105: Ease the Pain: David Soden and Aptimyz
David Soden, Co-founder and CEO of Aptimyz, talks with Pete Townsend about early entrepreneurial influences, finding purpose in a move from pharmaceuticals to B2B SaaS, the end-all-be-all of delivering customer value….and doubling down during lockdown!
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EPISODE OVERVIEW:
This week Pete talks to David Soden, co-founder and CEO of Aptimyz, an Irish tech startup delivering a complete and affordable EPOS (electronic point of sale) and back-office management solution providing stability for retail in challenging times. If David and Pete had recorded this right after they met pre-lockdown in February, this conversation would’ve been much different!
Think about it this way - you build some hard-fought traction with your startup and climb right up to the edge of hitting the market in a big way. Then, the unthinkable happens to not only your target market, but the entire world around you, and the physical interactions between consumers and small businesses that were a critical lever to your business, basically drops through the floor. Well, that’s pretty much a masterclass in “Dealing with Adversity” that you can’t get in any business school on Earth.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Being the youngest of five boys in an entrepreneurial household with both parents and two brothers running their own businesses: “It never looked easy, but it was always exciting, and I think I had the bug from that point.”
On one of the biggest takeaways from his days in pharmaceuticals: “It was amazing as a young guy to be involved in a product launch going from zero to $1.5bn in 18 months, with that kind of scale, and see the pre-launch activity through to launch activity through to hyper growth.
On his purposeful move from pharmaceuticals to SaaS: “It was always important to have that north star and know what you’re working for and why you enjoy doing it.”
On his mantra as a startup founder: “It’s not worrying about the money, it’s worrying about whether you’re truly relieving a pain point for the customer.”
On his thoughts on startups: “For anyone interested in doing a startup, it’s isn’t easy, and if it is easy, there’s a good chance you’re fooling yourself that you’ve found something that’s really worth it.”
On digitalizing retail: “It isn’t about having a till or a PoS and then going online, it’s about having a digital business with a physical connection to the customer in store, and the virtual connection with the customer online, but managing it all in one place.”
On the pandemic: “When it hit in March, it was kind of a hold-your-breath moment, and then we realized we could give up, or double down. We doubled down and expanded the team.”
On delivering value: “There are a lot better things that retailers can be doing with their money right now than spending it on old PoS hardware.”
On lessons learned from pitching to investors: “Be sure of what you want going into it because you can’t cry about it afterwards if you end up with a bad deal.”
On looking ahead: “It’s a huge challenge, but we’ll be successful if we deliver customer value. It’s not about the shiny buttons, it’s about helping customers run their businesses more efficiently. “
To learn more about Aptimyz, get in touch at info@aptimyz.com.
Follow us on Twitter @MNSShow, @PeteTownsendNV and @EoinFitzgerald9
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Hey there, this is Pete,
Townsend for norio ventures, and
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welcome to money.
Never sleeps podcast, that looks
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inside the head of
entrepreneurs, and at the
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crossover of startups,
Enterprise Finance, technology
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and Life.
As we know it this week.
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We talked to David soudan
co-founder, and CEO of apptimize
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and Irish Tech startup
delivering a complete and
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affordable electronic.
A point of sale or E pause and
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back office management solution,
providing stability for retail
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and challenging times.
If David, and I had recorded
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this right after we met in
February.
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I'm sure the conversation would
have been much different.
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That's what made this interview.
So interesting for me to do when
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you build some hard-fought
traction with your startup
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climb, right up to the edge of
hitting the market in a big way,
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but then the unthinkable happens
to not only your target market
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but the entire world around you.
Yeah, you know, that's pretty
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much a master class dealing with
it.
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City that you can't get in any
business school on Earth.
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So let's just jump right into it
with David's Odin on this week's
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episode of money, never sleeps.
Here We Go.
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Again, recording from the home
studio with David soudan
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co-founder and CEO of optimized
for founding apptimize, David
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had a 13 or 14 year stretch and
pharmaceuticals before stepping
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into some entrepreneurial
Ventures about five years ago,
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which have become apptimize with
that backdrop.
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Welcome.
To the show.
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David, thanks Pete.
Thanks for having me, great to
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have you here.
Listen, I've been really wanting
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to have this chat since we met
that day and coffee angel on
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Pembroke Street in Dublin.
And, you know, but a little
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thing called a global pandemic
is kind of caused us to shift
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gears a bit.
Obviously, how we record these
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podcasts, now being fully
remote.
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I'm glad we reconnected recently
to kind of have this discussion.
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Yeah, feed it was, it was great
to meet you that day.
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And have you following the
podcast ever?
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Since?
I'm delighted to be here.
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Awesome.
Well, Jump right into it.
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Maybe just for the listeners
sake because you know, I kind of
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know where you came from now,
but for the listeners, can you
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share your back story and how
you got to this point?
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Yeah.
Sure.
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I suppose, you know, getting
into this, the were lasas and
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what we're doing today and it's
it goes right back as opposed as
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a kid.
I loved to grow up playing
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sports and, you know, playing 19
games, but I love to win.
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And, you know, I also love
Making things being involved in
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projects and I suppose, you
know, I grew up with in an
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entrepreneur that house as well.
So my parents work for
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themselves and being second
youngest of five sons and
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watched my older brothers set up
their own Ventures to never
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looked easy, but it was always
exciting.
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So, you know, I think I kind of
had a boat from that point and I
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suppose for doing and what I've
seen and what I've come through
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to now, you know, I think
importantly, it's never been
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about working for myself.
It's about being All this,
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something that was meaningful, a
project that you could make a
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meaningful change in in an area
that you're working it.
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So working for someone to work
for yourself, It's always
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important that you kind of have
a North star for yourself that
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you know what, while you're
doing it.
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And if you enjoy doing it, so I
studied iconic to college.
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And then as you said, I moved to
the pharmaceutical industry,
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where I worked in the sales and
marketing side of things for a
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number of years.
And it was really the marketing
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side of it that look was a real
eye-opener for me.
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I was involved in a huge.
Product launch back in 2009, 10
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onto the 11 to 12, but it was a
massive product and is working
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with the team here in Ireland
and the UK.
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So you're kind of working across
functional teams, and it was
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just brilliant.
People involved in the project.
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And then it was also involvement
with the corporate side of it.
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So the product went from zero to
one and a half billion internal
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for an aging months.
So, you know, from that side of
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it.
It was amazing.
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As a young guy to be involved in
a project with Of scale and to
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see, you know, pre-launch
activities through to launch
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activity to hyper growth.
And that was all this time.
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It's just you know to actually
to see that happening and I'm
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Dale in front to you to be
involved in.
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That was just, it was brilliant.
I suppose it wasn't easy but you
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know and it was fired burning
everywhere.
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Even in big works like that GE,
you know, the challenges as I
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said, this was true. 2009 211.
Really and pricing would have
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been a huge issue at that point.
So, you know trying to negotiate
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CA pricing supply chain based on
demand all of this stuff.
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It was just a real real
challenge, but it was exciting.
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It was, you know, when again, as
I said you work in great team,
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so, you know, from the sales,
they the medical side of things
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that we worked at.
We had a great partnership with
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everybody with that suppose.
At the end of the day we felt
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like we keep success with it.
So it was great.
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It was really enjoyable.
So they started out doing
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looking at doing something for
myself in 2016, and I've moved
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into the entrepreneurial space
you said and then we ascend
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Higher the stock of space
initially just kind of getting a
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feel for it, looking at
different projects that you
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different ideas.
We eventually settled around
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start to 17 with apptimize.
That's really what the beginning
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of the journey.
So I knew that really
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interesting.
You talk about the North Star,
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couple minutes ago.
And the way that being involved
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in a massive product launch were
within 12 months, you scale up
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to one and a half billion
Revenue.
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That's pretty intense.
How did that experience form
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your North Star or perhaps?
Impact that North Star?
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I think to be a part of
something that's successful in
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skills like that.
It's not about being an
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individual in the team.
It's about being part of a
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bigger team.
And, you know, having the right
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people around you, it's funny.
We spoke.
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I've spoken in the course of his
journey over the last couple of
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years, especially even this
year, and we've had a lot of
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good shots with some really good
people.
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I spoke with the former CFO of
Revolution and one of his key
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advice was, you know, make sure
you the right team, make sure
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you have a strong team around
you because he said from his
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experience team is critical.
For that kind of success.
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And I was able to, I suppose
connect with that because I
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worked with a very strong team
in my previous career.
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In pharmaceutical industry,
who's generally a strong team
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across the board and yet at that
for me was the key to have a
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good product because the absence
of themselves you need to have
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the right strategy.
Need to believe in the people
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that are doing their other jobs,
you know, you can't micromanage
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you have to be able to, you
know, work alongside people and
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let them do their thing, and let
the do it to the abilities they
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have.
And that for me.
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Me was I think it was a key
learning going into this.
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So, you know for me setting up
apptimize there was myself and
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my co-founder Robin.
There's I'm the business side of
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him and he's the development
side of it.
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And you know, we talked be back
sheds, but we always come to an
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agreement in terms of what to do
next and we always keep the
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customer at the Forefront of
what we're trying to do.
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I kind of have a mindset of
dementia that, you know, it's
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not worrying about the money.
