Game Changers ISSUE #23
BLAST OFF! Futureproof your brokerage with Invast Global.
GAME CHANGERS
DIRECTORY O1
Note from the editor
O2
Esteban Mora
O3
Soteris Charalambous
O4
Abhijit Kulkarni & Shveta Natu
View from the top. 03
Invast Global. 04-07
Impact tech. 08-11
Wealth Planet. 12-15
O5
Paula Cabildo
O6
Sunny Singh
Fullerton Markets. 16-17
Van Hawke Sport. 18-19
O7
Michael Buchbinder
O8
Michael Young
O9
Scandinavian Capital Markets. 20-21
Results Blaze. 22-24
Sofia Stavropoulou SIOLEENO INV. CO LTD. 25-26
VIEW FROM THE TOP
As summer draws to a close, it is great to produce another edition of Game Changers magazine. I am really pleased to have some of the names that has supported the project since its inception, make a welcome return home to show our readers what they have been up to. We are incredibly lucky to have one of the biggest names within institutional FX, Invast Global, as our cover stars. The world renowned Australian leader has a great new offering which we were really happy to hear more about. We always love their great quality content, to match their great quality execution! Perhaps one of the most advanced AI CRM’s in the industry made by Impact Tech, makes another appearance after receiving tremendous feedback from the last issue, it was great to have the appear again. It is great to have another former cover star appear in GC. Abhijit Kulkarni, has just had his memoirs published, and continues to consistently produce fantastic results for both his institutional and retail client base. One of the unsung heroes of Game Changers makes her first appearance, however you would have seen her stellar work from previous issues. Paula Cabildo always consistently organises great photo shoots and content for Fullerton Markets when they appear in GC. It was great to speak to her, also pick her brains about becoming a social media influencer. Another previous front cover superstar, Sunny Singh makes a welcome return to discuss what can happen when an influencer campaign faces challenges. It is always great to have the leading name in sports branding, give us his knowledge and understanding about what can become an incredibly complex task.
Our first time entrant Michael Buchbinder from Scandinavian Capital Markets, where we discussed their upcoming trip to South Africa in partnership with Finance Feeds. Last but definitely not least, we have Sofia Stavropoulous. Myself and Sofia have worked together for almost a decade, so it was great for her to be included for the first, and hopefully not the last time. I recently met Michael Young and had some great fun with him, so it is great to include him and his brand in this upcoming edition. Thanks everyone who put a huge amount of effort in getting this all together, it was a monumental effort.
Paul ORFORD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
P-3
The best of the best! Game Changers speaks with industry leading R & D team from Invast Global.
ESTEBAN MORA Aeronautical Engineering (Space) and Computer Science
Q Esteban, it is a pleasure to meet you. Most of our readers wouldn’t have heard about you. However, I understand that you studied a Bachelor of Aeronautical Engineering – is that true? Thank you, Paul. Appreciate you interviewing me today. You mind if I start from the beginning? I was born in Costa Rica but moved to New York and then Florida at a pretty young age. My family and I lived there for the next 8 years before heading down under. During our time in Florida, I was privileged enough to visit Cape Canaveral basically every summer. I was in awe. NASA’s Kennedy Space Center was easily the coolest thing in the world to me back then, and probably still is. It was that curiosity and excitement that I had as a child that led me to study Aeronautical Engineering (Space) and Computer Science at Sydney University. A series of quite fortunate events led to me becoming the Head of Research & Development at Invast Global.
[Left to right] Jamie Scott - Chemical Engineering (Honours in Catalysis), Esteban Mora – Aeronautical Engineering (Space) and Computer Science, Adam Hamilton – Aeronautical Engineering (Space) & Computer Science, Bailey White – Computer Science & Mathematics and Statistics
Q So, you didn’t study Finance, Economics or Business? How do you find the transition into financial markets?
Q Why are you all working in finance? Shouldn’t you be working at SpaceX, Google or Tesla?
No – it genuinely never interested me. However, I’ve come to realize that the benefit of looking at financial and operational problems through a different lens is invaluable.
It’s funny you mention Google. Our CEO, Gavin White, often refers to Invast Global as the perfect blend of an investment bank and technology leader. So, he has coined our firm – Google-man Sachs.
There are more CEOs from top 500 companies in America with undergraduate engineering degrees than any other area of study. The highly developed quantitative problem-solving skills, collaboration and analytical ability of these executives are fundamental to their success. I’m not the only one in Invast Global’s Research & Development team without a background in finance. In fact, none of my team come from finance at all. Instead, we have chemical engineers, programmers and mathematicians.
He isn’t wrong, Invast Global is different. It’s a global brokerage, but it operates more like a thriving tech start-up. The R&D team I oversee has free reign to build whatever we believe is useful. We employ the best minds, the greatest problem solvers – and we build cutting-edge solutions for our clients. I never thought I would be building things in financial markets, but I love it.
