WealthTech UnWrapped: Recent Episodes
Ned Phillips and Daniela Galarza
WealthTech UnWrapped with Ned Phillips and Daniela Galarza is a Bambu podcast that dives into the ins and outs of the wealth tech industry. It weaves the narrative between a startup founder, Ned, a newbie to the fintech, Daniela, and special guests that bring their unique insight into this growing industry. Each week we will tackle a different topic, from ideas on what the future of Robo advisory should be, to the inside scoop of what it takes to run a tech company. Through humor, honest opinions, and playful analysis, they hope to unwrap the mysteries of wealthtech into digestible episodes that anyone can learn from. This podcast is for anyone who is bored and tired of the corporate schpiel around finance and technology.
On this episode of WealthTech Unwrapped, Ned speaks with Alex Medana, a pioneer in the world of Fintech. Together, they explore the challenges and rewards of being an entrepreneur in FinTech, emphasizing the importance of passion, self-discovery, and resilience.
Alex reflects on his professional history and how he started to take interest in blockchain’s transformative potential. Alex highlights the need for user-centric solutions and discusses the role of blockchain in shaping the future.
The conversation transitions into a candid reflection on the entrepreneurial journeys of Ned and Alex. Both distinguished by their extensive corporate backgrounds, they eventually embarked on their entrepreneurial quests. Alex underscores the significance of passion and mindfulness for founders, revealing how his practice of martial arts has been instrumental in maintaining balance.
Beyond the material realm, Alex perceives success as the ability to make life-defining choices, emphasizing the liberating power of saying "no." He emphasizes the satisfaction of creating something to be proud of, with the potential for a lasting, positive impact.
Key Takeaways
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Founders should have a clear understanding of their strengths and weaknesses to assemble a well-rounded team. Surrounding oneself with individuals who can complement their skills and address their weaknesses is crucial.
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Maintaining balance during the unpredictable startup journey is crucial, and having a passion is key to achieving it. Engaging in activities like martial arts and running serves as a valuable outlet for stress and helps founders stay grounded during challenging times.
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True success is about the freedom to pursue your interests and make a lasting, positive impact, going beyond the confines of mere wealth or status.
In this episode of the WealthTech Unwrapped podcast, host Ned Phillips sits down with industry veterans Kenny Lee and Anson Zeall for an in-depth conversation on cryptocurrency and blockchain. They reflect on the wild early days of the space and discuss how far it has come, with more structure and regulation. But they also address lingering concerns, debating topics like real-world adoption rates.
Tapping into their decades of combined experience, Lee and Zeall cut through the jargon to explain key concepts in approachable terms. They also share their visions for how technologies like decentralized finance and central bank digital currencies may evolve.
For anyone looking to gain a balanced perspective on crypto, this episode provides invaluable insights. Listeners will walk away not only understanding the technologies better but also how to separate hype from real potential applications.
Key Takeaways:
1) The cryptocurrency industry has matured significantly since its early days, with more regulations and professional players involved. While still volatile, the technology is being taken more seriously.
2) Mainstream adoption of blockchain-based applications may still be years away as challenges around ease of use and education remain. However, use cases driven by financial inclusion and DeFi could see earlier traction.
3) Perspectives on cryptocurrency's viability vary widely, even among long-time participants. Overall the technology's potential is still unclear, but continued innovation is likely to drive new compelling applications that could increase acceptance.
Key Takeaways
1) Alignment is not the same as agreement. Alignment allows everyone to move together with a shared commitment to create value.
2) Idle money is dead money. The only time money is valuable is when it is in motion.
3) Banks often fail to optimize risk effectively, overlooking its potential as a strategic lever for growth and value creation.
On this episode of WealthTech Unwrapped, join Ned as he engages in a dynamic conversation with Steve Monaghan, an influential figure renowned for his groundbreaking work in shaping innovative business paradigms for both established institutions and dynamic startups.
Drawing from his extensive experience advising top companies, Steve highlights how businesses often overlook capital optimization as a competitive tool for improving bank performance. He emphasizes the need to focus on the velocity of money beyond just pricing and products.
The conversation then addresses the challenges of fostering innovation in banks, noting the fears of risk and regulatory constraints in the banking sector. Steve delves into the significance of product ownership and cultivating a culture of continuous learning, enabling banks to better utilize technology and redefine how we can embrace innovation within the industry, only on WealthTech UnWrapped!
Key Takeaways
• Thematic investing, known as mega trends, will continue as financial institutions adopt them to provide individualized investment solutions, meeting the demand of younger generations for a mobile and digital personalized experience.
• Fractional shares offer accessibility to retail investors who can own part of an expensive share, allowing them to diversify their portfolio or pursue their investment strategies.
• Building a business involves persistence and the essential need for a contingency plan at all times.
In this episode of WealthTech Unwrapped, Ned engages in a captivating discussion with Christian Kronseder, Founder and CEO of ALLINDEX, a company that specializes in crafting custom indexes and thematic portfolio constructions. Tune in as they explore entrepreneurship, the evolution of personalized investment platforms, and reflections on trends in the financial industry.
In this episode of WealthTech Unwrapped, Ned engages in a conversation with Mohit Tater, the Founder & CEO of BlackBook Investments. Tune in to delve into their discussion about the potential investments within the realm of digital assets, and gain insights into the intricacies of managing multiple online businesses.
Key Takeaways:
1) Black Book is unique because they offer websites and online businesses as an investment. They focus more on cash flow and stable ROI than doubling or tripling money.
2) The value of bootstrapped businesses in contrast to often glorified startups, is their ability to generate significant profits and be sold at similar price points with substantially less investment.
