Making Millions, Losing Millions, Finding Christ

 

On The Drew Mariani Show, Drew sits down with Peter Grandich, the former “Wall Street Whiz Kid,” to unpack his incredible journey from financial high-flyer to a man on the brink: and ultimately, to a deeply committed Catholic. This is not your typical Wall Street success story.

 

🌟 The Rise: From the Bronx to Wall Street

 

Peter grew up in the Bronx with a non-practicing Catholic dad and a non-practicing Jewish mom. God wasn't really part of the picture. That is, until he met his Irish Catholic future wife and decided to become Catholic… purely to get married in Ireland! (Not exactly a St. Augustine-level conversion yet, but hey, it’s a start.)

 

With no college degree (and after surviving a stabbing in high school 😳), Peter somehow hustled his way into Wall Street, where he quickly made a name for himself. By age 28, he was predicting market crashes, showing up on Good Morning America, and living the dream. He had racehorses, racecars, and an expensive golf addiction... because why not?

 

💥 The Fall: When Success Isn’t Enough

 

Fast forward to the late 90s: Peter is living large, but then: BOOM! Bad investments, financial losses, and the first of three major battles with depression hit him hard. Money wasn’t filling the void.

 

Then, something happened:


✔️ He met Bill Wagner, a Catholic lay evangelist who became his best friend and mentor.

 

🏈 Football, Faith, and Finding Purpose

 

Peter was invited to a Christian athletes’ luncheon, where he shared his story. Afterward, a former New York Giants player, Lee Rouson, approached him and said:


🗣️ “God sent me to meet you so we could start a financial company for Christian athletes.”


Peter (a die-hard Jets fan) literally replied:


😂 “God couldn’t have possibly sent me to meet you. I used to root for you to drop the ball and die.”


(They started the company anyway.)

 

Through this, Peter got connected with the Giants’ team chaplain, started attending Christian events, and his faith started really deepening.

 

📉 The Breaking Point: Losing His Best Friend

 

By 2008, Peter was financially stable again, but he still wasn’t fully surrendered to Christ. Then, out of nowhere, a second, even worse depression hit. He was hospitalized. His Wall Street mindset of always chasing more wasn’t working. He finally downsized.



But the toughest test came in 2022, when his best friend Bill Wagner suddenly died. This sent him into his worst depression yet: one so bad he lost the will to live.

 

🙌 The Turnaround: Surrendering Everything to God

 

After coming through this final storm, Peter finally got the message loud and clear:


💡 Money isn’t security.


💡 Debt is a trap.


💡 God alone is the answer.

 

He closed his Christian athletes’ business in 2021 because he couldn’t compromise on faith and values anymore. Now, he speaks openly about faith and finances, warning people that money will never bring lasting peace.

 

🔥 The Final Lesson: A Biblical Approach to Money

 

Peter left us with this truth:


📖 There are more verses in the Bible about money than about Heaven or Hell. 

 

Stay out of debt and trust in God, not your bank account.

 

🔗 Check out his bookConfessions of a Former Wall Street Whiz Kid for free at petergrandich.com.

 

✝️ Final Thought

 

Peter’s story is a modern-day Prodigal Son meets Job meets Wall Street drama: except instead of crashing stocks, it’s crashing into Christ. If you’ve ever felt like you were chasing all the wrong things, his story is a reminder:

 

✅ God will strip away what’s keeping you from Him.


✅ Surrender isn’t losing; it’s finally winning.

 

🔥 Maybe it’s time to stop checking your portfolio… and start checking your soul.

 

 