P-5
Q Google-man Sachs – how cool is that! What types of solutions are you referring to? Our most valuable tool right now is the Broker Portal that we recently launched. It is specifically designed to support our broker clients that are connecting their trading infrastructure to stock exchanges around the world. For years, many brokers have attempted to offer single stock CFDs via MetaTrader 5. However, they often fall short when they encounter issues with market data, corporate actions and connectivity. Now, they have a central hub where all the operational aspects of single stock CFDs are organised and efficiently handled for them. For the first time, retail traders have direct market access to over 30 global stock exchanges via their MT5 platform. Q Aside from the Broker Portal, what other projects are your team working on? We’ve got a large focus on optimization projects at present, though these problems can span vastly different areas of our business. For example, we’re working on dynamic liquidity feeds which can optimize to trading styles not over days but over seconds. At the same time, we’re finding ways we can build low-latency solutions over the cloud that can compete with current hardware solutions. At their core our projects involve dissecting current inefficiencies to gain insight on potential solutions. This type of problem lends itself in a very natural way to data mining and ultimately AI. This same concept applies to all our projects, whether its forecasting, algorithmic execution, or market making
strategies. We also need to make sure we make our tools as accessible as possible. We’re working to wrap all our projects in comprehensive sets of APIs which allows us to build apps that anyone in the business can use. All in all, our project landscape is pretty huge! We’re looking to bite-off as much as we can chew at all times. However, most recently we have been finalising our Elite Internship Programme. We are accepting applications now (closes 20th November 2019). The programme launches in December this year! Q Elite internship programme? You must elaborate on that. What does it involve? In honour of Mr Koichi Kawaji, our founder and the Chairman of our parent company Invast Securities Co., we have established an internship programme with industry-leading benefits. It is designed to attract the very best student minds. We want the smartest, most driven students – regardless of discipline – and we will reward them handsomely. We don’t want cardboard cut-outs – we want builders, strategists, analysts & superstars. If you know anyone interested, they can apply here: www.invast.com.au/careers Outstanding! Thank you very much for speaking with Game Changers today. I can’t wait to see what your team creates next. Thanks Paul.
Impact Tech SOTERIS CHARALAMBOUS Head of content at Impact Tech
What CRM do Forex businesses need? Increasing competition in Forex requires a purpose-built platform like Impact CRM to meet the demands of the industry
Nowadays, the challenge of keeping traders happy and loyal to your Forex brand is harder than ever. Every Forex business needs to ask itself if the CRM they use meets the demands of the industry and offers a competitive advantage. As with most retail businesses retention is a never-ending challenge in Forex while increasing churn has caused the closure of many brokerages. One of the most important success factors in business today is the customer experience (CX). According to research by Walker consulting it is going to be the key differentiator for most businesses by 2020. In fact, customer satisfaction will be more important than price or product in purchase decision-making. Improving CX depends on how well a business understands each customer’s individual needs and how effectively they communicate during the customer journey. By falling short in CX Forex businesses miss acquisition and upselling opportunities, achieve fewer
GAME CHANGERS Issue #23
conversions and suffer increasing churn. To achieve this level of understanding requires the collection, processing and analysis of customer data. ImpacTech’s Impact CRM has been built to meet the demands of the Forex industry. It is the collection point for all customer data and uses artificial intelligence (AI) to process and analyse this data to enable a Forex business to deliver personalized customer experiences at scale along every touchpoint on the customer journey. By channelling all the data from phone calls, live chat, emails, chatbots, PPC and social media campaigns through Impact CRM a Forex business gets the most accurate understanding of each trader. Additionally, data regarding deposits and withdrawals as well as payment records in relation to transactions can be crossed, analysed and matched with marketing activities. These insights give predictions on where to spend marketing budget to reach campaign objectives more efficiently.
Data driven: Understanding customers’ needs requires analysing data from multiple channels
Impact CRM is like an artist painting a portrait. The more detail that goes into the CRM the more accurate the portrait of the customer it creates. With a more accurate customer portrait to work from a Forex business can acquire leads more efficiently which reduces CPL and CPA. Conversions also increase and it becomes easier to identify cross-selling and upselling opportunities. Customer LTV (LifeTime Value) also increases, and a business reduces churn by identifying patterns in customers that reflect loss of brand confidence. CONNECT IMPACT CRM TO ANY TRADING PLATFORM
Target any territory: Meet regulatory requirements and reach a global customer based with customisable rule-based client input fields
Most Forex businesses use MT4 and MT5 trading platforms because they are the most popular. Naturally, Impact CRM integrates seamlessly with these and any other Forex trading platforms. The user-friendly front end makes account opening easy and carrying out fund transfers hassle-free. Customisable rule-based client input fields make targeting a global customer base easier and a frictionless experience for all traders while meeting the regulatory requirements of each territory. Impact CRM also offers multi-tenancy capability and can service multiple portals.
P-9
Most Forex businesses use MT4 and MT5 trading platforms because they are the most popular. Naturally, Impact CRM integrates seamlessly with these and any other Forex trading platforms. The user-friendly front end makes account opening easy and carrying out fund transfers hasslefree. Customisable rule-based client input fields make targeting a global customer base easier and a frictionless experience for all traders while meeting the regulatory requirements of each territory. Impact CRM also offers multi-tenancy capability and can service multiple portals. Access to trading and demo accounts is via Impact CRMs ‘front end’ and part of the process of logging in to the traders room client. This makes trading related data collection more efficient and timelier.