On this episode of WealthTech Unwrapped, Ned speaks with Jonathan Cardella, Co-Founder and CEO of Strike R&D Tax Advisory. Join them as they discuss everything there is to know about taxes and how it applies to the Fintech Industry.
Key Takeaways:
1) Keeping technology simple is key, especially for complex businesses like Tax Advisory and Fintech
2) The US has some of the leading apps in the world. Developed nations and economically competitive countries also want to create environments that encourage R & D jobs.
You heard it here first, only on WealthTech Unwrapped!
This week on WealthTech Unwrapped, Ned speaks with Karan Shanmugarajah, CEO of WealthKernel. Join them as they discuss the WealthTech Eco-System and what it takes for a budding entrepreneur to get their foot in the door.
On this episode of WealthTech Unwrapped, Ned speaks with Bert-Jan van Essen, Chief Product and Technology Officer of Exporo. They discuss building a Wealthtech Startup from the ground up and what it has in common with Ultra Running and Ski Mountaineering
Key Takeaways:
1) The start-up journey is much like Ultra Running and Ski Mountaineering where a lot of effort is put into reaching the top and you reap the rewards at the end
2) Banks create unnecessary complexity by including too many features in their digital products. In reality, they should consider keeping it very simple for a better user experience
In this edition of WealthTech Unwrapped, Ned engages in a conversation with Adrian Johnstone, the CEO of Practifi. Tune in as they delve into data management, the hurdles posed by the present technology landscape, and the implications for future Fintech developments.
Key Takeaways:
- Every financial advisor acknowledges the potential benefits of incorporating technology into their firm, but convincing them to embrace a broader perspective and recognize the value of technology beyond their immediate processes can be challenging.
- Efficient data organization is crucial for the success of any system, particularly in the context of wealth management firms, as it determines the extent to which they can reap the benefits of such a system.
Join Ned and special guest Craig Iskowitz, Founder and CEO of Ezra Group and fellow Podcaster, as they dive into the world of WealthTech on this captivating episode of WealthTech Unwrapped. Discover the potential for enhancing wealth, asset, and investment management through technological advancements.
Key Takeaways:
1) In general, the WealthTech industry is performing well with the available backend technologies and continually evolving.
2) The United States exhibits notable innovation in specific technology sectors, partially attributed to its capitalist system, free market, private property rights, and relatively limited government intervention.
Don't miss out on this enlightening discussion, exclusively on WealthTech Unwrapped! Tune in now!
This week, on WealthTech Unwrapped, Ned speaks with fellow founder Marla Sofer, CEO of Knomee. Join them as they discuss what it takes to be a founder in the fintech business and to flip the financial services industry on its head by defining and identifying a customer's financial identity.
1) The challenge faced by financial services firms today is understanding their customers and prospects, hindering their efforts in acquiring, engaging, and retaining clients.
2) It is difficult to put together a portfolio that reflects all of who a person is and the values they deem important unless you truly understand the customer.
Tune in to the discussion, exclusively on WealthTech Unwrapped!
This week on WealthTech Unwrapped, Ned sits down with Varun Mittal, Chief Innovator and Group Head of Innovation and Ecosystem at Singlife. Together, they explore the extraordinary growth of Fintech in Singapore over the past decade, uncovering the crucial elements that have propelled it to become a "Fintech Nation." Gain valuable insights into why Fintechs in Southeast Asia must expand their horizons beyond the region to thrive.
Key Takeaways:
1) Southeast Asia has more net new digital bank licenses than the United States.
2) Southeast Asian Fintechs need to move out of the region as there aren't enough buyers of large enough size to sustain them. In addition, the public market's risk appetite is low as there is little to no means to list in Southeast Asian exchanges due to local liquidity pools.
Tune in to this insightful conversation, only here on WealthTech Unwrapped!
Ned Phillips interviews Dan Schmerin, the co-founder and president of Metaversal, about the world of NFTs (non-fungible tokens) and their implications for the future of finance. They discuss the concept of the metaverse and how younger generations value digital goods differently. Dan shares his background in public service and finance before exploring emerging trends in web3, crypto, and NFTs.
The conversation then focuses on the release of a humorous trailer about Blackberry, discussing the need for innovation and the impact of smartphones. They mention missed opportunities and the potential for digital activation of cultural treasures. Dan talks about his introduction to NFTs and the vast potential he discovered. Dan explains Metaversal’s approach of investing in iconic NFTs and empowering creators, emphasizing the importance of the experience rather than just technology.
The discussion moves on to NFTs, describing them as digital representations of assets without the need for intermediaries. Dan mentions the reliance on blockchain networks and the decentralized nature of most NFTs. Ownership and control in the digital realm are explored, highlighting how blockchain and smart contracts can enable true ownership of digital assets. The potential of NFTs to revolutionize industries by tokenizing real-world assets is discussed, despite acknowledging instances of misuse. Dan believes NFTs will become a major asset class in the next decade, attracting interest from traditional investors and companies.
On this episode of WealthTech Unwrapped, Ned chats with Tom Schapira, Chief Executive Officer of Imagine Capital Group and Investment Banker of Financial Technology, Real Estate & Venture Capital at Regiment Securities. Together, they delve into the intricate world of advisor technology, exploring the nuances required to cater to diverse markets around the globe.
Gain insights into the complexities of this ever-evolving landscape and discover the strategies employed to meet the unique needs of different markets.
Tune in to this enlightening discussion, only on WealthTech Unwrapped!
This week on WealthTech unwrapped, Ned speaks with Doug Fritz, Founder and CEO of F2 Strategy. They discuss the humble beginnings of WealthTech and Doug's views on how it has evolved to what it is today.
Key Takeaways:
- Relying solely on advisors as filters for client preferences in the realm of WealthTech is often ineffective and can lead to subpar results.
