It's Brooke from Sharesies. Let's chat changing the world through investment.

This week I am talking to the incredible Brooke from Sharesies, a platform that is changing the investment game.

I first met the sharesies crew in 2017 in my very first angel investment pitch and I was blown away by how lovely they all were, and what a good (and simple) idea Sharesies was.

Their mission is all about creating financial empowerment for everybody and Brooke has done this as one of six co-leaders which is unusual, but super effective.

 In this episode Brooke shares:

-       How Sharesies started

-       How they worked to bring on share holders who share a similar vision to them

-       How they get their core info across to the consumer without being overwhelming

-       The conversation she and the founders had about setting up the vibe and culture at their company

-       The importance of sharing your idea

-       How to use the B Corp certification to find the weaknesses in your business

-       Her number one tip to someone starting a mission driven business

 Key Quotes

 “You don't have to be perfect from day one.”

 “When we've brought shareholders on board we've been interviewing them too.”

More information:

Find out more about Sharesies via their website: ⁠https://sharesies.com.au/⁠ 

You can also follow them on social media.

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/SharesiesAU⁠

Instragram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/sharesiesau⁠

Tiktok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@sharesiesau⁠ 

You can get involved with the podcast online

Find our full podcast plus our sister podcast via the website here: ⁠https://www.nowthatswhaticall.com/⁠

Or follow the podcasts on our socials: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/nowthatswhaticallpodcasts/⁠

You can follow me on socials on the below accounts.

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Tiktok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@briannemwest⁠

Linkedin: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannemwest/⁠

For our latest big project, find out more about Incrediballs here: ⁠https://incrediballs.com/

Transcript:

Kia ora and welcome to Now That's What I Call Business. I'm your host, Brianne West, and you may know me as the founder and former CEO of Ethique or that soap company, as some of you may know it, or hopefully my newest startup, Incrediballs. I absolutely believe that business done right, done ethically, is the way to change the world. So if you are looking to build your world-changing biz or you just want to find out how Incredibles is going, then you have come to the right place. Welcome back to an exciting episode because today joining us in the studio is Brooke from Sharesies.

 
You've probably heard of Sharesies. They are a platform that is changing the game in investment and has been for years. I first met the Sharesies crew on my very first angel investment pitch, what feels like four million years ago, I think in  0 7, and I was blown away by how freaking cool she was. The Sharesies mission is quite simple but actually quite revolutionary. They want to create financial empowerment for everybody regardless of how much you have to invest. So whether that's $500,000 or $500,000, Sharesies believes in giving you the tools to grow your wealth. Brooke is one of six co-leaders of Sharesies, yep, six, which is definitely unusual but super effective. I'm going to talk to her today about a whole bunch of things from marketing to impact and how they've managed to grow a revolutionary platform in such a short period of time.  Here we go.

 
So, treat me like I'm five, what does Sharesies do in a minute or less? So Sharesies is a place where you can start investing essentially or be an investor. We really care about creating financial empowerment for everyone by giving someone with $5 and $5 million the same money opportunities. So how did you guys start?
What was the first couple of steps you took?

 
The real first thing we did really was customer research, just diving into do people even want to be an investor? What does that mean to them? How do they feel about money? What do they see as their future? What do they want it to be? And really diving into those conversations with people because that ultimately meant that, yep, that gave us the confidence to quit our jobs and go and make this happen.

 
We felt like the risk of not doing it was greater and also made us really understand, yeah, that there was a massive opportunity here and something needed to happen and we felt like we could combine our minds to figure out what that could look like. We gave ourselves three months to get cheeses off the ground,

 
like get a product out there in this highly regulated environment and then also make sure that we could have capital so that we could continue and make sure that she's come to life. So we did our first raise, which was a convertible note. So it converted into equity at our next raise. And we were initially raising  00K, but ended up raising 450,000. We got quite a lot of interest, which was great.

 
And then that also helped because there's quite a lot we needed to do, like build the team and then be able to start building the product out and the features we needed and then ultimately kick off our referral program, which we generated a lot of our growth, which I might talk a bit about later. And then, yeah, we've done multiple raises since then. And the founders still have a significant part of Sharesies, TradeMe is a shareholder. We've got shareholders all across Aotearoa, Australia, Singapore, and the US. So yeah, it's kind of just grown since then. I think we've raised around $50 million to date.

 
How have you managed to bring on investors? This is a question I get all the time, particularly as we got involved with family office slash private equity, funny combination of the two. Everyone says you must have switched out your values or you must have watered things down. Have you found it hard to get investors on board who share a similar vision?

