Latest / The Curve / Vic said no to Goldman Sachs and ended up making $400k by 26
Transcript
- 0:00There is nothing more motivating than running your own business.
- 0:03I have worked so much harder than I probably ever worked in my corporate life.
- 0:08I was employee number 14.
- 0:10They gave the option to purchase shares.
- 0:13That $40,000 turned into nearly $400,000.
- 0:16I'd never been a minority in that sense.
- 0:19They've got about 30 men to remember.
- 0:21They're all in the same, all in the suits.
- 0:23They've got one female to remember.
- 0:25I'm really going to use this to my advantage.
- 0:27I remember giving myself little challenges of, right, this meeting, you can ask a question.
- 0:32Fear is growth.
- 0:33I went from like zero to a hundred pretty quickly.
- 0:35Money for me always meant independence.
- 0:38I've never regretted spending money on...
- 0:41The lowest point in my life money-wise was I remember feeling immense pressure of this has to work.
- 0:50I can't go home.
- 0:51I can't let this business fail.
- 0:53Everything felt all-encompassing.
- 0:55I don't know if you want to say this.
- 1:03Hi guys.
- 1:04Hi there.
- 1:05Victoria Harris.
- 1:06I'm going to get two of you.
- 1:07Two of us.
- 1:08Oh gosh, pressure.
- 1:10So yeah, a couple of months ago in Sophie's Money Story episode, we unpacked what her first memories of money were, what she was like growing up, earning pocket money, uni experience, career experience, and then we've had so many requests to do the exact same with you.
- 1:23And also the timing for this episode feels kind of perfect because when we recorded with Sophie, we couldn't give the news on the curve investment.
- 1:30Oh yes, absolutely.
- 1:31which we now can.
- 1:31So we're going to dive into that today.
- 1:34So to start off with, for anybody tuning into this podcast for the very first time, and for anybody that doesn't know you, top level, what is the curve and what is the curve investments?
- 1:44Oh, I thought you're going to be like, what were three words to describe yourself?
- 1:49A horrible question.
- 1:51So The Curve is a media platform that we created to educate women around financial literacy, investing, stock market, all of that kind of stuff.
- 2:03And it came about because I constantly had friends coming up to me being like, hey Vic, can you explain this?
- 2:08Can you explain this?
- 2:08And there was just like nowhere to go to learn.
- 2:11And we were like...
- 2:12So should we just start talking and record it?
- 2:14And so that's how The Curve Media started, which is this business.
- 2:20And then very excitingly, about a few months ago, we launched The Curve Investments, which is a way for the people in our community to invest so they can learn through The Curve Media and now they can invest through The Curve Investments, which is awesome because we're not really solving problems.
- 2:40the gender wealth gap if we're just educating.
- 2:43There needs to be an element of doing, and we just want women to grow their wealth.
- 2:49And you can't do that unless you have a place to invest.
- 2:53And there was nothing out there, to be honest.
- 2:55Honestly, if you could look at the background research that we did, it took so long.
- 3:00For a year, we were looking, okay, do we do a trading platform?
- 3:04Do we do a fund?
- 3:05Do we do...
- 3:07you know, some kind of app or something.
- 3:09Do we partner?
- 3:09Do we build?
- 3:10Like there was so many scenarios and we were like, let's create a fund.
- 3:13I've been a fund manager before.
- 3:14Let's create a fund that invests in global companies that our audience can invest in.
- 3:20So that's why we did it.
- 3:22Also, it's great because you can still do both.
- 3:24You can be educated and learn alongside you guys whilst also taking the plunge to actually invest at the same time.
- 3:29Totally.
- 3:30And now we can talk about the investments in the Curve Fund and we can educate.
- 3:33It's kind of like...
- 3:34very everything's kind of connective you've got a great ecosystem going yeah education so you can come in as a beginner and then you can actually learn and you can invest and then yeah so now like so managing the curve media and running with that and that's her skill set like she's been a producer for forever and then i am running the curve investments and we come together for the podcast perfect yeah
- 3:55So for those who are new here, can you give an overview on what your relationship with money was like growing up?
- 4:01Yes.
- 4:02Okay.
- 4:02I mean, throughout being on the podcast and learning that I've really unpacked this.
- 4:07I mean, when we first started the curve, I didn't even think that...
- 4:11growing up, like the relationship with money growing up impacts you in your later years.
- 4:14And like, I just didn't even think of it.
- 4:16And then we had so many experts on the podcast.
- 4:17I was like, oh, and you do this whole lot of self-reflection.
- 4:21Money for me always meant independence.
- 4:24I had an older sister.
- 4:26who had a job before I did and had her own money or got an allowance for my parents before I did.
- 4:31And so she had a lot more freedom because she had her own money.
- 4:35And I would always look at her and go, I want that.
- 4:37You know, I want to be like my older sister and I want to be able to go to the movies without asking my parents for money and like all of that kind of stuff.
- 4:43And then like even little things, I remember wanting to get like a Dolomix from my grandparents and like wanting to go to the dairy and get a good Dolomix.
- 4:51And they'd be like, no.
- 4:53And I'd be like...
- 4:55I always remember getting frustrated and I was like, if only I had my own dollar, you know, and so that kind of bred this whole narrative in me.
- 5:03Like I remember always trying to sell things, whether it's like clothes around the house or, you know, my sister went away to university when I was younger.
- 5:15And then I like she left some clothes at home and I put them on trade me and I was like, well, you don't want them.
- 5:21Anyway, little things like I always had this money equals independence, money equals freedom, like all of that.
- 5:26And look, that's like definitely carried through my life in terms of running my own business means having your own money, dictating how you live your life, having freedom, like everything moving up in my career when I was in finance.
- 5:42It's all about like, okay.
- 5:43Yeah.
- 5:44you know, if I get this job, then I can have the freedom.
- 5:45Yeah.
- 5:46In actual fact, it does.
- 5:47And for women in particular, having money does mean choice and freedom and how you live your life and power, essentially.
- 5:54So totally.
- 5:56You've spoken a little bit about, slash we've heard a little bit about your mum being an accountant.
- 6:00And I'm sure that obviously influenced you in one way or another.
- 6:03Was money something you spoke about openly in your family because of that?
- 6:07I think there was always money attached to money.
- 6:12everything, if that makes sense.
- 6:13Like it wasn't that things were scarce.
- 6:16Like we were in a very privileged position in that sense.
- 6:19But there was always an understanding that things cost money.
- 6:25You know, like you're going to a nice school, that costs money, therefore you should put in...
- 6:30you know, you should respect that.
- 6:31And like, I remember one day, you know, telling mum what I wanted to be when I was older.
- 6:36And one of her friends was like, oh, well, there goes a waste of an education, you know, and I didn't understand.
- 6:40I was like, the amount my parents had spent on a good education was the first time I was like, oh, the school I go to is actually really expensive.