- Encouraging a certain level of risk tolerance within your WealthTech project team and granting them the freedom to iterate quickly and embrace potential failures is vital for both learning and achieving success. This principle holds true not only in WealthTech but also in the broader tech industry.
- When constructing a wealth management journey, it is crucial to deliberately plan and define the desired experience. Leveraging technology can consistently deliver exceptional experiences aligned with those intentions. However, many wealth management firms overlook this opportunity to create consistent and remarkable experiences.
In this episode of WealthTech Unwrapped, join host Ned as he engages in an insightful conversation with Ken McHugh, Chief Technology Officer of Bambu, about our latest digital solution, Bambu GO. They discuss how Bambu GO came to be, the problems it solves, and the technology behind building a ready-to-GO solution for any financial institution that wants to significantly increase its client base.
Key takeaways:
1) Instead of solely focusing on "what" is being built, it is crucial to prioritize who the solution is being built for, ensuring it is tailored to their needs and objectives, and how it can truly make a meaningful impact.
2) Bambu GO was created as a ready-to-use digital solution for any financial institution that wants to significantly increase its client base
Tune in for an in-depth exploration of this game-changing ready-to-use solution that aims to reshape the wealth management industry.
For more information, visit bambugo.com
On this episode of WealthTech Unwrapped, Ned speaks with Kerry Ryan, Director of Financial Services Industry Marketing at Seismic. They discuss, not just WealthTech, but sales and enablement, along with current marketing trends in financial services, and most importantly, what is wrong with the industry today and how to make it better for the future.
Key Takeaways:
1) At present, wealth management is competitive, and the market for it is choppy and scary, but this is when advisors are needed most.
2) When it comes to marketing, it is important to find champions and advocates early on in your business, especially when implementing new technology.
3) Potential clients want to be empowered and informed with more content and information. This is where advisors can add value.
On this week's episode of WealthTech Unwrapped, Ned speaks with Jeff Jeff Ye Myat Min and Sherry Jiang of Bluejay Finance. Tune in as they discuss Stablecoins, Defi Blockchain, and what it takes to be a Cryptocurrency start-up.
Key Takeaways:
1) Cryptocurrencies like Stablecoin could be stable if they are done in the right way. It is entirely possible through proper market dynamics, pure accounting principles, and ways to rebalance them.
2) In markets like Southeast Asia, access is not access to privilege as it is tough to get into global financial services due to tight capital controls. One of the few ways you can get access to the global financial system is through cryptocurrencies.
This week, on WealthTech Unwrapped, Ned and Scott Treloar, Chief Investment Officer at Noviscient, discuss what is wrong with wealth management today and how it could be made better in the future through technological advancements.
Key Takeaways:
1) In investment management, the customer is considered a resource however, we should change this mindset and create an orientation where customers are central. This could be achievable thanks to the availability of WealthTech and digital-first firms.
2) Hedge fund firms and managers are stuck with frictional costs due to outdated processes. The best way to improve this could also be to adopt a digital approach.
Tune in as they discuss elaborate on a digital first model and how it could free the wealth management industry of its common pain points, keeping it up to speed for firms and investors of the future.
On this episode of WealthTech Unwrapped, Ned speaks with Warwick Pearmund, Country Manager for the Hong Kong Office at Madison Pearl. They discuss Human Resources, Recruitment, and Headhunting in the finance industry and the subtle nuances behind hiring Tech talents in a space that has been fairly traditional for many years.
Key Takeaways from this episode:
1) Fintech is an increasing presence in the financial services industry opening doors for more and more tech talents. However, having an understanding of how to navigate both the worlds of technology and business is invaluable.
2) We are globally more connected, which means it is easier to travel for work and to work remotely as we are also connected online.
This week on WealthTech Unwrapped, Ned catches up with his long-time friend, Damian Bierman, Founding Partner & MD of Asia-Pac, Blackwired Pte Ltd. They discuss cyber security, the dark web, and how technological advancements could anticipate security threats even before they are conceived.
Things we learnt from this episode:
- Many companies are adopting the "Software-as-a-Service" (SaaS) model to sell their tech, including vendors on the Dark Web who aim to push criminal technologies such as ransomware.
- No matter how good we are at stopping or preventing cyber threats, they are still going to happen and especially in innovative ways. The key lies in stopping them before they occur. The question is, how do we do so?
Tune in to learn how Damian plans to tackle cyber threats of the future.
On this episode of WealthTech Unwrapped, Ned speaks with fellow entrepreneur Pamela Cytron, partner at WealthTech Ventures Inc, Advisory Board Member for First Rate Ventures and First Rate Inc and Member, Board of Directors for Privacy Lock. They discuss everything from WealthTech, insurance, and innovation in the industry, along with the importance of proper sales techniques and principles to survive in the business.
This week on WealthTech Unwrapped, Neds speaks to his long-time friend and best-selling author, Henri Arslanian, Co-Founder of Nine Blocks Capital Management. They discuss various Fintech ecosystems and how they will shape the future of finance across the globe.
This time, on WealthTech Unwrapped, two WealthTech Founders, Laurent Bertrand, CEO and co-founder at Better Trade-Off (BTO), and Ned, have a fruitful discussion about building and running a WealthTech start-up.
On this episode of WealthTeh Unwrapped, we have a double Ned feature where Ned speaks with Ned Lowe, Co-founder and CTO of Mission Plus. They discuss technologies that exist in banking and finance and how it has evolved over the years to what it is today.
This time, on WealthTech Unwrapped, Ned speaks with Zennon Kapron, Founder and Director of Kapronasia. They discuss upcoming trends in Fintech such as Digital Banks and Cryptocurrencies and their footing in the banking and finance industry.