It's worrying about making sure
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that you are really a pain point
for a customer making sure that
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you're making it better
sometimes.
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Same point isn't always obvious.
The customers, don't sometimes.
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See a second reports.
If you ask them what they want,
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a lot faster horses.
So having that I think the North
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Star for me, it's about enjoying
what you're doing is low.
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Like, it's not easy as it said,
you'd say that over and over,
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start up for those listening, if
anyone's interested in doing a
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start-up, it isn't easy.
If it is easy, then it's a high
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chance.
You fooling yourself that you
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got something because if it does
not work doing.
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Yeah, so it is the case of, you
know, enjoy what you do.
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Make sure what you're doing is
Meaningful.
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And absolutely, yeah.
So it's a great quote recently,
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and I believe I had never seen
it before.
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It was Winston.
Churchill saying the only place
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that success comes before work
is in the dictionary.
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Yeah.
Yeah, you know, you know, you
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just imagine folks that are in
the space that you're in that
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you look at and you say gee, is
there, they've been incredibly
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successful things have gone
really well for them.
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And, but if your to watch the
actual how it unfolded in the 5,
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to 10 years, it took them to get
to that point.
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It's a much different story,
right?
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Yeah, so, With optimized
specifically tell us about
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optimize what it is and why
you're doing this specifically,
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you know, I can get the the
usual spiel about optimized and
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please do please do.
So after my eyes is a
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cloud-based pause and Erp
system.
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We have chosen to launch that on
the silver platform and stepping
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back from what that is.
What we believe is optimizes
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unlock the true value of pause.
And it's by creating a
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data-driven, scalable software
solution, and For more companies
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attorney to pause to solve their
business needs with smart
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Solutions.
Pausing itself is old, and I
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think there's a risk of being
associated with a historic
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Legacy product, rather than
actually what we're trying to
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deliver today, you know, at the
end of the day after my eyes
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enables businesses to get on
with their business strategy,
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while you take care of
everything else and how does
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that happen?
And we built a software product
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that's easy to use.
It's easy to get up and running
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and it's also see seriously
cost-effective for businesses to
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take on.
So, There's no from costs
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compared to traditional pause
models where this High upfront
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costs.
It's a changes at the options
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for merchants and retailers to
go from a calf X expenditure
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model to a operational
expenditure model, which is just
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it's in this day and age
especially now covid.
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That's you know, if they're
looking to upgrade and they're
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looking to switch over to a
better solution.
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It's it doesn't cost them which
is fantastic.
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Very good.
And for all of our listeners out
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there that may not be aware of
what pause is point of sale.
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Exactly.
And it Really interesting
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context again, going back to,
you know, when you and I first
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met just before lockdown would
have been in February, and we'll
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come back to that in a minute.
But just kind of thinking about,
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you know, your inspiration to do
this after 13, 14 years in
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Pharmaceuticals.
Clearly heard the experience
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like we talked about of that
product launch and you starting
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to think about these type of
things, but it feels like a big
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shift right away from
Pharmaceuticals and into point
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of sale.
Technology, right?
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And everything around that can
you can you talk about that for
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a minute?
Yeah, it's funny.
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I it was more Pete.
It was a big jump to go from one
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to the other boss.
The end of the day is like when
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I was doing my first forecast,
so you have to help me build you
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through your plans.
We were dealing with a local
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Enterprise offices, Enterprise,
Ireland, and everyone's asking
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for three or four casts, and at
the end it when I was filling
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the software as a service
business plan, while I was
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looking at was, you know, you're
like, what's your customer
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acquisition?
Look like what's your churn
214
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look?
Like what it was exactly.
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00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:31,700
The same as what I built when I
was in the pharmaceutical
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industry.
Okay, your customers are your
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patients.
You churn is the people who
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compliance issues or there's end
of life and it nearly
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00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:41,500
replicated.
I actually think I could have
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taken our existing model and
just put in the products instead
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of the, it was, it was a switch.
So the transition actually in
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the mechanics behind was very
similar in some shape or form.
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We have been dealing with retail
with with pharmacies.
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So I had an understanding of
what was going on there and in
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terms of front to house as well,
so but I think there was a lot
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of learning.
It was a great Challenge and it
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was really exciting.
But I also think that there was
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a benefit for us because we said
point-of-sale, tills cash,
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registers.
It's old.
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It's a legacy.
It hasn't changed like, it
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changed from punch buttons to a
digital electric till 2:00, you
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know what we have today, and
there hasn't been a massive
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transition in terms of how it
works.
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I was on the call yesterday with
the association here in Ireland,
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who represents a large number of
merchants.
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And he was saying, oh, you know,
I remember when you're going to
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get your tail and it calls
15,000 euros per till / such and
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we're saying, well, ours is 0.
We have an MRI.
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It's a monthly recurring,
subscription model and he was
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just like, that's brilliant.
And that's a significant change,
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00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:47,700
but then he started listing off,
you know, four and five other.
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Pause companies in that space
with them.
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And in Ireland, we love our
country, but we know it's a
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small market.
So when you start to hear,
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there's a list of people selling
a product, you know, then the
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price point is going to be high.
A small market for volume.
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So, we're coming in saying,
well, actually that's gone.
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Here's the new way doing it.
You know, it's talked about the
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new normal.
Well, like, that's worrying for
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with optimized, has become the
new normal in terms of pricing
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and, and, and service for for
merchants and retailers.
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I get it, I get it.
And what I'm hearing is kind of
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connecting all these dots back.
We've got early training through
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your University degree, and, you
know, electronic engineering.
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You've got you had some good
experience on the sales side in
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Pharmaceuticals, right?
Yeah.
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You had some product building
experience there.
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Okay, I'm with that, technical
mind, the sales.
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Mind, the product building mind.
Well, it could have been
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anything, right?
Yes.
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Yes.
It may not be futuristic,
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augmented reality or virtual
reality.
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But when you start thinking
about software-as-a-service, it
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kind of makes sense that okay,
if you identify a problem and
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say, listen, this is what we're
going to dive into as a problem.
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We want to solve for this
customer group.
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We've got some good base skills
of life.
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Prince to draw in here, that's
what I'm kind of coming back to.
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Yeah.
Yeah.
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Absolutely.
I for me.
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I actually can remember
listening to a podcast, about
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two years ago.
It was at Freakonomics with was
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00:13:11,300 --> 00:13:13,100
at St.
Dubner, and Steve Levitt.
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And they were talking about the
productivity Paradox and they
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talked about when electricity
was first brought in and it
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replaced steam.
It was no increase in
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productivity and what they
realize.
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00:13:24,300 --> 00:13:27,700
It took about a supposed to 20,
25 years for them to realize
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that what they had done was just
We replaced the conduit pipes.
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They didn't actually move the
Machinery around to become more
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efficient.
Yeah, the suit weapon
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electricity can provide so there
is that and then they said that
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there's a debate around whether
the digital Revolution is really
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increasing productivity and they
said, you know, it's not about
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these gadgets and apps about
learning a new ways of picked
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up, think about possibilities
and new ways to think about the
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capacity for work and I suppose
when we look at what's just
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happened.
So, you know, you and I met in
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February, but, you know,
everybody did.
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What was going to happen to the
world's March around March time
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00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:04,600
and then it started to kind of
open off.
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We were all having these
podcast.
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We're having these Zoom calls,
you're having a hangout meetings
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and suddenly we were starting to
leverage the capability of SAS.
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We don't call it.
That's we just call it, you
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know, Zoom calls and podcast but
right leveraging technology to
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make the world more efficient
and it was forced upon us.
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We hear eCommerce has jumped
forward four to five years with
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retail because they've been
forced to make that step into it
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00:14:28,300 --> 00:14:30,700
because they need to get to wear
the Customers are at the moment
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and that's where the space were
in it.
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00:14:33,500 --> 00:14:36,800
So, you know, we always felt we
were at the front of a wave of
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what's going to happen in within
the retail digitizing retail and
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and it's not just about having
it Taylor a pause and then an
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online.
It's about having a digital
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business that has a connection
to the physical customer in
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store which you know card
present and then having your
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connection to your customer
online as well, but you can
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manage it in one place.
So and that's that's the
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efficiency that we're looking to
deliver for retailers.
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I get it, I get it.
And I want to dig into that a
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00:15:01,808 --> 00:15:05,400
little bit more thinking about
podcasts as well.
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00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:08,200
Obviously, there's a podcast and
you have about another one there
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00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:11,300
and we've got one of the ones I.
Risked I listened to probably
315
00:15:11,300 --> 00:15:14,900
about a month ago that got me
thinking about you again was
316
00:15:15,500 --> 00:15:19,200
Anthony promptly on.
Oh had a guy on called shamov
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00:15:19,500 --> 00:15:22,300
Polly Hoppity, CEO of Social
Capital.
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00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:25,800
He's also the chairman of Virgin
Galactic is the owner of the
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00:15:25,808 --> 00:15:29,500
Golden State Warriors NBA
franchise on this podcast.
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00:15:29,700 --> 00:15:31,600
He and this was at the height of
the lockdown.
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00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:35,800
He was referring to pause or POS
as something else.
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00:15:36,100 --> 00:15:40,800
That is POS, right?
