How long have you been with Goji? What is your role on your team?

I’ve been with Goji since day one, starting in December 2015. I initially joined to head up the software engineering team and build out the platform technology. I took over as CEO in 2019.

What initially interested you about Goji? What do you enjoy about working here?

It’s the same answer to both! I was looking for an opportunity where I could work with a team that was building something from scratch where I knew I could make an impact. For me, that is what’s great about working in a startup – you are collaborating with highly capable, motivated people all working towards a common goal. There’s nothing more rewarding than knowing you are making an impact in a team that is doing something important.

What are some of the hidden (or obvious) challenges in the alternative investment landscape that people may not think about? What are the most exciting opportunities to address them?

Alternative investments – and especially private assets – are going through a huge period of growth and disruption at the moment. Investor demand is changing, and there’s much more focus on the impact of investments over pure returns. Increasingly, a wider group of investors want access to this opportunity, including individual investors. Technology has huge potential to enable and catalyse this growth. The exciting challenge for us at Goji is to ensure we’re building the products and services that help our customers take advantage of these opportunities.

Give us the inside scoop – what are some of the unique aspects of working at Goji?

It’s all about the people. We have a very collegiate atmosphere. Two of our values are “Curiosity before judgement” and “Candid communication”, which mean we seek to get everyone’s ideas on the table to help us chart the best way forward. COVID has obviously had an impact on the social side of things, but we’ve found ways to stay connected virtually and maintain a sense of workplace. Until then, I’m hopeful that 2022 will give us more opportunities to do whole company events in person – it’s been far too long since I’ve humiliated myself in crazy golf…

What was your dream job as a child? Tell us a bit about your journey to where you are today.

I wanted to be a fighter pilot (I’m an 80s child and Top Gun was a big influence) but my eyesight isn’t good enough. I studied Chemistry at university and considered a career in research, but wanted something faster-paced and outcome-oriented. So I joined a technology consulting firm where I learnt to code. It took me quite a while to get to grips with it, but I had an epiphany during a conference where I realised I really wanted to get good at it, so I doubled down and put in a lot of time to fill in the skills I was missing. Developing this passion eventually led me to where I am today at Goji. Combining a love for technology with a desire to make an impact and be part of a fast-paced team made joining a fintech startup an obvious next step. 

What would you do if you had unlimited free time?

Run. A lot.

I love the outdoors and particularly enjoy trail running and just about anything that gets me in the hills or on a beach. My children are old enough now that I can go away with them for a weekend hike and pass it off as ‘good parenting.’ Although they are starting to show me up now when it comes to climbing skills and fearlessness of heights!

Any fun projects on the horizon? What are you and your team up to next?

We are working with ever larger clients and helping them use technology to unlock opportunities and remove the growth barriers they face. We’re investing more in our software engineering team and have some exciting product enhancements on the roadmap.

2022 will be an interesting year from a culture perspective as hopefully we all start to get used to a post-pandemic world. We have a great opportunity to create a working culture that both fosters high-performance teamwork and creates flexibility for the busy lives we all lead. There will be plenty of lessons for us to learn here and I’m looking forward to the journey!

If you’re interested in joining our growing team, please have a look at our open opportunities: https://gojiinvestments.notion.site/Hello-We-re-Goji-0d3a6e067657482898a2b76f1873e9ee