- 6:48And therefore I need to like value that, you know, you know, if we went on holiday, it was like, okay, well, we're going to rent a house.
- 6:53We're not going to go overseas.
- 6:54We're going to rent a house in New Zealand rather than go, you know, and a lot, I went to a very privileged school and there
- 7:00expensive cars that were driven and holidays.
- 7:03And so I was surrounded by wealth, but also made aware that doing things costs money and buying things costs money.
- 7:11If you want to buy that, that those shoes or go to the movies, like that money has to come from somewhere.
- 7:16So either you get a job or, you know, we're going to give you a set amount a month when I was younger that I couldn't work.
- 7:22They were like, look, we'll give you this amount, but it has to last for the month and things cost money.
- 7:25You know, there was a very early age of like things cost money.
- 7:29I also think it kind of instilled a drive in me as well, being surrounded by a lot of wealth because, yeah, I could see the opportunities that came with that.
- 7:40I don't know.
- 7:40Yeah.
- 7:41Definitely.
- 7:41I've seen a lot of people online, like successful business owners who particularly put themselves in position, like, you know, pay more for rent or hang around circles so that they are driven to like want more and push it.
- 7:54And even when I walk around London and I'm like the wealth here is incredible.
- 7:57extreme, like out of this world.
- 7:59And like, there's this one street by my house and I walk down every day and they're the most beautiful houses.
- 8:05And I'm like, manifest, manifest one day, one day, one day.
- 8:09And like, look, I know that's very materialistic.
- 8:11No, that's inspiring.
- 8:12To have a social cue.
- 8:13I actually take myself to Kensington often and just walk around.
- 8:17I'm honestly not even joking.
- 8:18I just walk around and I'm like, wow.
- 8:20And it does make you feel like you want to push and do more and like inspiring.
- 8:24And it is like surrounding yourself with smart people and all of that.
- 8:27Like, yeah, putting yourself in those situations.
- 8:30So now moving on to young adult Vic.
- 8:33Oh my God, she was so innocent.
- 8:34Oh, I remember you saying after school, you tried to actually study law.
- 8:39But there was an exam that you took.
- 8:42I can't remember where you said this.
- 8:43There was a certain exam that you took and you thought that you had done really well in it.
- 8:46And then when the results came back, you were like, if I can't nail this after the amount of effort that I put in, then I'm just going to have to sack it in.
- 8:54And look, I didn't know anything about law.
- 8:58And I remember going to careers, like guidance, right?
- 9:00person at school and they were like oh you should do law and commerce i was like cool thank you like didn't even think what it was about or anything and i knew i liked commerce at school so i was like cool i get that i understand law yeah i was like how hard can it be side note this must be like a universal or like a universal new zealand experience because i had the exact same thing they were like you like english go and study law and i did the same thing and then i did a year and was like i hate this and i also was dating a guy at the time who was in law so i was like okay
- 9:31It's giving Legally Blonde.
- 9:32I know.
- 9:32Oh, my God, it is.
- 9:36And anyway.
- 9:37I think the thing with uni is, like, we get so hung up on, like, what we're choosing to do there.
- 9:42Or, like, even going to uni and everyone's like, oh, my God.
- 9:44It's like, honestly, some of the most incredible people that I'm friends with now took a year off and, like, travelled.
- 9:50And then, you know, like, but at the time, you're just like, oh.
- 9:52how am I going to spend my life?
- 9:53And it's like, no, no, it's just university.
- 9:55You're so young still.
- 9:56Anyway, I did law and commerce.
- 9:58And yes, you're right.
- 10:00I cannot tell you how much effort I put into law.
- 10:03Like commerce I got.
- 10:04I was like, sweet, nailed it.
- 10:05But law, I was like, I don't get this.
- 10:07And I remember sitting in the lecture theater and everyone's writing all these notes.
- 10:11And I'm just like...
- 10:13okay, I'll write notes, I don't even know.
- 10:14It's honestly a different language.
- 10:16And I tried so hard.
- 10:17I went to tutoring.
- 10:18I like everything.
- 10:19And I came back and I got a C on my exam.
- 10:22And I was like, I don't have another three years of that.
- 10:26That was one paper.
- 10:27I don't have another three years of this.
- 10:29So I was like, you know what?
- 10:30Know your strengths.
- 10:31Yeah.
- 10:32and ditched the law and just went to the commerce and so glad I did.
- 10:36I enjoyed it more.
- 10:37I could see the application of finance in real life.
- 10:40Just so much more enjoyable.
- 10:44Quite a mature decision to come to it at that age to be like, you know what, this isn't for me.
- 10:48I'm just going to swap.
- 10:49Yeah.
- 10:50And look, I mean, I say mature decision.
- 10:52I was probably like, you know what?
- 10:53I just want to have fun at university.
- 10:54And I put so much effort into this one paper.
- 10:56I don't want to do that for another four years.
- 10:57Law, passing, priorities.
- 10:59But it's really good learning of like, I tried my best.
- 11:02And I think that's really important with everything I do.
- 11:05It's like, okay, if you tried your best and you genuinely did and you don't get the result you want, like there's no harm in...
- 11:13channeling your energy in another direction or like when you don't try and you get a C or you know that's when you're like okay well that's on me it's not yeah yeah yeah yeah so then how did you transition from uni into your finance career the beginnings of your finance career did you take a gap straight out of uni did you go straight into it I got a job at Goldman Sachs
- 11:33whoa actually is yeah in New Zealand I got a job offer and but I had planned a kind of three or four month I think it was maybe three month trip around South America with my friends oh cool yeah and they wanted me to start straight away and I remember having this conversation my mom I was like but I've got my trip and she was like but this is an incredible job and I was like but I've got my iconic
- 11:59And I was like, there's no way I'm cancelling on my friends.
- 12:02And I can look back at it and laugh now, but I remember mum was so pissed off.
- 12:08And fair enough.
- 12:08But I think another lesson is just what's meant to be is meant to be.
- 12:12And I went and I had the most incredible experience.
- 12:14And I ran out of money halfway through.
- 12:17And it was like, I don't know, we were going to the most dangerous parts of South America.
- 12:20We had the best time.
- 12:21We were there over New Year's.
- 12:22It was so fun.
- 12:23I just think everything happens for a reason.
- 12:25And I decided to
- 12:26go on the trip and didn't get the job.
- 12:28And then I got an incredible job when I got back.
- 12:31To that point, that's probably was like the confidence that you needed to know that you could get another really good job.
- 12:36If you go off on a job there, like that is pretty epic.
- 12:39But it's also scary when you're young because you think –
- 12:43Everything seems so big at the time.
- 12:45Like every decision of do you travel, go to university or go straight into like work?
- 12:51Okay, do you get this job or this job?
