SCARAMUCCI: 'Don't listen to your parents'

Anthony Scaramucci, founder and CEO of investment firm SkyBridge Capital, has some advice for aspiring financiers: "Don't listen to your parents."

In an interview with Skiddy von Stade of finance career site OneWire, Scaramucci opened up on a variety of issues, including politics and his outlook for the fund of funds business at large.

The most interesting stuff he said, though, was how to go about figuring out what you want to do with your life.

"If ... you want to be vital in your life, you've got to follow your inner voice. If your mom wants you to be a lawyer and you don't want to be a lawyer, don't be a lawyer," he said.

"If your mom wants you to be a dentist ... Lee Cooperman's mom wanted him to be a dentist, but he probably picked a better choice. He's a billionaire running an $8 to $10 billion fund. That's what he wanted to do, so that's my resonating message for a kid."

Cooperman is the founder of now famed fund Omega Advisors.

Scaramucci, who founded SkyBridge in 2005, grew his business, in part, by picking up assets following the financial crisis. He'd always dreamed of owning his own business.

Plastic mouth brace

That said, it's not for the weakhearted.

"I probably shouldn't tell your viewers this, but I wear a plastic mouth brace from the 1998 Russian ruble crisis," Scaramucci told Von Stade.

At the time, Scaramucci was trying to sell his first business, Oscar Capital Management, to Neuberger Berman. When the market went south, he was afraid the deal wouldn't get done.

"I started teeth grinding when the market imploded in August of 1998, and I've been wearing that mouth brace ever since," he said.

That's success, people - bracing yourself for the grind, even while you're sleeping.