Podcast 1218: From Manila to Wall Street: Butch Meily’s Untold Journey with America’s First Black Tycoon

Inside Personal Growth with Greg Voisen

In this powerful episode of Inside Personal Growth, host Greg Voisen welcomes Butch Meily—author, PR veteran, and President of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation—to discuss his new book, From Manila to Wall Street: An Immigrant’s Journey with America’s First Black Tycoon. Butch shares heartfelt insights into his journey from the Philippines to New York, his complex working relationship with Reginald Lewis, and the cultural, professional, and emotional transitions that shaped his life. The conversation explores identity, ambition, sacrifice, and the deeper meanings of legacy, loyalty, and personal growth. Butch opens up about the costs of climbing the corporate ladder, the spiritual lessons learned along the way, and how he ultimately found purpose in social impact work—supporting disaster recovery and mentoring startups. This episode offers a rare window into a fascinating life shaped by grit, curiosity, cross-cultural experiences, and meaningful human connection. Topics Discussed: -The immigrant experience and cultural adaptation from Manila to the U.S. -Working with Reginald Lewis, a trailblazing African-American tycoon. -Balancing ambition with personal sacrifice—career vs. family life. -Reflections on race, identity, and representation on Wall Street in the 1980s. -Shifting from corporate success to social impact and disaster resilience. -The role of spirituality, impermanence, and self-awareness in personal growth. -Mentorship, legacy, and the pursuit of meaningful work later in life. Watch on YT: https://youtu.be/XILYJSIbnB8 Our Guest, Butch Meily: ➥ Book: From Manila to Wall Street: An Immigrant's Journey With America's First Black Tycoon ➥ Buy Now: https://a.co/d/6XVIq6B ➥https://www.butchmeily.com/ ➡️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/butchmeily/ ➡️LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rene-butch-meily-7a872 Learn more about your Inside Personal Growth host, Greg Voisen: ➥ https://gregvoisen.com ➡️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insidepersonalgrowth/ ➡️Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InsidePersonalGrowth/ ➡️LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregvoisen/ ➡️Twitter/ X: https://twitter.com/lvoisen/