On this week's episode of WealthTech Unwrapped, Ned speaks with Timothy Baker, Founder of Blue Sky Thinking, about the history of financial data, the complexities that lie within it, and how it plays a vital role in the modern age, especially in WealthTech.
On this episode of WealthTech Unwrapped, Ned speaks with Philipp Hecker, Co-founder and CEO of Bento Engine. They discuss the Wealth Management industry and how technological advancements have paved the way for it to be more client-centric and consumer-friendly.
In this Episode of WealthTech Unwrapped, Ned speaks with Darren Chu, Founder of Tradable Patterns and the current CIO of Chancery Hill Ventures. They discuss the world of Cryptocurrency and BlockChain while highlighting the practical side of the technology and how it may not be as volatile as it seems.
This week on WealthTech Unwrapped, Ka-Ming Lim, CEO and Co-founder at MoneyFitt and Editor-in-Chief of The MoneyFitt Morning, speaks with Ned about the realities of being a founder of a WealthTech startup, and how learning to manage finances at an early age is a key step towards secure financial futures.
This week on WealthTech Unwrapped, Jame DiBiasio joins Ned in a two-part conversation where they discuss being part of the B2B Financial Media Landscape, the history of finance and its early trading systems, and how they have evolved in modern times.
Following Part 1, Jame and Ned discuss the concept of trade, along with early economies, and how currencies of the past translate to the innovation of modern-day banking technology, WealthTech, and Cryptocurrencies today.
This week on WealthTech Unwrapped, Jame DiBiasio joins Ned in a two-part conversation where they discuss being part of the B2B financial media landscape, the history of finance and its early trading systems, and how they have evolved in modern times.
Enjoy the episode, and keep an eye out for part 2 to see how this all ties in with Crypto and WealthTech.
This week on WealthTech Unwrapped, Ned chats with Evan Kulak, co-founder and wealth advisor at Polaris Financial. They speak about the evolving FinTech scene in the US and the significance of credit unions and community banks embracing digital transformation in their advisory models.
Join us this week on WealthTech Unwrapped with our guest speaker, Sam Turner, Director of Wealth at Altus. Ned and Sam look into the digital wealth advice landscape in the UK, the shift towards accessible financial advice for the masses and the value of open banking for advisors and consumers.
Tune in to the last episode of 2022 where our guest, Haja Mohaideen, COO of Bambu, joins Ned to look back at the best moments of the year. They discuss the team culture and processes that drive Bambu as a WealthTech startup and share what we aim to do better as we continue to grow.
This week on WealthTech UnWrapped, Ned welcomes Oi Yee Choo, CEO of ADDX, who brings a wealth of experience from her works across major financial institutions. Don't miss their conversation about democratizing private markets, adoption of blockchain and tokenization as well as the opportunities that digitalization presents.
Ned sits down with Raghav Kapoor, whom he's know for almost 10 years in this episode of WealthTech Unwrapped. Raghav is the CEO and Co-Founder of SmartKarma, an independent investment research network that connects insights providers, investors and investor relations professionals. They discuss the trends and challenges of the wealth industry as well as personal investments from a broader perspective.
Richard Doherty, Managing Director at ScaleUp Consulting, joins WealthTech Unwrapped to share his experience as a seasoned podcaster about building the right content for your audience and communicating your vision confidently and simply. Additionally, Ned and Richard discuss the progression of innovation in the WealthTech industry.
Jeff Keltner is a fellow podcaster who hosts Leaders in Lending. This time, he sits across from Ned as a guest and speaks about digital transformation in the lending industry. They talk about how AI simplifies and qualifies data to reach a wider consumer segment and helping consumers reach their financial goals.
Ingmar Boon, Biz App Strategic Recruit Lead at Microsoft, joins Ned to talk about Bambu’s partnership with Microsoft on our wealth management predictive planning solution and digital transformation in the wealth management industry.
Ned's long-time friend, Alexis Calla, CPO at DreamQuark, discuss the role of AI and machine learning in bettering financial services for clients as well as advisors. They dive into how behavioral management strengthens wealth advisory and pitching a vision as a startup.
In an unexpected turn of events, Reuben Lim, COO at Singapore Fintech Association, turns the table on Ned and takes over asking the questions. They discuss what banks should be building and highlight the importance of frictionless financing. Reuben also share information about SFA and the upcoming Singapore Fintech Festival.
RIDE Capital just raised 3 millions Euros in funding. Co-founder Felix Schulte, joins Ned for an inside look at the industry. He also shares how RIDE is leveraging content creation and even gives advice on how to grow your business.
As the title suggests, Dani shares a big announcement that impacts both my personal career and the podcast. She share what her dream job is and what motivates her, Ned and her look back on our podcast highlights, and he asks her where she'll be in 10 years time. Best of luck Dani!
Don't worry though, the podcast is not going anywhere!
Ned is joined by not one, but two guests who bring different perspectives into wealthech. Danielle Theroux is a designer leader with a sharp focus on the application and evolution of innovative digital strategies. She talks about user experience, build your own journeys, and how health should play into financial wealth.
Alan Smith is a growth-focused consultant driving transformation change in financial industries. He discusses the power being data and how legacy companies can stay competitive within fintech.
After a short hiatus, we're back to unwrapping the wealth tech. This week Ned and Dani have a general catch-up about the state of the industry given the complicated state of the economy. Ned shares what he thinks the next 2 years will look like for banks and what it means for wealth tech providers. And of course, don’t miss their general random banter at the end. In short, just hug it out.
The Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races consisting of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bicycle ride, and a marathon 26.22-mile run, raced in that order. One could say is as extreme as it gets. The question is, how does this compare to running a fintech?
