In episode 185 of Fintech Chatter Dexter Cousins is joined by Andrew Ward, CEO and Founder of Liquidise.
Hi, Dexter here with another great episode with another great Aussie Fintech founder. This week I chat with Andrew Ward about the launch of his latest venture, Liquidise. I'm excited to bring you this chat as Andrew has developed a solution that almost all of our listeners will benefit from!
And as this isn't Andrew's first Rodeo, he shares some honest and candid advice for founders earlier in the journey.
Every episode I take a key learning from my guest. And it helps me create a profile of founders, with qualities they all share.
What stands out to me in this interview with Andrew is the moment he decides to launch Selfwealth (his first ever startup. Andrew explains how he was working at CBA at the time when he rather cheekily organised a meeting with a potential client, only he decided to pitch his start up idea NOT CBA's services.
The worries Andrew had of this move backfired were quickly replaced with worries of how he was going to tell his wife. The person he pitched to loved the idea but insisted Andrew had to quit his job in two weeks. Andrew and his wife went on to make SelfWealth the 3rd largest retail trading platform in Australia and listing on the ASX.
Look, if you had one shot or one opportunity
Eminem
To seize everything you ever wanted in one moment
Would you capture it or just let it slip?
What strikes me about this story is every founder has a moment in their life - like the Eminem song 'Lose Yourself' you've got one shot, one moment and your life changes forever once you make that choice.
For some founders it may be a life event, a birth, marriage, health scare, job loss that acts as that moment. For others (like myself) it was not being able to live with themselves if they didn't follow their dreams. And for others like Andrew it may be a golden opportunity, a chance meeting or encounter.
Whatever that moment is every startup begins with that choice, that decision. It's one of the most powerful aspects of business/venture building that goes overlooked. We tend to focus on the problem we are trying to solve as the genesis of a business, rather than the emotions that are driving us to risk everything in search of a dream or vision.
Recorded in the week Liquidise launched into the Aussie market, Andrew shares how he is unlocking private equity for company owners, investors and employees.
Liquidise is a unique platform, giving shareholders and investors access to guaranteed cash and equity with instant cash settlements.
With Liquidise, company owners retain complete control over their cap table and can reward employees meaningfully. Investors get access to pre-vetted unlisted company opportunities, with direct ownership on the Liquidise share registry.
Using blockchain technology, Liquidise is revolutionising the way founders and private companies can grow their companies, attract the best talent and keep control of their business.
The inspiration for Liquidise came from Andrew's own experience of launching, growing and listing SelfWealth.
His shareholders, like those in all unlisted companies, had to wait for either a public listing, company sale or change of control, or transact at a buyer’s set price – if a buyer could be found.
These options for private shareholders can be expensive and value destroying. In founding Liquidise, Andrew and his team are intent on solving this problem to unlock the value in private companies.
Find out more - https://liquidise.com/
Or watch Andrew tell you all about Liquidise in this promo video - https://youtu.be/QbqOklgComM?si=PWZZ4t2oj_88TxCX