That I'm not going to repeat and
323
00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:45,200
you know, he was basically
talking through this framework
324
00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:47,100
that he uses called follow the
money.
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00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:50,900
And he says, listen if you're
looking at say a Macy's, laying
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00:15:50,900 --> 00:15:53,900
off a bunch of people, right?
Because they're going to have
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00:15:53,900 --> 00:15:56,000
financial difficulty.
No one's going to Macy's to buy
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00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:57,300
anything.
And this was again back in
329
00:15:57,300 --> 00:16:00,900
April, in the US.
Then you've got to follow.
330
00:16:00,900 --> 00:16:04,800
Okay, who are the suppliers
amazes who are providing them
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00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:06,700
with all the tools.
They need to be able to run
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their business.
Obviously, you know, if Macy's
333
00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:12,300
you'd expect would be expanding
or doing things differently in
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00:16:12,300 --> 00:16:13,300
new ways.
They're going to be buying a
335
00:16:13,308 --> 00:16:14,900
whole bunch of stuff.
They need to support their new
336
00:16:14,900 --> 00:16:16,200
business.
And he's kind of walking through
337
00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:20,100
and saying, you know, what, we
think was big businesses need or
338
00:16:20,100 --> 00:16:22,400
even businesses overall needed
to help run their business that
339
00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:24,100
has changed significantly,
right?
340
00:16:24,300 --> 00:16:28,600
So it got me thinking about
really this new world order and
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00:16:28,900 --> 00:16:33,200
what felt like like when we
first met that, you know, David
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00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:37,800
you have this dependence on this
Hardware driven hook really to
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00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:41,000
unlock the true value of what
the optimized software product
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00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:44,800
can do for retailers.
But what it sounds like is that
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00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:49,600
you've adapted significantly to
that and are now responding to
346
00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:51,900
what's going on in the world,
pretty damn quickly.
347
00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:53,600
Yeah.
Yeah.
348
00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:54,200
Yeah.
Yeah.
349
00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:56,900
So what might have mentioned is
absolutely as his launch
350
00:16:56,900 --> 00:17:01,200
platform is clover and clover is
Point-of-sale cloud-based point
351
00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:05,000
of sale system that's owned by a
company called Pfizer Fiserv are
352
00:17:05,099 --> 00:17:06,800
enormous.
And for those who don't know
353
00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:08,700
why, it's of our, they process
one and three, the world's
354
00:17:08,700 --> 00:17:10,599
credit card transactions.
Are you?
355
00:17:10,599 --> 00:17:11,700
Okay?
Yeah.
356
00:17:11,700 --> 00:17:15,200
So if I serve has subsidiaries
all over the world in Ireland's,
357
00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:18,200
we know them as a hobby,
merchant services localized to
358
00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:21,599
the brand of aib.
And and in in the UK first aid
359
00:17:21,599 --> 00:17:25,000
Emergency Services Lloyd's card
Nash, you know, it just goes and
360
00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:28,200
it goes on and on EMS and
Hollins with ABN Amro Kelly cash
361
00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:31,500
in Germany, so and that's When
you start hearing the amount of
362
00:17:31,500 --> 00:17:34,200
subsidiaries you realize, that's
how they have the volume.
363
00:17:34,200 --> 00:17:38,100
So but we saw that as a
phenomenal path because the end
364
00:17:38,100 --> 00:17:40,800
of the clovers and
out-of-the-box solution for food
365
00:17:40,800 --> 00:17:43,900
beverage industry and it's a
phenomenal solution for that.
366
00:17:44,300 --> 00:17:47,800
They just don't have a retail
solution Amish that is for the
367
00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:50,000
from SME to make Market to
Enterprise.
368
00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:52,500
So we saw that as the Gap in
their offering.
369
00:17:52,500 --> 00:17:55,100
We also saw they had an existing
sales and distribution Network,
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00:17:55,100 --> 00:17:58,000
truly subsidiaries.
And for me, I suppose going back
371
00:17:58,000 --> 00:17:59,500
to that whole, you know,
pre-launch.
372
00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:02,000
Face me with that product that
we were involved with in Pharma.
373
00:18:02,500 --> 00:18:06,300
I asked the question is, how do
I take a product to scale fast?
374
00:18:06,300 --> 00:18:08,100
And how do I keep it lean as
possible?
375
00:18:08,500 --> 00:18:11,000
And for that, they all those
factors were in place with the
376
00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:13,900
fights are offering.
So what does it mean for us is
377
00:18:13,900 --> 00:18:17,600
we get this huge opportunity to
scale globally and quickly.
378
00:18:17,900 --> 00:18:19,700
And then what this me, pricer
having this.
379
00:18:19,700 --> 00:18:23,100
Well, there, you know, if you go
back and you look at the press
380
00:18:23,100 --> 00:18:25,700
release in January, set,
January, 19, I believe, when
381
00:18:25,700 --> 00:18:28,000
Fiserv acquire first Asia to
take on Clover.
382
00:18:28,100 --> 00:18:32,000
They approach the Rationale for
to find Fiserv, they actually
383
00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:34,200
highlight the importance of
clover to this portfolio.
384
00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:37,900
So it's about value added
service for merchants with
385
00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:41,500
acquiring in the merchants
acquiring business margins of in
386
00:18:41,500 --> 00:18:45,300
compressing 4 years, and it's
now time to add more to it and
387
00:18:45,300 --> 00:18:48,500
add value added services.
So this is what Clover is for
388
00:18:48,700 --> 00:18:53,400
these these bikes and we just
think Fabulous As a mutual
389
00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:56,600
benefit benefit for being on the
for us being on a trip for them
390
00:18:56,600 --> 00:18:59,500
just to promote us.
So that was our rationale for
391
00:18:59,700 --> 00:19:01,300
I'm going to put at the end of
the day.
392
00:19:01,300 --> 00:19:03,700
There's so much more because
we're cloud-based because we
393
00:19:03,700 --> 00:19:07,400
have all these data, we have
this huge opportunity to really
394
00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:11,000
deliver something special to to
Merchants as well.
395
00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:14,800
So and help them grow better.
So when it came to the change
396
00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:19,000
that happened with covid, we
didn't know, we like to be very
397
00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:21,800
honest in March.
I was unsure of how this was
398
00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:24,300
going to impact us.
It was a I'm not sure if
399
00:19:24,300 --> 00:19:26,800
everybody else had greater
foresight than I did, but I
400
00:19:26,800 --> 00:19:29,700
think it was kind of like a
hold, your breath moment and And
401
00:19:29,700 --> 00:19:32,400
once you realize that, yes, you
could give up word.
402
00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:34,900
It was double down.
That was the choice, and we
403
00:19:34,900 --> 00:19:37,500
double down.
And we took on an extra couple
404
00:19:37,500 --> 00:19:39,900
of people throughout the the
shutdown.
405
00:19:39,900 --> 00:19:44,400
So we actually expanded team
took on am John and Eugene and
406
00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:48,100
great guys and Tracy, join the
team in the UK, Paul Kelly
407
00:19:48,100 --> 00:19:50,400
joined the team.
So like we just had a fabulous
408
00:19:50,500 --> 00:19:52,200
experience.
In terms of people, seeing what
409
00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:55,600
the vision was they?
So what we're doing and we were
410
00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:57,300
able to extend and it goes back
to me.
411
00:19:57,600 --> 00:19:59,500
They were all hugely valuable
for us.
412
00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:01,500
Because they all brought their
own skill sets, they all
413
00:20:01,500 --> 00:20:04,300
brought, you know, so we were
able to deliver a fabulous
414
00:20:04,300 --> 00:20:07,600
product for the merchants now,
and that includes now, being
415
00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:10,100
able to interpret and seamlessly
integrate, their online presence
416
00:20:10,100 --> 00:20:11,900
with their in store and manage
the whole thing.
417
00:20:11,900 --> 00:20:13,600
Okay, little hug.
So.
418
00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:15,600
Okay.
Yeah, so and that's, and that's
419
00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:19,300
kind of, that's where we went.
And now it's a case of people
420
00:20:19,300 --> 00:20:21,700
are looking to upgrade their
systems.
421
00:20:21,700 --> 00:20:24,300
And that's where the opportunity
is for us because we're going in
422
00:20:24,600 --> 00:20:27,500
and it's very different feet to
go in and talk to someone and
423
00:20:27,500 --> 00:20:28,700
say, well actually, this is what
we do.
424
00:20:28,700 --> 00:20:30,600
And it's Attic.
And then the question is how
425
00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:33,100
much you make?
Well, there's no upfront costs.
426
00:20:33,100 --> 00:20:35,800
This is what it is per month,
you know, it could be a hundred
427
00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:37,900
and forty Euros, including
Clover, a hundred fifty or
428
00:20:37,900 --> 00:20:41,700
securing all the hardware and
our software mom as opposed to.
429
00:20:42,300 --> 00:20:45,300
Yeah, we have an example of a
merchant who had a quote for 12
430
00:20:45,300 --> 00:20:47,800
and a half thousand Euros for
one till for one side.
431
00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:50,300
And here the $200 a month
support fee on top of that.
432
00:20:50,700 --> 00:20:52,900
And he went on to open three
more stores with us on top of
433
00:20:52,900 --> 00:20:55,700
the seeds for stores.
