telling time—they’re an art form, a marvel of craftsmanship and engineering that you can wear. Over the years, this appreciation has deepened, especially as I began marking life’s most significant moments with specific pieces. Each watch in my collection tells a story. For example, I bought certain watches to celebrate the birth of my children; others I bought after major business milestones; and some I’ve acquired as anniversary gifts for my wife. These aren’t just watches; they’re tangible reminders of the blessings in my life.

NYW: You’re particularly drawn to Patek Philippe. What is it about the brand that resonates with you?

Broidy: Patek Philippe, to me, embodies the pinnacle of watchmaking. Their motto, “You never actually own a Patek Philippe; you merely look after it for the next generation,” perfectly encapsulates their philosophy. These watches are heirlooms, crafted with such precision and care that they transcend trends and time. When I look at a Patek, I don’t just see a watch—I see a legacy. That aligns deeply with my values, both in my personal life and in my philanthropic work.

NYW: Your collection includes some highly coveted pieces, but one stands out in particular: the Patek Philippe 5016P-018. Can you tell us about what makes this watch so special?

Broidy: Ah, the 5016P-018. It’s certainly a standout in my collection. It combines a minute repeater, a tourbillon, and a retrograde perpetual calendar—all in a subtle platinum case. What I love most is its quiet elegance. It doesn’t shout for attention, but those who recognize it understand its significance. Every time I wear it, I’m reminded of the incredible craftsmanship and dedication that went into creating it.

NYW: What do you feel when you look down at your wrist and see a piece like the 5016P?

Broidy: Every glance is a reminder. The chime of the minute repeater is like a tiny symphony, and the hidden tourbillon is a constant symbol of complexity and movement. But more than that, it makes me think about the passage of time—how fleeting it is. It’s humbling. It reminds me to focus on what truly matters: my family, my community, and society at large. That’s why I dedicate time and resources to contribute to causes that are important to me, like supporting community hospitals, organizations helping foster children, and groups fighting antisemitism.

NYW: That’s a beautiful way to look at it. Do your watches inspire conversations with your family?

Broidy: Absolutely. When I discuss my watches with my children, it’s not just about how extraordinary the watches are —it’s about the values they represent. Dedication to craftsmanship, precision, determination, resilience, family, and using time wisely and compassionately. I want my children to understand that it’s not just about collecting things; it’s about creating meaning and making a positive impact on the world.

NYW: For those who might be considering their first serious timepiece, what advice would you offer?

Broidy: Start with what speaks to you personally. Watches are deeply intimate objects—they should resonate with your journey. Don’t worry about trends or investments; focus on the level of detail you want and how the piece fits into your lifestyle. When you find the right piece, it will feel like it was always meant to be yours.

NYW: Elliott, thank you for sharing your watch story with us. It’s clear that watches are more than a passion for you—they’re part of your life’s journey.

Broidy: Thank you. I’m grateful for the opportunity to share my love for watches with others who appreciate their artistry and meaning.

About Elliott Broidy

Elliott Broidy is an entrepreneur who has used his extensive experience and talent to found, invest in, and in some cases, manage as CEO, more than 160 companies over his four-decade career. Since 2014, he has focused on technology businesses (including, more recently, AI) in the defense intelligence, homeland security, public safety, and law enforcement sectors.

This article was originally published on:

https://theinscribermag.com/inside-the-world-of-watches-with-elliott-broidy-a-conversation-on-timepieces-and-the-patek-philippe-5016p-018/.