In a paper released a few days ago (October 2024) two senior officials from the ECB outlined why they believe Bitcoin is dangerous, creates inequality, and is a threat to democracy. In this episode, I outline why they are wrong.

If you found value in this episode, I would really appreciate it if you could leave a review! My mission is to help and support as many FinTech startups as possible, and when you leave a positive review, more people can find this podcast and help their companies! If you are on Apple, just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and tell me what your favorite part of the podcast is.

Today's episode:

[00:50] A real-life horror story.

[02:30] Arguments made by two senior ECB officials about the dangers of Bitcoin in a research paper.

[05:58] The high levels of accessibility of Bitcoin.

[05:58] Some of the many benefits of Bitcoin.

[07:16] Why it is untrue that early Bitcoin adopters benefit unfairly.

[09:35] The causes of inequality.

[10:35] My theories for the motivation behind the release of the anti-Bitcoin paper.

[16:19] What to expect from the MICA workshop I am holding in November.

Show links:

• Join my MICA Licensing for Self-Starters Workshop here!

• Interested in FinTech compliance? - consider investing in the FinTech Compliance Self-Starter Package!

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I’ve always believed in the importance of IP rights and patents, like many of you, but my recent discovery of Stephan Kinsella’s theory on this topic has led me to almost completely change my mind. Tune in today to hear about the history of IP rights and patents, why they are anti-capitalist, and how they actually inhibit rather than promote innovation.

If you found value in this episode, I would really appreciate it if you could leave a review! My mission is to help and support as many FinTech startups as possible, and when you leave a positive review, more people can find this podcast and help their companies! If you are on Apple, just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and tell me what your favorite part of the podcast is.

Today's episode:

[00:38] Why today’s episode is a special one.

[01:45] My argument against registering trademarks as a startup.

[04:03] How my opinion on IP rights has changed.

[04:48] The history of copyrights and patents.

[05:55] A summary of Stephan Kinsella’s argument against IP rights.

[07:26] How IP laws infringe on the property rights of individuals.

[08:58] How patents can inhibit innovation.

[10:04] An example of how IP rights act in the interests of big corporations rather than consumers.

[13:12] The three potential sources of property rights.

[14:33] What Stephan believes ownership principles should be based on.

[15:22] Contractual provisions that I always include in my client agreements.

[17:33] The challenges of enforcing IP rights.

[18:43] Why I am such a fan of Stephan Kinsella’s work.

[19:30] Stephan’s response to the fear that people have about the threat of AI.

Show links:

• Interested in FinTech compliance? - consider investing in the FinTech Compliance Self-Starter Package!

• I would love to invite you to sign up for my newsletter. If you are interested, please click here.

While I normally choose to keep my political views separate from my professional life, in this episode, I share why forming and defending your own political opinions is a very useful tool that can lead to the development of skills that will be invaluable to you as a financial-industry professional.

If you found value in this episode, I would really appreciate it if you could leave a review! My mission is to help and support as many FinTech startups as possible, and when you leave a positive review, more people can find this podcast and help their companies! If you are on Apple, just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and tell me what your favorite part of the podcast is.

Today's episode:

[01:03] Why I usually keep my political views separate from my professional life.

[02:44] Damage that can be caused by bringing political will into the financial industry.

[04:00] My thoughts on Dima Kats’ decision to expose corruption.

[06:17] The value of having strong opinions.

[07:24] Real-world examples of how my strong opinions have benefited me.

[11:58] My first introduction to Donald Trump.

[13:22] What I thought when I found out he was running for president.

[14:15] How I feel about his time in office.

[15:56] My thoughts on why so many people are negatively triggered by him.

[18:30] Lessons that I think we can all learn from him, whether or not we agree with the things he says.

[19:31] Skills that can be developed through the formation of solid political opinions.

Show links:

• Interested in FinTech compliance? - consider investing in the FinTech Compliance Self-Starter Package!

• I would love to invite you to sign up for my newsletter. If you are interested, please click here.

Unfortunately, many employers have held onto outdated beliefs about employment and entrepreneurship. In this episode, I share why I agree with Nassim Taleb’s belief that getting a monthly salary (i.e. full-time employment) as opposed to working as a consultant often does more harm than good!

If you found value in this episode, I would really appreciate it if you could leave a review! My mission is to help and support as many FinTech startups as possible, and when you leave a positive review, more people can find this podcast and help their companies! If you are on Apple, just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and tell me what your favorite part of the podcast is.

Today's episode:

[00:41] An overview of the focus of today’s show.

[01:14] The dangers of drugs vs. a monthly check

[01:48] The stories that inspired me to record this episode.

[03:10] Issues that have become commonplace in big companies.

[04:51] Nassim Taleb’s thoughts on the harm caused by formal employment.

[07:23] Travis Kalanick’s biggest battle as Uber’s CEO.

[09:26] A personal experience highlighting how employers misinterpret full-time employment and entrepreneurship.

[16:18] Lessons that can be learned from the communist revolution.

[18:48] Share your thoughts!

Show links:

• Interested in FinTech compliance? - consider investing in the FinTech Compliance Self-Starter Package!

• I would love to invite you to sign up for my newsletter. If you are interested, please click here.

I am obsessed with free speech and misinformation, so this episode about the attempted “canceling” of Darryl Cooper means a lot to me. Tune in today to hear about Darryl’s podcast episode that caused uproar amongst many of his listeners and my thoughts on the topic.

