Killing It: Nektarios Liolios on Fintech Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Community
In This Episode
It is 2014, and Breaking Banks host Jason Henrichs is having coffee with Nektarios Liolios, an early leader in financial services innovation. Jason is in London—the uncontested fintech capital of the world at the time—sitting in the shadow of the Tower of London, seeking advice during what feels like the wreckage of his life post-Perkstreet.Nektarios, today's guest, was on a journey of his own. He joined SWIFT, the global payments messaging service, in 2007 and held various roles, from working with funds to collaborating with startups. He had recently left to co-found Startup Boot Camp Fintech and Rainmaking Innovation, a corporate innovation studio. He stepped away from both five years later for a period of reflection—which you'll hear about—before co-founding another fintech venture, Radish Credit, which recently wound down. Along the way, he’s gathered an abundance of hard-earned wisdom.
For those unfamiliar with Killing It, the name comes from a private joke between Jason and his Perkstreet co-founder. When asked how things were going, they would say, “We’re killing it,” then mutter under their breath, “like putting a knife in it.” Perkstreet, founded in 2008, was one of the first neobanks and one that crash-landed when an acquisition fell through. Listen in as Jason and Nektarios continue the candid conversation they began years ago.
Breaking Banks’ Killing It series isn’t just about startup failures; it’s about transitions and changes in identity. It’s about founders who sell successfully, only to see their dream owned by someone else. It’s about entrepreneurs who step away or are forced to. Killing It is about the journey of reinvention. This episode is a masterclass in entrepreneurship from a seasoned fintech founder, ecosystem builder, and mental health advocate.
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