THE IMPACT CRM COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
Supercharge sales: Automated lead scoring and lead distribution define which leads are the most qualified and segments them to the team best suited to convert
Automated Lead Scoring and Automated Lead Distribution is an outstanding feature of Impact CRM which increases efficiency in sales. It determines which leads are the most qualified and segments leads to the team best suited to convert them. The Automated Lead Distribution tool also attributes leads based on the marketing channel they came through, the language used and Introducing Broker. Impact Telecom also integrates seamlessly to Impact CRM and adds two more cutting-edge AI-driven features to Forex operations. Sentiment analysis determines the mood of a trader (and agent) during an interaction. These insights Identify what makes traders happy and improves retention by increasing understanding about what actions lead to sales. Telecoms integration also enables efficient calls monitoring. This is important for Forex brokerages keen to improve their compliance management.
GAME CHANGERS Issue #23
Empower every employee: All client-facing employees are equipped with the information they need to deliver the best CX
Impact CRM has been designed to empower every client-facing employee with the information they need to deliver the best CX. The efficiency gains made by switching to Impact CRM increase over time. Working with a system that uses a modern, intuitive interface that delivers relevant information in a single screen is how to take CX to the next level. By displaying all account activity on one screen along with personal information like LTV enables an agent to make more informed and efficient decisions. All documents including verification details, KYC/AML status, audit logs, calls and emails can also be seen within their timelines to add relevance. Customisable reporting capabilities enable managers get the reports they need to analyse their team’s performance. Meanwhile, CEOs can see a global picture of the business with profit and loss reports. Naturally, customisation extends to manage access to sensitive information. Impact CRM also offers the promise of zero downtime and ensures your Forex business is always available to customers. The robust content delivery networks (CDNs) ensure your business is always online regardless of its size, traffic volume or data needs. This solution also has security covered. Impact CRM offers encryption using the latest technology like https and SSL protocols to ensure your data is always beyond the reach of external threats.
P - 11
Wealth Planet ABHIJIT KULKARNI Founder & CEO
Q Why did you not become a computer engineer at the turn of the century? Would have been a nice easy option in India back then. I was able to foresee a huge saturation in the IT industry back then, and I am a person who generally likes to avoid saturated field. I don’t like to go with the flow where large number of people follow each other just because of temporary bubble or speculation. Whereas, I like to go against the wave where people avoid to go. And that is why I first Animation industry because it was new in India back then and when I came to know about Forex and especially that only 5% traders able to sustain in this industry, that thing challenged me to drive towards forex market. I am still enjoying it. Q Coming from a small town, did this make an impact on your goal setting for your future achievement? In fact, it helped me a lot for goal setting. Because when things are small and not much in favour of you, only then you start fighting and dreaming for a bigger one. This is what happened with me at the very early college days. It built a never ending passion in me and I thank to my surrounding. I will never say it to small town because it has played a big role in my life. Q Did your passion for animation transfer to your skills as a successful fund manager? Of course yes. I would like to mention it in a little different way. When I practiced Animation, it helped to develop a lot of patience in me. And to be a fund manager, you should have a lot of patience and thanks to my Animation experience that gave me the patience I needed for fund management business. The only change was I had to see numbers on screen instead of graphics & characters.
GAME CHANGERS Issue #23
Q Were you nervous in leaving a secure job to begin your own enterprise? Not at all. I was very excited as it was a very challenging phase for me and as I mentioned, I love challenges. Q When you first licensed out your trading system, what was the sensation when people first brought it? Many things were happening for the first time. Like I was selling through an e-commerce portal, the first trading system, first marketing experience and first testimonies from the buyers. To be very honest, I was confident about my trading system. The only thing I was concerned about whether the user will use it with precise risk management or not? And as the months passed, I started getting positive reviews. I was feeling as if I am making profits when my system users were in profit. Q In the first seminar you conducted, were you nervous? No but was very cautious because Forex was never being heard in Indian market and I had to introduce it in a very easy and friendly manner. Most importantly, I conducted my first seminar in my home town. Q What public speaking tips can you give to the readers? Detach to the technicality of market before you speak. As trader spends most of their time in front of charts and news channels so he or she always been in a zone of analysis. But when you want to speak, you need to interact with the people in their language so detachment with your regular zone is necessary and attachment with people is important. Q Getting the first multi-million Dollar account must have been a turning point. How did it feel to get that? It was like a dream come true. I spent almost 4 years for that one day. So the value of one million dollars is much greater for me than any other person. And this approach helped me again to design a special risk management strategy for fund management because I knew that I will not get this chance again or I want to take maximum benefit of this opportunity.
Q What was it like to begin to make money from your passion? I must say that when you earn money from your passion, it feels like an effortless work. Because I never looked at it as a Job. I never counted my work hours and that’s the beauty & secret of any success I guess. Q How is it working in coordination with industry superstar Mario Singh? He has always been my inspiration. When I first invited him for our launch of Wealth Planet in India, he shared lots of things in those 3 days. His every word is worth to learn and adopt as it comes from his own experience and massive knowledge. I generally don’t like to use word ‘luck’ but when it comes to coming across extra ordinary people like Mario Singh, Cecil Robles, Andrew Divis and of course You, I consider myself extremely lucky.