- 12:52Like everything feels such a big deal and it's so not.
- 12:55I agree.
- 12:56And also the time that your inner job feels so short.
- 12:59You come out of uni and you're like, right, well, I've really not got long.
- 13:01I better make a decision now on what I'm going to do.
- 13:04Life is actually so bloody long.
- 13:05And like, I never thought I'd be where I am today.
- 13:08Like, it's so wild, but everything works in the way that it's supposed to.
- 13:13And I know that sounds a bit woo-woo, but I genuinely believe that every job you don't take, every like decision that you think is bad that you've made or like, it's all part of it.
- 13:21Totally.
- 13:23So no job at Goldman Sachs, but that's all right, because then you got your first job at Milford Asset Management.
- 13:29Yes.
- 13:29Walk us through the jump from getting coffee and answering phones at Milford to actually managing money.
- 13:35What did that climb look like?
- 13:36So I got back from South America and I was like, right.
- 13:39Let's lock in.
- 13:40I have no money and I need a job.
- 13:41I'll take anything I can get.
- 13:42No.
- 13:43And look, yeah, I remember going to this interview at this place.
- 13:46I had no idea what a fund was.
- 13:49And I remember texting a friend going, hey, have you heard of this company?
- 13:52What are they about?
- 13:52Like, because I said no.
- 13:53And they were like, he was like, it's really, really good company.
- 13:55How new was it?
- 13:56It had only been around a few years.
- 13:57I was employee number 14.
- 13:59And I think they're up to like 200 now or something.
- 14:01It's crazy.
- 14:02I remember getting the job and they were like, look.
- 14:05We need someone, yeah, you're right, answering the phones, getting the mail, like doing all of that stuff.
- 14:10And I was like, I've stood there for four years in finance to do this.
- 14:13It was actually such a blessing in disguise because I think I would have absolutely drowned if I'd gone straight to the investment team of learning everything around how a fund operates, the client side, like everything.
- 14:25It was an incredible team and they were just growing so quickly that they set up my interview and they were like, yeah, I'm going to do it.
- 14:32look, if you stay in this role for two years, we can guarantee you a spot in the investment team.
- 14:37Within, I think it was like six months, they were like, right, we've got a job in the investment team if you want it.
- 14:41And I remember my first day in the investment team, my boss dropped this book on my desk and was like, I don't want you to do anything until you finish reading this book.
- 14:48What was the book?
- 14:49It was called One Up on Wall Street by Peter Lynch.
- 14:50Shall we all go and read it?
- 14:52It's so old.
- 14:52Will it make us as smart as you?
- 14:54It is.
- 14:54But I was like...
- 14:56I'm here to work I'm not here to read a book you know like and he's like I want you to highlight everything that you think's important and then come back to me and like summarize what he looked for in investments and it was actually a really good way to learn he was one of the most incredible investors and it was like how what what he looked at in investment and then kind of instilling that way of investing in me so anyway it was a really good learning experience though
- 15:19Yeah.
- 15:19And so swiftly into your six months in, very exciting, two years.
- 15:23At what point then, I guess, when you were in the investing team, did you start to notice that you were often one of the only women in the room?
- 15:31And how did that feel?
- 15:32What was that like?
- 15:33Look, I didn't actually notice it straight away.
- 15:36I think, you know, coming from the kind of
- 15:39admin side of the office and everything and then kind of moving to the investment team.
- 15:44And we were still a small team, so it felt like everyone was one team.
- 15:48And then it wasn't until part of the investment team, they really encouraged you to go out and meet the companies that we're investing in.
- 15:56So I was covering retail companies in New Zealand.
- 16:00So it's like the warehouse, Briscoe's, Hellenstein's Glassons, like all these really iconic retail companies in New Zealand.
- 16:07And so we were made to go out, visit the stores, visit the offices, you know, go and sit opposite their CEOs and, like, ask them about their growth strategy of their business, which is like a young 20-year-old.
- 16:20I'm like –
- 16:21hi.
- 16:23But every public company is trying to sell their business to new investors, essentially, because that means their share price goes up.
- 16:30So their role as a salesperson, they want to take the meeting.
- 16:33And so they want you to be interested because you then might go and buy shares and then increase the share price.
- 16:38So a part of their role is speaking to investors.
- 16:41And so they're very open to it.
- 16:43But what Milford didn't want us doing was kind of sitting behind a screen, punching numbers into spreadsheets and all of that.
- 16:48They're like, anyone can do that.
- 16:50We need you to go out and
- 16:51pound the pavement as such.
- 16:54So with a lot of that, they have these group meetings where they make it quite efficient for the CEOs of these companies.
- 17:01And they're like, right, we're going to come and do a financial update.
- 17:03And we're going to get everyone who is interested in the stock or invest in the stock to come to those meetings.
- 17:07And we'll give one update to all of you, essentially.
- 17:10And you can ask questions and stuff.
- 17:12And there was always these.
- 17:13There's like all the time, all throughout the year, we go along to these meetings.
- 17:17And I think it was at that point that I started realizing
- 17:20hang on, there's like 20, 30 people in this room.
- 17:23I'm the only female.
- 17:24Or like one of the, there might be one other or something, you know?
- 17:27And I was like, this is weird.
- 17:28Then I moved to Sydney with Milford and it was multiplied even more.
- 17:33You know, you had rooms of like 40 people and there was still like no woman or one other woman.
- 17:39And like we'd gravitate towards each other because we'd be like, hi, nice to meet you, you know?
- 17:44And so, yeah, I started realizing probably a few years in
- 17:47Did that affect your confidence or do you think it sort of, again, drove you to want to be more confident?
- 17:54I'd never been a minority in that sense, you know, and I definitely, looking back on it now, sat in the corner a bit more or like would sit at the back or wouldn't ask a question, would just sit there and listen and kind of be a bit like behind the scenes.
- 18:09But as I got more confident, I remember giving myself little challenges of, right, this meeting, you can ask a question.
- 18:16Hmm.
- 18:17You know, like never have you gone to a meeting, Vic, and been like, oh my God, that was such a stupid question that guy asked.
- 18:21So just ask a question.
- 18:23It's 20 seconds of fear, you know, and like I remember the first few times I was like, and I remember it was actually at a Michael Hill AGM.
- 18:31So they had these annual general meetings and it's like all the investors can't with the update.
- 18:35And I put my hand up and I just remember seeing my hand and going, oh my God.
- 18:38I was like, oh, what's happened?
- 18:42And then I stood up in front of like the most intimidating scenario and I was like, oh.
- 18:46Hi, I'm Victoria.
- 18:48I'm just wondering if you're going to... And I don't even remember that.
- 18:52But again, two seconds.
- 18:53I know I'm going to feel anything of it.
- 18:5520 seconds of fear.
- 18:57Then I noticed myself, I was sitting more in the center and at the front.
