Diversifying the World of Wealth | Interview w/ Craig Cecilio | Founder of DiversifyFund

NonZero Podcast

00:00 / 34:18

Diversyfund is opening up the world of investments to everyday people. Its founder Craig Cecilio believes that making a difference is just as important as making money and that everyone should benefit from the opportunities traditionally reserved for the ultra-wealthy.

Summary:

Craig Cecilio came full circle: after growing up in a middle-class family where his father scowled at the rich, he became a real estate developer and investor serving the ultra-wealthy when it dawned on him that by leveraging his extensive experience and modern technology, he could bridge the gap between wealthy, ‘accredited’ investors and the everyday Joe helping the masses benefit from access to a traditionally exclusive asset class, and much-needed diversification in turbulent times like the present moment.

His company Diversyfund provides a fully automated platform that allows anyone to invest amounts starting from 500USD. Financial education is a large part of their mission: since Diversyfund is open to people from all walks of life, it is important that users can educate themselves about this “savings account on steroids”.

Beyond the fascinating story of Diversyfund, Craig also touches upon the general shift in investment priorities, the importance of failure in the making of an entrepreneur, and the truth behind the old adage “money can’t buy happiness”.

Key takeaways:

an employee should have skills the founder doesn’t, a mentee should have intangible skills and drive
business success comes after some inevitable failure, so why not say “learn” instead of “fail”
the money/happiness tradeoff becomes meaningless at a certain level, so investors are looking at ESG (environmental, social, and governance) components

Mentions:

Diversyfund – website www.diversyfund.com

Craig Cecilio http://craigcecilio.com/