This week Alex Manson, head of SC Ventures, joins Ned in a conversation about their passion for Ironman and endurance sports, comparing it to starting and running fintech companies.
Alex shares why it’s important to work with a purpose, how to deal with pressurs from external influences and how to use wealth as a tool.
What does the wealth tech industry need to address to be better? Our guest this week has some ideas. Eric Mellor, a wealth management specialist at Temenos, is an experienced Wealth Management Professional with extensive and diverse industry experience spanning private client advisory, private banking, discretionary and retail asset management, and enterprise wealth management technology sales and business development.
He chats with Ned about the missing pieces to make saving and investing more accessible and overall possible for more people. They also address the topic of the Advice Gap in Singapore among other things.
Only 3% of UK adults receive financial advice. Our guest this week wants to change that. Mary Kemi Agbesanwa is the fintech growth lead at Seccl, a company that provides the technology that allows businesses to launch UK-based investment propositions. Mary shares what she sees is working in fintech and where there's room for change. We discuss financial inclusion, embedded finance, neobanks, and the UK advice gap.
Check out her blog: https://www.maryagbesanwa.com/
Standard Charted Kenya recently launched SC Shilingi Funds a money market fund that allows customers to start investing. Host, Ned Philips discusses why this particular client launch has been so successful.
He also highlights FNZ's recent $1.4 Billion funding round and what that means for other players in the industry.
This week we’re joined by Helene Li, a banker turned fintech entrepreneur and now founder of GoImpact.
She talks about the importance of taking action in financial investments, and how perfection isn't the goal when it comes to ESG metrics and sustainability as a whole. She also addresses how asset managers should embrace sustainable finance and shares what she hopes the industry will evolve into.
UBS recently acquired Wealthfront, marking a pivotal moment for the industry.
Ned gives us an overview of the deal and shares how he believes this will affect both B2C and B2B robos. He also gives a message to financial institutions looking to digitize.
Our first guest of 2022 is Jorge Javier Eguino, a Digitial Transformation Specialist at BIM in Bolivia. Jorge combines his passion for data science and digital transformation with his exposure to different markets in South America to give us insight into the fintech industry in Latin America. We talk about micro-financing, what companies should focus on, and how customer accessibility is crucial in this region.
As we approach the end of yet another year, this podcast episode rounds up some of the best insights and learnings our guests have shared with us through 2021. It is a portrait of what we have observed from the ever-evolving wealth tech industry as well as a hopeful look towards better and bigger transformation ahead. Beyond that, we would also like to take this chance to show appreciation to the numerous guests who have taken the time to appear on our podcast to share their thoughts. We selected 14 commentaries that encompass some compelling opinions on the wealth tech space.
This week Ned is joined by William Trout, Wealth Management Director at Javelin Strategy and Research. Will tells him about the most recent reports he’s worked on which center around the needs of retail investors and advisors.
They also discuss Next Best Action and Direct Indexing amongst other things.
This may go down as the episode with the widest range of topics covered in 30 minutes. From food trucks to AI Financial Planning, our guest is nothing short of interesting.
Alexander Fleiss is the CEO of RebellionResearch and an avid teacher of machine learning amongst other things. He and Ned talk about Deep Learner Stock Predictions, AI Financial Planning, The New York Food Truck Association, Educational TV and so much more.
Imagine how much wealth firms can grow with access to the right consumer data, analytics, and research products, helping them navigate the rapidly changing wealth management landscape. That's what Parameter Insights does. This week Ned has a short but insightful conversation with Josh Book, CEO and Founder of Parameter Insights. They discuss the advisor trend that Josh and his team have found in their data, financial advice across different segments, and what the future of wealth tech could look like.
Many investors want to do good but simply don't know that they can make a positive impact on the environment and other issues through their investments. Patrick Reed and Gabe Rissman solved that with their ESG Investment software that provides all the tools financial advisors need to help clients understand and grow their social + environmental impact.
We sit down with Patrick who tells us about where his passion comes from, how metaphor metrics work, and who this software caters to.
In the end, we find out that Patrick may be the new Doc from Back to the Future, coming to save the planet before it's too late!
https://yourstake.org/
Raising $25 Million USD for Bambu's Series C, winning a fintech award, meeting with big prospective clients... these are just some of the things that Ned has been up to during his ongoing US trip. He gives us an update of how everything is going and shares that he sees a big shift in the industry.
Listen 'till the end where Dani tells us about Bambu's latest video project... Netflix, watch out!
OG as in Original Generation that is! Fintech expert John Crittenden joins us for a deep dive into wealth tech. John is a fintech entrepreneur with extensive experience in the industry.
He shares his opinion on the noise around financial advice, what’s missing in fintech, and how to integrate saving and investing behavior. We also briefly talk about regulations and consolidation.
After 10 years in global investment banking, Steven became disillusioned with the self-serving nature of the investment industry so he started a company that would offer a simple, low-cost solution. We're joined by Steven Nathan, founder of 10X Investments, a South-African tech-enabled asset manager that aims to enhance the returns on income after retirement.
Steven shares some of the bold marketing campaigns that the company ran and explains the messaging behind them. He also shares what he believes is the key to providing a better financial future for clients.
Ever heard of Backbase as a Service? Well, it's what Backbase calls their turnkey Engagement Banking platform that empowers banks and other FIs to accelerate their digital transformation. This week we had a conversation with Marc Corbett, senior solutions engineer at Backbase who is passionate about creating simple and effective user experiences. He shares how Backbase helps banks adapt and use Backbase's toolbox of solutions to go to market with and stay competitive in the wealth tech industry.
