Sachin and Adam

Ben Pfisterer is an ex-NAB, Visa and Square employee who co-founded Zeller, an Australian fintech company that achieved unicorn status - reaching a valuation of $1 billion - in less than two years.

Under his leadership, Zeller has attracted over 85,000 customers and secured $180 million in funding, revolutionizing business banking in Australia by offering integrated financial solutions that challenge traditional banking giants.

He built fast, made bold bets, and outworked the competition - and Zeller is now challenging the banks that have dominated Australia for decades.

If you're a founder, operator, or just someone who wants to understand how startups win at scale, this episode is for you.

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Thanks to our sponsor for this episode, KC Ventures! They help Australian startups scale by providing strategic financial advice.

You can find KC Ventures at https://kcventures.com.au/ or message their founder Luke Rix on Linkedin to get in contact directly.

00:00 Introduction to Zeller's Success

00:10 Challenges and Low Points

00:22 Go-to-Market Strategy

00:35 Ben Pfisterer's Background

01:00 The Startup Community and Zeller for Startups

01:25 Building a Culture of Speed

02:33 Ben's Early Life and Influences

04:48 Competitiveness and Design in Zeller

05:52 Direct Approach to Leadership

07:05 Navigating Bureaucratic Organizations

10:02 Insights into the Financial System

12:16 Founding and Growing Zeller

17:33 Hiring and Building a Team

19:40 Rapid Growth and Execution

22:19 Sponsor Break: KC Ventures

22:35 Strategic Work and Scaling Startups

22:50 Optimal Timing for Founders to Seek Help

23:11 Product Growth and Market Penetration

25:25 Challenges and Resilience in Startup Journey

28:27 Building a Culture of Speed and Efficiency

30:58 Balancing Work Intensity and Employee Well-being

33:37 Zeller for Startups: Revolutionizing Financial Services

38:23 Future of Customer Experience in Financial Services

40:47 Endless Entrepreneurial Journey

42:46 Conclusion and Wrap-up

Casey Flint is the AI Business Lead at AWS and a former VC at Square Peg, where she met over 1,000 AI leaders to uncover where the industry is headed. From growing up in a rural town with no doctors to joining Uber during its hypergrowth phase, Casey has been at the forefront of major technological shifts. Now, she shares her insights on AGI, AI automation, and the future of work.From reinforcement learning breakthroughs to AGI acceleration, the AI race is reshaping industries overnight—so who wins, and who gets left behind?

00:00 Introduction to AGI and Its Implications

00:32 Meet Casey Flint: AI Business Development at AWS

00:44 The Future of Work in an AI-Driven World

00:48 Casey's Journey: From Rural Queensland to AI Leadership

01:32 Insights on Learning and Adapting to AI

01:45 Casey's Career Shift to AWS

02:09 The Rapid Pace of AI Advancements

04:31 Experimenting with AI Tools and Staying Updated

06:09 Casey's Background and Early Influences

08:09 Joining Uber and the Startup Experience

12:40 Reflections on Uber's Culture and Lessons Learned

17:19 Transition to AI and Updated Beliefs

27:05 The Uber Analogy: Complexity Beyond GPS

28:17 AI's Impact on Marketplaces and Industries

29:36 The Future of AI and Society's Inertia

30:35 The Importance of Domain-Specific Solutions

31:33 Distribution Challenges in the AI Era

37:36 AI's Role in Social and Economic Change

41:03 Ethics and Geopolitics in AI Development

43:27 Exploring AI Safety and Economic Implications

46:05 AWS and Building the Future of AI

48:37 Staying Informed and Learning in AI

51:50 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Today’s guest on the Sachin and Adam show, Steve Hind, is the co-founder of Lorikeet AI, one of Australia’s fastest-growing AI Agent companies. Before that, he quickly climbed the ranks at Stripe and Bridgewater Investments -only to realise that titles and prestige can be traps in disguise. His story is a masterclass in knowing when to quit and why leaving a “dream job” might be the smartest move you’ll ever make.

00:00 The Impact of Joining a Strong Company

00:26 Key Takeaways from Working at Stripe

00:35 Challenges and Ambitions in the Market

00:57 Storied Career and Building Fast-Growing Companies

02:07 Insights into Career Moves and Personal Growth

10:00 The Importance of Operating Principles

12:53 AI Advancements and Market Impact

14:40 Lorikeet's Unique Approach to Customer Support

21:52 Future of AI Agents and Career Implications

27:19 Reflections on Founding and Personal Weaknesses

28:14 The Importance of Distribution in Product Building

29:28 B2B vs B2C: Distribution Relevance

30:36 Core Beliefs on Team Building

32:54 Hiring Strategies and Market Arbitrage

34:58 In-Office Work Culture

36:36 Winning Culture in Australian Startups

41:50 Challenges and Risks for Lorikeet

45:46 Marketing Strategies for Success

49:56 Personal Reflections and Career Insights

53:11 Book Recommendations and Final Thoughts

LISTEN TO THE SHOW

In today's episode we sat down with Daybreak founder Rex Woodbury to breakdown the importance of "taste" in forecasting high growth industries and the startups ripe to dominate them. As a former partner at Index Ventures, Rex is planning to build a generational VC firm focused on an artisanal approach to company building not just asset management. We also explore how "consumer AI" will transform customer experiences and why AI agents will become an integral part of nearly all businesses...