P - 13
Abhijit Kulkarni Founder & CEO of Wealth Planet
GAME CHANGERS Issue #23
Wealth Planet SHVETA NATU Chief Operating Officer
Q Why did you choose Abhijit in having him as your FX mentor? When I first met Abhijit 6 years ago I was not aware about forex market , forex trading at all. That was very casual meet during some function. As the discussion continued about his career it made me curious to know more about Forex trading. Me being inquisitive by nature tried to research a lot about how I came to know this is very uncommon in India. I have an academic background from Statistics so the charts , graphs seemed interesting to me. I wanted to learn about forex and, to my knowledge Abhijit was the only person who had knowledge about Forex at that time. I asked him about teaching me and he was so enthusiastic about it.. He has so much of deep knowledge about it and he never hesitates to teach and solve your silly queries.No wonder today I would proudly say that I made the correct decision to learn forex and that too from Abhijit.
Q Was Abhijit an easy person to write about? Ah , this is a very tricky question. If I tell the truth then I am in danger ,If I modify it then also I am in trap :) Abhijit has been my friend, mentor and also my senior in office. In his every role he is not at all an easy person :) Having seen his every version it was the most challenging task for me to seek answers from him while writing about his journey. Being a perfectionist at every work he does , it was too difficult to write as it had to be perfect and upto the point. The most interesting thing was he just answered in key points , I had to make it interesting enough to read. The thought of representing his journey in a composed manner was indeed crucial because when you know a person for this long you ought to know so many things and distinguishing them was a tough job.
Q Is it hard getting the information out of a person when you are writing about them?
Shveta Natu Chief Operating Officer at Wealth Planet
Indeed . Pertaining to the book and Abhijit , when I first put forth this idea about writing a short success story about Abhijit’s journey he totally denied the idea at first. After a lot of convincing he agreed to narrate about his journey. Those were not sufficient from the book perspective. I had to be very patient while getting the required information from him. He was too reluctant to express so yes it was hard to get the information out of him. Q How do you make a plan when you write about someone? There is no plan as such while writing. It has to be spontaneous and I always feel it’s about your true self and dedication when you write about someone. It has to work hand in hand. Me writing about the person and that person giving inputs. It surely is a team work which lead to an impactful writing. The secret ingredient is understanding between the author and the person he is portraying.
P - 15
Fullerton Markets PAULA CABILDO Digital Marketing & PR Exec
Q Hello Paula. Our readers may not be aware of this, but you’re responsible for organising interviews with members of the Fullerton Markets team and these have since been some of the most viewed articles in our magazine. How did your journey in both this industry and with Fullerton Markets start? I was fortunate to have joined Fullerton Markets as a PR Manager back in 2016. At that time, I was still very new to public relations, having had little experience or skill in the field. However, PR was and continues to be my dream profession – being able to connect with people, helping to build awareness around a brand and working to strengthen the company’s profile across various platforms are things that really excite me. These are just some of the ways through which I hope to leave a mark in Fullerton Markets and this industry. While starting from scratch meant that it was a steep learning curve for me, it has been a most challenging, yet fulfilling experience to have been able to foster strong relations with the media. It’s a blessing to still be learning a lot every day. Q Outside of FX and your professional role, you’re also a great influencer on social media. How did you get started in this? It all began with my blog in 2007. Back then, blogging was not yet a mainstream activity, nor was it hugely used as a marketing tool. Fast forward to 2013 and I had started attending media events and product launches – not only were these great opportunities to interact with other thought leaders in the social media space, but they allowed me to reach out to local and international brands that were keen on sponsorships and collaborations. It was perhaps to my advantage that I had started early in the blogging scene as it was a platform on which I could experiment, build my personal brand and gain experience in growing and engaging my followers.
GAME CHANGERS Issue #23
Paula Cabildo Digital Marketing & PR Exec at Fullerton Markets
Q Are there tips that you could share on gaining followers on social media (for example, Instagram)? Of all the social media platforms, Instagram is what I call my “feel good” social media application, primarily because this is a platform with a strong focus on aesthetics or visually compelling photos. So, if you’re aspiring to be an influencer on Instagram and really want to grow your followers, you’d have to start creating awesome, quality pictures and work on a well-curated feed. Have a theme that represents who you are or at least the character that you want to be known for and stick to this theme.
Q What does it take to maintain a good Instagram feed? How do you make sure you’re able to tell a story in just one picture? I’m very particular when it comes to managing my Instagram account. For example, I might take hundreds of photos but only 10 or fifteen make the cut and are uploaded to my feed. I also use a third-party app called “Preview” that helps me to organise my feed so that I can visualise how my images are laid out and have a better idea of how I want to share my story with my followers, even before I make a post. A wellcurated feed has a strong, distinct theme based on specific colours, subject matter and style. I make sure my posts are in line with the look and feel of my feed – a lot of work goes into choosing the right lighting, filters and content before anything is posted. Q Why do you think the Forex industry lacks prominent social influencers? Forex continues to be a grey area in some respects and face regulations in many countries, which might hinder personalities from publicly branding themselves as influencers in this space. Additionally,
the industry relies heavily on Introducing Brokers (IBs). While IBs enjoy a big enough network or following, they tend to limit the sharing of their content to those within their communities. This could be a combination of a lack in social media marketing knowledge and being faced with local Forex restrictions. Generally, influencers can be found in large numbers in industries such as cosmetics, gadgets and foods, where the barriers to entry are lower.
