Mike Hudack on Building Fintech Unicorns: Lessons from Monzo, Facebook, and Deliveroo

Mike Hudak shares his journey from dropping out of high school to becoming a prominent figure in the fintech industry. He discusses his experiences at various startups, including Facebook, Monzo, Deliveroo, Blip TV and Sling Money, his latest venture.
Mike reflects on the differences between the UK and US startup ecosystems, the challenges of raising capital, and the importance of product management in building successful companies. He emphasises the need for dynamism in the UK to foster growth and innovation.
Mike discusses the evolution of team autonomy as a technology, the inception of Sling as a global payment solution, and the challenges of navigating regulation in the financial landscape. He emphasises the importance of user experience in blockchain technology, outlines potential revenue models for Sling, and offers valuable advice for the next generation entering the workforce during a time of rapid technological change.
Takeaways

• Mike dropped out of high school due to a lack of interest in traditional education and learned coding at home before taking a job at a startup.
• Transitioning to Facebook was like moving from the minor leagues to playing for Yankees.
• Persistence and learning from failures are key to success.
• Product management is crucial for aligning teams and ensuring project success. The product way of working is a form of technology.
• Timing is critical in the tech industry.
• Embracing novelty and risk is essential for career growth.
• The current era is a golden age of technological advancement.
• Learning from mistakes is vital for personal and professional development.
• Future careers will be shaped by emerging technologies.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Mike Hudak and His Journey
01:00 Dropping Out of High School: A Personal Choice
04:15 The Birth of Blip TV: A Startup Adventure
07:12 Transitioning to Facebook: Learning in a Big League
09:54 Moving Back to the UK: A Personal Perspective
13:17 Starting a New Company: Insights on the UK Startup Scene
17:28 Navigating the Startup Ecosystem: Challenges and Opportunities
22:05 The Role of Product Management: A Key to Success
24:53 The Technology of Team Autonomy
27:07 The Birth of Sling: A Global Payment Solution
34:38 Navigating Regulation in the Financial Landscape
37:55 Building a User-Friendly Blockchain Experience
41:13 Revenue Models and Future Growth
46:23 Embracing Change: Advice for the Next Generation
https://twitter.com/mhudack

Check out our website and subscribe to our mailing list to hear more about opportunities in fintech and web3.
Follow our socials Linkedin, Twitter, Youtube
https://workinfintech.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/work-in-fintech-global
https://www.twitter.com/workinfintech
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdS4bYoCXaHVgfVm6syUrDw