 
So when we've brought what we call shareholders, because we call our customers investors, when we've brought shareholders on board, we've been interviewing them too. So, and not afraid to do that, you know, ask them, you know, why are they investing? What else are they investing in? Talk to, do reference checks on who they've invested in the past and really understand that why and that motivation, because, you know, we're building something that really cares about the long-term here. We want to shareholders that have that long-term perspective and are really, really connected to our purpose because that means no matter the highs and lows of operating as a business, you've got people there that are fully committed to your why and why you're doing what you're doing and can see that impact and want to support you in terms of creating that, the change you want to see. And again, that strategic importance can come up too, like, well, what can, you know, when we're bringing on a shareholder aside from the money that they can invest into shares is, what other value could they add to that could really help us? Is it connections? Is it, I don't know, other processes, hiring, whatever it might be that those shareholders can bring that can be really helpful. And I think we've predominantly got it right so far, I've noticed, you know, we've had really strong support. And when there's been feedback, it's been really timely and we've taken action on it. And I think it's just really important to have that openness with shareholders and know that they are a key stakeholder of a

 
company too. We've had lots of conversations with VC funds and we did the dance with the VC a couple of years ago and we got real close. We got sort of term sheets signed, I think from memory, and finalising paperwork. And it came to the point where they did a couple of things and it just became apparent that all of what they were talking about was bullshit and they were about as values-led as, I don't know, Donald Trump. You have to interview them and you have to really careful, but that's hard to see through the bullshit. But there's lots of impact investment funds out there now too, so that's interesting.

 
So what was the single biggest mistake you've made?

 
I think mistakes that I've made that I reflect on when sometimes I haven't trust my gut was spoken out about something. When I'd see something and I'd have a reaction, but then I'd just let it go, I'm like, oh, what if I just told them that? And so sometimes when you see the ripple effects with something, you're just like, man, I should have just said something, because I could have stopped that. So I think that's something that I've taken a learning from, is that even if I just have a first reaction to something, just why not share it and just be like, oh, this is what I initially thought.

 
And then you can hear the rebut to it or go, oh, yep, that's a good idea. As a founder, you know, making sure that things are, you know, that the company is growing in the way that you're, you know, expecting and kind of aligned to that. And so that's probably something I am very conscious of at the moment anyway. It's so funny listening to you talk because it's like being inside my head. The only time, well, not the only times, but the times that the worst things have happened have been when I have been in a room with people way more experienced, which is all the time, right? Been in a room with people way more experienced.

 
They've held these amazing corporate positions and I've been like, what do I know? I'm just going to shut up. Even though I hate that or I think that's insensitive or whatever, or I think that's a terrible financial decision, it always has been. You are so right.

 
You should speak up.

 
So right. And as I found out, you've got more context too, so even if you might not be an expert in that certain field, what you are is in your company and what you wanted it to be.

 
So yeah, that's probably one thing that I reflect on. Yeah. People need to understand that debate is not confrontation or even just putting your opinion forward is not confrontation and it's not a bad thing. I don't know if I've learned that one yet. What is your ultimate goal? What if in 10 years' time you could draw the ideal business world for Sharesies, what would that look  like? We really want to create financial empowerment for everyone. So when everyone can see that if more people and hopefully everyone was in a position where money was like an enabler to the opportunities they wanted to have in their life rather than something that was just either non-existent or a really big barrier. So what can we do to help people build wealth over the long term, help them create those opportunities they want in their lives for their, and then ultimately for their whānau or their community, and just really unlocking so many barriers that have been in the way that have ultimately stole people from being able to have those opportunities.

 
It seems to be a relatively newish mission or newish topic that people didn't talk about before. The likes of girls in vests appearing, it's almost like money is, it was considered evil. I grew up with English parents, right? So never talked about income, salary. What people learned, it was just a no-go zone. But now we actually talk about it. People actually understand it's not a bad thing to want to have and to have money within reasons, if that makes sense.

 
Yeah, it's like you didn't talk about money, religion or politics. They're kind of the two subjects that are kind of divided and you're seeing that start to really change and I think the rise of social media and access to information and communication has probably changed a lot of that. But yeah, I mean with money, a lot of us are fuck-a-ma about it but that's why we really wanted to create a place at start where anyone could be an investor no matter how much money you had. That's why we're the first to introduce fractional investing.

 
We can literally invest however much you want because we wanted people to feel like that access and remove that eliteness away from it, like, oh, that's only something for the rich people. You're going to have heaps of money. You've got to have a degree in finance. And once you start removing those barriers, then people can start saying, oh, well, what if I did this with my money? And it just becomes a bit more hopeful and a bit more, there's more opportunity to have aspirations because barriers are starting to be removed.