- 19:01And then I found, I was like, you know what?
- 19:04I'm really going to harness this.
- 19:06And I started introducing myself to all the CEOs.
- 19:10And I was like...
- 19:12There's only – they've got about 30 men to remember.
- 19:15They're all in the same, all in the suits.
- 19:17They've got one female to remember.
- 19:19I love this.
- 19:19And I'm going to introduce myself.
- 19:22And then you start seeing them each year because they're updating you, you know, once a year, once a quarter.
- 19:26And you start seeing the same people and the same CEOs.
- 19:28And I was like, hi.
- 19:30And they're like, oh, Vic, good to see you.
- 19:31And I'm like –
- 19:32Yeah, so I went from like zero to 100 pretty quickly in terms of going from like so, so little confidence to like, I'm really going to use this to my advantage.
- 19:41There's really good advice as well.
- 19:42I always hear people saying you should do something that makes you scared every single day.
- 19:46Honestly, I even try it now.
- 19:48I'm trying to like Vic, if you're scared to make that phone call or you're scared to public speak, I know it sounds easy to say but not to do.
- 19:57But yeah, if you do, like fear is growth.
- 20:00Yeah.
- 20:00Yeah.
- 20:00You know, and I'm just like so glad I didn't keep sitting in the back of those rooms.
- 20:05So you've spoken a little bit about it.
- 20:06And of course, because it was a, I guess, a startup when you started working there.
- 20:10So equity in the business was put on the table, so to speak.
- 20:16How did that come about and how did that look for you?
- 20:18As part of being one of the early employees, we got a salary that would get paid each month.
- 20:24But also part of that, because the business was so new, they gave staff the option to purchase shares as well.
- 20:32And look, I love it.
- 20:34It's a great initiative because it means that people are in for the long haul.
- 20:38And it did create – the staff turnover at that company was so low because people are incentivized.
- 20:44Okay, well, if I generate good performance, it's not just for the owners of the business, actually for me, myself.
- 20:52Or if you're on the client side, cool, if I retain this client, then that actually benefits me in the long run.
- 20:57All these things, it creates a real sense of longevity in a business.
- 21:00To pay for the shares, we had to put down a $40,000 loan or something.
- 21:05But what I didn't realize was that could be paid...
- 21:09from the value of the shares down the track or something like that.
- 21:12So technically, I guess in black and white, you weren't really paying for them.
- 21:15You weren't signing up for anything.
- 21:16But I saw this document as $40,000.
- 21:21I don't have that.
- 21:22I'm out of uni.
- 21:23I'm straight out of uni.
- 21:24I'm still paying off my South America trip.
- 21:26Yeah, you don't add to the debt.
- 21:28I can't afford $40,000 right now.
- 21:30So I declined the offer.
- 21:32Did you speak to your parents before you declined it?
- 21:36No.
- 21:36Because your mum would have been like, Victoria!
- 21:38And there was no claw to that point.
- 21:40I could chuck it in claw to be like, what does this mean?
- 21:42You just saw 40 grand and thought, fuck no.
- 21:44I was like, I don't have that amount of money right now.
- 21:48And so I declined it.
- 21:49And my boss came over and sat me down.
- 21:52And he was like, Vic, do you understand this employee share scheme?
- 21:57And I was like...
- 21:58yeah duh he's like dude i was like um well like just maybe this little bit like what does this mean anyway is this the boss that got you to read the book yeah yeah he sounds like an absolute yeah agreed he sounds like a legend and he went through like line by line and explained all he's like so you don't have to pay anything for two years or something he was like and even in two years time you can say you don't want to take up
- 22:24the loan or, you know, there was some kind of caveat of like, all you have to do is like decide you want to be on the register now and then you don't pay anything for two years.
- 22:34And then I'm pretty sure if the share price was at a certain level, then you can convert it to shares or...
- 22:41If it had fallen below that, then you don't have to take the loan.
- 22:43So there was like – it was the most de-risked investment probably ever.
- 22:49Yet I was like, sorry, I just don't have $40,000.
- 22:51And he was like, no, but you don't need $40,000.
- 22:54So thank goodness he made sure I understood because that $40,000 turned into nearly $400,000.
- 23:04Oh, my word.
- 23:06And I count my blessings every day that someone –
- 23:09took the time to explain that to me because that's just changed my life incredibly.
- 23:14And I think that's kind of why I find the curve so important.
- 23:17It's just like there is so many times in our lives that if we make tiny decisions can actually change the financial trajectory of our lives.
- 23:26And, you know, whether it's, you know, getting insurance or not getting insurance or whether it's taking this job versus that, you know, there's so many things that, you know,
- 23:36if someone doesn't explain the risk or doesn't explain the opportunity, can have quite an impact.
- 23:42And so I think that for me, I was like, oh my God, thank you so much.
- 23:44That's amazing.
- 23:45At what point did it turn into that number?
- 23:48Was it after you left?
- 23:49Yeah.
- 23:50So I left and joined another company and I had to sell, they were competitors, so you can't have shares.
- 23:55So I had to sell those.
- 23:57And that had been over about six years.
- 23:59So it was, yeah.
- 24:01And the business had grown massively.
- 24:03And I mean, if I'd kept that in there,
- 24:05I'm sure they'll probably be multiple times higher than that now.
- 24:09Yeah, it's okay because it's all now on the curve investments.
- 24:12Yes, exactly.
- 24:13But it's a good reminder as well of how much equity, when you get salary increases kind of year and year or you jump to new jobs and you get a bit of a jump, the wealth you can create from investing, and yes, this is in a private company, but the wealth you can create from investing in property or public companies, private companies, is just...
- 24:30it really does accelerate your wealth and it's making money while you sleep.
- 24:35It genuinely is.
- 24:35For sure.
- 24:37But annoyingly often in order to get into it, either you need a bit of money to begin with or the rest to take.
- 24:43A hundred percent.
- 24:44And look that I didn't have that 40,000.
- 24:46Yeah.
- 24:46I'm just so thankful that they gave that opportunity as, as a, you know, in the structure they did, but yeah, you're right.
- 24:52If I had to put down 40,000, I wouldn't have been in the situation I max.
- 24:55I didn't have that.
- 24:56So it's like, yeah, money breeds money.
- 24:57Yeah.
- 24:58Yeah.
- 25:00There's a story about finding everyone in the company's salary on the photocopier.
- 25:05Yeah.
- 25:05What was going through your mind?
- 25:07This wasn't.
- 25:07That was quite funny.
- 25:08Yeah.
- 25:08This wasn't at this job.
- 25:10Oh.
- 25:10It's a different job, which I won't name, but yeah.
- 25:13And also, how does that even happen, honestly?
- 25:15I know.
- 25:16There was a structure that bonuses were a percentage of your salary.
