Fintech Leaders

Send us a textMiguel Armaza interviews John Waldmann, Founder & CEO of Homebase, a company on a mission to help modernize local business teams in the US. Since launching in 2014, Homebase has grown to support over 150,000 businesses and 3.8 million workers, processing hundreds of millions of shifts annually.In this episode, we discuss:Why founders should have more courage and conviction in their early cultural choicesCreating a culture of ownership and high-velocity decision-makingThe dangers of consensus decision-making and the power of individual ownershipHow to maintain operational velocity as you scale… and lots more!Want more podcast episodes? Join me and follow Fintech Leaders today on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app for weekly conversations with today’s global leaders that will dominate the 21st century in fintech, business, and beyond.Do you prefer a written summary? Check out the Fintech Leaders newsletter and join ~70,000+ readers and listeners worldwide!Miguel Armaza is Co-Founder and General Partner of Gilgamesh Ventures, a seed-stage investment fund focused on fintech in the Americas. He also hosts and writes the Fintech Leaders podcast and newsletter.Miguel on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nKha4ZMiguel on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Jb5oBcFintech Leaders Newsletter: bit.ly/3jWIp

Send us a textMiguel Armaza interviews Howard Lindzon, a seasoned investor, entrepreneur, and founder of StockTwits, the largest social network for investors and traders. Howard is also the founder of Social Leverage, a venture capital firm that has backed great companies like Robinhood and eToro.Often called "The Larry David of Finance" for his candid, no-nonsense takes on markets and investing, his newsletter and sharp social media commentary have earned him a loyal following among investors and entrepreneurs alike – not for sugar-coating reality, but for calling it exactly as he sees it.In this episode, we discuss:Why public market investing experience makes better early-stage investorsHis philosophy and approach to missing big opportunities, including Twitter, Zynga, and CartaThe evolution of markets from Web2 to the all-consuming "degenerate economy"Markets may be rigged, but once you know the rules of the game, you can still win big... and a lot more!Want more podcast episodes? Join me and follow Fintech Leaders today on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app for weekly conversations with today’s global leaders that will dominate the 21st century in fintech, business, and beyond.Do you prefer a written summary? Check out the Fintech Leaders newsletter and join ~70,000+ readers and listeners worldwide!Miguel Armaza is Co-Founder and General Partner of Gilgamesh Ventures, a seed-stage investment fund focused on fintech in the Americas. He also hosts and writes the Fintech Leaders podcast and newsletter.Miguel on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nKha4ZMiguel on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Jb5oBcFintech Leaders Newsletter: bit.ly/3jWIp

Ali Hamed, Co-founder of Treville, a $2 billion investment firm, shares insights into building a unique investment strategy. He discusses the 'founder fair' philosophy influenced by Michael Ovitz and the importance of intentional networking. Hamed emphasizes maintaining authentic relationships while rejecting conventional work-life balance. He explores the advantages of diversifying across asset classes and creating a high-intensity culture within his firm. His journey from cold emails to significant AUM showcases the power of strategic connections in the finance world.

In this engaging discussion, Savneet Singh, CEO of PAR Technology, shares his remarkable journey from a pre-med student to leading a company from crisis to a tech titan worth nearly $3 billion. He highlights the importance of strategic prioritization during corporate triage and the insights gained from M&A strategies. Savneet also addresses how inflation is reshaping the restaurant industry and how technology can support struggling businesses. His experiences underscore the value of resilience and continuous innovation in achieving long-term success.

Send us a textWe bring you a compilation of some of the best and most popular episodes of 2024. The guests of this episode have either founded or held key leadership roles in companies with a $200 Billion combined market cap, including Capital One, Kaspi, Mercado Libre, and Xero.It was an amazing year for Fintech Leaders with 42 new guests from 13 countries. Our interviews were viewed almost 3 million times across all platforms and we reached people in 184 countries. Thank you for tuning for what was an amazing year and I’m excited to bring you a 2025 full of rockstar business leaders.In this episode, you'll hear from:Mikhail Lomtadze, CEO of Kaspi.kz (Nasdaq:KSPI)Diya Jolly, Chief Product and Technology Officer at XeroPedro Arnt, CEO of dLocal (NASDAQ:DLO)Eric Poirier, CEO of AddeparNigel Morris, Co-Founder of QED & Capital OneRujul Zaparde, CEO & Co-Founder of ZipJack Zhang, CEO & Co-Founder of AirwallexWant more podcast episodes? Join me and follow Fintech Leaders today on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app for weekly conversations with today’s global leaders that will dominate the 21st century in fintech, business, and beyond.Do you prefer a written summary? Check out the Fintech Leaders newsletter and join ~70,000+ readers and listeners worldwide!Miguel Armaza is Co-Founder and General Partner of Gilgamesh Ventures, a seed-stage investment fund focused on fintech in the Americas. He also hosts and writes the Fintech Leaders podcast and newsletter.Miguel on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nKha4ZMiguel on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Jb5oBcFintech Leaders Newsletter: bit.ly/3jWIp

