Powered by RND
PodcastsBusinessMoneyNeverSleeps

MoneyNeverSleeps

Pete Townsend | Early-stage Startup Investor
MoneyNeverSleeps
Latest episode

Available Episodes

5 of 292
  • 293: Building Bridges: Simon Brown on Ethereum’s Cultural Gravity and Consensys Network State
    Simon Brown joins me to share how his role at Consensys has evolved since his last appearance in January 2024 and why he’s now leading the charge on the Consensys Network State. It’s all about reconnecting the sprawl of the Ethereum ecosystem, reinforcing the cultural gravity that made Ethereum magical in the first place, and creating a more cohesive network of builders, founders, and ecosystem experts.In this episode, we dive into how the Consensys Network State initiative is setting the stage for Ethereum’s next decade, how it’s bridging gaps between projects and people, and what it means for the future of decentralized coordination. We also get into some big-picture thinking around the evolution of Ethereum, the rise of network states, stablecoin growth, and what it takes to keep that cultural gravity intact as Ethereum continues to grow.Resources Mentioned:Sobol Agreements ProtocolConsensys Network State Flashbots BuilderNetPectra UpgradeConnect with Simon Brown and Consensys:Simon Brown: X(Twitter) |  LinkedIn  |  MediumConsensys:  Website  |  X(Twitter) Leave a review and subscribe onApple PodcastsSpotifyMoneyNeverSleeps (website)Email us: [email protected] with Pete Townsend and MoneyNeverSleeps:Pete Townsend: X/Twitter  |  LinkedIn MoneyNeverSleeps: X/Twitter  |  LinkedIn  |  Newsletter
    --------  
    37:52
  • 292: Done Deal: Ollie Walsh on Pipit’s 12-Year Journey to Qenta
    This week, I’m welcoming back Ollie Walsh, formerly the co-founder and CEO of Pipit Global, and now, the President of Qenta, following Qenta’s recent acquisition of Pipit.  This is Ollie’s fourth appearance on MoneyNeverSleeps, making him the all-time guest record holder on the show.This conversation is a special one. Not only has Ollie been building something purpose-driven and globally relevant for over a decade, but I’ve also had the privilege of sitting on Pipit’s board since 2019 and seeing the full journey from the inside.In this episode, we dive into the first public conversation about Pipit’s acquisition by Qenta. US-based Qenta is rethinking how money moves around the world, blending fintech, blockchain, and impact into one powerful payments platform.In this episode, Ollie and I get into the weeds on what it really takes to build a startup with social impact at its core, what it feels like to finally get a deal across the line after years of trying, and how it all unfolds when you're leading with purpose rather than flash.We also get into:The “rollercoaster on fire” of startup lifeWhat makes a startup acquirable, especially in emerging marketsWhy leading with social impact turned out to be Pipit’s greatest strengthLessons learned the hard way: cap tables, crowdfunding, and mental resilienceOllie’s unexpected deep dive into Daoism and Tai Chi, and how it shaped his founder mindsetThis one’s packed with honest reflections, tactical insights, and a rare look inside the real M&A journey from a founder who lived every second of it.If you're building with purpose, fundraising under pressure, or just trying to stay centered through it all, this one’s for you.Connect with Ollie Walsh and Qenta:Ollie Walsh: LinkedInQenta: LinkedIn  |  Website⁠Leave a review and subscribe onApple PodcastsSpotifyMoneyNeverSleeps (website)Email us: [email protected] with Pete Townsend and MoneyNeverSleeps:Pete Townsend: X/Twitter  |  LinkedIn MoneyNeverSleeps: X/Twitter  |  LinkedIn  |  Newsletter
    --------  
    35:50
  • 291: Scaling Without VC: The Long Game with Fergal McGovern from VisibleThread
    This week, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Fergal McGovern, founder and CEO of VisibleThread, for one of the most enlightening founder chats I’ve had in a while.Fergal’s been building for decades—starting with enterprise systems in the '90s, then launching and selling his first startup SteelTrace, and eventually pivoting VisibleThread through the 2008 crash into a trusted platform serving global leaders like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Comcast, and government agencies across the U.S., Canada, and Australia.What I loved about this conversation is how practical and honest Fergal is—especially when it comes to the real story behind fundraising. He’s been through the early seed round, the post-pivot rebuild, and the tough decision to fuel growth with debt instead of chasing a VC path that didn’t quite fit.In this episode, we get into:- Why 50% growth year-over-year is solid—but not VC-sexy- What makes a startup truly “VC-eligible” (and what doesn’t)-How Fergal built a repeatable sales playbook before hiring reps—and why that mattered more than headcount- The thinking behind VisibleThread’s expansion into a second product—basically Grammarly for secure, regulated environments- Why GenAI and agents aren’t always the right tool—and when logic still wins- And yes, how designing gardens relates to building great UXIf you’re a founder figuring out your funding path—or just trying to scale without losing your mind—this one’s for you.Resources:The Hard Thing About Hard Things, Ben HorowitzEpisode 170 of the Full Ratchet podcast:  Craig Wortmann - Sales Mastery & Storytelling at Scaling StartupsConnect with Fergal McGovern and VisibleThread:Fergal McGovern: LinkedInVisibleThread: LinkedIn  |  Website⁠Leave a review and subscribe onApple PodcastsSpotifyMoneyNeverSleeps (website)Email us: [email protected] with Pete Townsend and MoneyNeverSleeps:Pete Townsend: X/Twitter  |  LinkedIn MoneyNeverSleeps: X/Twitter  |  LinkedIn  |  Newsletter