- 25:20So when there was salary reviews, it was always like a shit fight because people would be like, well, I want a higher salary because I know that means a higher bonus at the time.
- 25:26in terms of a percentage of the bonus pool.
- 25:28And so, so yes, I, one day, the, the bone, it was bonus season and it's so funny when it's bonus because everyone's like a bit like on edge or someone will like start getting taken out in like a one-on-one chat.
- 25:39Yeah.
- 25:40And yeah, I saw what people's bonuses were.
- 25:44Oh,
- 25:45So you could then be like, well, if that's their bonus, then this is what their salary is.
- 25:49And so I kind of reverse engineered what their salaries were.
- 25:56And I was like, even if there's a buffer of like, you know, a portion, it still doesn't add up.
- 26:02Like, why am I getting paid so much less?
- 26:04Therefore, why is my bonus so much less?
- 26:06And I started to justify it.
- 26:07I was like, oh, well, Vic, you haven't been here as long as this guy or you're not as old as this guy.
- 26:12I tried to rationalize everything.
- 26:14And I was like, Vic, what the fuck?
- 26:14What the F are you doing?
- 26:15Yeah.
- 26:16And so I went to them and I was like, hey.
- 26:18I had it up my back's pocket.
- 26:19I didn't actually say I've seen it.
- 26:21You know, like, I was just like, hey, I've done XYZ for this business.
- 26:24And I would really like to have a salary review.
- 26:28And I'd like this amount.
- 26:29I said that to them.
- 26:31And they were like, no, sorry.
- 26:32And I was like, cool.
- 26:35And they said, come back in six months time.
- 26:36So I came back in six months time, had the same conversation and they were like, no, sorry.
- 26:40Actually, I think it was like $1,000 or something.
- 26:43Which is like $20 a week.
- 26:44I was like, that's not even an inflation amount.
- 26:46Like I was kind of, it was almost, just don't give me anything.
- 26:49That's an F you.
- 26:50You know, like I was like, just keep it.
- 26:53I don't know.
- 26:53I've rarely taken that on in terms of like, you know, being an employer now.
- 26:57I'm like, gosh, it is so much easier to pay people what they want than have to re- Like, I just- Definitely hire.
- 27:05My salary over that period of time in the finance industry went from like $45,000 to-
- 27:11Bonuses include probably over $400,000.
- 27:13New Zealand boys?
- 27:14Yeah, New Zealand boys.
- 27:15Wow.
- 27:16So that is a great segue into my next question.
- 27:19Then we join the curve and it goes, you win a fan.
- 27:22Right back down.
- 27:23But let's talk a bit about now when you did shift to having that glossy salary.
- 27:29Was this when you moved to Sydney?
- 27:31Yeah.
- 27:31Yes.
- 27:32Yes.
- 27:32Okay, so.
- 27:33God, that was fun.
- 27:34What was that period like?
- 27:35How did you sort of, I guess, find the transition?
- 27:38And did you get caught up in the lifestyle?
- 27:40Just walk us through the whole period of time until you, I guess, probably realize, right, actually, it's time to lock in.
- 27:47Yeah, look, I look at my life and I think my 20s was...
- 27:53One of the best times.
- 27:54Yeah.
- 27:54You know, like, I was earning a good salary.
- 27:57Don't get me wrong, I did.
- 27:58Yeah, definitely tried to invest a lot.
- 28:00One of the early years in my career, we got some incredible bonuses.
- 28:04And I had this older guy sit me down and he was like, Vic, whatever you do, do not get used to living off your bonus money.
- 28:12because it is a bonus and it's a bonus for a reason.
- 28:14I've been around a long time in finance.
- 28:16There's heydays and there's like really shit times as well.
- 28:19So he was just, and it was really good advice because I think when you're so young and naive, you can really start drinking the Kool-Aid and be like, no, my God.
- 28:27And then, yeah.
- 28:28And then when markets are cyclical, right, they move in cycles, there's great times, there's bad times.
- 28:34And so, yeah, he was just like,
- 28:36make sure you can live off your salary, not your buy-in.
- 28:39And I was like, okay, that's really good.
- 28:40So I definitely tried to invest a lot.
- 28:43But Sydney, yeah, the time I met, that was so fun.
- 28:45It's a great city and I just said yes to everything.
- 28:50I just remember friends would be like, should we go to Bali?
- 28:52And I'd be like, yeah.
- 28:54i mean why not why not and it was my my my oe right what does oe stand for sorry overseas experience so it's like when you the big oe yeah usually like work a few years get that experience and then you go your overseas experience and you come back you know like a lot of people do do it to london uh and i did it to sydney and i remember like arriving with my arrival card and it was like permanently immigrating and i was like
- 29:17yeah and they were like next i was like yeah probably like one of like millions of kiwis that moved to australia but i just i wish i'd invested more because i didn't have a lot of outgoings i didn't have a mortgage until later like i just i could have easily and people say yeah your 20s are for building your earning capacity your 30s are for growing your wealth
- 29:40and like building your wealth.
- 29:41And then your 40s are usually like family and it's a bit harder.
- 29:44And so that's kind of when you spend it a bit more or you don't grow it as much.
- 29:48And I, yeah, if I think about that, it's exactly kind of how I've done it.
- 29:51It's like my 20s was super fun and could have definitely invested some more.
- 29:5630s is growing your wealth and then, yeah.
- 29:58So somewhere along the way, the car van started.
- 30:01Yeah.
- 30:02How long were you brewing on that for?
- 30:05When did the idea of starting that up come about?
- 30:07Yeah, we were driving back from somewhere, I don't know, in New Zealand, and Soph was in the back seat and my ex-boyfriend was in the front seat.
- 30:15And they're like, Frank, you've got to do it.
- 30:16You've got to start the cab.
- 30:18And I was like, yeah, honestly...
- 30:20The number of my friends that said I needed to start the curve was like getting so annoying.
- 30:24As in at that point, you'd actually already been speaking about you had a name for it.
- 30:27We didn't have a name for it at that point.
- 30:28But it was like, they were just like, you need to start some kind of financial education thing.
- 30:32Like everyone wanted to learn.
- 30:34And it honestly got to the point that I did it because I wanted to shut up my friends.
- 30:37Like honestly.
- 30:39I was so, and I think I was scared, right?
- 30:41You're like, I don't want to start something in case it fails or like, and honestly, I couldn't have been more wrong when I started at the like reception that we had, the support, the response, everything was so incredible and overwhelming that it's kind of, again, a good reminder of like, why was I so scared?
- 30:58You know, even if I did start it and then it failed, like, what have I lost?
- 31:01Like, cool.
- 31:02I've started something that I always wanted to do.
- 31:03Yeah, I don't know.
- 31:03Yeah, it was.
- 31:04Yeah.
- 31:05So I'm so glad that we did and that I had pressure from my friends to do it and the support that those friends ended up giving me.