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Making Millions, Losing Millions, Finding Christ
&nbsp;
On The Drew Mariani Show, Drew sits down with Peter Grandich, the <a href="https://petergrandich.com/confessions-former-wall-street-whiz-kid/">former &ldquo;Wall Street Whiz Kid</a>,&rdquo; to unpack his incredible journey from financial high-flyer to a man on the brink: and ultimately, to a deeply committed Catholic. This is not your typical Wall Street success story.
&nbsp;
🌟 The Rise: From the Bronx to Wall Street
&nbsp;
Peter grew up in the Bronx with a non-practicing Catholic dad and a non-practicing Jewish mom. God wasn't really part of the picture. That is, until he met his Irish Catholic future wife and decided to become Catholic&hellip; purely to get married in Ireland! (Not exactly a St. Augustine-level conversion yet, but hey, it&rsquo;s a start.)
&nbsp;
With no college degree (and after surviving a stabbing in high school 😳), Peter somehow hustled his way into Wall Street, where he quickly made a name for himself. By age 28, he was predicting market crashes, showing up on Good Morning America, and living the dream. He had racehorses, racecars, and an expensive golf addiction... because why not?
&nbsp;
💥 The Fall: When Success Isn&rsquo;t Enough
&nbsp;
Fast forward to the late 90s: Peter is living large, but then: BOOM! Bad investments, financial losses, and the first of three major battles with depression hit him hard. Money wasn&rsquo;t filling the void.
&nbsp;
Then, something happened:
 ✔️ He met Bill Wagner, a Catholic lay evangelist who became his best friend and mentor.
&nbsp;
🏈 Football, Faith, and Finding Purpose
&nbsp;
Peter was invited to a Christian athletes&rsquo; luncheon, where he shared his story. Afterward, a former New York Giants player, Lee Rouson, approached him and said:
 🗣️ &ldquo;God sent me to meet you so we could start a financial company for Christian athletes.&rdquo;
 Peter (a die-hard Jets fan) literally replied:
 😂 &ldquo;God couldn&rsquo;t have possibly sent me to meet you. I used to root for you to drop the ball and die.&rdquo;
 (They started the company anyway.)
&nbsp;
Through this, Peter got connected with the Giants&rsquo; team chaplain, started attending Christian events, and his faith started really deepening.
&nbsp;
📉 The Breaking Point: Losing His Best Friend
&nbsp;
By 2008, Peter was financially stable again, but he still wasn&rsquo;t fully surrendered to Christ. Then, out of nowhere, a second, even worse depression hit. He was hospitalized. His Wall Street mindset of always chasing more wasn&rsquo;t working. He finally downsized. 
But the toughest test came in 2022, when his best friend Bill Wagner suddenly died. This sent him into his worst depression yet: one so bad he lost the will to live.
&nbsp;
🙌 The Turnaround: Surrendering Everything to God
&nbsp;
After coming through this final storm, Peter finally got the message loud and clear:
 💡 Money isn&rsquo;t security.
 💡 Debt is a trap.
 💡 God alone is the answer.
&nbsp;
He closed his Christian athletes&rsquo; business in 2021 because he couldn&rsquo;t&nbsp;compromise on faith and values anymore. Now, he speaks openly about faith and finances, warning people that money will never bring lasting peace.
&nbsp;
🔥 The Final Lesson: A Biblical Approach to Money
&nbsp;
Peter left us with this&nbsp;truth:
 📖 There are more verses in the Bible about money than about Heaven or Hell.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Stay out of debt and trust in God, not your bank account.
&nbsp;
🔗 Check out his book Confessions of a Former Wall Street Whiz Kid for free at <a href="https://petergrandich.com">petergrandich.com</a>.
&nbsp;
✝️ Final Thought
&nbsp;
Peter&rsquo;s story is a modern-day Prodigal Son meets Job meets Wall Street drama: except instead of crashing stocks, it&rsquo;s crashing into Christ. If you&rsquo;ve ever felt like you were chasing all the wrong things, his story is a reminder:
&nbsp;
✅ God will strip away what&rsquo;s keeping you from Him.
 ✅ Surrender isn&rsquo;t losing; it&rsquo;s finally winning.
&nbsp;
🔥 Maybe it&rsquo;s time to stop checking your portfolio&hellip; and start checking your soul.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The&nbsp;best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It&rsquo;s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out <a href="https://relevantradio.com/listen/get-the-app/">here</a>.

Life can get busy, and it's easy to miss out on the captivating moments from your favorite Relevant Radio shows. But now, we've got you covered! "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" brings you the crème de la crème of Relevant Radio's programming. We carefully curate and compile the most engaging and relevant content from the past week, just for you! Get ready to catch up on faith, culture, current events, and personal growth, all in one convenient and easily accessible podcast. It's like having a front-row seat to the most compelling moments from Relevant Radio's diverse range of shows. So, whether you're an active Relevant Radio listener or new to our programming, "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" is your passport to a world of knowledge, growth, and inspiration.

Life can get busy, and it's easy to miss out on the captivating moments from your favorite Relevant Radio shows. But now, we've got you covered! "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" brings you the crème de la crème of Relevant Radio's programming. We carefully curate and compile the most engaging and relevant content from the past week, just for you! Get ready to catch up on faith, culture, current events, and personal growth, all in one convenient and easily accessible podcast. It's like having a front-row seat to the most compelling moments from Relevant Radio's diverse range of shows. So, whether you're an active Relevant Radio listener or new to our programming, "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" is your passport to a world of knowledge, growth, and inspiration.

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