Exploring Fintech with Joel Yarbrough: Moment's Impact on Africa's Digital Payments

About this Episode

In Episode 198 of the FintechChatter podcast, Dexter Cousins chats with Joel Yarbrough, CEO of Moment. Joel, an OG fintech leader, discusses his global journey with roles at PayPal, Grab, and now Moment, where he's tapping into Africa's fintech opportunities.

Dexter and Joel discuss the qualities of successful individuals in startup environments, emphasizing the importance of passion, collaboration, and a growth mindset.

Joel talks about the Importance of giving back and building diverse teams, as well as the challenges of hiring in a rapidly changing market. He also provides insights into the future of Moment and the importance of being mission-driven in the business world.

About Joel
A passionate leader whose love of technology drives him to deconstruct complex systems and rebuild them to solve real problems. He has spent most of my career helping strategise, design, product manage, and deliver multi-channel solutions in and around the intersections of financial services, commerce, and technology.

He would describe himself as a great evangelist and dot connector, working with partners to understand their strategies and solve their problems. The delight of leading product teams to make the vision a reality is a real joy.

His core belief is that together we can make the world a better place - even if it's through our own enlightened self-interest. By doing things well, and being decent to each other we will all keep pushing to a brighter place together.

About Moment
Moment is an integrated payments platform for Africa, incubated as a joint venture by MultiChoice, Rapyd, and General Catalyst. We connect businesses and consumers in over 40 African countries. We're able to do so through our broad network that aims to cover over 100 payment providers, 200 local payment methods, and 40 currencies.

Key Takeaways

• How Africa's projected population growth presents unique opportunities for fintech.
• Moment's aims to build a comprehensive payment network for Africa, as the trend towards digital payments grows. 
• Regulatory changes are shifting towards enabling innovation rather than just consumer protection.
• Australia's fintech scene is strong but needs to leverage its geographic and cultural assets more effectively.
• Regional trade clusters are more valuable than cross-oceanic trade relationships.
• The gig economy has empowered individuals in emerging markets, changing their economic prospects.
• The diversity in teams provides greater problem-solving capabilities and drives a growth mindset for individuals.
• Navigating hiring challenges requires clear communication to achieve high standards and cultural fit.
• Giving back creates a positive network effect and greater sense of fulfillment.

Chapters
00:00.  Introduction to Joel Yarbrough and Moment

05:42.  The Unique Opportunity in Africa's Fintech Landscape

14:01.  The Impact of Fintech on Personal Agency

19:44.  Australia's Fintech Identity and Global Positioning

25:08.  Understanding Human Capital in Startups

30:32.  Passion vs. Mission-Driven Work

39:01.  Navigating Hiring Challenges in a Changing Market

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