 
So how have you embedded that throughout your company? Because you've grown really fast for a six-year-old company, you've got a big team, how have you made sure that they left as much as possible or resonated with that mission?

 
Firstly, we hire essentially based on people's alignment to our purpose and the contribution they could have to our values. So that's really helped. Like, you know, everyone here really, really cares about creating financial empowerment for everyone, making sure that that's something that they really want to spend their life helping create, which is awesome. And so we sat down really early on and had this awesome conversation.

 
My bullet pointed down everything we talked about in terms of what's something we wanted to happen in our company, what do we want this company to feel like, what are things that happen in companies that we used to work at we never want to happen at our company, and what makes us jump into work each day, you know, like what's these kind of experiences or things we wanted to create. We jotted that down and ultimately been them up to our values, which are always care and it's getting in chase remarkable. And so when we hire people that have that collective type of style rather than individualistic or they have deep care for each other and themselves and our investors, and they like to do remarkable work and really put the cherry on the top and love the chase of that, like love finding the new way of doing things or being bold and taking appropriate risks. When we hire on that and that kind of mindset, that agility is really important, especially in this world we're working in at the moment. When we hire for that, then ultimately it feels like anything's possible.

 
That said, purposes or mission-led businesses are, you know, they're all the rage at the moment. And I don't think it's a trend, I think it's a revolution. People are finally understanding that maybe business could solve some of these problems, right? And you're seeing a lot of companies try and start with this idea of mission at the core, but then you're also seeing a lot of companies try and retrofit it in. What are some pitfalls that people need to worry about or watch out for when they're trying to embed purpose into a company?

 
I really like, and you'll know this, being a B Corp to help understand, it's more than like words, you know? I think that that's a really important part of being mission-led or purpose-led. So for us, our purpose is ingrained in our constitution, and that's really great. And also our commitment to stakeholders, not just shareholders, is in our constitution. And I think that ultimately, you know, it's a founding document of a company or the document, you know, that is something that directors are held accountable to too. So I think that's a really good place to start. Being a B Corp, kind of make sure you do that. But what I liked doing as part of that B Corp assessment is the B Impact Assessment essentially, where you answer hundreds of questions. And I did this before we could even apply to be a B Corp because you have to have a year's worth of revenue or something, or you have to be revenue generating.

 
I think I tried to apply before I was, but we did that assessment, which is free online, and it's great to show you, okay, it break down, like, what does purpose lead mean? Like, what are you doing for your customers? What are you doing for the community? What are you doing for your employees? You know, and it was really good to see, like, oh, yeah, we don't have a whistleblower policy. Maybe we should do that. These things that you just hadn't thought of, so it's a great kind of checklist to go, how am I setting up this company and am I setting it up in a structure that's going to support us continuing to be mission-led? So I think that is a helpful way. So instead of talking about pitfalls, it's like, start with there and then you'll see the areas that you haven't thought about yet or that maybe you could improve on. And you don't have to be perfect. I think that's a really important part. You don't have to be perfect from day one.

 
It's all about making sure you really have a social environmental purpose and the decision making in the leadership team and the way that you think about bringing your product and service to life is really connected to that. And obviously creating the sustainable business outcomes you need to create an intergenerational company or going concern at least. And doing that assessment is a really great way of just making sure you've thought through your business quite holistically and can see the areas that maybe you need to improve.

 
Yeah, I remember doing the assessment, I think, the first time in  0 5. I'd just heard about it, oddly enough, from a company that makes single-use plastics, from Eagle Protective, I think it was the first V-Corp in New Zealand. And he told me to go and have a look at it. And I went through it and thought, I don't even know what 99% of this stuff is. I thought we were great, but we were a startup operating out of a tiny little unit at this point. I didn't even know what a whistleblower was. I was an idiot.

 
So it is a really good tool actually. It was a little bit American, like it is definitely, you know, there's things in there like, well that's illegal in New Zealand, of course we wouldn't do that, you know, but I think they've worked a lot on that assessment over time, so yeah.

 
Going back to the meaning behind your pineapple and your logo, I read about that the other day, it's really interesting. You have a lot to talk about and you have a relatively complex subject matter. People see, well I assume, certainly I used to see investing and think I have no idea how we're going to approach it. So you have a lot of complex matters to talk about. How do you get all that across to the consumer without being too overwhelming?

 
Yeah. I mean this is like a lifelong subject in some ways. You know, like even people that are investors and are like, cool, nailed that, expert, like you're continuously learning because the environment's changing a lot. So yeah, what's cool to us is making sure that people aren't priced out, jargoned out, or left out of investing. And the jargon is the part where that can be really alarmist or really hinder people's confidence.

