Connect Who or what is your inspiration in business?

My inspiration comes from founders who build from nothing. I relate to Daymond John’s story of growing up poor and building FUBU from his home with limited resources. I’ve faced similar struggles—bankruptcy and even couch-surfing while building my last company in Toronto (VICE covered it: https://www.vice.com/en/article/ceo-of-million-dollar-crypto-company-couch-surfs-instead-of-renting-in-toronto/). Those experiences drive my mission with Neobanc.

How do you stay motivated?

I stay motivated by remembering where and why I started. I grew up poor in Nova Scotia, went through bankruptcy, and even couch-surfed while building my first company. When you’ve lived through that level of struggle, quitting stops being an option—the only path forward is to keep building something that changes your life and others’.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I’d dedicate 100% of it to the people we’re building for—renters. The entire $25,000 would go directly back to users as cashback on rent or as a bonus toward their first home purchase. Instead of funding operations, it would help real people take a step closer to owning a home.