- 31:13And then Soph also coming on board was just like doing a business with someone.
- 31:18so much less scary.
- 31:20Yeah.
- 31:20You know, it's like you're in it together, you're a team and I've spoken to friends that have started businesses on their own and they're like, they wish they'd had a co-founder and it can be also really difficult times but it's,
- 31:33I don't know, it's less scary doing it with someone else.
- 31:36Yeah, it makes it all feel maybe a bit more real because you're bouncing off ideas with somebody.
- 31:40Yeah, should we do this?
- 31:40Should we not?
- 31:41Should we accept this?
- 31:42Should we not?
- 31:43Yeah.
- 31:43And the Curve name actually came from a friend of mine.
- 31:49And now, like, seeing the success of the business, he's like, excuse me.
- 31:54where are my royalties where are my royalties we were doing up with like trying to find an acronym i remember of like women in finance or like women investing or like you know and i'm really glad that we didn't go with a girls or women or like you know and and because it means that we can be a bit agnostic and kind of broaden our reach and and grow and expand into other places and i don't know the curve just i love the curve
- 32:19It's such a good thing.
- 32:20At that point, what did you think the curve was going to be?
- 32:23Because I remember Sove saying in the early days it was all about events.
- 32:26And now, obviously, you've got the podcast.
- 32:29Now I've got the curve investments.
- 32:30We didn't really have a plan, to be honest.
- 32:32It was kind of like, just take it each day as it comes.
- 32:34And then we'd get someone asking us if we wanted to do an event.
- 32:35We're like, yep, cool.
- 32:37And then we had our first podcast sponsorship.
- 32:38We're like, cool.
- 32:40And I think that's really important with business as well.
- 32:42It's like, yes, you can have a plan, but also –
- 32:47I just never would have thought the curve would be where it is today.
- 32:49And so you kind of take the opportunities as they come, but also realize like pivoting and stuff.
- 32:55We were doing events and we were doing so many events and then COVID hit and it's like, cool.
- 32:59Okay.
- 33:00Well, we can't do events anymore.
- 33:01So let's do the podcast.
- 33:02And so the advice that I give to friends who want to start businesses, I'm like, yeah,
- 33:06cool, start it, but also don't be afraid that it might not end up what you think.
- 33:10It might end up something way, way better.
- 33:13And so, yeah, I think it's just like don't be afraid to kind of pivot and go after the opportunities as they come.
- 33:18Obviously, you shifted from doing this part-time to moving to be full-time.
- 33:25At what point did you think, okay, it's time to go to investors, raise capital, raise capital?
- 33:30Rather than bootstrapping it, and for anyone that doesn't know the difference, what is that?
- 33:36Can you please explain the difference?
- 33:37Because it's definitely not a bootstrap on your shoe.
- 33:40Yes, no, it is not.
- 33:42And I don't know why it's called bootstrapping.
- 33:43I don't know, like, come on, let's just make it a little bit more obvious.
- 33:47So bootstrapping is when you kind of self-fund.
- 33:50So for a period of the business, usually in the early years, it's not generating profit.
- 33:54So you have to, like...
- 33:56pay people's salaries or pay for marketing or pay for IT equipment.
- 34:00You have to pay for that for something.
- 34:01And so some people raise money and they go to external investors.
- 34:04Other people bootstrap, which comes from their own pocket, essentially.
- 34:08We did do that initially.
- 34:10And I funded the first website, things like that.
- 34:16And then we got to a point where we were like, right.
- 34:18And yes, you're right.
- 34:19I had left full-time employment.
- 34:21I was full-time at the curve.
- 34:23We had...
- 34:24Moved the business to the UK and we could see the opportunity here.
- 34:27And we were like, right, we really need to get a whole lot of money so that we can grow.
- 34:33Yeah, look, it was a lot bigger of an undertaking than I thought.
- 34:38I'd come from a world where...
- 34:40I was sitting on the other side.
- 34:41Businesses would come to us being like, hey, do you want to invest in us?
- 34:44And I'd be like, well, what's your growth strategy?
- 34:48And you're kind of pulling apart their growth plans and you're trying to figure out how at risk your money is going to be investing in them.
- 34:56And you're seeing all these companies all the time.
- 34:57So I was like, this is a piece of cake.
- 34:59I've been on the other side.
- 35:00I know what I'm doing.
- 35:02Wow, what a learning experience.
- 35:04I did not know what I was doing.
- 35:06And it's your baby and everything.
- 35:08It's just so different.
- 35:10Anyway, so yeah, we decided we needed money.
- 35:13We meant to pitch to investors, bought investors on.
- 35:16Anyone going down that route, I would just say, make sure that you give yourself more time than you need.
- 35:23It is like a full-time job.
- 35:24You raise more than you need.
- 35:27And...
- 35:28you realize you're going to kind of sell your soul for a little bit.
- 35:30Yeah.
- 35:31Is that because of just constant pitching?
- 35:33Yeah.
- 35:34You get a lot of no's, I'm guessing.
- 35:35Yeah.
- 35:36And you get like a lot of people that don't give you no's.
- 35:39They just don't get back to you.
- 35:41And you've got to show up like this is the first time you've ever pitched and this is the investor that you want.
- 35:48And this, you know, like the energy every time.
- 35:50And we had like three or four in one night.
- 35:53Is it a bit like doing Dragon's Den buck to buck to buck to buck?
- 35:56Exactly.
- 35:56Yeah.
- 35:57Yeah, or a podcast.
- 35:58Back to back to back to back to back.
- 35:59Oh, God.
- 35:59Ha!
- 36:00Hi!
- 36:01Yeah!
- 36:01Always on, so enthusiastic.
- 36:02Yeah.
- 36:03Some are really like, look, we love what you're doing, but just not for me.
- 36:06Or I don't have the money right now.
- 36:07Or I'm going to be spending something else.
- 36:10And others didn't even get it.
- 36:11They were like, what?
- 36:13Huh?
- 36:13How do you make money?
- 36:14Yeah, so I remember one time we were like halfway through our pitch deck and this lady's like,
- 36:18Are you a charity?
- 36:20You're all like, what do you mean?
- 36:21She's like, where are the financials?
- 36:22And we were like, whoa, whoa.
- 36:24Like we were just, anyway.
- 36:26And people only have like 20 minutes and you've got to really get in there.
- 36:29And there's an art to it, definitely.
- 36:32But then we had to raise money for the curve of investments.
- 36:35And that was a lot easier because of the learning experience.
- 36:37Yeah, anyway.
- 36:38So I don't know.
- 36:39I think I've had two very different experiences with that.
- 36:43But both, yeah.
- 36:46It's a huge undertaking regardless.
- 36:48And I just think you need to be prepared.
- 36:50Getting new capital and new money in the door can be great, but it does suck your soul a little bit.