 
So we really care about not just providing access to investing, but helping build people's confidence and motivation. And the essential way we do that in terms of sharing that information is making sure that it's in multiple different places and can be timely through somebody's journey at Sharesies based on what their experience is or what they're investing in or where they are at that journey.

 
So based on your behavior, we will recommend information as we go. We try to make sure the app is as simple as possible. So we take this whole complex system we work in and just try to make it as user-friendly. We want to make it as easy as online shopping and just easy for you to have the information you need to help you make your decision in terms of investing.

 
But we've also got a book out there now, She's Gone to Investing, so people can read that way to get started. We've got a blog that we've had for ages. We've got podcasts like a shared lunch where we interview directors or CEOs of companies to help, or economists, and help unpick things that are happening in those companies or in the economy and make sure we're having timely conversations. You can hear those conversations that are typically or normally reserved for big investors or institutional investors or the boardroom. How can we make this information more accessible? And then in our app, we've got quite high quality control over when a notification goes out and how we go about that to make sure we don't over bombard people, but also that people have access to opportunities like the capital raises that might be happening or some sort of corporate action.

 
So there's a lot of information out there and it'll be our lifelong journey to make sure we're continuing to educate and provide insight in terms of what's happening. But yeah, we really want to make sure from somebody's experience using Sharesies that they're getting the right information at the right time that informs them to become the investor they want to be. I think that has been, yeah, one of our most successful marketing tactics was kicking off a referral program when we started. We saw about  4,  5% of our customer growth come from that. And so what we liked about that is customers referring customers. So it shows that you've created something that's lovable, that people are finding, you know, that are proud of and they want to share that with their friends or whanau, family. And it's momentum breeding momentum, you know, and so that was a really successful way that we got started and helped build, you know, the brand awareness that we've got here in

 
Aotearoa. Yeah. It is the single greatest marketing tactic, but it's also the hardest. What would be your number one tip to someone starting a mission-driven? I don't love the term. I wish that it wasn't mission-driven business and just business. It should just be business, but it is. Business, I agree.

 
Business as usual is shit.

 
So anyway, that's an aside. Yeah, that's an aside.

 
What would be your number one tip for someone wanting to start one?

 
Well, I fully agree with you there. Every business should have a social environmental purpose at the core of it, forevermore. My number one tip is – I've got so many tips, but the one that comes really glaring to me at the moment is that support network. Really build and lean on your support network. If you've got multiple founders, that's a real helpful way. If you've got a really strong board, that's a helpful way. But if you're just kicking off with yourself, it can be – there's a highs and lows of business like it can be and you're figuring stuff out as you go. So just lean on people. I think sometimes you feel like you're starting – like you're reinventing the wheel, like you're starting everything from scratch. But if you've got some connections that you can connect with or ask people for connections, you can get these templates and just make your day that much faster when you're getting started or a connection with somebody who can help you out for a little bit. And all of that really helps when you're getting started. If you've got an idea that you really

 
want to bring to life, I think I used to think that you had to hold it tight and you can't tell anybody. That was an intellectual property kind of error of it all. But actually, when you share an idea, there's sparks that can happen in somebody else's mind like, hey, just connect to this person, connect to this person. That helps actually build the momentum behind the idea and bring it to life. And often others aren't as passionate about it as what you are too. And so that's really helpful. So building that support network for you as you scale your company and your idea, but also for your business too, that support network for that, that's going to help make sure you're getting that advice and support that you need along the way. And I think that's something I'm really grateful that we've had here as we've continued to  grow Sharesies. I remember a lot of people you talked to don't want to share their idea until it's out in the market and I totally understand why and you are kind of told to be very careful. But I once had a mentoring session with somebody who wouldn't tell me what their business idea was but they very much wanted to know granular detail on what they should go and do and it was the most bizarre conversation. So that point about being prepared to share because just the idea isn't really the important bit to be honest.

 
Ideas are cheap, free, easy, right? It's the execution that's the hard bit. So telling someone your idea is immensely valuable and not enormously risky.

 
I think also quickly figuring out how that idea is going to be commercialized and make money, I think, is another important part. Like, how are you actually going to, you know, what's the revenue model behind it and how sustainable that is? Because, you know, as a B Corp too, we are for profit, you know, with purpose and profit. And I think you need to make sure that you're creating something that is sustainable and can sustain you and the team and the idea to actually come to life. So for someone who's listening, what would be one thing you would want someone to go away and do as a result of listening to this podcast?

