Richard Lukaj is a highly experienced financial executive, private investor, and public policy advocate, with a strong focus on giving back to the Albanian community. In addition to graduating with his Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and Economics from New York University, Richard worked at Davis Polk & Wardwell and Bear, Stearns & Co., Inc., before eventually founding his own private investment firm Bank Street Group LLC, where he and his team provide a comprehensive array of financial advisory services globally to companies and sponsors, notably in the technology and digital infrastructure arena. 

As a founder of the American Univeristy in Kosova, former chairman of the National Albanian American Council, One of the original founders of APEN (Albanian Professionals and Entrepreneurs Network), Richardand his family foundation invest to help develop their fellow Albanians through worthy causes. In this episode, we talk about his 30+ year career in finance and advances the Albanian community has made in that time. He opens up about the challenges of work life balance and growing up between the American and Albanian cultures. Richard also offers insight into Hollywood portrayals of the finance world in films like “Wolf of Wall Street” and “Boiler Room”, the effects that can come with living above your means, and why the advice in one of his favorite books, “The Millionaire Next Door”, is so valuable.