In episode 193, Dexter Cousins sits down with Co-Founders John Crutchley and Dave Malcolm, the brains behind Mist, an innovative solution helping students organise their new life in Australia. It doesn’t sound glamorous, but it is an untapped market ripe for digital innovation.

Dave and John share their vision for what promises to be a unique Fintech scaleup. Mist stands out as an ambitious concept. Where many Fintech’s have essentially created a business that could easily be a feature in an app, Mist is an app that makes Fintech a feature of their design.

Dave and John share their Mist journey so far and how their contrasting startup experiences at MarleySpoon and Volt Bank are helping them navigate the pitfalls of a Fintech startup.


Key Takeaways:

• Finding the right co-founder
• Making Fintech a feature to solve a bigger problem
• Embedded finance - cutting through the hype
• Building a solution that customers will use for life
• Influencing partners and government to create opportunities
• The HUGE opportunity for Aussie Fintechs in India
• How learning from startup success and failure is shaping Mist’s strategy

About Our Guests:

John Crutchley
John gained extensive experience in various leadership roles in the Banking sector before founding Mist. He specialised in migration and international banking for ANZ and Volt Bank, where he was specifically hired as Head of International Banking to lead their go-to-market strategy in the international student market.

Dave Malcolm
A passionate C-Level executive and entrepreneur with a proven track record of founding, building, and scaling digital ventures across web2 and web3 in Australia.
He pinpoints the co-founding of Marley Spoon & Dinnerly in 2015 as his career highlight, which went on to be listed on the ASX in 2018 (ASX: MMM).


Show Notes:

• [00:57] Dave Malcolm introduces Mist.
• [01:53] John Crutchley shares the genesis for the idea and how he met Dave.
• [04:40] Dave Malcolm on getting into the mindset of a Gen Z customer.
• [08:30] Case studies: Embedded finance done right.
• [13:32] Big wins and successes so far.
• [19:29] Getting the business off the ground, overcoming challenges and obstacles.
• [24:10] Busting Fintech startup myths. Move fast and break things vs slow and deliberate growth
• [34:29] The complexity of Fintech. Why fixing problems is so hard.
• [40:15] Identifying valuable, global, niche markets.

Links & Resources:

• Visit Mist’s website: https://gomist.co/
• Connect with Dave Malcolm on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davemalcolm/
• Connect with John Crutchley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-crutchley-0842827/
• Connect with Dexter Cousins on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dextercousins/
• Learn more about Tier One People: https://tieronepeople.com/

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In this episode of the Fintech Chatter Podcast, Dexter sits down with Robert Kassis, a visionary leader and co-founder of DigiZoo, a digital consultancy supporting some of Australia’s most innovative Fintech including 86 400, Volt Bank, Afterpay Money, Constantinople and Greater Bank.

DigiZoo is at the forefront of transforming businesses through innovative digital solutions, helping organizations navigate the complexities of the digital landscape with confidence and agility.

Robert shares his insights on the complexities of digital transformation in today's banks, how DigiZoo helps incumbents stay ahead of the curve, and the critical role that technology plays in driving business success. We also delve into the unique approach DigiZoo is developing by productising their service offering.

Whether you're a founder/executive looking to enhance your product capability or someone interested in the latest trends in digital innovation, this episode offers valuable perspectives on how to thrive in the Fintech 2.0 era.

Key Takeaways:

• The complexities of digital transformation in banks and legacy systems.
• BaaS? Embedded Finance? - What is the BIG opportunity in Fintech?
• Moving from a consultancy operating model to a product operating model.
• Bootstrapping and building sustainably.
• Attracting and retaining the best talent.
• The secret to successful partnerships.
• The future of digital consultancies and emerging trends in the industry.

About Our Guest:

Robert Kassis is the co-founder of DigiZoo, bringing years of experience in digital strategy and innovation. With a passion for helping businesses leverage technology to achieve their goals, Robert has been instrumental in positioning DigiZoo as a leading consultancy in the digital space.

Show Notes:

• [01:35] Robert Kassis introduces DigiZoo and its core mission.
• [08:00] From service to product operating model.
• [12:39] Fixing problems - Avoiding hype. DigiZoo's unique approach to digital consultancy.
• [21:14] Case studies: The complexity of fixing bank legacy technology.
• [25:59] AI - The impacts and opportunities.
• [29:29] Finding the right tech talent.
• [36:15] Aligning purpose and values for sustainable growth.
• [40:29] What the future holds for Digizoo and their partners.

Links & Resources:

• Visit DigiZoo’s website: https://digizoo.com.au/
• Connect with Robert Kassis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-kassis-2238972/

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In Episode 191 of the Fintech Chatter Podcast, Dexter Cousins is joined by Tim Buskens CEO of Hope Housing a not-for-profit initiative assisting Essential Service Workers. Dexter and Tim chat about the very real issue of home ownership in Australia for essential workers, as they battle to afford housing closer to where they work.

About Hope Housing

Tim has witnessed first-hand the issues faced by our essential workers in their fight to afford home ownership. He was struck by the stress many of our essential workers face on a daily basis. Observing how they are often forced to move away from their community in order to buy a home, resulting in long journeys to get to work.

Mainstream banks view essential workers as too high risk for the traditional mortgage route and Tim felt there could be a better way.

From this Hope Housing materialised. An innovative way for people to finance their home purchase through alternative investment, not just the bank route. Now in its 4th year, they are working with great partners who are helping make this happen.

They've assembled an experienced team of financial and technology experts, culminating in a group of people who continue to innovate the solution and deliver the mission to help Australia's unsung heroes buy a home.

About Tim Buskens

Tim is Chief Executive Officer and a Founding Director of HOPE Housing. Tim brings over 25 years’ experience in financial services across both private and public sectors to the role at Hope Housing.
Most recently as COO of the Australian Superannuation Funds Association, Tim has also held executive positions in Link Group, Oasis Asset Management and ASIC.
Tim has a Bachelor of Business from Victoria University and a Masters of Applied Finance from Macquarie University.

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