Ryan chats to Dexter about the recent merger of Cape and how he's joined forces with the UK's Anna.Money to bring a new approach to supporting the 2 million plus small businesses in Australia.
About this episode
Ryan shares the back story of launching Cape in Australia and the challenges he faced getting through the pandemic, securing funding, growing the business and then navigating the funding crunch.
They discuss the synergies that led to Cape being acquired by ANNA and Ryan shares his learnings and advice for other founders seeking an acquisition partner.
Ryan also shares the plans for growth in the region as well as some unique product offerings and services for the Aussie market.
As "The business account that does your accounting and taxes" Anna.Money provides a smart all-in-one business account for money, invoicing, expenses, bookkeeping and taxes.
About Ryan
Ryan would describe himself as a British expat Fintech Nerd. His background in the UK saw him heading up Europe's largest digital marketplace for SME Finance in Funding Options.
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In episode 193, Dexter Cousins sits down with Co-Founders John Crutchley and Dave Malcolm, the brains behind Mist, an innovative solution helping students organise their new life in Australia. It doesn’t sound glamorous, but it is an untapped market ripe for digital innovation.
Dave and John share their vision for what promises to be a unique Fintech scaleup. Mist stands out as an ambitious concept. Where many Fintech’s have essentially created a business that could easily be a feature in an app, Mist is an app that makes Fintech a feature of their design.
Dave and John share their Mist journey so far and how their contrasting startup experiences at MarleySpoon and Volt Bank are helping them navigate the pitfalls of a Fintech startup.
Key Take Aways
Finding the right co-founder
Making Fintech a feature of a bigger problem
Is embedded finance hype or solving a huge problem
Building a solution that customers will use for life
Influencing partners and government to create opportunities
The HUGE opportunity for Aussie Fintechs in India
How learning from startup success and failure is shaping Mist’s strategy
About Our Guests:
John Crutchley John gained extensive experience in various leadership roles in the Banking sector before founding Mist. He specialised in migration and international banking for ANZ and Volt Bank, where he was specifically hired as Head of International Banking to lead their go-to-market strategy in the international student market.
Dave Malcolm A passionate C-Level executive and entrepreneur with a proven track record of founding, building, and scaling digital ventures across web2 and web3 in Australia. He pinpoints the co-founding of Marley Spoon & Dinnerly in 2015 as his career highlight, which went on to be listed on the ASX in 2018 (ASX: MMM).
Show Notes:
[00:57] Dave Malcolm introduces Mist.
[01:53] John Crutchley shares the genesis for the idea and how he met Dave.
[04:40] Dave Malcolm on getting into the mindset of a Gen Z customer.
[08:30] Case studies: Embedded finance done right.
[13:32] Big wins and successes so far.
[19:29] Getting the business off the ground, overcoming challenges and obstacles.
[24:10] Busting Fintech startup myths. Move fast and break things vs slow and deliberate growth
[34:29] The complexity of Fintech. Why fixing problems is so hard.
Connect with Dexter Cousins on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dextercousins/
Learn more about Tier One People: https://tieronepeople.com/
Subscribe & Review: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review on [Apple Podcasts/Spotify/Your Preferred Platform]. Your feedback helps us bring more engaging content and insightfu
We know what you're thinking, This is a Fintech Podcast, why are you featuring a Community Bank?
Back in 2020 Dexter made a bold prediction that talent would move from Fintech and Big banks to the community banking space, as they looked to make an impact on community.
So we were not as surprised as others when Beyond Bank managed to attract one of NAB's rising star executives in Stevie-Ann.
Tune in as Dexter chats to Stevie-Ann about her motivations for joining a community bank, the synergies with Fintech and how Fintech founders can work in partnership with community banks to solve BIG societal problems like affordable housing.
About Beyond Bank
Beyond Bank is one of Australia's largest, 100% customer-owned mutual banks with a credit union heritage.
Founded over 60 years ago by those who felt left behind by a traditional banking system that failed to meet their needs or expectations. Beyond Bank has a vision to be the best bank for relationships. Striving to create and return value for their customers and communities helping to change lives.
Stevie-Ann talks about how Beyond Bank proudly attained B Corp Certification in Australia, showing their commitment to the social and environmental impact their business has on the community.
About Stevie-Ann Dovico
Stevie-Ann is a dynamic and visionary Information Technology and Digital Executive with over 15 years of experience in Financial Services across Asia Pacific.
She has proven success in leading large (600+), cross-functional, global teams across Technology, Digital, Strategy and Innovation, Product and Distribution, Risk and Compliance and Enterprise Transformation.
At Westpac, Stevie-Ann experienced the growth of the Australian Fintech scene through the partnership with Re-Inventure fund and her involvement with Stone and Chalk.
In 2022 Stevie was awarded Executive Leader of the Year by Women in Digital. She holds an MBA from the University of Sydney in addition to B.Business and B.Information Technology.
Stevie is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
David talks to Dexter about how he and the team are tackling a global problem affecting pretty much every SME.
David shares his Fintech journey as the Head of Risk and Compliance at Paypal and Chief Risk and Compliance Officer at Rapyd.
