From Wall Street to the Sahara: Lessons in Leadership and Intentional Living With Russell Benaroya

Russell Benaroya is the COO and Managing Director of Private Capital at Timberlane Partners, a private multifamily real estate investment and development firm based in Seattle. With over two decades in investment banking, private equity, and entrepreneurship, he has led the firm’s acquisition and development of more than $1 billion in assets across key West Coast and Mountain West markets. His leadership has earned him notable recognition, including selection to the Puget Sound Business Journal’s 40 Under 40. He is the author of One Life to Lead: Business Success Through Better Life Design, which explores how personal alignment fuels professional fulfillment. A passionate ultra-endurance athlete and advocate for intentional living, Russell has completed the grueling 150-mile Marathon des Sables in Morocco.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

[5:45] Russell Benaroya reflects on how ultra-trail running transformed his mindset and life
[7:10] Why Russell decided to run a 150-mile self-supported race across the Sahara Desert
[11:43] The mental endurance required for entrepreneurship and leadership
[17:16] Lessons from breaking into investment banking through persistence and initiative
[19:16] Understanding the value of alternative investments and patient wealth building
[25:20] Leaving corporate life to launch a healthcare startup from scratch
[32:12] How aligning company culture with purpose creates lasting impact
[39:00] Why moving his family to Costa Rica helped Russell redesign his life and redefine success

In this episode…

Entrepreneurs often chase success so relentlessly that they lose sight of what truly matters. Between managing teams, scaling operations, and balancing personal lives, it’s easy to shift away from purpose and fulfillment. How can business leaders design lives that align personal meaning with professional achievement?

Russell Benaroya, an experienced entrepreneur, author, and real estate executive, shares how intentional life design can transform both business and personal success. Drawing from his own journey — including endurance running and founding and leading startups — Russell emphasizes defining your purpose, practicing self-awareness, and creating structure to support sustainable growth. His approach highlights how aligning daily actions with core values enables leaders to avoid burnout, improve relationships, and lead with clarity.

In this episode of The Road Already Traveled, Rich Schuette interviews Russell Benaroya, COO and Managing Director of Private Capital at Timberlane Partners, about building purpose-driven success in business and in life. Russell discusses the mental endurance of entrepreneurship, lessons from ultra-distance running, and the importance of designing a life that fuels your best work. He also delves into redefining wealth, embracing self-worth, and turning purpose into measurable impact.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

“The longest distance is the five inches between your ears; it is not the hundred miles.”
“Live your worth; don’t prove your worth. Maybe the best piece of advice I ever received.”
“You have to believe in the underlying hypothesis or the thesis for why this investment makes sense.”
“How you show up in your business so dramatically impacts how your customers relate to you.”
“If I were remembered for anything, it’s that when people were around me, they felt heard.”

Action Steps:

Show up and connect with mentors: Taking the initiative to meet people face-to-face opens doors to opportunities and invaluable guidance.
Define your purpose before building your business: A clear “why” ensures your professional goals align with your personal fulfillment.
Trust the long game in investing and leadership: Patience and conviction in your vision create stability and long-term success.
Prioritize self-awareness and personal growth: Working on yourself first enhances how you lead, decide, and interact with others.
Live your worth instead of proving it: Embracing inherent value frees you from burnout and fosters more authentic, confident leadership.

Sponsor for this episode…

This episode is sponsored by Avalan, a wealth management firm dedicated to personalized financial, business, and investment planning.

We work with select high-net-worth individuals, corporations, and trusts, providing guidance tailored to their unique needs.

From supercar entrepreneurs to music industry entrepreneurs, our team employs proven investment strategies to help them preserve wealth, protect assets, and plan charitable giving.

With an unwavering focus on world-class service, our relationships are built to last generations, helping clients achieve lifelong goals through a thoughtful, consultative approach.

To learn how Avalan can empower you to reach your goals, visit https://www.avalanwealth.com/contact/.