    --------  
    44:48
  • 290: The Ethical Hacker Mindset with Yev Broshevan from Hacken
    This week, I sat down with Yev Broshevan, co-founder and Chief Business Development Officer at Hacken, a leading blockchain security firm focused on making Web3 a safer, more trustworthy place for everyone. Even better? Yev’s birthday is the same day this episode drops - happy birthday, Yev!Yev’s story goes way back to her early days as a cybersecurity engineer in Ukraine, where weak institutions and a hacker’s curiosity led her deep into the world of Bitcoin back in 2014. Since then, she and her Hacken co-founders have been building a mission-driven business around ethical hacking—using a mindset of creativity and values to secure everything from smart contracts to crypto exchanges.In this episode, we get into:Why the hacker mindset isn’t just about code, it’s a way of living—and solving problemsHow HackenProof, their bug bounty platform, now has over 45,000 ethical hackers keeping Web3 projects secureWhy smart contract audits are just one layer—operational security and key management matter just as muchHow AI is reshaping both sides of the security equation: as a powerful ally and a new threat vectorWhy Yev’s now channeling her hacker brain into biohacking—optimizing health and performance like it’s just another system to tuneWe also talk about Hacken’s move into the US, how the security landscape has evolved since the early days of crypto, and what the industry still needs to get right to earn back trust.From Web2 to Web3 to Human 2.0, this one’s got layers.Connect with Yev Broshevan and Hacken:Yev Broshevan:  X/Twitter  |  LinkedInHacken:  X/Twitter  |  LinkedIn  |  Website⁠Leave a review and subscribe onApple PodcastsSpotifyMoneyNeverSleeps (website)Email us: [email protected] with Pete Townsend and MoneyNeverSleeps:Pete Townsend: X/Twitter  |  LinkedIn MoneyNeverSleeps: X/Twitter  |  LinkedIn  |  Newsletter
    --------  
    38:59
  • 289: BlackRock’s BTC Flex | On-Chain Politics | Tokenized Fund Liquidity | SBF Still Scheming | Laura Walsh
    This week, I’m joined by the ever-insightful and gloriously unfiltered Laura Walsh for a whirlwind spin through the crypto-political multiverse. From BlackRock’s Larry Fink flirting with Bitcoin as the next global reserve currency to Trump-World and Cowboy State stablecoins, this episode has more layers than a Siberian haplogroup.What’s inside?Larry Fink’s crypto come-up – From “index of money laundering” to “Bitcoin might dethrone the dollar”? BlackRock’s shifting narrative and what it really means.Bitcoin as collateral – Is BTC ready to step into the reserve asset big leagues, or are we still in the pool noodle phase of macroeconomic modeling?The Trump Token-verse – Meme coins, stablecoins, and the political gamification of crypto. Spoiler: It’s not a joke just because it’s April Fool’s.The great stablecoin expansion – From USD1 to USYC, Pete and Laura unpack where stablecoins are headed, why transparency matters, and how to make sense of the growing crowd — without losing your shirt.Ondo’s liquidity leap – Tokenized treasuries meet real-time settlement. Is this the workaround we’ve been waiting for?Digital identity vs. digital anonymity – Institutional KYC meets privacy paranoia. Can we have both?Wyoming’s legal side-quest – The Cowboy State wants its own stablecoin. The Constitution might have a word.The 23andMe acquisition rumor – Is your genome going on-chain? What could possibly go wrong?Plus: Canadian election shout-outs, doomsday memes, and Laura’s adventures dodging gun racks and memecoins.Also in this episode:CryptoMondays Ireland is back on April 7th, with a fireside chat (or maybe just vibes) between Pete and Alejandro Gutierrez from Solana Superteam Ireland.ETH Dublin is heating up with Vitalik Buterin and Stani Kulechov joining the speaker lineup from May 23–25.And yes, Sam Bankman-Fried wants to be friends with Diddy again. That’s... a whole thing.Connect with Laura Walsh:  LinkedIn  |  X(Twitter) Leave a review and subscribe onApple PodcastsSpotifyMoneyNeverSleeps (website)Email us: [email protected] on X(Twitter): Pete Townsend | MoneyNeverSleeps Follow on LinkedIn: Pete Townsend | MoneyNeverSleeps MoneyNeverSleeps newsletter on Substack
    --------  
    41:50

More Business podcasts

About MoneyNeverSleeps

A weekly podcast that looks inside the minds of entrepreneurs and at the crossover of startups, enterprise, finance, technology and life as we know it, hosted by early-stage startup investor Pete Townsend.
Podcast website

Listen to MoneyNeverSleeps, Ask About Wealth and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app

Get the free radio.net app

  • Stations and podcasts to bookmark
  • Stream via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
  • Supports Carplay & Android Auto
  • Many other app features

MoneyNeverSleeps: Podcasts in Family

Social
v7.17.1 | © 2007-2025 radio.de GmbH
Generated: 5/11/2025 - 8:32:12 PM