So, you know, we've saved in 150
434
00:20:55,700 --> 00:20:59,400
plus thousand Euros.
Yeah, which is like, you know,
435
00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:02,600
He's a lot more things you can
do to this money and spending it
436
00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:07,200
on Old Hardware.
So and is this kind of a two-way
437
00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:11,900
street is that you guys are out
there with retailers that are
438
00:21:11,900 --> 00:21:17,500
using Clover and pushing the
product, but fi server also
439
00:21:18,100 --> 00:21:21,100
promoting so and pushing and
saying to their when they when
440
00:21:21,100 --> 00:21:24,600
they sell Clover to retailers.
So when they go on to talk to
441
00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:27,800
the marches that they sell
acquiring to, they now have this
442
00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:31,400
opportunity to because as As I
said, the reason why sir bought
443
00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:33,800
First Data was to have a value
added service for their
444
00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:37,700
merchant, acquiring now, they
can Target not just the food and
445
00:21:37,700 --> 00:21:41,000
beverage sector or que es R FS
or or whatever way you want to
446
00:21:41,008 --> 00:21:44,500
call them.
They can now open up all this
447
00:21:44,500 --> 00:21:47,300
other.
So I think in the US retail is
448
00:21:47,300 --> 00:21:50,700
worth tree and that tree and a
half trillion Brown, something
449
00:21:50,700 --> 00:21:54,500
crazy of that. 20% is to us RFS
or food and beverage.
450
00:21:54,700 --> 00:21:59,200
Yeah, you know say the other 40%
is is the general retail, which
451
00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:01,900
is what Service.
So, you know, your time, your
452
00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:05,200
time stamp, some all that.
It's certainly we're opening up
453
00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:07,500
that market for them with this
hard work that they've that
454
00:22:07,500 --> 00:22:09,800
they're looking to promote with
their sales teams.
455
00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:12,500
Like I think in the u.s.
It just as an example.
456
00:22:12,500 --> 00:22:18,200
I think Frank busy on.
Oh, he's the new CEO of Pfizer.
457
00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:20,500
He came out a couple weeks ago,
saying that they now have up,
458
00:22:20,500 --> 00:22:23,100
260 new Banks, looking to
partner with them to sell
459
00:22:23,100 --> 00:22:25,200
clovers and solution in the US.
Okay.
460
00:22:25,500 --> 00:22:28,400
So yeah, this is, yeah, if that
and that's why we're excited
461
00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:32,900
because this is a It's a massive
opportunity to tap into this
462
00:22:32,900 --> 00:22:34,700
for.
Yeah, and it makes a lot of
463
00:22:34,700 --> 00:22:38,800
sense because you know,
everybody's fingers crossed that
464
00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:42,500
pandemic is a you know, not a
long-term thing, right?
465
00:22:42,500 --> 00:22:45,100
And that within a year to a
year-and-a-half.
466
00:22:45,100 --> 00:22:50,000
Hopefully there's enough medical
advancement to be able to allow
467
00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:54,500
us to people to return in
greater numbers to, you know,
468
00:22:54,500 --> 00:22:56,800
the high streets of the world,
to the main streets of the world
469
00:22:56,800 --> 00:22:59,400
and get into shops and support
these small businesses.
470
00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:01,500
Rather than buying everything on
Amazon, right?
471
00:23:01,500 --> 00:23:05,600
Yes, but from your perspective,
what it sounds like is that
472
00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:09,400
there was always a problem.
They're worth solving and for
473
00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:13,200
those retailers that are running
their businesses still and have
474
00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:16,000
started to come out of the other
side of this that problem is
475
00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:18,500
still there and that problem
still needs to be solved, you
476
00:23:18,500 --> 00:23:22,800
know, and then for those that
have shifted online that you can
477
00:23:22,800 --> 00:23:25,300
help them to write, it's pretty
good story.
478
00:23:25,500 --> 00:23:27,800
It's really interesting because
you're on the money, it's
479
00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:31,300
exactly what that is.
It's it was a case of it was
480
00:23:31,300 --> 00:23:33,700
just moving slowly.
Problem was just slow, moving
481
00:23:34,400 --> 00:23:36,900
cold.
It is expedited the depth of
482
00:23:36,900 --> 00:23:39,500
problem.
Mmm, you know, so for like
483
00:23:39,500 --> 00:23:42,300
Amazon, look at the, look at the
increase in Amazon's turn over
484
00:23:42,300 --> 00:23:45,900
the last, you know, six months.
It's just gone through the roof.
485
00:23:47,100 --> 00:23:48,900
It was happening.
Anyway, they were growing
486
00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:51,700
slowly.
I think what I was on a call
487
00:23:51,700 --> 00:23:54,800
there and I was listening to a
guy talking about Amazon and I
488
00:23:54,808 --> 00:23:57,300
think in e-commerce, e-commerce
in the u.s.
489
00:23:57,400 --> 00:23:59,400
Amazon represents 60% of
e-commerce.
490
00:23:59,600 --> 00:24:04,600
Is it was much lower in Europe
with the expected to grow to 60%
491
00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:07,500
in Europe as well?
So, you know, what does that
492
00:24:07,500 --> 00:24:09,200
mean?
For the local guide the results
493
00:24:09,200 --> 00:24:12,800
of case of misinformation?
I've strung the belief that the
494
00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:16,900
SME sector need to be educated
more and supported more,
495
00:24:16,900 --> 00:24:20,100
especially the kind of, you
know, government level in terms
496
00:24:20,100 --> 00:24:24,300
of they educating on and how to
set up and get online, you know,
497
00:24:24,300 --> 00:24:27,300
a lot of a lot of retailers.
They're great business people.
498
00:24:27,300 --> 00:24:29,300
They're very personal and that's
what they have.
499
00:24:29,500 --> 00:24:33,500
They have this personal approach
that Amazon could never deliver
500
00:24:33,800 --> 00:24:35,900
and like, it depends on the
sector.
501
00:24:35,900 --> 00:24:40,200
I think, I think 50% of what
sold on Amazon are, online, is
502
00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:43,400
electronics.
Anyway, so the rest of the the,
503
00:24:43,700 --> 00:24:46,700
the sector's out there there is
that there is a, there is the
504
00:24:46,700 --> 00:24:50,400
ability to continue to deliver.
I think you could argue the
505
00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:52,100
future of online as bricks and
mortar.
506
00:24:52,100 --> 00:24:54,700
You could say that, you know,
for retail if they get the
507
00:24:54,700 --> 00:24:57,400
online rights, they can continue
to offer that same special
508
00:24:57,400 --> 00:24:59,400
offering in store and touch the
clothes.
509
00:24:59,500 --> 00:25:02,300
Is the lady, you know,
differentiate themselves from
510
00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:05,700
from the Amazons, there's
certain convenience things with
511
00:25:05,700 --> 00:25:07,500
Amazon that you just you'll
never win.
512
00:25:07,500 --> 00:25:11,100
So, don't fight that battle.
So, you know, but it in terms of
513
00:25:11,100 --> 00:25:14,300
clothing, you know, it's it's
the young people, like I'm no
514
00:25:14,300 --> 00:25:18,300
longer young.
So, I've lost the fifth seat
515
00:25:18,300 --> 00:25:21,000
that I used to have in my youth.
So same kind of thing.
516
00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:24,500
Yeah.
So, you know, I I'm tall and
517
00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:27,200
buying clothes online is a
nightmare sizes.
518
00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:30,400
Don't don't match.
So I prefer to Touch feel and
519
00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:32,300
try on.
And there is a sense of that for
520
00:25:32,300 --> 00:25:34,500
a lot of retail, but that
doesn't mean they shouldn't have
521
00:25:34,500 --> 00:25:36,500
an online presence.
It shouldn't be connect to their
522
00:25:36,500 --> 00:25:39,100
customers.
It should be done correctly and
523
00:25:39,100 --> 00:25:41,100
it's been a there has been a
case of.
524
00:25:41,300 --> 00:25:42,800
I've seen it with the local
Enterprise stuff.
525
00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:46,200
It's got the best intentions,
but the outcome is that, you
526
00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:48,800
know, they say, oh, you know,
spend 5K will give you two and a
527
00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:51,300
half back and that's like a
great incentive to get a retail
528
00:25:51,300 --> 00:25:53,900
online.
But once again, online, which
529
00:25:53,900 --> 00:25:56,200
platform do they use which
acquiring to use?
530
00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:58,500
You know, how do they get their
stock online?
531
00:25:58,500 --> 00:26:00,200
How do they manage it?
Get the photos.
532
00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:02,700
So you know, how and these are
people who are.
533
00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:06,000
It's a sector in retail, is
generally generally not a
534
00:26:06,008 --> 00:26:08,900
technical space, young people.
They're looking for it.
535
00:26:08,900 --> 00:26:10,200
Support.
They're looking for people to
536
00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:13,000
help them, get up and running,
get on their feet and do it in a
537
00:26:13,008 --> 00:26:14,300
minimal way.
Maybe.
538
00:26:14,700 --> 00:26:17,500
Yeah, and that's that's that
that really is that something
539
00:26:17,500 --> 00:26:19,500
that needs to be addressed now
and that's hopefully what we're
540
00:26:19,500 --> 00:26:20,500
doing.