Links

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Sponsors

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction: Venture Capital Meets Architectural Digest

00:04 The Importance of Taste in Consumer Investing

00:29 Human Skills and PR in Venture Capital

00:49 Exploring the Remarkable Apartment

01:10 The Role of Design in Early-Stage Investing

02:00 The Anthropologist Approach to Venture

02:32 The Elusiveness of Brand and Taste

03:28 AI and the Future of Human Skills

04:29 Personal Insights: Card Game and Psychology

11:04 The Journey of Building Daybreak

12:26 The Importance of Independent Thinking in Venture

16:48 Trends and the Future of Consumer Behavior

30:19 The Vibrant Life in New York City

32:04 Conclusion and Reflections

About us

We tell the raw stories of the world’s tech leaders, by asking the vulnerable questions that no one else does. Guests have included former Prime Ministers, unicorn tech founders and the world’s top investors. Join us for these interviews and get a real behind the scenes look into 25 year old best friends building the company of their dreams.

Farouk Ismail, Co-founder of Slice, joins us to discuss the journey from bootstrapping his startup to raising a massive $7.5 million seed round. Farouk shares candid insights on the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, the importance of risk management, and invaluable lessons learned from navigating a global pandemic. Tune in for actionable advice and inspiration for aspiring founders.

Links

Sponsors

Zed Law: https://www.zed.law/

Timestamps

00:41 Welcome to the Studio: Catching Up with an Old Friend

01:20 The Journey of Slice: From Inception to Public Recognition

04:21 Bootstrapping Slice: The Early Days and MVP

06:37 Slice

19:50 Balancing Risk and Reward: Lessons from the Journey

24:44 Balancing Aggression and Building a Good Company

25:00 Embracing Risk and Reward

25:51 The Story of SoftBank's Masayoshi Son

27:11 The Importance of High Conviction Portfolios

27:50 Going All In: The Entrepreneur's Journey

29:00 Zed Law

29:35 Raising Capital: The 17.5 Million Seed Round

31:30 Finding the Right Investors

36:09 Evolving as a Founder and CEO

40:50 Instilling Company Culture and Principles

46:56 Recommended Resources for Founders

48:56 Podcast Wrap-Up and Final Thoughts

We tell the raw stories of the world’s tech leaders, by asking the vulnerable questions that no one else does. Guests have included former Prime Ministers, unicorn tech founders and the world’s top investors. Join us for these interviews and get a real behind the scenes look into 25 year old best friends building the company of their dreams.

We interviewed David Brillembourg Jr. of Dune Ventures. David dropped out of NYU at 18 to join Galaxy Digital. He joined as employee number 5 and left when it was in the billions of market cap.

Links

Sponsors

Zed Law: https://www.zed.law/

Timestamps

In this episode, join Siobhan, an innovative leader in workforce intelligence, as she discusses the transformative power of AI, her entrepreneurial journey, and how she's balancing work and personal life. From starting a baking business at 13 to building a billion-dollar company, Siobhan shares her unique insights on building in the era of AI, the principles of enterprise sales, and her relentless drive to make an impact.

Links

Sponsors

Zed Law: https://www.zed.law/

Timestamps

Jamie Beaton has 10 degrees from elite universities and while he did that, he built a unicorn company - Crimson Education. There's literally no one in the world like him.

Links

Sponsors

Zed Law: https://www.zed.law/

Timestamps

We interview Chris Hladczuk, a 26-year-old startup founder with a maniacal approach to ambition and growth. Learn how Chris became a Chief Revenue Officer within a year, his controversial takes on work-life balance, insights on enterprise SaaS, and his rapid career acceleration. Dive deep into his personal motivations and practical sales tactics. Plus, get a glimpse into Chris's new venture and his views on modern business strategies.

Links

Sponsors

Zed Law: https://www.zed.law/

Timestamps

01:08 Chris's Intense Ambition and Internal Monologue

02:12 Early Life and Competitive Drive

04:15 Work-Life Balance and Sacrifices

05:54 Accelerating Career Growth

06:20 The Importance of Tempo and Velocity

07:51 Slice

10:51 Optionality and Career Decisions

12:15 Building Distribution and Social Media Leverage

13:26 Sales Strategies and Tactics

20:18 Zed Law

22:10 The Rise of AI-Powered Services

22:45 The Compound Startup Model

23:44 Hanover's Vision and Strategy

24:54 Building a Winning Team

25:58 Leadership and Personal Growth

27:45 Egoless Execution and Company Culture

37:54 The Importance of In-Person Interaction

39:33 Challenges and Future Prospects

41:28 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode we engage in a remarkable conversation with Cindy Bi, a distinguished investor behind 14 Unicorns, in a high-rise in San Francisco. Cindy shares insights on spotting great founders, her investment process, the advantages of being an early investor, and the importance of serendipity in her career. The episode offers valuable lessons for budding investors and entrepreneurs alike.

Links

Sponsors

Zed Law: https://www.zed.law/

00:40 Filming in San Francisco's Financial District

01:37 Cindy's Thoughts on Legal Tech and Healthcare

06:21 The Immigrant Hustle and Success in Tech

8:50 Slice

18:12 Scaling Ambitions and Solo GP Insights

20:46 The Serendipity of San Francisco

22:13 The Importance of In-Person Connections

22:32 Pitching to Founders: What Sets Me Apart

23:43 Memorable Investment Stories

26:26 Building Genuine Relationships in SF

27:22 Fundraising and Attracting Top Talent

30:14 Zed Law

30:54 Future Communities and Networks

37:52 Personal Reflections and Future Goals

41:23 Qualities of Successful Founders

44:06 Concluding Thoughts and Final Words