How long do you think you would need to perform a live demo in front of thousands of people to showcase your product? Well, you only have 7 minutes. Finovate conferences showcase cutting-edge banking and financial technology through events around the world.
This week we're joined by one of the main organizers of the conferences, Greg Palmer. Greg is the Vice President of The Finovate Group, runs the infamous Finovate events, and hosts the Finovate Podcast. We talk about the secret sauce to Finovate Demos and he and Ned reminisce on stories from previous years.
Learn more about the event: https://finovate.com/
We all know that creating a college fund is a smart move, but could there be a better way to save for your kid's financial future? Ksenia Yudina is passionate about helping families save for all types of goals - education, first car, house, wedding, or even to help their financial security as adults.
She and her team have created a money app that uses tax-advantaged accounts for kids and allows the whole family to participate through gift-giving. She tells us the story behind the app and shares some of her future plans, which include financial literacy education.
Ksenia is a true entrepreneur which made this conversation fun, exciting, and most of all relatable for Ned who is also a passionate entrepreneur.
Bambu recently acquired Tradesocio, a WealthTech company specializing in investment management and trading technologies with offices in Singapore, India, and Dubai. This week Ned sits down with Wael Salem, CEO of Tradesocio and Product Architect. Wael gives an overview of his experience and the history of the company. He and Ned discuss what the merger means in terms of tech capabilities and how that opens doors from a product perspective.
Are 401 (k)s more complicated than they should be? Our guest this week thinks so. We're joined by Benjamin Thomason, executive vice president at Vestwell.
Vestwell is redefining the 401(k) offering by serving as the underlying engine to help anyone power a workplace savings program on their team. Ben explains how the company uses technology to provide businesses with an unbundled, configurable solution that translates retirement plans that are easier to offer and administer.
Ben also tells about how he got into 401(k) services in the first place and as always, answers some of Ned's favorite "random questions".
Ned has a lot of opinions... who would've known! This week it's just the two hosts, Ned and Dani who take a look at some of the industry news stories Ned's covered on his LinkedIn Digest show. The show has featured a big range of news stories from and from a wide selection of companies; from new startups like Ikigai to some of the world's largest financial organisations like JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs.
They discuss some of the highlights and trends happening in the wealth tech world. Ned shares why he thinks we need more play need more players in the industry, and at the end Dani reveals a childhood secret!
The Brazilian and South American wealth management landscape is in its early stages and represents a huge opportunity for the fintech industry. Our guest this week is Oscar Decotelli, founder and CEO of DXA Invest, a firm focused on alternative investments in Brazil & South America. Oscar is passionate about connecting this region to the rest of the world, providing opportunities to diverse founders, and overall is excited about the possibilities that digitization brings to the industry. We also talk about some of the companies he's invested in and he tells us why he thinks entrepreneurs are built differently. Oh, and at the end, Dani tries to speak Portuguese!
Check out DXA Invest.
Mental health can be a hard topic to talk about. However, this week's guest is not only passionate about being open and honest about his own mental health journey, but he is also passionate about helping other entrepreneurs and founders tackle their own mental health challenges.
Our guest Janos Barberis, co-founder of Supercharger Ventures, along with Tamas Haiman and Alessandro Di Lullo, is on a journey to build the worlds leading EdTech accelerator and Fund.
We also talk about why he is morally driven, discuss what it means to be resilient, and overall have the most open, vulnerable, and powerful conversation we've ever had on the show.
This week we have a major guest on the show. Varun Sreeda, CEO of Paytm Money India's largest online investment and wealth management platform. Varun is an expert in leading financial institutions to digital transformation through intrapreneurship.
He joins us for a conversation about entrepreneurship, wealth management through 360 solutions, and a look at India’s tremendous growth in the industry.
People don’t like new stuff they don’t understand - they are repulsed by your tech. This may sound harsh but this week's guest, Chris Beall, explains how to work around this and use curiosity to build trust - which will then lead to sales!
Chris Beall is the CEO of Connect and Sell, a Silicon Valley tech platform that gets your best salespeople 10x more live conversations with qualified prospects every day. He and Ned bond over their love of sales and the importance of sales when building a tech company. Chris also gives us some awesome sales tips and shares some hard truths.
Digitalization improves the customer experience, enhances the effectiveness of the financial advisors, reduces operating risks and costs, and supports new business models. This week's guest Yann Charraire, Managing Director of One Wealth Place, believes that digital transformation is tied to cultural transformation.
We discuss the impact COVID has had, what fintechs could be doing better to help banks digitize, what needs the industry challenges are, and so much more.
And ss always, we get an awesome Netflix recommendation at the end!
According to a 2020 report by Worldpay, Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) is expected to be the fastest-growing mode of online payment worldwide over the next five years. This week we’re joined by Stuart Thornton, CEO and Founder of Hoolah, Asia's leading Omni-channel buy now pay later platform.
He shares the lightbulb moment that led him to start the company and why his approach was to build a local platform that solves merchant and customer problems. He explains how Hoolah is an ecosystem for merchants, consumers, and partners. We also get some insight into the growth of BNPL as a whole.
Stick around to the end for Stuart's Netflix suggestion!
Have you ever thought about starting your own business? Well, this is the episode that will push you to do so. Like Ned, Luke Janssen is an avid entrepreneur who can tell you stories about his previous corporate life and now entrepreneur Bali-living life.
We explore when is the perfect moment to start a business, if everyone is "built" to be an entrepreneur, and why it's our duty to make things better. Luke also shares what motivated him to start LUCY, his most recent company.
Stay tuned 'till the end for a special surprise from the world whistling champion ;)
What makes a great podcast? How do you define success? Whether you're into podcasting or creating interesting content, this episode is for you. Hosts Dani and Ned sit down with Mike Townsend to pick his brain on how to run a successful podcast.
