Women Leading The Blockchain Revolution: “The only way forward is to innovate, take risks and to reach out when you need help.” with Visakha Thongphetsavong
The nexus of class, gender and race together make the Blockchain Industry out of reach for a lot of us. The only way forward is to innovate, take risks and to reach out when you need help. In the end, we are all human being, and we all love to help.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Visakha Thongphetsavong. Visakha worked as an Associate Investment Banker for Credit Suisse in the financial hubs of Zürich and London. Passionate for innovation and new technology, she decided to exit the Banking industry and found various startups before joining Alexi Lane, the Founder and CEO of Everex and his blockchain venture. Visakha is currently leading the organization’s global business development plan and Marketing Team as Chief Business Development and Marketing Officer. Her previous experiences in setting up businesses from scratch, coupled with her professional background as a former trader for Credit Suisse and Crypto Trading since 2013, make her an esteemed executive member. She is part of the few young women executive members in the blockchain industry having led a successful token sale of $26 million.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you share with us the story of how you decided to pursue this career path? What lessons can others learn from your story?
Having graduated with a Master degree in Financial Engineering, I started off with the Banking sector. But after some time, I actually needed more challenge. So, I took the risk to start my own venture in a totally different field.
I have learned how important it is to always keep trying and not to lose hope.
Things might or might not happen for a reason. But if we are patient, great things will come our way.
Can you tell me about the most interesting projects you are working on now?
I’m really excited to be currently leading a new offering that we, at Everex, have for the global crypto community. I can’t reveal much about it. But stay tuned for the announcement coming out soon.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are?
My CEO, Alexi Lane — one of the top blockchain influencers.
He is a great leader and visionary. Without his trust, I, a woman of color in tech, wouldn’t be here today. He provides me with the right tools to push the company forward. And together we are making it happen.
What are the things that most excite you about blockchain and crypto? Why?
The allure of Blockchain technology is that it is still evolving. When Bitcoin and blockchain first came up, people called it a scam. But today, more and more institutions are jumping on board to harness the potential of the underlying technology.
From art, real estate to supply chain management, I’m really excited to know what the future of the blockchain has in store.
What are the things worry you about blockchain and crypto? Why?
The lack of public knowledge about Blockchain concerns me a lot. It manifests itself in apprehensions about the technology and excessive government regulations.
People need to understand that the surprises a new technology can bring, might not necessarily be an unpleasant one, as it can change the way we live for the best.
How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world? Can you share a story?
We are making it happen by helping the migrant workers in transferring their hard-earned money back home to their families. Our aim is to maximize financial inclusion, and bring more and more people within the circuit of accessible financial services.
As you know, there are not a lot of people of color in the tech sector. Can you share things that you would advise to other men and women of color in the tech space to thrive?
What keep me going is — Passion. Just follow your heart and take the leap of faith. But within the purview of reason.
Work hard and give it your all. By taking risks, there are no regrets; only lessons. And in my experience, failure is a better teacher than success can ever be.
And it is never too late to start trying.
Can you advise what is needed to engage more men and women of color into the blockchain industry?
It’s not as simple as that. The nexus of class, gender and race together make the Blockchain Industry out of reach for a lot of us. The only way forward is to innovate, take risks and to reach out when you need help. In the end, we are all human being, and we all love to help.
What is your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story of how that had relevance to your own life?
My best life lesson quote is from William Shakespeare: “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves”. Because it is only in those tough moments of decision that you create your destiny. And believe me, it will not be easy at all. Much more important than the failure or success, is the experience you gain.
I thought for a long time before giving up on the success and expertise I have gained from the banking industry. But I realized in the end, it all comes down to your sense of security — financial and otherwise.
It is only after I broke out of my comfort zone that I discovered that my happiness lied in me giving in to creativity and innovation. So, I took the risk and started my own venture.
Even though my startup technically failed, it gave me the chance to learn from my mistakes, and to be where I am today.
So, no regrets there. I am very proud of what I have made of my life.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
There is something we are currently working on — enhancing financial inclusion of the 2 billion underbanked population so they can finally have access to financial services.
How can our readers follow you on social media?
We do publish a couple of blog posts on our website: www.everex.io
Or via my LinkedIn profile:
https://ch.linkedin.com/in/visakha-thongphetsavong-0b51a41a
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!
Women Leading The Blockchain Revolution: “The only way forward is to innovate, take risks and to… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