- 36:56But it can accelerate your growth.
- 36:58I remember I was like, I don't want to, I don't want to.
- 37:00And then someone said to me, like, Vic, I was like, I don't want to give away, I don't know, what was it, 10%?
- 37:05Because I was like, because then I own less.
- 37:06And they were like, yeah, but you own less of a bigger pie.
- 37:09And I was like.
- 37:10True.
- 37:11I remember leaving my house.
- 37:13finance job and my mum's like to join the curve full time and she was like what are you even thinking why like why are you leaving such a you know steady incredible it's golden facts all over again yeah and i know yeah and i'm like just you i'll show you mum i'll show you
- 37:29So, just to reiterate, obviously, in Sophie's episode, we did kind of a whole run through of the Curve as a business.
- 37:37From the podcast in the early days to the investing club and where it's at now.
- 37:43But before we get on to the latest development, which is the Curve Investments, we wanted to quickly read out some of the questions that came in from the community.
- 37:50So, first one, God, this is a bit harrowing.
- 37:53What was the lowest point in your life, money-wise?
- 37:56Jeez, it is really off to a good start.
- 37:59coming back from South America?
- 38:01Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- 38:01Coming back from South America.
- 38:02Like, yeah.
- 38:04No, look, I think the lowest point in my life money-wise was before we did the capital raise for the curve, we'd moved the business to the UK.
- 38:14And I just, I remember feeling immense pressure of this has to work and almost desperation of, I can't go home.
- 38:25I can't let this business fail.
- 38:27but I also paying my own salary relies on this capital rate.
- 38:31Like everything felt all encompassing.
- 38:33We had you at the time, Emily, you know, there was so many, there was people's lives that depended, you know, there was just so much pressure.
- 38:40And I think, yes, well, it's like kind of, it was definitely money related.
- 38:45I think that for me, it was just like my family was worried because it was just like all encompassing.
- 38:50I was like, this has to be a success.
- 38:51And I remember working there.
- 38:53mornings nights weekends like why was I even in London because I didn't even see London no and I think I'd left my job and so like I had to prove to my mom that I'd made the right decision I had to prove to my old boss I had to prove to like the staff that that they were going to get paid next month I had to prove like even my own salary the way I was going to survive in London was reliant on this business and I was like oh my gosh but if we don't raise money then we don't like it was just I remember being like oh my gosh there seems no way out and there there always is
- 39:22And I think probably when you compare it to, you know, when you were on your 400K salary and you were living in Sydney, like, I think because you had that to compare probably made it feel a lot worse.
- 39:32And I think when you're the master of your own business, you do feel a different level of responsibility.
- 39:38Yes.
- 39:39You know, it was...
- 39:41Yes, I can cut my salary, but you can't just cut other staff.
- 39:45I think looking back on that, surviving that, I was like, but you can do anything.
- 39:49Hell yeah.
- 39:50Second question, what do you think the gaps are that stop young women from even considering a career in finance and investing?
- 39:57I think it just is you don't see the representation.
- 40:01You know, if you look at how few kind of female prime ministers there are or female pilots, when you don't see the representation, you don't think that's a road for you to go down.
- 40:11And I remember going back to my old school and they were having a careers day.
- 40:15They had the person from the law.
- 40:16They had the person from, you know, medicine.
- 40:18They had a person, me, from finance.
- 40:20And the lady was like, don't be disheartened if nobody comes.
- 40:23And I was like, what do you mean?
- 40:24Like...
- 40:25Careers in finance is so epic.
- 40:28Anyway, and there was about two girls there, and I was, like, really disheartened.
- 40:32And I was like, but it's not that they don't want to come see me speak.
- 40:37It's because they don't know what a career in finance entails.
- 40:41And I think that was the bigger issue.
- 40:42I was like, everyone was going to law.
- 40:44Yeah.
- 40:45And I think like marketing was another, but they don't know, you don't know what you don't know.
- 40:50And so I had the most incredible career.
- 40:54I cannot, like I would do it in a heartbeat again.
- 40:56Hence why we've launched the good investments.
- 40:59You know, I got to travel.
- 41:00I got a good salary.
- 41:01I worked with epic teams.
- 41:03I got to visit, sit in front of CEOs of incredible businesses that I would never have got to do at that age.
- 41:08Like it was so dynamic.
- 41:11I got to look at companies that interest me.
- 41:15So I made the most incredible friends throughout that, the most incredible network.
- 41:19I wish more women did want to do it.
- 41:22But, you know, there is a boys club mentality still.
- 41:25I'm not showing away from that.
- 41:26But that's why with the Curve Investments, we want to change that as well.
- 41:28We want to make it more female friendly, 100%.
- 41:32So third question, what is the best investment you ever made?
- 41:35I think...
- 41:36The best investment, I think, is in your health.
- 41:39I know that sounds cliche and everyone's probably wanted to hear like Microsoft or something.
- 41:44But honestly, I've never regretted spending money on exercise, healthy eating, skincare, like things that make me feel great.
- 41:53And whenever I get into a patch of stress or work, it's those things that bring me back out into a control, kind of balanced life again and keep my brain...
- 42:05savvy and normal and yeah so i think investing in your health and health insurance all of that i think is just yeah so yeah and if you don't invest in your health you can't enjoy your other investments amen one of the things that you have been very transparent about in the past is burnout and balancing saying yes and no um i remember an episode that we did a couple of years now where it really kind of came to a head for you um where are you at with that now yeah good question
- 42:34I hate the word burnout.
- 42:35I don't know.
- 42:36I just feel like it is so thrown around too much.
- 42:40It is a buzzword.
- 42:41Yeah.
- 42:42And so like I think I have realized this is a long game for me.
- 42:49And if it's a long game –
- 42:52then you need to put the support system in place, whether that's in business, in life, and, you know, like in all facets of your life.
- 43:00Like this, I am a co-founder.
- 43:01This is going to be an all-consuming business, but I have to be really careful with the balance in terms of, yes, there's going to be really stressful weeks and that's okay, but that needs to be counteracted with less stressful weeks.
- 43:14One of our advisors gave me the best advice and I honestly wish I'd heard it like years ago.
- 43:19And she was like, oh,
- 43:21what are you going to put down to pick that up?
- 43:23And it was like, okay, with anything, right?
- 43:26If it's cool, I'm pregnant, I'm going to have a child.
- 43:31Okay, what am I going to put down to pick that up?
- 43:33Because that's a big thing to pick up.
- 43:34Or if it's like, okay, we're going to launch investments, what am I going to put down to pick that up?
- 43:38Or even podcasts, you know, if we produce another podcast a week, it's like, okay, what are we going to put?
- 43:43down to pick it up.
- 43:43And it's just like, it's a really beautiful way of thinking like you can't just keep adding things to your plate.