Q Is there a new platform you’d want to introduce that we should all be looking to get?
Fullerton Markets recently launched its mobile app, PipProfit!, a one-stop resource that serves users’ day-to-day trading needs. This app is packed with educational content such as webinars, market reports and profitable trading tips; our latest offerings; and upcoming events happening across the region. It also enables on-the-go traders to make deposits and withdrawals conveniently.
SUNNY SINGH Founder & CEO
How to do a celebrity endorsement. The right way! Game Changers recently saw an online campaign by a new brokerage that utilised several ambassadors who had no interest in the brand, along with struggling to read the 10-word script. We wanted to pick the brains of Sunny Singh, the CEO of Van Hawke Sports, and Game Changers guru of brand ambassador placements. Q How can a brand select someone from the entertainment industry to match their brand? Brand ambassador endorsements are steadily on the rise, with technology being a huge factor in determining accessibility, not only for brands but also for the followers of those individuals which has led to the now synonymous phrase of any ambassador as an ‘influencer’. However, selecting the correct ambassador can prove to be a tricky task for even the savviest of brands, as many factors need to be considered to ensure clarity and consistency of the brand message whilst also seeking to implement ROI metrics. To begin with, all brands need to understand that when selecting an ambassador, they are effectively entering into a partnership and in doing so they have to ensure that the individual shares those values that align with the company’s mission values. When we initially speak with brands regarding any ambassador placements the first question we ask is, “What are your objectives?”. This is a simple and effective question that usually sees brands respond with a range of answers, but the most common theme is to increase awareness within their target demographic which will lead to an increase in client acquisition. With this in mind any FX brand seeking to adopt ambassador strategies should already be aware as to who their target audience is and where they reside. Once established, the next step is to determine the type of individual that can best resonate with the target audience i.e Should it be a current sports person or past legend, a film star or musician, or maybe a YouTube or Instagram influencer? Does an internationally recognised personality based out of the USA (for example) have the same engagement rates with an audience in Vietnam as opposed to a local personality? What are their current audience
GAME CHANGERS Issue #23
demographics? Have they endorsed a similar product or service previously, if so, what were the engagement rates and across which channels? There is certainly not a ‘one-size-fits’ (or in this instance a one-personality-type-fits) all model. Brands need to be fully aware that ambassador endorsement exercises are similar to any other marketing campaign, whereby the whole user journey needs to be considered, from the channels used, the messaging conveyed, the initial user to brand engagement, brand interaction and then either lead or account acquisition. That is why it is crucial to assess a range of criteria when selecting an ambassador to ensure the success of this campaign type.
Q Is there a way to control the shoot, so the brand ambassador can look convincing when delivering the message? When liaising with brands, we always insist on submitting a full client brief along with a script and wherever possible a storyboard to the content producer. At times (especially when using social platforms like Instagram or YouTube) the content producer and the ambassador are the same individual, and as such he or she is the representative of a brand. However, many brands forget to ensure that the chosen message is conveyed exactly how they want it to be, and it is this crucial component which determines whether a shoot will succeed or fail. Technology today allows anyone to be in contact to work hand in hand with any content producer, regardless of whether they are able to be on site for a particular shoot or not. In addition, when utilising ambassadors, 9 times out of 10 it is a paid for service, so yes, a brand can ask for several takes to ensure that the content delivered is exactly as per the brief provided.
In the context of looking convincing, this goes back to what I mentioned earlier regarding the ambassador sharing the same values as the brand. If the ambassador does not understand and appreciate the brand and the message, he or she will not be able to convey this correctly. As the greatest of sales people will always testify “you have to believe in what you’re selling”. Q Not only do you have a large portfolio of FX brands, you are also working on behalf of a number of sports rights holders including Formula One, Football and eSports teams. Is the selection process different in suggesting a brand ambassador? Not at all, and fundamentally goes back to the objectives of the brand. Sports rights holders, such as a Formula One team are also brands, and similar to any other company are often seeking to boost their exposure to a new audience subset whilst cementing their existing fan relations. The goal of an ambassador for a sports team in this instance, is to bridge the gap and introduce/promote the sport and in particular, the team to an audience that may not already follow them. KPIs are usually based on engagement rates across numerous channels including social media, and are decided and agreed beforehand by both parties. This type of ambassador activity is similar to an FX brand who is seeking to onboard new clients whilst increasing volumes with their existing clients. The selection process is exactly same, with a sports rights holder being paired with an ambassador that shares the same values as the team, with the criteria used to create and distribute the content being just as strict.