If you found value in this episode, I would really appreciate it if you could leave a review! My mission is to help and support as many FinTech startups as possible, and when you leave a positive review, more people can find this podcast and help their companies! If you are on Apple, just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and tell me what your favorite part of the podcast is.

Today's episode:

[01:01] What Darryl Cooper’s podcast is about.

[02:29] The story that inspired today’s episode.

[06:16] Why I strongly disagree with the canceling of Darryl Cooper.

[07:30] How Darryl Cooper responded to the attempt to cancel him.

[08:14] What I learned about Israel and Palestine from Darryl Cooper.

[11:06] Positives that came from the Darryl Cooper controversy.

[12:21] Why cancel culture is so rife.

[14:21] The importance of not viewing complex events as ‘black and white.’

[15:37] The problem with trying to cancel certain opinions.

[17:08] Introduction to my upcoming brand new workshop.

Show links:

• Register for my new workshop, ‘Balancing DSA and GDPR Requirements,’ here!

• Interested in FinTech compliance? - consider investing in the FinTech Compliance Self-Starter Package!

• I would love to invite you to sign up for my newsletter. If you are interested, please click here.

“Having a goal and not reaching it is better than not having a goal at all.” We all know the feeling of disappointment when we set a goal that we are unable to achieve. When this happened to me earlier this year, I reread Viktor Frankl’s book, Man’s Search for Meaning, and in today’s episode, I share the invaluable lessons that it taught me about setting goals and not achieving them.

If you found value in this episode, I would really appreciate it if you could leave a review! My mission is to help and support as many FinTech startups as possible, and when you leave a positive review, more people can find this podcast and help their companies! If you are on Apple, just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and tell me what your favorite part of the podcast is.

Today's episode:

[00:39] An overview of today’s topic.

[01:06] The goal that I set for myself for this year that I wasn’t able to achieve.

[02:10] What the book Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl, is about.

[04:35] Criticisms that the book received.

[07:10] The power of having a purpose.

[10:04] Why Frankl believes that people always have freedom, regardless of their circumstances.

[13:04] Don’t put your goals on a pedestal!

[13:56] A new perspective on setting goals.

[18:38] How to deal with things not going to plan.

[20:28] The value of joining the FinTech Startup Certification Program.

Show links:

• Join our FinTech Startup Certification Program here!

• Interested in FinTech compliance? - consider investing in the FinTech Compliance Self-Starter Package!

• I would love to invite you to sign up for my newsletter. If you are interested, please click here.

Today, we’re discussing the concept of nationality and its role in financial services. An experience of Ukrainian clients’ of mine was the inspiration for this episode, and I hope it gives you a good understanding of some of the key global financial trends and the unequal impacts they are having on people and countries across the world.

If you found value in this episode, I would really appreciate it if you could leave a review! My mission is to help and support as many FinTech startups as possible, and when you leave a positive review, more people can find this podcast and help their companies! If you are on Apple, just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and tell me what your favorite part of the podcast is.

Today's episode:

[00:39] Introducing today’s topic.

[01:00] The clients of mine who inspired today’s episode.

[02:40] What it means to be a ‘citizen of the world.’

[03:18] Why I renounced my Russian citizenship.

[05:22] Discriminatory trends that have become commonplace against poor countries.

[06:18] My personal experience of discriminatory financial policies.

[07:10] The unequal impacts of global economic trends.

[10:40] My prediction about the trajectory of these inequalities.

[12:37] Why the concept of censorship is becoming a hot topic.

[14:20] How governments are likely to respond to the growth of remote work.

[16:03] Examples of the different versions of nationalism.

[18:03] The problem with nationalism from a financial perspective.

Show links:

• Interested in FinTech compliance? - consider investing in the FinTech Compliance Self-Starter Package!

• I would love to invite you to sign up for my newsletter. If you are interested, please click here.

Welcome back to a new season of the Compliance That Makes Sense podcast! We’re still going to be focusing on FinTech, compliance and startups, but the upcoming episodes are also going to be related to current affairs. In this first episode, I dive into my Russian background and how it impacts the way I view the world, particularly in relation to the Pavel Durov controversy and the oversight of digital media companies in general. Also, don’t forget to sign up for this year’s final cohort of the FinTech Startup Compliance Pro Certification.

If you found value in this episode, I would really appreciate it if you could leave a review! My mission is to help and support as many FinTech startups as possible, and when you leave a positive review, more people can find this podcast and help their companies! If you are on Apple, just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and tell me what your favorite part of the podcast is.

Today's episode:

[00:34] The new direction I will be taking with this new season of Compliance That Makes Sense!

[01:20] Some of the Russian controversies that have impacted the compliance world.

[02:57] Exploring my relationship with my Russian roots.

[05:04] The factors that encouraged me to leave Russia.

[08:41] My thoughts about the Russia-Ukraine war.

[10:42] A brief history of Pavel Durov’s professional life.

[15:44] My analysis of Pavel Durov’s actions.

[19:05] Where I see parallels between today’s media and Soviet propaganda.

[24:10] Pros and cons of the Digital Services Act.

[25:15] How I think digital platforms can (and should) counter the oversight requirements in the Digital Services Act.

[24:14] How my Russian past influences the way I view the world.

[29:54] Benefits of joining my FinTech Startup Compliance Pro Certification.

Show links:

• Get certified as a FinTech Startup Compliance Pro with my Certification!

• Interested in FinTech compliance? - consider investing in the FinTech Compliance Self-Starter Package!

• I would love to invite you to sign up for my newsletter. If you are interested, please click here.