- 43:48And a few years ago I was, I was just adding, adding, adding, adding, adding.
- 43:52And that's when your plate's going to break.
- 43:54I'm pretty strict now because if you do keep saying yes to things, it's not.
- 43:58You're not going to be the best version of yourself and all of that.
- 44:00So it is finding that right balance.
- 44:03I think also it warrants a lot of respect as well for people that are under you.
- 44:07Like knowing that you are so time stretched and that you don't have capacity to do all of these different things.
- 44:12We are then really careful about what we deem as important for you to be involved with.
- 44:18And also it then makes us know that we are allowed to say no to things as well.
- 44:22True.
- 44:23Yeah.
- 44:23Whereas if you're constantly saying yes to things, I would then feel like, oh, well, I should be doing that too.
- 44:29And someone also said to me, they're like, how great is it that you are stressed sometimes, you know, that your business is doing so well that you are feeling like think of it as a good thing in a sense of like, OK, you need more resources then because you can't be in a stress state forever.
- 44:41But you're obviously like doing so well that that's why it's stressed.
- 44:45You know, there's kind of.
- 44:46Yeah, it's like.
- 44:47Yeah.
- 44:47All about perspective.
- 44:48Yeah.
- 44:49And it's I think.
- 44:51I think hiring people in areas – I'm reading this book at the moment.
- 44:54It is so, so great.
- 44:56It's called Buy Back Your Time.
- 44:58Okay.
- 44:58And it is – honestly, it's like what life do you want to create and where do you want to be and how you get there and stuff.
- 45:05And it's all about like valuing your time and –
- 45:09like hiring people and getting people to do things and taking things off your plate and like really focusing on things you enjoy and therefore you don't have to worry about burnout and stuff because you what you're doing you actually really fucking love doing yeah we love a bit of calendar blocking around yes the curve that's the one thing they say in that they're like calendar block and then you know where you're spending your time it has changed my life yeah
- 45:29We were going to end this podcast by asking you to give your advice to your younger self.
- 45:35Yes.
- 45:35But you actually have had quite an amazing life, sort of career trajectory.
- 45:40And, you know, obviously there were stressful things along the way, but all in all, you've done incredibly well.
- 45:46Thank you.
- 45:47So instead, we want to ask...
- 45:49What piece of advice you'd give to someone on the cusp of making a big life decision right now, or even just the decision to start investing?
- 45:56I love that you think that I've had this incredible career.
- 45:58Because even when you're sitting there saying that, I'm like, no, I haven't.
- 46:01I'm just like, you're out there.
- 46:03I would say have a plan.
- 46:06I think, yes, and things don't always go to plan.
- 46:08But for me personally, having a plan made things feel less like they were like big life decisions.
- 46:15You know, like when I left...
- 46:17my corporate world to start the curve.
- 46:20I had a financial, like I had an amount of money that I was like, look, okay, I've got this that I can rely on.
- 46:27Should it not be a success or I can go back to my job?
- 46:29Or like, you know, there was like a kind of a backup plan essentially that if things don't go well.
- 46:34I think also there is nothing more motivating than running your own business.
- 46:39Because you, at the end of the day, are the one that kind of, I guess, determines the success or the failure of it.
- 46:47So don't underestimate, you know, when your business is paying your own salary, like how effing motivating that is.
- 46:55Like I have worked so much harder than I probably ever worked in my corporate life.
- 47:01Because I'm kind of like the master of my own destiny in the sense of it's only up to you in terms of what you can and can't achieve, if that makes sense.
- 47:09So we always tend, like a lot of us, not everyone, but mostly females, will kind of think of the worst case scenario.
- 47:17And I tried to think of the worst case scenario and how would I get out of that.
- 47:23And then it doesn't feel as bad.
- 47:24If this all goes tits up, what's the worst, you know, like, how would we get out of it?
- 47:29Oh, okay, cool.
- 47:29That's how we do it.
- 47:30Okay, sweet.
- 47:30Well, then let's just go for it.
- 47:32Because the worst case scenario isn't even that bad.
- 47:35Yeah.
- 47:36But like, if you have a side hustle, or if you're thinking about starting a business, the worst possible scenario is that it doesn't go well.
- 47:42And then you just go back to the thing that you're doing at the moment.
- 47:44Yeah, and no one's like, oh my God, remember when Emily started that business?
- 47:47Yeah.
- 47:47Nobody remembers that.
- 47:48It's like... No one cares.
- 47:49Yeah, and it's like nobody cares about as much as you do, to be honest.
- 47:52Yeah, yeah.
- 47:53In the nicest way.
- 47:54Like, it's... Yeah.
- 47:55And so I think, yeah, what have you lost?
- 47:57You've maybe lost a bit of money or a bit of time setting it up, but like...
- 48:02What if you never scratch that itch?
- 48:03You'll never know.
- 48:03It could be an incredible success as well.
- 48:05Yeah.
- 48:06And also, no decision is a one-way door.
- 48:08Exactly.
- 48:08That is another quote.
- 48:10Gosh, I feel like I'm a walking quote board.
- 48:13Also, what about for people who are thinking about making an investment for the very first time?
- 48:17Be that in the curve investments or otherwise.
- 48:20$500, tick Victoria Harris.
- 48:21Yeah, the curve fund has one of the lowest minimums in the industry, in New Zealand, which is great.
- 48:28And so, yes, if you are scared, listen to the podcast, learn, and then... Give me your money.
- 48:33We can't give you advice, but we have a great place for you to invest.
- 48:38Just on that, genuinely, if you are starting to invest, just start small, honestly, because then if it doesn't go well, you haven't lost a lot of money, but I know it will go well.
- 48:48Hell freaking, yeah.
- 48:50Thank you so much, Vic.
- 48:51Thank you, Vic.
- 48:51This has been so lovely.
- 48:52We have absolutely loved doing this episode with you.
- 48:54Thanks for having me.
- 48:55It's so nice to talk about myself.
- 48:58pleasure.
- 48:59Thank you so much for listening to this episode of The Curve.
- 49:01Feel free to leave a comment to let us know what you thought.
- 49:03We always love hearing your feedback.
- 49:05New episodes are out Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, so make sure you're subscribed to be notified whenever a new episode drops.
- 49:11In the meantime, we're around on socials so you can find all the links in the show notes.
- 49:14Hope you have a great week, and we will see you for the next episode.
- 49:18Okay, quickly, the Curve was created to empower and educate you about investing, but we are not financial advisors.
- 49:24Our platform exists for educational purposes only, and it doesn't provide personalized investing advice for your individual needs and should not be relied upon to make an investment or financial decision.
- 49:33And always remember to do your own research before making any investment or financial decision.
- 49:38We're here for any knowledge and support you need, but the final call is always yours.
- 49:42And thanks for being here.
- 49:44You got this.
- 49:44Yeah, we know you got this.