That’s a good question, and one I would say is becoming increasingly important especially with more brands now undertaking ambassador exercises. I would say that a proven track record and an existing established network of rights holders and agents is always important when considering a service provider. As mentioned throughout this interview, ambassador selection is far from a from a one-size-fits all model, and a good service provider will liaise and consult directly with the brand to establish the objectives and KPIs prior to even suggesting those ambassadors which could be a good fit. They will also know ambassador availability, existing endorsements and current rates. In addition, the service provider would broker the agreement directly between the brand and ambassador/agent to ensure there is clarity of contractual commitments, which will negate the risk of producing content which does not uphold the client brief. At Van Hawke Sports we are very fortunate to have built an extensive global network of over 300 rights-holders and agents. This allows us to provide our clients access to only the very best in ambassador selection, ranging from the world of sports to the entertainment industry and beyond. Our proven industry experience both in sports and particularly in FX enables us to offer a bespoke service to each of our clients, catering for their exact requirements…. You’ll have to excuse the sales pitch at the end, I am after all an ambassador for my own brand.
Q As you have also worked for a number of the largest FX brands, can you talk us through some of the metrics that a brand could use to assess the success rate of an ambassador? Ambassador campaigns are first and foremost brand awareness exercises. That said, there are several metrics which can be utilised to measure success rates, and we tend to think of these as a complete package with each component feeding to the next. These include, the impressions and engagement rates of content produced across all channels. This is important to measure as this engagement feeds directly to the brand reach and inbound traffic received. The latter is naturally of upmost importance to any FX brand, as this ultimately is where they are wanting to convert the traffic to either a lead or an account opening. However, it is the consistency of message and the user journey which is key here and this harks back to the overall objective of this campaign type. Tracking codes are vital, and similar to any other online campaign embed tracked links into the social posts used via an ambassador. FX brands should always create and utilise bespoke landing pages relating to the campaign, and once again be sure to measure each of the agreed metrics to provide ROI stats. Q Your market over the past 12 months has become incredibly crowded, how can a brand choose a good service provider such as yours? Sunny Singh Founder & CEO of Van Hawke Sports.
Scandinavian Capital Markets MICHAEL BUCHBINDER Partner of Scandinavian Capital Markets
Q It was interesting to see a couple of months back, you did a thought leadership conference in London. How did you come up with this idea? We were chatting with Andrew Saks McLeod from Finance Feeds and we saw an underserved part of the market. There are many events for service providers in the FX space but there were not really any events that added value to the clients that were out there. Q It’s something a little different to the standard expo. Do you think this is the future for any brokerage to get a captive audience? It is certainly different than the standard expo. It is designed with the client in mind and how to benefit them. I think the future is being out there in front of your clients and audience. Engaging them, listening to them and not hiding behind the scenes. The event was a success and that is leading us to do our next event with Andrew in South Africa as the trading community there is in need of service and solutions. Our data shows South Africa is a very intelligent and active
Arif Alexander (Co Founder) & Michael Buchbinder (Partner) Scandinavian Capital Markets
community in the FX space. We plan on collaborating with Andrew and Finance Feeds at least a couple of times a year venturing into all areas to bring awareness and standards to the space. Q How did you choose the speakers? Is there certain quality you look for? Experts. We look for experts and we work with the best. To add value to our clients we wanted to bring them the best thought leaders in the world, from East to West. We were lucky enough to be connected to some of the speakers through some excellent consultants we have been working with, The Socializers. Q You are now about to embark on holding an event in Johannesburg (16th November). Why did you choose Joburg? From our data we are finding there is a large active and intelligent trading community and money managers working in South Africa. They are also underserved. Our core competence is boutique customer service.
Q What is the Valhalla experience?
Q Who is the target audience for this event?
We see Sweden as the crown jewel of Europe sitting at the top. Classy, clean, calm, almost heavenly. We welcome clients to our headquarters in Stockholm,Sweden. They have an all expense paid trip to see what is under the hood and to tell us their needs, wants and desires from us. We build a relationship, get to know one another as human beings and create a basis of trust to build a successful long term partnership.
Introducing Brokers and Money Managers. We have heard that they have had issues with working with reputable brokers and getting their payouts. We have a state of the art back office that is extremely flexible and customizable for our partners’ needs. We also have unique solutions and partnerships to help with some of the restrictions the people may face.
Q Are you looking to open an office there in the near future?
You can go to our website scandinavianmarkets.com and go to the events section. From there you can reserve your place to meet us on November 16th at the Bryanston Country Club. We look forward to seeing you all there!
We are keeping our presence in Sweden for the near term so we can control the quality of service. We are open to servicing business from all over the world and maintaining the great quality of service for all of our clients.
Q How can interested parties learn more about this?
P - 21
Results Blaze MICHAEL YOUNG CEO at Results Blaze
Q What can you tell us about your background? Happily! I was raised in sales by my father since I was 8 and found the psychology of sales fascinating. “Why choose me?” is the question that makes sales the ultimate puzzle for the company to solve. I think what companies lack is way of selling that isn’t coercive yet creates massive internal desire where people feel your solution is the only one while they reach that conclusion themselves. Over the last decade I’ve build sales funnels and sales teams for various companies. I would create a funnel, write the copy, and then build out a sales team behind the lead generation in numerous verticals. Q Why did you start Results Blaze? I recently helped a company go from losing money for 3 years to literally buying out all of their competitors in 18 months and dominating their region. As much as I enjoyed building out sales funnels and creating sales teams it was the most satisfying moment in my business life. I also took a struggling firm from $50,000 a year to over $5,000,000 a year in 24 months. There is nothing like it in the world. For most companies improving their sales 10-15% is a seismic shift and honestly the feedback you get from the businesses is so much fun. You also make a lot of great friends along the way. Q What makes Results Blaze different? We developed the art of Self Suggested Selling™. We get the customer to suggest the sale so sales numbers lift dramatically while eliminating rejection on behalf of the sales rep which render objections to a minimum. We have a unique process because we combine the best of marketing into the sales process. Copywriting and sales have evolved massively since the invention of the internet. Buyers feel friction and perceive “scams” faster than ever. How are you solving that problem? That’s what we do.