Mike Townsend is a serial entrepreneur and host of the Around the Coin podcast. How he got the idea for his podcast back in 2014 will surprise you and his tips on how to keep a conversation interesting can be applied beyond the podcasting world.
Listen to Around the Coin: https://aroundthecoin.com/
Bionic means to have the best of both worlds – humans and technology. This week we sit down with Chuin Ting, CEO and CIO of MoneyOwl, Singapore’s first Bionic Financial Advisor.
She tells us about her unusual yet impressive journey into the finance world, how she sees asset management changing, and what financial planning means at MoneyOwl. We discuss how technology has permanently changed the game.
As always, stay until the end to find out what this week's series and movie recommendations are!
More on MoneyOwl: https://www.moneyowl.com.sg/
Passive investing is becoming more and more common, but what does this mean for the average investor? This week we sit down with Nick McCullum from Passiv, a portfolio management tool that makes it easier for DIY investors to maintain a balanced portfolio and build a passive investment strategy at their online broker.
Nick is a strong believer in financial education to empower investors. He also gives us his opinion on where robo and the industry is heading.
Stay tuned 'till the end for Dani and Ned's movie/series recommendations!
Learn more about Passiv: https://passiv.com/
StashAway was one of the early players in the robo-advisory space in Singapore and has grown exponentially since its launch in 2016. This week our hosts, Dani and Ned, meet with Michele Ferrario, Co-founder and CEO of StashAway. With 15 years of experience in consulting, investing, and building tech companies, Michele hopes to empower people to build long-term wealth.
He tells us about the journey he took from selling clothes to creating a fintech platform, the importance of having the right founding team members, and what his thoughts are on the term "robo-advisor". Michele also shares what thinks the industry needs to address and where we are in the digital wealth management space. Stay until the end to find out where Michele believes he can find the best Italian food in Singapore.
ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance. Investors are increasingly applying these non-financial factors as part of their analysis process to identify material risks and growth opportunities. We sit down with Rohith Thatchan, an Investment A.I. Product Manager at Bambu, who has developed an award-nominated ESG integration called Sustainability Insights that helps financial institutions integrate Environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) into their investment decision-making process using explainable AI models.
He gives us the rundown on ESG currently, including what the major dilemmas are, how his platform works, and what are the biggest changes we need to see in the industry.
Welcome to our 2021 Season of WealthTech Unwrapped!
This is our last episode.... of 2020! And it only seemed appropriate to have some of the most important people in our company be today's guests. You'll hear from various Bambu team members, or "Bambuions" as we like to call ourselves, sharing what they've learned this year, what are some of the highlights they've experienced, and what they're looking forward to in 2021.
Finally, Dani and Ned, wrap up the season with a round of rapid-fire questions.
We'll be back in January 2021 with more guests, fintech questions, and the usual banter.
When it comes to finance, many women are critically overlooked and underbanked. But if women entrepreneurs received an equal level of support, the global economy could experience up to a $5 trillion boost. This week we're joined by Debbie Watkins, Founder and CEO of Lucy, an app that helps to bridge the financial divide - putting money back into the hands of women.
She shares how a year of backpacking and volunteering led her to realize that there was so much that could be done to improve access to finance for women and small businesses, so decided to launch Lucy. We learn about the meaning behind the name, the challenges female entrepreneurs face, and what companies should do to be more inclusive.
Lucy will be launching in 2021! Check out their website for more details: https://welucy.com/
A special audio story adaptation of "Seeds of Infinity" (Part Two of Two). This story is about how Brian discovers the 8th wonder of the world - compound interest, and how he stopped worrying. It is part tribute to the last 4 years at Bambu, part fantasy fiction. The play follows the life story at various milestones of Brian’s life.
Voiced by our very own guests, Ned and Dani, as well as other Bambu employees including Michael Larsen, Aki Ranin, and Lydia Lim.
Original Publication: https://bambu.co/seeds-of-infinity
A special audio story adaptation of "Seeds of Infinity" (Part One of Two). This story is about how Brian discovers the 8th wonder of the world - compound interest, and how he stopped worrying. It is part tribute to the last 4 years at Bambu, part fantasy fiction. The play follows the life story at various milestones of Brian’s life.
Voiced by our very own guests, Ned and Dani, as well as other Bambu employees including Michael Larsen, Aki Ranin, and Lydia Lim.
Original Publication: https://bambu.co/seeds-of-infinity
People are not rational. Especially when it comes to money. So, how can behavioral science help banks offer more relevant financial services?
Olivier Berthier, Founder and CEO of Moneythor, joins us this week to discuss the irrationality behind money and how personalization is key for digital wealth services. He tells us about the behavioral science techniques that Moneythor is using to enhance digital banking services, with a prime focus on the generation of data-driven personalized and contextual recommendations for customers. He also shares his experience in the industry, both from a corporate and startup perspective.
At the end, we find out what Olivier misses most from France!
Who is an investor? This can be a hard question to answer in an overly complicated industry.
This week we're joined by Tricia Rothschild, president of Apex Clearing. The conversation starts out with Tricia sharing about her experience in the industry, particularly at Morningstar where she worked for 26 years prior to joining Apex.
Tricia's goal is to help people gain confidence in their financial lives, so we discuss why it's so important to have diverse participation in the conversation around investing. She argues that the emotions of money are key and that it impacts everybody, so we need to demystify the relationship to money in order for the industry to grow. She also points out that ESG can be a big draw, which naturally delights Dani who is passionate about sustainability.