Send us a text[Original air date, March 21, 2023]  For this Christmas Eve episode, I revisit my 2023 interview with Adam Nash, Co-Founder and CEO of Daffy, a special fintech platform that encourages charitable giving.Giving to charity is a powerful way to create change; even a small contribution to the right cause can transform lives and it’s a chance to make a real difference. As the year comes to an end and you get a chance to reflect back, I encourage you to learn more about Daffy. Adam was nice enough to provide a $25 bonus for Fintech Leaders subscribers → sign-up today to get an extra $25 for charity when you join Daffy. Claim your $25 here!Adam is also a fintech veteran and prolific angel investor, who has been on the boards of Shift and Acorns, and was previously CEO of Wealthfront. He previously held leadership roles at Dropbox, LinkedIn, eBay, and Apple.In this episode, we discuss:Adam’s journey at Silicon Valley and what it was like to work with Steve Jobs at Next & AppleBuilding the first fully functioning donor-advised fund in the app store and how Daffy is helping people give more to charityLessons from the role of the CEO and why it’s the only role that truly understands how a company’s pieces are going to fit togetherWhy Adam remains excited and bullish on consumer-focused fintech businesses, the importance of building a great team… and a lot more!Want more podcast episodes? Join me and follow Fintech Leaders today on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app for weekly conversations with today’s global leaders that will dominate the 21st century in fintech, business, and beyond.Do you prefer a written summary? Check out the Fintech Leaders newsletter and join ~70,000+ readers and listeners worldwide!Miguel Armaza is Co-Founder and General Partner of Gilgamesh Ventures, a seed-stage investment fund focused on fintech in the Americas. He also hosts and writes the Fintech Leaders podcast and newsletter.Miguel on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nKha4ZMiguel on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Jb5oBcFintech Leaders Newsletter: bit.ly/3jWIp

Daragh Murphy, CEO & Co-Founder of Imprint, shares his journey from a small town in Ireland to disrupting the co-branded credit card space. He emphasizes the significance of Return on Equity and finding values-aligned talent. Daragh discusses the challenges of navigating the fintech landscape while prioritizing customer-centricity and transparency. He reflects on life’s unpredictability, encouraging listeners to embrace it fully, and underscores the transformative impact of influential books on business and personal values.

Kamran Zaki, Partner at ICONIQ Growth and former COO of Adyen, shares his dynamic journey in fintech investing. He discusses the vital role of company culture and unique investor relationships in driving growth. Dive into the transformative potential of stablecoins, particularly their disruptive impact on payments. Zaki emphasizes the challenges of identity verification and fraud prevention in financial services, while also exploring AI's influence on decision-making. His insights on IPO strategies and leadership traits leave a lasting impression for future business leaders.

Josh Reeves, CEO and Co-founder of Gusto, leads one of the largest HR and payroll companies dedicated to small businesses. He shares insights on finding product-market fit in a complex sector and building Gusto’s embedded fintech strategy. The discussion emphasizes the evolving role of a CEO, focusing on strategic leadership and talent management. Reeves also highlights the importance of partnerships and customer feedback in enhancing services, as well as the story behind Gusto’s piggy mascot, Penny, which symbolizes reliability and support.

Alan Patricof, a legendary co-founder of multiple major VC firms, shares his incredible journey in venture capital. He reminisces about the vibrant NYC of the 1970s and the evolution of the tech landscape. At 90, he discusses his focus on investing in the needs of the elderly and reveals his secrets to staying fit and energized. With contagious optimism, he emphasizes the importance of reputation and personal relationships in business. Alan’s insights are as timeless as they are inspiring!