GAME CHANGERS Issue #23
Michael Young CEO at Results Blaze
Q How does outside sales training improve an organisation? Primarily because it boosts sales, morale, and improves the brand perception of a business. Most sales training is antiquated, pushy, and alienates both the sales rep and the buyer in the process. Running a branding campaign may or may not work but nothing moves the needle faster and more effectively while also guaranteeing improvement in revenue than in improving sales. Sales isn’t just 1 thing you need to do as a company, it’s the only thing you need to do. Everything else can managed out effectively. Cash flow solves all business problems. Q Is there ever a conflict with the existing sales management that you are looking to work with? Well we wouldn’t be very good at sales if we developed any conflicts in the organization. All problems in business have a solution and sales is the art of making the person with the problem see their solution internally. Boosting the cash flow of a business is usually sufficient for the hardest of head to see why they should do it this way.
Q How does Results Blaze add value to an organisation? Essentially by increasing their sales conversion process systematically. Sales is as scientific as chemistry so the primary objective is how we scientifically improve a company’s sales process. The question is “How?” Second, by eliminating sales rejection by changing the sales process so the sales rep is changed to an advocate on behalf of the customer. Paradoxically, the harder you try to push a sale the worse you’ll do, and the more the buyer smells desperation. The sales reps are happier, the buyers are happier while improving sales conversions. A real Win-Win-Win Q What are the biggest objections you come up against when promoting your services to an organisation?
Almost all business owners have some knowledge of sales so they believe they have a process which “works”. I’m not disputing they do things well in their business, or they sell well. It’s the power of 1 incredible insight, and that might be different to each company. I pay consultants constantly even if that means only 1 great insight to improve the company. What does a 2% improvement mean to me over 1 year? 2 years or 10 years especially compounded? What if it was a 20% improvement? It’s a risk you can’t afford to miss. A great offer is anything that could vastly outperform the risk. That’s why any good professional is always worth the risk because you could never pay them the value you pay them. It’s always a cheap investment which huge upside.
P - 23
Q What tips would you give to sales people to improve their performance? The most important is their desire to be great at what you do and to see yourself as someone who truly wants to help the consumer with their problem, not your solution. That will come up naturally if you sell correctly. The better you listen to the customer and learn to master and cater your solution around what they struggle with easier it will be to sell.
One huge theme (among many) is learning what you really sell. Most people think it’s their product. If you sell insurance, for example, you think it’s insurance, not the peace of mind that creates an emotional bond with your solution. Really you’re selling an emotional solution to a problem that has a really deep emotional solution you solve. Your solution helps reduce their emotional and financial risk that makes your product compulsory and eliminates the competition effortlessly.
The easiest tip I would give is improve your listening skills. Don’t reply back quickly, let them know you care. Remember that in the information age people know they have options so listening better alone will instantly improve your sales.
Your solution can be 2 times more expensive than the competition but if you reduce the personal and emotional risk in the transaction they are happy to pay for peace of mind. Who wants to go “cheap” for heart surgery with the cheapest doctor?
Q Is there a common theme that most organisations miss in their sales departments?
To sum it up: it’s not what you sell, it’s how you sell it and once you know how to sell cash-flow will be the least of your problems.
GAME CHANGERS Issue #23
SIOLEENO INV. CO LTD SOFIA STAVROPOULOU Managing Director at SIOLEENO INV. CO LTD
Q We have known each other for many years, going back to my retail days in FX. Can you tell the readers how you got into the industry?
would rather be “smokes and mirrors” because these pieces of information are actually part of their well orchestrated game of Markets’ manipulation.
I first got familiarized with FOREX back in 2004 on my quest for a way out of my financial distress at the time having been in the midst of a painful divorce. I believe that the vast majority of new FOREX Traders, see in FOREX a “magical” cash-cow that will start generating money, saving them from debt and any other financial nightmare. That was my initial approach to it and a very naive one to say the least. I started FOREX Trading, burning money I couldn’t afford losing but my despair got me feeding the “monster” with more hard-earned “blood” taken not only from me, but from my kids as well. It took me years to realize that the affluent people hire wealth/asset managers to trade their funds at extremely low risk and almost non existent leverage, while for all of us being on the other side of the story, trading with margin –borrowing money which is not ours- at high leverage, is one of the worst forms of gambling and the least responsible ways of committing suicide, because through FOREX Gambling you will not only lose money, you’ll lose your self esteem, your physical and mental health and you’ll destroy your most precious relationships, unless if you get yourself armoured and shielded through proper Education in Technical Analysis.