Tune in to find out how to make the transition from risk to CEO, the optimal way to launch a global Fintech and how to win enterprise clients without a marketing budget!
About David Hanna
David is the CEO and co-founder of Finmo and has over 20 years of expertise in the financial services and payments sector. Prior to founding Finmo, he held global leadership roles in Risk and Compliance for Financial Services companies headquartered in various locations globally.
David has held senior roles across companies such as PayPal, Ernst & Young, Zurich, ING Bank, Banxa and others. He serves on several advisory boards and has invested in many startups around the world.
About Finmo
Finmo is a global B2B treasury management platform that is focused on providing the necessary tools for the “CFO Office” including finance teams, CFOs, and treasurers. The business provides a single platform to enable the core elements of treasury to be managed from one place.
Finmo does this by providing four core modules to its clients which are;
Money movement Cash management, including AR/AP modules FX Hedging capabilities Integrations into existing accounting and enterprise software
Following 20+ years of working across the financial services industry with founders from organisations such as PayPal, Citi, and other big names, the Finmo exec team realized that everyone has a treasury problem!
In identifying this problem, we believe there is a significant gap in the market for a solution that serves the end-to-end treasury management lifecycle.
Andrew Ward - Liquidise
Liquidise - Solving the Equity Problem for Startups and Private Companies
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.
Key Learning from this Interview
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 To seize everything you ever wanted in one moment Would you capture it or just let it slip?
Eminem
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.
About Liquidise
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.
About Andrew Ward
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
Stake's Co-Founders on Raising $93.5M and Scaling Globally
Stake Co-Founders Matt Leibowitz and Dan Silver join Dexter Cousins in episode 182 of Fintech Chatter Podcast.
How Stake Raised $93.5M With Tiger Global
In another one of our 'Origin Stories' Matt and Dan share their incredible journey from becoming friends to becoming business partners. Stake is one of Australia's most successful Fintech. They have raised US $93.5m to date with Tiger Global investing in their $50m Series A in March 2022.
Their international success and growth has led Matt and Dan to believe the opportunity ahead of them is much bigger than they first envisaged back in 2017 when they launched the business.
When Co-Founders Should Step Back From the CEO Role
Entrepreneurs are often known for their adaptability in driving scaleups, but many find it difficult adapting to someone else at the helm. For many scaleups, the CEO shuffle is a key part of long term success, but why?
Stake is the latest scaleup to appoint a new CEO, Jon Howie, seeing Matt return to his roots in product and business strategy.
For many founders, the thought of letting go of their baby is unfathomable.
Dexter chats to Matt and Dan about their thinking in bringing in Jon and their appointment last year of Chair, Geoff Lloyd.
Tune in for an honest, thoughtful and candid discussion on life as co-founders and 'letting go of the baby' as we celebrate the first seven years of Stake.
Dan and Matt share lessons they've learned, the decisions they've made and the people they've brought on board as they Stake a market leading position in the next seven years.
"The metaverse is going to be built with an identity layer and a value layer, making it a safer and more secure place to do business."
- David Birch
It's hard to cut through the hype and tripe of the Metaverse. In this episode Dexter Cousins chats to David Birch to define Metaverse and explore what it actually means for the future of money.
What they unpack is an exciting and tangible new internet that holds incredible potential for Fintech businesses, individuals, and society as a whole.
About David Birch
David Birch is an author, advisor, and commentator on digital financial services. He is the author of several books, including "The Currency Cold War", "Identity is the New Money" and "Before Babylon, Beyond Bitcoin." Birch is known for his expertise in digital identity, digital money, payments and the future of money.
"Tokenisation is going to be much bigger than Blockchain."
- David Birch
Metamoney: Payments in the Metaverse
David Birch defines the metaverse and its potential impact on financial services. He shares his journey of exploring web 3, the metaverse and digital identity writing a research paper and book on the topic with Victoria Richardson.
David explains the difference between virtual worlds, gaming and the metaverse, emphasising web 3 is essentially the infrastructure of the metaverse. What makes the Metaverse compelling is the concept of property ownership via tokenisation, digital wallets and digital identity.
David also highlights the potential for tokenisation leading to vastly reduced transaction costs and increased security. And a key reason why major banking institutions are taking tokenisation and stable coins very seriously. David also discusses the role of AI and smart wallets in shaping the future of financial transactions for society, acting as a personal financial advisor and handling every day transactions.
Key Takeaways:
The metaverse is not just about virtual worlds; it is about property ownership and digital identity.
Tokens and digital identity are crucial components of the metaverse and will enable secure and efficient transactions.
The metaverse has the potential to reduce transaction costs and create a reputational economy based on avatars.
The integration of AI and smart wallets in the metaverse will revolutionize financial transactions.
The metaverse will be a safer and more secure place to do business, leading to a shift in the financial industry.
Web 3 is essentially the infrastructure or enabler of the Metaverse.
David Birch is on a tour down under August 2023 and will be making appearances at Intersekt and a number of exclusive events (details below)
Thanks to PayEd https://payed.biz/ for bringing you this podcast. You can catch David Birch in person at the following events:
Pismo offers Next-gen banking and cards technology through a truly cloud-native API platform. Pismo was founded in 2016 by experienced entrepreneurs and techies. They are a global company headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil, with offices in the United States and the United Kingdom. Vishal shares Pismo's plans for the region after they recently announced details of a partnership with Australian SME lender Grow Finance.