 
I got some really good advice just before we started Sharesies and it was like, whatever you're putting off, do it now. And I think like, I often think about how precious time is and making the most of it. So if there's anything you're putting off in your life that you feel like is really important and you want to see how to drive that change, like why not now, you know, and what could you do to make that happen? I think, yeah, life's too short.

 
As expected, Brooke's insights were phenomenal. I hope you took a lot away from that session. She is an example of a wonderful leader creating serious impact in an industry that's not typically women-led. For more information, visit Sharesies.com, link of course in the show notes. Kia ora, see you next time. Short and sweet, like all the best podcasts, right? Thank you for learning with me. It is always an absolute blast to put these together and share these stories, some of them which are a little ridiculous, and they all come from building a business that will hopefully change the world. If you enjoyed this episode, don't keep it to yourself and feel free to drop me a rating and hit that subscribe button. and hit that subscribe button. Kia ora and see you next week where I will have another incredible episode for you.

 
Kia ora and welcome to Now That's What I Call Business. I'm your host, Brianne West, and you may know me as the founder and former CEO of Ethique or that soap company, as some of you may know it, or hopefully my newest startup, Incrediballs. I absolutely believe that business done right, done ethically, is the way to change the world. So if you are looking to build your world-changing biz or you just want to find out how Incredibles is going, then you have come to the right place. Welcome back to an exciting episode because today joining us in the studio is Brooke from Sharesies.

 
You've probably heard of Sharesies. They are a platform that is changing the game in investment and has been for years. I first met the Sharesies crew on my very first angel investment pitch, what feels like four million years ago, I think in  0 7, and I was blown away by how freaking cool she was. The Sharesies mission is quite simple but actually quite revolutionary. They want to create financial empowerment for everybody regardless of how much you have to invest. So whether that's $500,000 or $500,000, Sharesies believes in giving you the tools to grow your

 
wealth. Brooke is one of six co-leaders of Sharesies, yep, six, which is definitely unusual but super effective. I'm going to talk to her today about a whole bunch of things from marketing to impact and how they've managed to grow a revolutionary platform in such a short period of time.

3
Here we go.

 
So, trick me like I'm five, what does Sharesies do in a minute or less? So Sharesies is a place where you can start investing essentially or be an investor. We really care about creating financial empowerment for everyone by giving someone with $5 and $5 million the same money opportunities. So how did you guys start?

 
What was the first couple of steps you took?

 
The real first thing we did really was customer research, just diving into do people even want to be an investor? What does that mean to them? How do they feel about money? What do they see as their future? What do they want it to be? And really diving into those conversations with people because that ultimately meant that, yep, that gave us the confidence to quit our jobs and go and make this happen.

 
We felt like the risk of not doing it was greater and also made us really understand, yeah, that there was a massive opportunity here and something needed to happen and we felt like we could combine our minds to figure out what that could look like. We gave ourselves three months to get cheeses off the ground,

 
like get a product out there in this highly regulated environment and then also make sure that we could have capital so that we could continue and make sure that she's come to life. So we did our first raise, which was a convertible note. So it converted into equity at our next raise. And we were initially raising  00K, but ended up raising 450,000. We got quite a lot of interest, which was great.

 
And then that also helped because there's quite a lot we needed to do, like build the team and then be able to start building the product out and the features we needed and then ultimately kick off our referral program, which we generated a lot of our growth, which I might talk a bit about later. And then, yeah, we've done multiple raises since then. And the founders still have a significant part of Sharesies, TradeMe is a shareholder. We've got shareholders all across Aotearoa, Australia, Singapore, and the US. So yeah, it's kind of just grown since then. I think we've raised around $50 million to date.

 
How have you managed to bring on investors? This is a question I get all the time, particularly as we got involved with family office slash private equity, funny combination of the two. Everyone says you must have switched out your values or you must have watered things down. Have you found it hard to get investors on board who share a similar vision?

 
So when we've brought what we call shareholders, because we call our customers investors, when we've brought shareholders on board, we've been interviewing them too. So, and not afraid to do that, you know, ask them, you know, why are they investing? What else are they investing in? Talk to, do reference checks on who they've invested in the past and really understand that why and that motivation, because, you know, we're building something that really cares about the long-term here. We want to shareholders that have that long-term perspective and are really, really connected to our purpose because that means no matter the highs and lows of operating as a business, you've got people there that are fully committed to your why and why you're doing what you're doing and can see that impact and want to support you in terms of creating that, the change you want to see. And again, that strategic importance can come up too, like, well, what can, you know, when we're bringing on a shareholder aside from the money that they can invest into shares is, what other value could they add to that could really help us? Is it connections? Is it, I don't know, other processes, hiring, whatever it might be that those shareholders can bring that can be really helpful. And I think we've predominantly got it right so far, I've noticed, you know, we've had really strong support. And when there's been feedback, it's been really timely and we've taken action on it. And I think it's just really important to have that openness with shareholders and know that they are a key stakeholder of a

 
company too. We've had lots of conversations with VC funds and we did the dance with the VC a couple of years ago and we got real close. We got sort of term sheets signed, I think from memory, and finalising paperwork. And it came to the point where they did a couple of things and it just became apparent that all of what they were talking about was bullshit and they were about as values-led as, I don't know, Donald Trump. You have to interview them and you have to really careful, but that's hard to see through the bullshit. But there's lots of impact investment funds out there now too, so that's interesting.

