I don’t dwell on it much, but at 62, I’ve racked up quite a few careers, and this podcast with Naqsh Haque of Machinelab Ventures got me thinking of them.
How many will you have with AI disrupting work?
I’ve had at least five so far, and I bet many of you will have just as many.
This was one of the most personal interviews I’ve ever had. In it, we discussed careers and how adversity shaped my career trajectory.
Talking with Naqsh was like talking to my favorite cousin Lucia; we could talk for hours! We covered careers, financial inclusion, China, why social media hones your communication skills, and even my mom!
Article
The full article is here, and I can’t recommend it enough! It is a bit of a personal portrait of me and the most fun I’ve had doing one of these podcasts in ages!
After leaving the corporate world, Richard found relevance in the digital realm, reconnecting with a web of former colleagues and weaving new bonds. Social media wasn’t just a platform; it became a lifeline. “It was a way of sharing,” he recounts, reminiscent of water cooler chats in the corporate corridors. The journey morphed into a dance with algorithms, as Richard, the self-professed computer geek, recognized the mechanics behind virality.
“I want to be good at it,” he asserts with the determination that characterizes every pivot in his career. This drive, to excel, to master the digital realm, spiraled into a weekly LinkedIn newsletter, where Richard’s words resonate with his 43,000 followers. A self-described “tireless evangelist for using technology to democratize access to financial markets,” Richard now finds himself an influencer, having reimagined banking and created a thriving Finech ecosystem.
Podcast Timeline and Key Moments
0:30 “I am a model citizen for having many careers. We all have to look at the concept that our careers aren’t going to be a linear path anymore, and there will be iterations of you, whoever you want to be.”
“We are all going to have multiple careers, and we have to expect career changes, don’t define yourself by a single job and get the sense of being lost if it changes.”
“My career changes were all born of adversity and forced job changes.
4:45 “No one calls their mother and says: ‘I want to be a social media influencer, are you proud of me?'”
8:50 If you think you’re cashless with Apple or Google Pay, it’s you’re not. It’s not the same as a super-app experience.
10:50 Digital yuan and financial inclusion!
14:00 Central banks aren’t looking at implementing monetary policy through CBDC, no negative rates.
16:50 Financial inclusion in China.
24:20 The look on people’s face when they are astounded by new technology. Digital tech is aspirational.
27:00 Why I am a tireless advocate for inclusion.
30:00 Why Visa and MC are losing SE Asia
33:00 When digital payments go bad. Loans can be very bad!
35:00 What I hope doesn’t happen with AI is that we get buried with chatbots. Voice is the OS for banking and money!
40:00 Your digital wallet will talk to you and become your coach, and it is critical for inclusion and the illiterate.
41:00 I have a fundamental belief that tech can make our world a better place.
42:55 My mom always said I never wanted to lose an argument!
43:25 What social media will teach you! Clarity of thought!! It is a tool for learning how to communicate!
48:45 Be digital; that’s what I told my nephew!
Podcast