Yeah, it's great.
541
00:26:20,500 --> 00:26:23,000
Now, I mean this, this
conversation is really helped me
542
00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:26,000
to kind of see through to how
you've actually managed to
543
00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:29,300
adjust and how you're doing this
shifting gears.
544
00:26:29,400 --> 00:26:31,500
A little bit David.
Yeah, just thinking about our
545
00:26:31,500 --> 00:26:34,800
point of introduction can coin
so shout-out to can coin.
546
00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:38,000
Yeah.
I'm greatness in Irish guy and
547
00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:42,700
living in Warsaw and running his
business there and can was
548
00:26:42,700 --> 00:26:46,100
introduced to me, or he reached
out to me after suggestion by
549
00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:50,600
grace and Gerald Sullivan who
are friends that go back to the
550
00:26:50,600 --> 00:26:53,700
Bermuda Days, Grace was in
Bermuda with me when I was there
551
00:26:53,700 --> 00:26:55,500
and with a group of friends that
have, you know, all move to
552
00:26:55,500 --> 00:27:00,000
Ireland since then, great bunch
of people and you, If you think
553
00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:04,100
about your Irish Network, you'll
find pretty quickly that you've
554
00:27:04,100 --> 00:27:06,800
got close, contacts, that are
now pretty far-flung.
555
00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:10,200
All over the world or the very
least or far-flung for a while
556
00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:12,200
before they came back home,
right?
557
00:27:12,200 --> 00:27:14,800
And all those people have made
some great contacts and build
558
00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:18,300
businesses and done.
Well or perhaps not it learned
559
00:27:18,300 --> 00:27:21,500
some lessons.
I know you made obviously some
560
00:27:21,500 --> 00:27:24,600
excellent progress with Global
Partners, like Fiserv Clover,
561
00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:28,100
you know, to get apptimize
going, you know, can you talk
562
00:27:28,100 --> 00:27:29,300
about how you leverage your
network?
563
00:27:29,400 --> 00:27:31,600
Work to do that.
Yeah.
564
00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:33,500
Sure.
I suppose for me with with
565
00:27:33,500 --> 00:27:38,200
optimized, you know, gosh, like
talking to leverage and I
566
00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:41,800
started home, you know, when you
first started out, you know,
567
00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:44,900
obviously I had the influence of
my own, my own parents.
568
00:27:44,900 --> 00:27:47,600
This was watching them work and
the connections that they had,
569
00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:50,600
it was.
And then I have an uncle who I
570
00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:53,800
was able to talk to Lisa, former
CEO, Bank of Ireland.
571
00:27:53,800 --> 00:27:57,100
So he had a lot of connections
to be able to put me in touch.
572
00:27:57,400 --> 00:28:00,500
He put got me onto a help me.
He introduced me to a friend of
573
00:28:00,508 --> 00:28:05,800
his who became a mentor and then
it matches the a great guy, very
574
00:28:05,800 --> 00:28:08,900
private man, but he's always
challenged.
575
00:28:08,900 --> 00:28:12,900
He's always, you know, pushed me
to answer tough questions.
576
00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:16,200
You know, first question is sale
sale sales, and this is when we
577
00:28:16,200 --> 00:28:19,700
were on a beta product and, you
know, he still is still like
578
00:28:19,700 --> 00:28:21,800
that today.
He's opened up connections, to
579
00:28:21,800 --> 00:28:25,800
me internationally as well.
And you know, I suppose within
580
00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:27,800
the friends.
And so I John, John and
581
00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:29,300
eugenia's, it's okay amount of
March.
582
00:28:29,400 --> 00:28:32,500
Ouch and John and I went to
school together and John had
583
00:28:32,500 --> 00:28:34,700
gone off.
As you said he'd done it
584
00:28:34,700 --> 00:28:38,400
internationally and had dealt
with property and Retail and
585
00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:42,400
huge experience on the financial
front and I was able to bring
586
00:28:42,400 --> 00:28:45,500
him for advice and we had a chat
and and it kind of throws a good
587
00:28:45,500 --> 00:28:49,300
fit and he joined the team.
So it's that sense of the Irish
588
00:28:49,300 --> 00:28:51,400
network is always been
brilliant, the likes of Ken and
589
00:28:51,400 --> 00:28:54,400
Trevor up and Poland's.
They've got up salad and it to
590
00:28:54,400 --> 00:28:56,500
be able to reach out to those
boys and say, you know, this is
591
00:28:56,500 --> 00:28:59,300
what we're doing is they had a
phenomenal business.
592
00:28:59,500 --> 00:29:01,900
Going selves up there, which
we're going to be leveraging our
593
00:29:01,900 --> 00:29:03,400
self.
It's just fantastic.
594
00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:05,900
And I think they're going to be
a huge success going forward and
595
00:29:05,900 --> 00:29:09,300
then they've introduced their
own network and in the UK, they
596
00:29:09,300 --> 00:29:12,600
introduced two guys.
That was a key for Colin Orcs
597
00:29:12,600 --> 00:29:17,500
And he works over there.
He's a hedge fund and and he's I
598
00:29:17,500 --> 00:29:21,000
just I've been blown away by the
amount of time these guys just
599
00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:25,500
you know willing to give you and
you know, always grateful always
600
00:29:25,600 --> 00:29:27,200
hang out for someone's time like
that.
601
00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:30,600
It's just it's very powerful.
Thing, when you realize, these
602
00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:33,900
are busy people who have like,
you know, they've got good jobs.
603
00:29:33,900 --> 00:29:35,900
They're working night and day.
The spare time.
604
00:29:35,900 --> 00:29:37,700
They have, they want to stay
with the family, but they still
605
00:29:37,700 --> 00:29:40,000
make time for you to actually
say, well, look, send me an
606
00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:41,700
e-mail.
I'll make an introduction.
607
00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:44,100
I think it was kannon's, excuse
me to a good few.
608
00:29:44,100 --> 00:29:47,000
People like that and it was
Kevin DC and Dublin, the
609
00:29:47,000 --> 00:29:49,500
counting Pro.
Yeah, and you know just
610
00:29:49,500 --> 00:29:52,900
fantastically, you know, you
know just helpful people.
611
00:29:52,900 --> 00:29:55,800
Who are they not stand up trying
to put that in your pocket.
612
00:29:55,800 --> 00:29:57,600
They just saying, look, I
understand.
613
00:29:57,700 --> 00:30:00,600
I started a business once. %
where you're at?
614
00:30:00,900 --> 00:30:02,900
Let me try and see if I can
reduce it to somebody.
615
00:30:03,400 --> 00:30:05,700
There's no expectation.
Is that when you talk to someone
616
00:30:05,700 --> 00:30:08,400
then it's just yet.
The network has been incredible
617
00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:11,700
in terms of just who we can
speak to who you can talk with
618
00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:14,100
and it just it just it just goes
like that.
619
00:30:14,200 --> 00:30:17,100
So if you get the opportunity to
help somebody, it's it, what
620
00:30:17,100 --> 00:30:19,400
goes around comes around.
It does it does.
621
00:30:19,400 --> 00:30:21,600
And I'm just having this
conversation earlier today with
622
00:30:21,600 --> 00:30:25,200
someone, who knows who she is
about, you know, and I was
623
00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:28,200
asking her for help with it with
a connection to somebody and,
624
00:30:28,200 --> 00:30:30,700
you know, she's very helpful.
Awful, very forthcoming,
625
00:30:30,700 --> 00:30:32,300
absolutely.
Do it right away.
626
00:30:32,700 --> 00:30:37,100
And I always feel I've got to do
a quid pro quo, right?
627
00:30:37,300 --> 00:30:40,400
And yeah, think of something I
generally I genuinely had
628
00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:42,700
something in the back of my head
that I thought would be helpful
629
00:30:42,700 --> 00:30:45,200
to her.
That would be a natural offshoot
630
00:30:45,200 --> 00:30:46,600
of the project that I was
working on.
631
00:30:46,600 --> 00:30:48,500
And she said, listen Pete, don't
worry about it.
632
00:30:48,700 --> 00:30:51,200
This is just, you know, a favor
for a friend.
633
00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:54,300
Do you ever get that kind of
sneaking?
634
00:30:54,300 --> 00:30:55,800
I need to do something for this
person.
635
00:30:55,800 --> 00:30:58,600
Coming up your back right?
When you're when you're asking
636
00:30:58,600 --> 00:30:59,200
for help.
Does that?
637
00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:02,900
Happen to you, I think it's more
of the approach that has you
638
00:31:02,900 --> 00:31:05,000
going to?
Because if I'm looking for help,
639
00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:07,900
you know, I'm someone's willing
to help or they genuinely, you
640
00:31:07,900 --> 00:31:11,900
can tell there's also people
paid like, I've had my share of
641
00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:14,900
chances as well that have come
across in this, this this this
642
00:31:14,900 --> 00:31:19,100
journey and, you know, you
start, you start to become more
643
00:31:19,100 --> 00:31:20,800
aware of those, the more you
deal with them.
644
00:31:20,800 --> 00:31:23,400
I suppose.
Like when I start, when I met my
645
00:31:23,500 --> 00:31:28,400
mentor, first is his history and
his successes extraordinary, but
646
00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:30,900
what he sees Said, in that.
Because I was telling about some
647
00:31:30,900 --> 00:31:33,400
of the incidents that we come
across, and he just said, you
648
00:31:33,400 --> 00:31:37,100
know, software in the old days,
back in this, the 70s and 80s.
649
00:31:37,100 --> 00:31:39,500
He said it was a gentleman's
game and he said it was
650
00:31:39,500 --> 00:31:41,600
handshape, get agreements.
And you shook hands is
651
00:31:41,900 --> 00:31:44,000
delivered.
And he said, now, there's a lot
652
00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:47,300
of snake oil salesman, and we're
seeing that, like, I've seen
653
00:31:47,300 --> 00:31:50,100
that in the in the time that
I've spent, you know, we're
654
00:31:50,100 --> 00:31:51,700
obviously building a product.
We're growing.
655
00:31:51,700 --> 00:31:53,400
We're trying to get.
Yeah, we're trying to grow as
656
00:31:53,400 --> 00:31:55,200
fast as they can.
We're obviously looking for
657
00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:58,900
investment, were talking to
different people and the amount
658
00:31:58,900 --> 00:32:00,700
of time.
Easter is that you come across
659
00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:04,000
is is phenomenal.
But you get you get you start to
660
00:32:04,008 --> 00:32:06,500
get a sense for the you start to
see a pattern in terms of how
661
00:32:06,500 --> 00:32:08,800
they behave and you learn how to
avoid.
662
00:32:08,800 --> 00:32:11,300
So when somebody comes to you
and says that can you help me
663
00:32:11,300 --> 00:32:13,900
with something, you know,
whether it's genuine or not.
664
00:32:14,200 --> 00:32:17,700
And yeah, you should never go in
to offer help with the
665
00:32:17,700 --> 00:32:20,100
expectation of yet having to get
something out of it.
666
00:32:20,200 --> 00:32:23,800
But you know, if you give
someone help, then you can
667
00:32:24,200 --> 00:32:25,600
always see that.
You can always ask for something
668
00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:26,900
down the road.
In terms of saying, listen.
669
00:32:26,900 --> 00:32:28,600
Can you introduce me to such a
jerky?
670
00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:30,700
Do such and such?
Such what it's like and if you
671
00:32:30,700 --> 00:32:33,000
can't don't worry about it, you
know, there's no applications
672
00:32:33,300 --> 00:32:37,100
and but I think in terms of
leveraging your network and the
673
00:32:37,100 --> 00:32:39,800
whole point of leveraging
something lever lever is two
674
00:32:39,800 --> 00:32:42,700
sides, you know, you're lifting
something or you know, so if it
675
00:32:42,700 --> 00:32:44,900
goes both ways, it does be able
to lift back.
676
00:32:44,900 --> 00:32:48,200
So, you know, if you can help if
you can help people then you
677
00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:50,000
know, it's not too
time-consuming for you.
678
00:32:50,000 --> 00:32:53,100
If your walls and, you know, you
just have to let expectations be
679
00:32:53,100 --> 00:32:54,600
said at the start.
Absolutely.
680
00:32:54,700 --> 00:32:56,700
Absolutely.
And you know, just makes me
681
00:32:56,700 --> 00:32:58,700
think about something that I'm
working with right now and where
682
00:32:58,700 --> 00:33:00,900
it is.
You're helping me now because
683
00:33:00,900 --> 00:33:05,100
I'm flipping it around David is
that I do get absolute Joy from
684
00:33:05,100 --> 00:33:08,100
when I know that I've been
helpful and that's enough for
685
00:33:08,100 --> 00:33:11,000
me, right, you know, and it that
works.
686
00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:12,800
You just got to make sure you
get the right balance of those
687
00:33:12,800 --> 00:33:16,400
types of experiences and those
that put food on the table that
688
00:33:16,400 --> 00:33:18,800
same time, right?
So, yeah, absolutely.
689
00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:21,500
That's it.
That's a big deal thinking about
690
00:33:21,500 --> 00:33:23,900
these folks specifically that
I'm referring to.
691
00:33:24,300 --> 00:33:27,100
I know that they have an
investor pitch coming up with an
692
00:33:27,100 --> 00:33:29,200
angel group, and I'm helping
them to prepare for that.
693
00:33:29,300 --> 00:33:31,700
At, I know that you've just
recently pitch to that same
694
00:33:31,700 --> 00:33:35,200
group and heal any Lessons
Learned From that, that you'd be
695
00:33:35,200 --> 00:33:37,400
willing to share that.
You think might be helpful.
696
00:33:37,900 --> 00:33:42,100
Yeah, I suppose, you know, it
was a very useful experience to
697
00:33:42,100 --> 00:33:44,400
pitch these guys.
We had, we really positive
698
00:33:44,400 --> 00:33:47,600
feedback for still engaging with
them for my side of it.
699
00:33:47,800 --> 00:33:50,200
I look at it.
It's you know, what the
700
00:33:50,200 --> 00:33:54,700
challenge for me with all of
this Pete was if you were in if
701
00:33:54,700 --> 00:33:57,000
we were sitting currently in
Silicon Valley and we have what
702
00:33:57,000 --> 00:34:00,700
we have and we were looking to
pitch the Valuation comes up and
703
00:34:00,700 --> 00:34:02,700
your valuation, in Silicon
Valley is different, your
704
00:34:02,700 --> 00:34:06,400
evaluation in Dublin, and the
value of some high net worth
705
00:34:06,400 --> 00:34:10,800
putting in 700,000 versus
putting in 200,000 in Dublin.
706
00:34:10,800 --> 00:34:12,300
We're dealing with people in
London as well.
707
00:34:12,699 --> 00:34:18,699
And the evaluation was probably
if not two and a half times in
708
00:34:18,699 --> 00:34:20,199
London, what it is here in
Ireland.
709
00:34:20,800 --> 00:34:23,900
So yeah, you know, as the
founder I could the end of the
710
00:34:23,900 --> 00:34:25,900
day.
I started off the podcast but
711
00:34:25,900 --> 00:34:28,199
talking about how you know, you
have to do something you love
712
00:34:28,199 --> 00:34:30,600
and you do all that, but it End
of day, you know, if you do have
713
00:34:30,600 --> 00:34:32,500
an exit, if you do you, do you
want to know that?
714
00:34:32,500 --> 00:34:34,199
You've done it for something
like this?
715
00:34:34,199 --> 00:34:37,100
Has been a lot of stress.
It's been hard work.
716
00:34:37,100 --> 00:34:40,300
I've had like couldn't have done
it without my wife.
717
00:34:40,300 --> 00:34:42,500
She's pushed and pushed and
pushed and Jill made.
718
00:34:42,500 --> 00:34:45,199
Sure that, you know, everything
is being going in the background
719
00:34:45,199 --> 00:34:48,199
without a hiccup.
So if you don't have an exit,
720
00:34:48,199 --> 00:34:50,199
you doing it for the people
around you as well.
721
00:34:50,199 --> 00:34:53,500
So you want to make sure you got
the right equity and at the end
722
00:34:53,507 --> 00:34:55,600
of the day, that for me, it's
all about your Equity.
723
00:34:55,600 --> 00:34:59,100
So if you are given the
opportunity to raise money and
724
00:34:59,300 --> 00:35:01,600
The flying, and if that's what
you have, then that's what it
725
00:35:01,600 --> 00:35:02,400
is.
You just go with that.
726
00:35:02,400 --> 00:35:05,000
But if your reasoning, if you
can, if you can arrange the same
727
00:35:05,000 --> 00:35:09,200
honey at a better valuation for
yourself, and you should always
728
00:35:09,200 --> 00:35:13,400
entertain that as a choice, but
I just, I was the one learning I
729
00:35:13,400 --> 00:35:16,200
found that the, if somebody
comes to you and says, well, we
730
00:35:16,200 --> 00:35:19,600
usually invest this much for
this much of a percentage and
731
00:35:19,600 --> 00:35:21,800
then they ask you what, your
valuation is kind of saying.
732
00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:23,800
Well, it's a triangle.
You've kind of answered
733
00:35:23,800 --> 00:35:25,700
valuation, you know, it's
exactly V.
734
00:35:25,900 --> 00:35:27,700
Yeah.
It's a.
735
00:35:28,100 --> 00:35:29,100
That's what I was just going to
say.
736
00:35:29,300 --> 00:35:31,900
Is that when you're early stage
you get to a seed round.
737
00:35:31,900 --> 00:35:35,400
It's kind of like, okay.
What is the size of the fund of
738
00:35:35,400 --> 00:35:36,900
the VC?
Right?
739
00:35:36,900 --> 00:35:40,500
Or what is the size of the pot
that this investor has to invest
740
00:35:40,500 --> 00:35:42,400
with?
What is the size of the check
741
00:35:42,400 --> 00:35:44,500
that they're comfortable writing
for what you're going to
742
00:35:44,500 --> 00:35:46,500
deliver?
And what is the percentage that
743
00:35:46,500 --> 00:35:49,100
they prefer to have so that they
don't get diluted to hell, you
744
00:35:49,100 --> 00:35:51,800
know, through the, you know, the
future rounds, right?
745
00:35:51,900 --> 00:35:53,900
And then boom, you got
evaluation, right?
746
00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:57,300
And then exactly to be here, the
guys were here up front in terms
747
00:35:57,300 --> 00:35:59,100
of that.
So we knew going into a water
748
00:35:59,100 --> 00:36:01,200
wall.
But it was just a case of, you
749
00:36:01,200 --> 00:36:04,200
know, I think for something your
asked question is, was there any
750
00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:06,500
learnings I think?
Yeah, I think be sure of what
751
00:36:06,500 --> 00:36:09,600
you want going into it because,
you know, you know, you can't,
752
00:36:10,100 --> 00:36:11,300
you can't cry about it
afterwards.
753
00:36:11,300 --> 00:36:14,000
If you can get something that
just comes off as a bad deal,
754
00:36:14,100 --> 00:36:17,800
you know, I know so, and and
don't be over egging ludicrous.
755
00:36:17,900 --> 00:36:20,400
I've done that once and he just,
you know, come out of it.
756
00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:21,600
Okay?
Yeah, exactly.
757
00:36:21,600 --> 00:36:24,100
And it is the population.
So I think is very difficult
758
00:36:24,100 --> 00:36:26,800
because we had taken advice from
people in London.
759
00:36:26,800 --> 00:36:29,100
We had also gone online.
We've done research in terms.
760
00:36:29,200 --> 00:36:32,500
Terms of you know, discounted
sales and blah blah, blah down
761
00:36:32,500 --> 00:36:35,800
the road and you apply those and
you come come up with a number
762
00:36:36,300 --> 00:36:40,700
and then you take that logic to
somebody who maybe values things
763
00:36:40,700 --> 00:36:42,800
differently.
And they say, well, actually,
764
00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:45,100
that's not how, you know, we
don't look at it like that.
765
00:36:45,100 --> 00:36:47,200
And yeah, that's fine.
But it doesn't matter, whether
766
00:36:47,200 --> 00:36:49,800
you're dealing with say, the
Angels, or you deal with PCS.
767
00:36:49,800 --> 00:36:52,500
They'll have a framework that
they use to decide whether
768
00:36:52,500 --> 00:36:54,700
they'll invest or not.
Yeah, and you either tick the
769
00:36:54,707 --> 00:36:57,300
boxes, that framework, which is
great if you do.
770
00:36:57,400 --> 00:37:00,600
And if you don't, they'll just
pass And it's funny every time
771
00:37:00,600 --> 00:37:04,200
you get a no it hurts because
you're so convinced what you've
772
00:37:04,200 --> 00:37:06,200
got.
But you've got to take on board
773
00:37:06,200 --> 00:37:07,800
that, you know, these guys is
successful.
774
00:37:07,800 --> 00:37:09,500
The reason they have money to
invest is because they're
775
00:37:09,500 --> 00:37:11,200
successful.
So you got to be humble enough
776
00:37:11,200 --> 00:37:13,500
to say, you know, they
understand what they're doing as
777
00:37:13,500 --> 00:37:14,600
well.
So, you know, there is
778
00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:16,700
learnings, and all of that, for
every time you pay it.
779
00:37:16,700 --> 00:37:18,700
You need to understand.
Sometimes you do come across
780
00:37:18,700 --> 00:37:21,500
someone who's just, you know,
time waster, but most the time
781
00:37:21,500 --> 00:37:24,300
that Jesus people are just, you
know, they're very, very
782
00:37:24,900 --> 00:37:27,400
sensible and Investments, the
very careful.
783
00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:29,100
So they have a framework that
you need.
784
00:37:29,200 --> 00:37:31,900
To be able to understand before,
you know, yeah.
785
00:37:32,400 --> 00:37:33,500
What do you want to know?
What do they do?
786
00:37:33,500 --> 00:37:35,800
Want them with you as well on
the journey because this is a
787
00:37:36,100 --> 00:37:37,800
this is a long journey as well
Pete.
788
00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:40,600
So, you know to it's not just
any investor.
789
00:37:40,600 --> 00:37:43,700
It's not just about money.
It's also about what did they
790
00:37:43,700 --> 00:37:45,500
bring, you know, do they have
experience?
791
00:37:45,500 --> 00:37:49,900
You know, as I said, I had a
mentor who you know, he he was
792
00:37:49,900 --> 00:37:53,100
able to pull me aside and say
this, this this and they were
793
00:37:53,100 --> 00:37:55,700
really important points for me
doing what I was doing.
794
00:37:55,700 --> 00:37:58,900
So there was more than just the
no money.
795
00:37:58,900 --> 00:38:01,200
It's It's if you have someone
they're going to most likely
796
00:38:01,200 --> 00:38:03,700
take a board seat.
Can you work with them?
797
00:38:03,800 --> 00:38:04,900
Are they going to beat you to
death?
798
00:38:05,000 --> 00:38:06,400
Are they going to make you work
there?
799
00:38:06,400 --> 00:38:08,400
Like they're going to take up
all your time when you should
800
00:38:08,400 --> 00:38:10,900
focus on your business.
You know, how can you
801
00:38:10,900 --> 00:38:13,600
communicate with these guys or
ladies or whoever?
802
00:38:13,600 --> 00:38:16,900
It's just, you know, you need to
be sure of all of that before
803
00:38:16,900 --> 00:38:19,400
you commit to taking some like,
it's just it's a long journey
804
00:38:19,400 --> 00:38:22,900
and if getting convexity, the
board members is important, as
805
00:38:22,900 --> 00:38:25,300
the person who's working with
you on the, on the ground.
806
00:38:25,300 --> 00:38:28,300
So, you know, it's all it's all
that.
807
00:38:28,300 --> 00:38:30,300
So that that would be My
takeaway from all of this.
808
00:38:30,300 --> 00:38:32,700
Absolutely.
It's all about the long-term
809
00:38:32,700 --> 00:38:35,400
relationships with those that
are investing in you and those
810
00:38:35,400 --> 00:38:39,300
that are not because those that
are not that you did like and
811
00:38:39,300 --> 00:38:42,000
you did get along with but your
business wasn't right for them
812
00:38:42,000 --> 00:38:45,400
at the stage that they invest.
They may be right for you at the
813
00:38:45,400 --> 00:38:46,300
next stage.
Right?
814
00:38:46,300 --> 00:38:48,000
Yeah.
And so, you know keeping those
815
00:38:48,000 --> 00:38:50,000
folks in your network and
keeping them close and finding a
816
00:38:50,008 --> 00:38:54,000
way to solutely important
looking ahead, looking at the
817
00:38:54,000 --> 00:38:59,400
end of 20 21, what would you say
apptimize looks like As a
818
00:38:59,408 --> 00:39:03,000
successful business, in three
words, or less three words or
819
00:39:03,000 --> 00:39:05,300
less.
Wow, and there's so many of them
820
00:39:05,300 --> 00:39:08,800
you say, deliver customer value
that if we do that, we will end
821
00:39:08,800 --> 00:39:10,600
up.
We will end up with the success
822
00:39:10,600 --> 00:39:11,800
were looking for.
Yeah.
823
00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:14,300
I like that.
It has to come back to the
824
00:39:14,300 --> 00:39:16,100
customer.
It's not about, it's not.
825
00:39:16,100 --> 00:39:18,400
I've always said this when I'm
talking with a merchants and
826
00:39:18,400 --> 00:39:20,700
customers and retailers.
It's the thing that does the
827
00:39:20,700 --> 00:39:22,600
thing.
It's not about optimized having
828
00:39:22,600 --> 00:39:26,900
shiny buttons and but it's about
creating efficiencies that they
829
00:39:26,900 --> 00:39:28,800
use optimized to do something
else.
830
00:39:28,800 --> 00:39:31,200
And then, I think creates the
efficiencies in the business and
831
00:39:31,200 --> 00:39:33,700
it helps them run.
So, you know deliver customer
832
00:39:33,700 --> 00:39:35,100
value.
That's it.
833
00:39:35,100 --> 00:39:36,900
That's a very that's a huge
challenge.
834
00:39:36,900 --> 00:39:40,300
That's not a, you know, that's
three, simple words what it is.
835
00:39:40,300 --> 00:39:45,500
And yeah, and it feels like at
the corporate level that I was
836
00:39:45,500 --> 00:39:48,300
in for 20-plus years.
When you say that, nobody really
837
00:39:48,300 --> 00:39:50,800
knows what it means.
You need to be in the startup
838
00:39:51,300 --> 00:39:54,500
coal face of it to really
understand if you are solving a
839
00:39:54,508 --> 00:39:57,600
problem.
Yes, and it is a problem that is
840
00:39:57,600 --> 00:39:59,000
frequent.
It is a problem.
841
00:39:59,200 --> 00:40:02,000
It is intense and that it is
something where someone is
842
00:40:02,000 --> 00:40:04,000
willing to pay for you to ease
their pain.
843
00:40:04,400 --> 00:40:05,400
Absolutely.
Yeah.
844
00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:07,600
A great example.
That was a QuickBooks
845
00:40:07,600 --> 00:40:09,300
QuickBooks.
I heard if they think she was
846
00:40:09,300 --> 00:40:13,300
the former Seattle QuickBooks
might get the type they position
847
00:40:13,300 --> 00:40:15,900
on.