 
So what was the single biggest mistake you've made?

 
I think mistakes that I've made that I reflect on when sometimes I haven't trust my gut was spoken out about something. When I'd see something and I'd have a reaction, but then I'd just let it go, I'm like, oh, what if I just told them that? And so sometimes when you see the ripple effects with something, you're just like, man, I should have just said something, because I could have stopped that. So I think that's something that I've taken a learning from, is that even if I just have a first reaction to something, just why not share it and just be like, oh, this is what I initially thought.

 
And then you can hear the rebut to it or go, oh, yep, that's a good idea. As a founder, you know, making sure that things are, you know, that the company is growing in the way that you're, you know, expecting and kind of aligned to that. And so that's probably something I am very conscious of at the moment anyway. It's so funny listening to you talk because it's like being inside my head. The only time, well, not the only times, but the times that the worst things have happened have been when I have been in a room with people way more experienced, which is all the time, right? Been in a room with people way more experienced.

 
They've held these amazing corporate positions and I've been like, what do I know? I'm just going to shut up. Even though I hate that or I think that's insensitive or whatever, or I think that's a terrible financial decision, it always has been. You are so right.

 
You should speak up.

 
So right. And as I found out, you've got more context too, so even if you might not be an expert in that certain field, what you are is in your company and what you wanted it to be.

 
So yeah, that's probably one thing that I reflect on. Yeah. People need to understand that debate is not confrontation or even just putting your opinion forward is not confrontation and it's not a bad thing. I don't know if I've learned that one yet. What is your ultimate goal? What if in 10 years' time you could draw the ideal business world for Sharesies, what would that look

 
like? We really want to create financial empowerment for everyone. So when everyone can see that if more people and hopefully everyone was in a position where money was like an enabler to the opportunities they wanted to have in their life rather than something that was just either non-existent or a really big barrier. So what can we do to help people build wealth over the long term, help them create those opportunities they want in their lives for their, and then ultimately for their whānau or their community, and just really unlocking so many barriers that have been in the way that have ultimately stole people from being able to have those opportunities.

 
It seems to be a relatively newish mission or newish topic that people didn't talk about before. The likes of girls in vests appearing, it's almost like money is, it was considered evil. I grew up with English parents, right? So never talked about income, salary. What people learned, it was just a no-go zone. But now we actually talk about it. People actually understand it's not a bad thing to want to have and to have money within reasons, if that makes sense.

 
Yeah, it's like you didn't talk about money, religion or politics. They're kind of the two subjects that are kind of divided and you're seeing that start to really change and I think the rise of social media and access to information and communication has probably changed a lot of that. But yeah, I mean with money, a lot of us are fuck-a-ma about it but that's why we really wanted to create a place at start where anyone could be an investor no matter how much money you had. That's why we're the first to introduce fractional investing.

 
We can literally invest however much you want because we wanted people to feel like that access and remove that eliteness away from it, like, oh, that's only something for the rich people. You're going to have heaps of money. You've got to have a degree in finance. And once you start removing those barriers, then people can start saying, oh, well, what if I did this with my money? And it just becomes a bit more hopeful and a bit more, there's more opportunity to have aspirations because barriers are starting to be removed.

 
So how have you embedded that throughout your company? Because you've grown really fast for a six-year-old company, you've got a big team, how have you made sure that they left as much as possible or resonated with that mission?

 
Firstly, we hire essentially based on people's alignment to our purpose and the contribution they could have to our values. So that's really helped. Like, you know, everyone here really, really cares about creating financial empowerment for everyone, making sure that that's something that they really want to spend their life helping create, which is awesome. And so we sat down really early on and had this awesome conversation.