Singlife's vision is to unlock the potential of money for everyone. Today we're joined by Walter de Oude, Founder and Group CEO of Singlife a Singaporean insurance company. Walter shares how he got started with insurtech and the journey SingLife has had so far, including the recent merger with Aviva. He also gives some great advice for entrepreneurs looking to innovate in the fintech industry. "Go big or go home" is his motto and it sure seems like he's going big!
Stay tuned 'till the end where Ned shares some exciting Bambu news!
Did you know that many fintech startups are tracking staff turnover rates up to 20% p.a.?! That's higher than global banks and major tech firms! We were shocked to find this out so we brought on consulting strategist, Benjamin Quinlan to unwrap this mystery. Not only is Ben the Founder and CEO of Quinlan & Associates, but he's also a stand-up comedian. He brings his unique perspective and expertise to this week's episode where we discuss some possible causes for this high turnover and how to avoid it.
At the end of the episode, find out which running competition Ned just participated in and what Dani got to drive this past weekend!
Ever wonder where the name Bambu came from? In this week's bite-sized episode, we tell you the backstory of our company. Ned shares the struggle of picking a name, the hardest decision he's had to make, and the most memorable moments he's experienced as a co-founder. Tune in to get an inside scoop of what running a fintech company is like.
We also give you a sneak peek of our upcoming guests, so stick around!
The financial advice gap continues to widen; what does this mean for the fintech industry? In this week's episode, we're joined by Sam Beeby who breaks down how this gap is presented, the different subgroups within it, and what opportunities this can open for financial institutions. We explore the idea of why companies should champion hybrid models and play the long game.
Ned invites you to watch Transamericana; he's seen it 3 times!
Register for one of our live demos at bambu.co/weekly-demo.
This week we take a quick look into the history of Robo-advisors. When did the first one come out? Which companies have paved the way for this growing industry? Is it already a crowded space? And, what do we predict will happen in the next decade or so?
Dani and Ned also find out they are reading the same book and we get an update on going back to the office!
Bambu is a global company and today you'll hear from different 3 employees located all over the world. Nick Woods joins us from South Africa, Phil Ajero from the US, and Sam Beeby from the UK. They share a bit about their experience and how they got started at Bambu, we get a glimpse of what wealthtech is looking in their respective regions and we examine potential team growth.
And of course, Ned and Dani share quick stories throughout the episode; from Elvis costumes and marathon running, to haircuts and work burnout.
Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe. Email us your questions at podcast@bambu.co.
They say it's never too early to start investing and this week's guest is the epitome of that. Join us for a short and sweet episode where we interview Kiaan Ebrahim who started investing at only six years old! Now at the age of 8, he shares with us how he picks the companies he wants to invest in as well as gives Dani some key advice on how to get started.
For inquiries and requests, email us at podcast@bambu.co.
What’s your ROI? Return in Inertia, that is. Join us for this week’s episode with top marketing strategist for financial services, April Rudin, for a discussion on what the future for financial advisors looks like and how companies need to embrace change. Ned and Dani learn that this is Bambu’s "Marketing Moment" and April shares the best ending remark in WealthTech Unwrapped history.
Learn more about April and The Rudin Group: https://therudingroup.com/
If there's one thing that Ned truly loves (apart from his family and running!) it's sales. Get some of his top sales tips this week in our "all things-sales" episode where we talk about sales, and how we sell at Bambu. Oh, and Ned has a quick 90-second rant that you can't miss out on!
For questions, requests, or general inquires email us at podcast@bambu.co
Is Decentralized Finance (or DeFi as the cool kids are calling it) the future of finance? Serial entrepreneur Edmund Lowell joins us to give us a basic rundown on DeFi and how it works, as well as examine what it means for the individual investor and for banks.
Ned shares his crazy call schedule with people from all over the world and Dani manages to mention veganism and sustainability three times throughout the episode!
Super apps are the future and it turns out we've been using them all along! In this week's episode, Ned and Dani unwrap the basics of super apps and discuss why they are rapidly taking over Asian markets. We're then joined by Rich Turrin, an award-winning executive with more than 20 years of experience in fintech innovation, a published author, and a dear friend to Ned. He joins us to share his views on the uncharted waters associated with the latest cognitive technologies and more importantly, why he thinks China is so ahead of the West when it comes to fintech technology.
Dani needs to save 1 million dollars (approx) for retirement! How in the world is she going to do that and why hasn't she started already? Bambu co-founder, Aki Ranin, joins this week's podcast to share his ideas on personal CFOs and unconscious investing.
Aki and Ned relive some personal stories, Dani gives her best friend a shout out, and Ned refuses to accept that Aki is and always will be a millennial.
Marketing strategies for a B2B market can be tough. The bottom line is that you can't get people to magically come, you have to invest in your marketing efforts. Dani gives the inside perspective of the Bambu marketing team and Ned messages Gary Vee to come on the podcast. Did he reply? Find out in this week's episode!
Join us as we unwrap why wealthtech should be simple, intuitive, and most importantly secure, basically, how to make it not suck. This week's guest is cybersecurity expert Geoff Leeming, founder of Pragma Strategy. He shares how security has evolved and why it's so important to consider security from the very beginning. Lastly, Dani and Ned give an update about their weeks and how they're coping with work from home life.
Part 2 of our interview with FinTech expert Paolo Sironi. We talk motivation and trust, AI technology, and Paolo shares if he thinks WealthTech is on the right track.
Meet our hosts, as they dive into why financial planning platforms simply aren't working for everyone. We're also joined by FintTech expert Paolo Sironi, who shares his unique perspective on the industry landscape. He explains where he believes Silicon Valley has gotten it wrong and how entrepreneurs should look at digital transformation.
Finally, in our "Reality" segment Dani and Ned share a bit about life at Bambu.