Dexter and Vishal also discuss:
- Pismo's rapid growth 🚀 - The rise of Brazilian Fintech 🇧🇷 - The attraction of Australia to Fintechs like Pismo 🤝 - How Australia is perceived as a Fintech nation 🇦🇺 - Does Australia have the best coffee in the world ☕️
About Vishal Dalal
☕️ According to Vishal, Australia has the best coffee in the world! As an Australian resident himself, he can confirm that nothing beats the coffee here. #FintechChatter
Vishal has a distinguished career in global financial services including stints with Citi and Barclays in London.
Vishal spent 5 years in Australia with McKinsey on major banking transformation programs. He joined Pismo in 2021 and is passionate about bringing Pismo's innovative technology to the Australian market.
Dexter and Christian first connected in 2018 when Christian did a presentation on the future of Payments title The Death of Payments 2030. Christian presented a day in the life of a woman named May to predict how payments will have changed by 2030. Christian argued that while payments would not die, paying would.
5 years on Dexter invites Christian to share an update and discuss if any of his predictions are coming true. Or has he changed his mind?
About Christian Christian is the Co-Founder and CEO of Monoova, a Sydney-based, B2B payments automation platform and a member of the Fintech Australia Board since November 2022.
Over the past five years, Christian has led the building of a company servicing domestic and international tech-first platforms such as Wise, Nium and a significant portion of the Australian digital-currency industry. To date, Monoova has processed $75bn through its API-driven solution, more than half of which since the start of FY22. Christian has been a finalist for the ‘Outstanding Fintech Leader of the Year’ by Fintech Australia in 2020, 2021 & 2022.
Born in Sweden, Christian obtained a Master’s Degree in Economics, and a PhD in International Relations from Oxford University in the UK. Following a position as speech writer and economic advisor in the House of Lords in London, Christian moved to Zimbabwe to work as Chief of Staff at a Harare-based agricultural group with operations across Southern and Eastern Africa. He arrived in Sydney in late 2016
About Monoova
Monoova is a leading, Australian, payment service provider. Via API integration, Monoova provides businesses comprehensive automated and real-time payment solutions that address and resolve traditional pain points of payment processing and management.
Through, Monoova’s customisable solution, businesses can send, receive, and manage funds transfers more efficiently, reduce costs and improve their customers' payment experience.
Servicing domestic and international tech-first platforms, Monoova has processed over $75bn.
As the first mover in the market on the new domestic PayTo transaction type earlier this year, Monoova already provides ‘real-time direct debits’ at scale in the market.
We celebrated 250 audio interviews last week and Dimitrios is the first Academic we've featured on the podcast. Dexter poses the question 'Has Fintech innovation stalled?'
Tune in for an in depth discussion on innovation, fintech funding, talent, immigration, skills and what investors are looking for.
About Dr Dimitrios Salampasis
Dr Salampasis is a highly regarded academic and thought leader on global Fintech innovation. Honours include Senior Lecturer of Fintech Innovation at Swinburne University. Dimitrios is a visiting Professor of FinTech at the University of Québec. Blockchain and FinTech Fellow at the Singapore University of Social Sciences. A Visiting Faculty at the School of Management in Fribourg, Switzerland. And an Academic Council Member of the Global FinTech Institute.
Dimitrios’ research includes the human, technological and ESG sides of innovation in financial services and FinTech. His areas of specialist expertise, research, teaching, industry engagement, policy and advisory work. The emergence and development of FinTech-enabled business models, Blockchain and digital assets innovation. Digital transformation in banking and FinTech education, along with the relevant global FinTech-related regulatory and policy interventions.
Swinburne University of Technology is a world leader in education by using interactive and innovative technologies to deliver courses and degrees. From vocational education and undergraduate to postgraduate study, Swinburne has online study options at all levels.
As the world's first automation platform for payments and commerce, Primer offers merchants the underlying infrastructure they need to build better buying experiences for their customers.
For the first time, merchants can connect and control their entire payment and commerce stack, and build their ideal payment flows autonomously from scratch.
Plug in any desired payment and commerce solution with 1-click Connections, define logic across the entire commerce lifecycle with a drag-and-drop workflow editor, and create seamless checkout experiences that meet today’s consumer expectations.
Gabriel Le Roux is the co-founder of Primer, the world’s first automation platform for payments and commerce. He leads a team of over 120 employees based across 35 countries. With nearly a decade of experience working in the FinTech space, Gabriel has built a strong understanding of the FinTech industry landscape.
Prior to founding Primer, Gabriel worked at PayPal's Braintree division for five years, where he grew Braintree's footprint in the European startup ecosystem and managed the company’s new and highly strategic commerce infrastructure tools. During his time at Braintree, he was exposed to the ever-growing challenges of the online payment industry, which inspired him to begin Primer.
Before his work at Braintree, Gabriel has also worked at several Rocket Internet ventures in Germany and Asia.
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