 
My bullet pointed down everything we talked about in terms of what's something we wanted to happen in our company, what do we want this company to feel like, what are things that happen in companies that we used to work at we never want to happen at our company, and what makes us jump into work each day, you know, like what's these kind of experiences or things we wanted to create. We jotted that down and ultimately been them up to our values, which are always care and it's getting in chase remarkable. And so when we hire people that have that collective type of style rather than individualistic or they have deep care for each other and themselves and our investors, and they like to do remarkable work and really put the cherry on the top and love the chase of that, like love finding the new way of doing things or being bold and taking appropriate risks. When we hire on that and that kind of mindset, that agility is really important, especially in this world we're working in at the moment. When we hire for that, then ultimately it feels like anything's possible.

 
That said, purposes or mission-led businesses are, you know, they're all the rage at the moment. And I don't think it's a trend, I think it's a revolution. People are finally understanding that maybe business could solve some of these problems, right? And you're seeing a lot of companies try and start with this idea of mission at the core, but then you're also seeing a lot of companies try and retrofit it in. What are some pitfalls that people need to worry about or watch out for when they're trying to embed purpose into a company?

 
I really like, and you'll know this, being a B Corp to help understand, it's more than like words, you know? I think that that's a really important part of being mission-led or purpose-led. So for us, our purpose is ingrained in our constitution, and that's really great. And also our commitment to stakeholders, not just shareholders, is in our constitution. And I think that ultimately, you know, it's a founding document of a company or the document, you know, that is something that directors are held accountable to too. So I think that's a really good place to start. Being a B Corp, kind of make sure you do that. But what I liked doing as part of that B Corp assessment is the B Impact Assessment essentially, where you answer hundreds of questions. And I did this before we could even apply to be a B Corp because you have to have a year's worth of revenue or something, or you have to be revenue generating.

 
I think I tried to apply before I was, but we did that assessment, which is free online, and it's great to show you, okay, it break down, like, what does purpose lead mean? Like, what are you doing for your customers? What are you doing for the community? What are you doing for your employees? You know, and it was really good to see, like, oh, yeah, we don't have a whistleblower policy. Maybe we should do that. These things that you just hadn't thought of, so it's a great kind of checklist to go, how am I setting up this company and am I setting it up in a structure that's going to support us continuing to be mission-led? So I think that is a helpful way. So instead of talking about pitfalls, it's like, start with there and then you'll see the areas that you haven't thought about yet or that maybe you could improve on. And you don't have to be perfect. I think that's a really important part. You don't have to be perfect from day one.

 
It's all about making sure you really have a social environmental purpose and the decision making in the leadership team and the way that you think about bringing your product and service to life is really connected to that. And obviously creating the sustainable business outcomes you need to create an intergenerational company or going concern at least. And doing that assessment is a really great way of just making sure you've thought through your business quite holistically and can see the areas that maybe you need to improve.

 
Yeah, I remember doing the assessment, I think, the first time in  0 5. I'd just heard about it, oddly enough, from a company that makes single-use plastics, from Eagle Protective, I think it was the first V-Corp in New Zealand. And he told me to go and have a look at it. And I went through it and thought, I don't even know what 99% of this stuff is. I thought we were great, but we were a startup operating out of a tiny little unit at this point. I didn't even know what a whistleblower was. I was an idiot.

 
So it is a really good tool actually. It was a little bit American, like it is definitely, you know, there's things in there like, well that's illegal in New Zealand, of course we wouldn't do that, you know, but I think they've worked a lot on that assessment over time, so yeah.

 
Going back to the meaning behind your pineapple and your logo, I read about that the other day, it's really interesting. You have a lot to talk about and you have a relatively complex subject matter. People see, well I assume, certainly I used to see investing and think I have no idea how we're going to approach it. So you have a lot of complex matters to talk about. How do you get all that across to the consumer without being too overwhelming?

 
Yeah. I mean this is like a lifelong subject in some ways. You know, like even people that are investors and are like, cool, nailed that, expert, like you're continuously learning because the environment's changing a lot. So yeah, what's cool to us is making sure that people aren't priced out, jargoned out, or left out of investing. And the jargon is the part where that can be really alarmist or really hinder people's confidence.

 
So we really care about not just providing access to investing, but helping build people's confidence and motivation. And the essential way we do that in terms of sharing that information is making sure that it's in multiple different places and can be timely through somebody's journey at Sharesies based on what their experience is or what they're investing in or where they are at that journey.

 
So based on your behavior, we will recommend information as we go. We try to make sure the app is as simple as possible. So we take this whole complex system we work in and just try to make it as user-friendly. We want to make it as easy as online shopping and just easy for you to have the information you need to help you make your decision in terms of investing.

