291: Make Trade Easy, with MODIFI

Today I'm joined by MODIFI, a forward-thinking global financial services technology brand who are on a mission to reinvent global commerce – despite supply chain disruption. MODIFI is a one stop platform for business payments and trade management, founded with the aim to make trade seamless and transparent for businesses around the globe. Designed to challenge the status quo, MODIFI allows exporters and importers alike to gain full control of their cross-border trade. Today Nelson Holzner, CEO and Co-Founder of MODIFI, joins me to chat all about the company: what they do; pushing boundaries in the world of finance; how flexible payment terms can help businesses scale quickly; and why it's so important to bring simplicity and control to global trade.   IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:   [06.25] Nelson's founder journey, and how a corporate law career led him to become a successful fintech entrepreneur. "My Dad was a sea captain on large container ships, so shipping is deep in my DNA!" [08.10] How, and why, Nelson co-founded MODIFI. "As founders, we were very intrigued by very large markets with almost unlimited growth potential. Global commerce and business payments are massive markets... and when you look at how clunky and complicated they are, we thought: we can make a change for the better." [09.37] An overview of MODIFI – what they do and how they help their customers. "MODIFI stands for modern digital finance, and what we're doing is empowering global commerce with digital business payments and trade management services." [12.13] A closer look at how MODIFI works for buyers, how it helps to mitigate risk, and the many benefits. "It's a win-win – the buyer can buy the goods and pay for them later… they can grow their business and their margins at the same time. It's a very neat solution!" [17.17] How MODIFI works for sellers, and the impact of being able to optimize cashflow. [20.00] How MODIFI helps level the playing field, why it's so important to empower small and medium sized businesses, and the impact that empowerment can have globally. "It's these small and mid-sized businesses that need fast and secure liquidity, especially in developing countries where local economies are often struggling and the banking systems aren't as strong. For us, it's about the financial inclusion of those businesses." [21.55] MODIFI's shipment tracker, and other support solutions, that allow businesses to achieve better visibility into, and control over, their trades – all in one place. [24.39] The quick and simple integration and onboarding process with MODIFI. "With banks, it takes months… with our technology, we can do it all in a day." [28.18] The ideal client for MODIFI. [30.11] A case study detailing how MODIFI helped a key customer, who found themselves struggling and unable to take on new orders because of a lack of capital, to grow and thrive in a volatile market. [34.25] Why MODIFI is working to push the boundaries and challenge the status quo, and why that's so important at this time of global disruption. "The traditional service providers we have in our space lack a holistic view… they focus on their specific solution, their specific field… but I believe that if you leverage technology, you can really change that - you can allow customers to get the full picture and, with that full picture, much more control." [37.07] Big ambitions and growth: the future for MODIFI.   RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:   Head over to MODIFI's website now to find out more and discover how they could help you too. You can also connect with MODIFI and keep up to date with the latest over on LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook, or you can connect with Nelson on LinkedIn. If you enjoyed this episode, why not check out episode 185: Chart a Course for Shipping Success, featuring Alison Cusack, another successful lawyer in the shipping space. Or why not try episode 271, featuring Klaus Imping, another forward-thinking entrepreneur, who's helping business leaders to make digital process transformation sustainably successful. Check out our other podcasts HERE.