This realization made me even more persistent in my research for applicable knowledge. I knew others who had reached a certain level of understanding, were not better than me. Determined to crack the code, I also decided that once achieving it, I’d write a book in plain language so that a six years old child could understand it. So I started putting my trades under the microscope reverse engineering the process that led to gains or losses. That’s how my Methodology, piece by piece came to life. Then KISS FOREX Series of books followed were each book is dedicated to a specific Indicator or a set of them, HAPPY PIPS were next with a broader view of the Trading Disciplines and success elements and now MITOS TRADES where I present my thinking pattern behind winning trades based on my Signals, explaining each step from ENTRY to EXIT. I pour my soul in every book and its content is the result of an imaginary dialogue with the new trader. It’s an act of confessing and as such it gives me a very rewarding sense of fulfillment, because I know that the knowledge I share will help them navigate successfully the FOREX Labyrinth and will enable them to improve their financial landscape.
Q You have written loads of books (available on Amazon) about technical analysis. How hard is it to write about such a dry subject? You know Paul, the first thing I remember myself doing after experiencing the frustration of massive losses , at the beginning of my FOREX journey, was to order any book I could find on AMAZON on the subject. The volume of my orders was such, that books were delivered inside white plastic sacks containing the carton boxes. Can you imagine that? Taking the books home, filled my heart with anticipation and a sense of lightness at the hope that the knowledge I was seeking was there. To my disappointment, the books were written in a “wooden” language which was aiming at highlighting author’s expertise on Mathematics, or was regurgitating what Markets’ “sharks” want us little minnows to believe about macro-economics, calling them Fundamentals. A more suitable term
Q Your FXHOLIC Mobile app on Ios, Android and Kindle, what makes it so different to all the others on the market? Paul FXHOLIC App was designed with the beginner and small portfolio trader in mind. A trader’s results depend on the source of information they base their decisions upon. FXHOLIC APP offers Signals in the form of mini VIDEO Tutorials where traders view my chart over my shoulder and get a full explanation of the WHY and the HOW of each Trade Setup. They get full sets of Entry, Stop Loss and Take Profit Target placement Criteria, -in many cases for both BUY and SELL Scenarios- and because my Signals are solely given in terms of Technical Analysis, their performance is phenomenal. APP’s Users get Push Notifications each time a fresh signal is out and quite often, a few minutes before Entry Criteria are met as well as follow up tips if necessary. This is what I call GUIDED TRADING . Furthermore, inside the APP, Users who choose to Subscribe to ForexID Academy, are getting access to a wealth of Educational Material on my Methodology including my books, MITOS eCourse, Strategies, Exercises and more. So what
P - 25
makes FXHOLIC App stand out is the Combination of Guided Trading and Education and the high quality of the training material which is consistent with the quality of the Signals. I treat my APP’s Users as dear friends, not as numbers. Q Not only are you a guru of FX trading, you also have a fabulous podcast. I find listening to your voice very calming. How did you come up with the idea for your podcast? Thank you for your nice words. Please allow me to replace the word “guru” which does not reflect who I am and what I do, with the greek word “mentor” the one I also chose for my Premium Forex Consulting Program, which is in line with my goal to offer stimuli to the new traders that will help them make the necessary mind-shift placing FOREX Trading within the right context for them , as part of their overall life planning and financial planning. The idea for the podcast came as the necessity from my side, to make it clear that the ultimate form of Income is Recurring Passive Income, ideally from multiple sources and FOREX Trading is not such a source. The better Trader you become, the more you realize that you need the best Investment Vehicles, -them being business models or valuable assets that appreciate in time, - that can either be funded by your trading gains or manage part of their returns via trading. FX Trading can be a lever, an accelerator but never a primary Financial Success vehicle. My Podcasts Episodes will be continued shortly, mainly extending the conversation on the “income sources” topic and exploring the world of true
Sofia Stavropoulou Managing Director at SIOLEENO INV. CO LTD
wealth that welcomes only those who are financially educated, a kind of education that is not offered in school. Q Is there a big market in Greece, it has always seemed to have been an over looked market? Considering the fact that FOREX to the total beginners is a “promise land” and my country has been mercilessly hit by a crisis that resembles war rather than peace time, there are far more Greeks than stats can tell , who have turned into FOREX seeking a way out of their financial constraints. A general estimate raises their number to one hundred thousand. Q What’s next on the agenda for Sofia Stavropoulou? Thank you for asking. My two big “loves” for now are ForexID Academy and MENTOR. More Subscribers to ForexID Academy means more traders saved from the “monster”. To make my Program attractive, I kept its monthly Subscription at the affordable rate of 48.99eur, while the value of the content is multiple times higher and I’ll keep enriching it. MENTOR on the other hand is my Premium FX Consulting Program, designed for FX Investors and Portfolio Managers giving to both reasons to celebrate excellent annual ROI’s with zero drawdown and for each new member, through a Strategy Session, the Trading Plan and the goals are determined so that they know exactly how many trades of the ones I ‘m giving through the Program they should execute and how. To me personally, MENTOR is a fascinating challenge of seeing the power of my Methodology and Guidance boosting the performance of experienced Traders or advanced Professionals and this is the highest degree of recognition I could ever ask for.
ISSUE #23
THE JOURNAL FOR INDUSTRY LEADERS
www.gchangersmag.com info@gchangersmag.com
