Dermot Buffini - The Curious CEO

From $100M to $4 Billion: How Pat Stone Built a Title Empire

What does it take to grow a company from $100 million to nearly $4 billion in under a decade? In this episode of The Curious CEO, Dermot Buffini sits down with Pat Stone, the legendary operator who did exactly that as President & COO of Fidelity National Financial, executing 69 acquisitions along the way.Pat shares the unfiltered playbook behind one of the most aggressive growth runs in the title insurance industry: how he built trust at scale, why communication is the real competitive advantage, and the leadership philosophy that kept 30,000 employees rowing in the same direction.After "retiring with everything he ever wanted," Pat got bored in four and a half minutes and founded Williston Financial Group (WFG) in 2010, now a national title and settlement powerhouse with 1,500 employees and zero debt. In this conversation, you'll learn:-How Pat scaled Fidelity from $400M and breaking even to a $4B powerhouse-Why 69 acquisitions worked when most M&A strategies fail-The leadership principle that lets you lead 30,000 people without losing the human touch-How to spot an "onboard terrorist" on your team and what to do about it-Why the title industry still takes 45 days to close a deal (and what to do about it)-The simple framework Pat uses to stay grounded: Health. Family. Job.Whether you're running a 10-person team or eyeing your next 10x, Pat's combination of pragmatism, stoic philosophy, and genuine care for people is a masterclass. 🎧 Subscribe for more conversations with top CEOs and leaders: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCuriousCEO#TheCuriousCEO #PatStone #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #DermotBuffini #CEOInterview #RealEstateLeadership #WFG #FidelityNational