Saud Aziz from Vault

Lessons from Coho

Saud Aziz's journey at Coho was marked by significant learning experiences, particularly around the realities of the fintech industry. He discovered that many people in established industries are still figuring things out, which helped him overcome imposter syndrome. Saud also faced challenges due to Canada's concentrated banking sector, which made it difficult to launch new payment methods 1. His entry into Coho was unconventional, sparked by a quirky ad that led to a cold email and eventually a role in customer success. Over time, his passion for payments allowed him to transition into a more specialized role, focusing on payment operations 2.

I think the biggest one is, I guess, imposter syndrome is thrown around a lot. But I guess what I really learned at Coho, and I don't mean this in a bad way, is lots of folks don't no one really has it figured out.

--- Saud Aziz

These experiences laid the foundation for his future endeavors in fintech.

   

Revolving with Revolut

Saud Aziz's role at Revolut offered him a unique perspective on launching and scaling operations in new markets. Moving to London and then back to Toronto, he experienced a stark cultural shift and learned the importance of direct communication and competitiveness in a fast-paced environment 3. Despite the challenges, such as fighting for resources and navigating a centralized product team, