Before founding CryptoCracker, what were some key experiences or roles that shaped your approach to business and innovation?
I was asked this recently coincidentally and I’m glad I’ve had a chance to really consider this. I’ve always been around innovation and startup projects. Even with the larger corporates, it was always a role in the context of new product lines, dramatic change in offering or being in intense and challenging environments that felt entrepreneurial in themselves. Key experiences are really a listing of each of the roles I’ve had !
Starting up your own business is definitely something that stands out though – there is no real comparison to this – there is a very different feeling of creating something from scratch, as well as the accountability to your colleagues and staff. This is balanced by the massive rewards of seeing your vision coming to life in a real market. The power of creation is a powerful feeling.
What first sparked your interest in technology and cryptocurrencies? Was there a particular moment or person that inspired you?
It was somewhat incidental in the beginning – I was asked by a friend to do some research for them on some crypto coins – a term I vaguely knew. Where things became interesting is when it became clear the industry was heavily built around automation, integration, and APIs – an area I had spent a lot of time in – something I felt I could leverage well and see what could be done. As well as the technical curiosity, it was becoming very clear this was the time to get into this for make or break – crypto/web3/block chain had landed, and I liked the idea to get into this whilst there was still plenty of room in an already disruptive market.
“the industry was heavily built around automation, integration, and APIs – an area I had spent a lot of time in”
I quite like the sense of a day where you can work these things in to suit your day-to-day dynamic, something which I think most people are beginning to see the advantage of.
Can you describe a typical day in your life as a founder? How do you balance work and personal time?
A great question. There was a time that most people liked the segregation between work and personal time and that they were quite disciplined about this. As a startup or founder, it was never really easy to do that but since the world having changed, I think everyone has had to adapt, startup, founder or corporate alike.
With a vast majority of professionals still working a majority or significant amount of time at home, the rules have changed, and I think all in all, for the better.
For a startup/founder, every day is truly different. There is always a multitude of things to do and I think the only way to truly succeed is to be merciless with prioritisation – and that includes making sure personal time and life gets those high priorities built in as well.
I quite like the sense of a day where you can work these things in to suit your day-to-day dynamic, something which I think most people are beginning to see the advantage of.
If I need personal time, I simply work it into the calendar. That may seem a little over prescribed, but I have found it guarantees (or close to) I can do it rather than “waiting “ for your break/personal time. It won’t come – I know, I’ve spent far too long in the past waiting for natural breaks and ended up running all day long without having that down time.
So “coffee/walk/lunch/meet-up/etc/” become items which are given just as much priority in the calendar. I admit it doesn’t always work but it’s improved greatly since taking that approach.
Who do you look up to in the tech and crypto world, and why?
I’m not great as a person who has industry icons etc. to look up to. I always found it a little difficult as I tend it be much more driven by personal relationships. So I do have past friends/colleagues who I would call mentors at that time and learnt a huge amount from.
Otherwise,I did listen to Richard Branson at a convention a while back and really liked his natural demeanour but also he seemed quite a balanced figure. Simon Sinek seems to have some great things to say as well but sometimes they can be a little difficult to implement in a real business environment.
“Key experiences are really a listing of each of the roles I’ve had !”
Outside of work, what are some of your hobbies or passions? How do they influence your work ethic and creativity?
I’ve practiced traditional Shotokan karate for over 30 years and it become a big part of my makeup and life style. I’ve travelled to many countries over the years, will fellow karateka and have many truly enjoyable experiences from it. It has really created a clear ethic for me in all things – there is a balance in nearly all things in life, and finding it in sport, relationships, life and also in business, is really what we’re looking to achieve – you get that, you get that success at every level.
What book has significantly impacted your thoughts on leadership, technology, or crypto, and why would you recommend it?
I think Matthew Syed is well accomplished and thoroughly well researched author, I have enjoyed a number of his books. Rebel Thinking was the last one I read and thought it was very provocative if not just for the teachings, but the engaging stories from the research and case studies he has done.
Do you have a surprising skill or hobby that most people wouldn’t associate with a tech entrepreneur?
Maybe being a well-established and long time karate instructor is a surprise sometimes 😊
If you weren’t working in crypto, what’s another industry or project that would excite you?
Within the technical industries, I spent a long time in the CRM space, something which really helped developed a bigger picture view of the business industry. As CRM is something which applies to nearly every industry, we were exposed to so many industries and markets through our customers and you had to learn fast and on the spot. One area that often felt alluring was the MedTech field – there seems like a big opportunity to do more in this space and in a different way – it still feels like it’s a market that will really reinvent itself for the rapid evolvement of technologies for the good of our health and well-being worldwide.
One Movie, One book, One Album you would bring with you on a deserted Island?
- Movie – Shawshank Redemption
- Album – Bring Springsteen, Born to Run
- Book – The Lee Child Reacher series (sorry, I cheated 😊)
“I’ve practiced traditional Shotokan karate for over 30 years and it become a big part of my makeup and life style.”