 
But we've also got a book out there now, She's Gone to Investing, so people can read that way to get started. We've got a blog that we've had for ages. We've got podcasts like a shared lunch where we interview directors or CEOs of companies to help, or economists, and help unpick things that are happening in those companies or in the economy and make sure we're having timely conversations. You can hear those conversations that are typically or normally reserved for big investors or institutional investors or the boardroom. How can we make this information more accessible? And then in our app, we've got quite high quality control over when a notification goes out and how we go about that to make sure we don't over bombard people, but also that people have access to opportunities like the capital raises that might be happening or some sort of corporate action.

 
So there's a lot of information out there and it'll be our lifelong journey to make sure we're continuing to educate and provide insight in terms of what's happening. But yeah, we really want to make sure from somebody's experience using Sharesies that they're getting the right information at the right time that informs them to become the investor they want to be. I think that has been, yeah, one of our most successful marketing tactics was kicking off a referral program when we started. We saw about  4,  5% of our customer growth come from that. And so what we liked about that is customers referring customers. So it shows that you've created something that's lovable, that people are finding, you know, that are proud of and they want to share that with their friends or whanau, family. And it's momentum breeding momentum, you know, and so that was a really successful way that we got started and helped build, you know, the brand awareness that we've got here in

 
Aotearoa. Yeah. It is the single greatest marketing tactic, but it's also the hardest. What would be your number one tip to someone starting a mission-driven? I don't love the term. I wish that it wasn't mission-driven business and just business. It should just be business, but it is. Business, I agree.

 
Business as usual is shit.

 
So anyway, that's an aside. Yeah, that's an aside.

 
What would be your number one tip for someone wanting to start one?

 
Well, I fully agree with you there. Every business should have a social environmental purpose at the core of it, forevermore. My number one tip is – I've got so many tips, but the one that comes really glaring to me at the moment is that support network. Really build and lean on your support network. If you've got multiple founders, that's a real helpful way. If you've got a really strong board, that's a helpful way. But if you're just kicking off with yourself, it can be – there's a highs and lows of business like it can be and you're figuring stuff out as you go. So just lean on people. I think sometimes you feel like you're starting – like you're reinventing the wheel, like you're starting everything from scratch. But if you've got some connections that you can connect with or ask people for connections, you can get these templates and just make your day that much faster when you're getting started or a connection with somebody who can help you out for a little bit. And all of that really helps when you're getting started. If you've got an idea that you really

 
want to bring to life, I think I used to think that you had to hold it tight and you can't tell anybody. That was an intellectual property kind of error of it all. But actually, when you share an idea, there's sparks that can happen in somebody else's mind like, hey, just connect to this person, connect to this person. That helps actually build the momentum behind the idea and bring it to life. And often others aren't as passionate about it as what you are too. And so that's really helpful. So building that support network for you as you scale your company and your idea, but also for your business too, that support network for that, that's going to help make sure you're getting that advice and support that you need along the way. And I think that's something I'm really grateful that we've had here as we've continued to  grow Sharesies. I remember a lot of people you talked to don't want to share their idea until it's out in the market and I totally understand why and you are kind of told to be very careful. But I once had a mentoring session with somebody who wouldn't tell me what their business idea was but they very much wanted to know granular detail on what they should go and do and it was the most bizarre conversation. So that point about being prepared to share because just the idea isn't really the important bit to be honest.

 
Ideas are cheap, free, easy, right? It's the execution that's the hard bit. So telling someone your idea is immensely valuable and not enormously risky.

 
I think also quickly figuring out how that idea is going to be commercialized and make money, I think, is another important part. Like, how are you actually going to, you know, what's the revenue model behind it and how sustainable that is? Because, you know, as a B Corp too, we are for profit, you know, with purpose and profit. And I think you need to make sure that you're creating something that is sustainable and can sustain you and the team and the idea to actually come to life. So for someone who's listening, what would be one thing you would want someone to go away and do as a result of listening to this podcast?

 
I got some really good advice just before we started Sharesies and it was like, whatever you're putting off, do it now. And I think like, I often think about how precious time is and making the most of it. So if there's anything you're putting off in your life that you feel like is really important and you want to see how to drive that change, like why not now, you know, and what could you do to make that happen? I think, yeah, life's too short.

 
As expected, Brooke's insights were phenomenal. I hope you took a lot away from that session. She is an example of a wonderful leader creating serious impact in an industry that's not typically women-led. For more information, visit Sharesies.com, link of course in the show notes. Kia ora, see you next time. Short and sweet, like all the best podcasts, right? Thank you for learning with me. It is always an absolute blast to put these together and share these stories, some of them which are a little ridiculous, and they all come from building a business that will hopefully change the world. If you enjoyed this episode, don't keep it to yourself and feel free to drop me a rating and hit that subscribe button. and hit that subscribe button. Kia ora and see you next week where I will have another incredible episode for you.

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