But she was saying about they
848
00:40:15,900 --> 00:40:18,000
had gone and you know built a
product.
849
00:40:18,000 --> 00:40:20,600
It ask customers what they what
they you know, what what's the
850
00:40:20,600 --> 00:40:23,000
next thing you want to split in
the in the system?
851
00:40:23,000 --> 00:40:24,800
And they were like, oh, this
could be handy.
852
00:40:24,800 --> 00:40:27,400
This be nice.
So they got collectively build.
853
00:40:27,400 --> 00:40:29,000
Probably didn't ask.
Does it actually solve?
854
00:40:29,200 --> 00:40:33,100
A pain point, they just built a
feature get and they built the
855
00:40:33,100 --> 00:40:35,500
feature.
Went to engineering testing data
856
00:40:35,800 --> 00:40:38,200
and then they launched it and it
was Zero take up.
857
00:40:38,800 --> 00:40:41,900
I know and this is a company
that like at that stage was was
858
00:40:41,900 --> 00:40:45,900
strong and it was, you know, it
was growing and then she said
859
00:40:45,900 --> 00:40:47,600
she went back to her back out
popsicles.
860
00:40:47,600 --> 00:40:50,000
You said, you know, we did this,
you know, what is what like,
861
00:40:50,000 --> 00:40:52,300
what's your daily problem?
What's like, what's so they
862
00:40:52,300 --> 00:40:53,900
asked the question and what's
the daily fault?
863
00:40:53,900 --> 00:40:56,000
What's the problem when it's a
job and was cash flow.
864
00:40:56,300 --> 00:40:58,000
How do I pay the bills?
How do I pay my staff?
865
00:40:58,000 --> 00:41:01,100
I look at the lights on so, The
cash flow feature and that was
866
00:41:01,100 --> 00:41:03,600
conductive QuickBooks success.
There we go.
867
00:41:03,600 --> 00:41:05,600
It is being focused on the
customers.
868
00:41:05,900 --> 00:41:08,500
You know, what value are we
giving to that customer on a
869
00:41:08,500 --> 00:41:10,900
daily basis?
Yep, I've been in situation
870
00:41:10,900 --> 00:41:12,600
before.
If I had only ask the customer
871
00:41:12,600 --> 00:41:14,900
what they wanted before.
We started building 15 years
872
00:41:14,900 --> 00:41:16,600
ago.
It would have been a much
873
00:41:16,600 --> 00:41:19,400
different place.
Absolutely final question.
874
00:41:19,900 --> 00:41:23,100
Tell us one thing that people
wouldn't expect to know about
875
00:41:23,100 --> 00:41:26,600
David Sutton.
That's a difficult question.
876
00:41:26,900 --> 00:41:28,500
I got asked this question
recently.
877
00:41:28,900 --> 00:41:30,200
Yeah.
Yeah, it's that's a really
878
00:41:30,200 --> 00:41:33,500
difficult question because we
spend so much time projecting
879
00:41:33,500 --> 00:41:34,600
that.
We never actually stopped.
880
00:41:34,600 --> 00:41:37,700
Actually, you know, you know, we
want, you know, it's a very
881
00:41:37,700 --> 00:41:41,100
difficult question to answer.
And so, one thing about David
882
00:41:41,100 --> 00:41:43,700
Sullivan, that people don't
realize, it wouldn't know.
883
00:41:44,300 --> 00:41:46,400
I'm quite a reflective person.
Okay.
884
00:41:47,100 --> 00:41:50,900
I'm very reflective.
Is it of projective is
885
00:41:50,900 --> 00:41:52,100
reflective, right?
Yeah.
886
00:41:52,100 --> 00:41:54,200
I know.
I know, but II would be a very
887
00:41:54,200 --> 00:41:57,600
reflective person.
I don't, I would spend if
888
00:41:57,600 --> 00:42:00,900
something's example if It met a
customer and they talked about
889
00:42:00,900 --> 00:42:04,700
something.
It tends not to just leave it.
890
00:42:04,900 --> 00:42:06,000
I would think about it for a
while.
891
00:42:06,000 --> 00:42:08,000
I would try and get my head
around, trying to understand
892
00:42:08,000 --> 00:42:12,100
from their perspective, you
know, or again, if I was, you
893
00:42:12,100 --> 00:42:15,400
know, I'm a father.
So I got kids and the challenge
894
00:42:15,400 --> 00:42:18,300
of being a parent, you know, you
have to you can't just, you
895
00:42:18,308 --> 00:42:22,400
know, you've got these these
these amazing people in your
896
00:42:22,400 --> 00:42:25,100
life that need support.
He you can't, you don't always
897
00:42:25,100 --> 00:42:28,000
just have the answer at hand.
You need to sometimes go in, I
898
00:42:28,000 --> 00:42:30,400
find ya.
Yeah, reflection for me is
899
00:42:30,400 --> 00:42:34,400
something that it served me.
Well, you get your gut instinct
900
00:42:34,400 --> 00:42:36,000
on something.
But sometimes you do need to
901
00:42:36,000 --> 00:42:38,700
stop pause and reflect.
Yeah, absolutely.
902
00:42:38,700 --> 00:42:42,400
Being present being mindful.
Yeah, just paying attention to
903
00:42:42,400 --> 00:42:45,000
the world around you and putting
that phone down, right?
904
00:42:45,100 --> 00:42:46,700
Well, a hundred percent on
vicent.
905
00:42:46,700 --> 00:42:49,100
Yeah, and it's come with you.
Yeah, it's in the moment.
906
00:42:49,100 --> 00:42:51,400
And I think that's a real
challenge right now because, you
907
00:42:51,408 --> 00:42:53,800
know, everybody's going a
million miles an hour trying to
908
00:42:54,000 --> 00:42:56,400
trying to just catch up with
what's, what the changes we've
909
00:42:56,400 --> 00:42:58,900
all been.
And so, you know, sometimes it
910
00:42:58,900 --> 00:43:02,300
does Except I'm, so if you're
driving from Dublin to Cork on a
911
00:43:02,308 --> 00:43:05,400
trip, it's great just to be in
the car and it's switch off.
912
00:43:05,400 --> 00:43:07,800
And actually, you know, trying
to clear things out in your
913
00:43:07,800 --> 00:43:10,400
head.
Yeah, you don't get much time to
914
00:43:10,400 --> 00:43:12,200
do these days.
Which just great.
915
00:43:12,600 --> 00:43:14,800
Yeah, I'm with you.
I got to do more of that.
916
00:43:14,900 --> 00:43:17,000
Get to get on another
cross-country trip to go away,
917
00:43:17,100 --> 00:43:19,500
which the beauty of Ireland is
that it's two hours rather than
918
00:43:19,500 --> 00:43:21,200
two weeks to travel across the
u.s.
919
00:43:21,800 --> 00:43:22,700
Yeah.
Absolutely.
920
00:43:23,100 --> 00:43:25,700
Absolutely.
Well, David, thank you so much.
921
00:43:25,700 --> 00:43:28,000
This has been such a delightful
conversation.
922
00:43:28,000 --> 00:43:30,700
I did get a lot out of Of it,
you've enlighten me and I'm
923
00:43:30,700 --> 00:43:34,300
really looking forward to seeing
apptimize just killing.
924
00:43:34,400 --> 00:43:37,200
So thank you.
Well, thank you for your time is
925
00:43:37,200 --> 00:43:38,900
located.
It's been a pleasure to be on
926
00:43:38,900 --> 00:43:47,600
the show and big fan.
Thank you talk soon that does it
927
00:43:47,600 --> 00:43:50,200
for this week folks and thanks
to David for opening up his
928
00:43:50,200 --> 00:43:51,500
mind.
To help us figure out why he
929
00:43:51,500 --> 00:43:53,200
does.
What he does links and show
930
00:43:53,200 --> 00:43:55,700
notes for this episode.
Our money never sleeps that IE.
931
00:43:55,900 --> 00:43:58,400
So check us out online.
Also, you can subscribe to our
932
00:43:58,400 --> 00:43:59,900
money, never sleeps.
Newsletter at money.
933
00:43:59,900 --> 00:44:03,200
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If you're enjoying money, never
934
00:44:03,200 --> 00:44:05,700
sleeps and want to see
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935
00:44:05,700 --> 00:44:08,300
over to Apple podcast and give
us a five star review.
936
00:44:09,200 --> 00:44:11,900
Don't forget Conan Brophy from
create sound, he mixes in edits
937
00:44:11,900 --> 00:44:14,400
each episode for us and is an
excellent medium and get in
938
00:44:14,400 --> 00:44:16,400
touch with when you're thinking
about launching your own
939
00:44:16,400 --> 00:44:18,100
podcast.
As for me.
940
00:44:18,400 --> 00:44:20,200
I help startups get their
products to Market, get
941
00:44:20,200 --> 00:44:23,300
customers and financier vision.
You can find me on LinkedIn,
942
00:44:23,400 --> 00:44:25,700
Twitter or it nor you
adventures.com.
943
00:44:26,000 --> 00:44:29,000
You could follow and Fitzgerald
on Twitter at Owens is Gerald.
944
00:44:29,100 --> 00:44:31,700
I'm finally till next time.
Thanks for listening.
945
00:44:31,700 --> 00:44:32,200
See you.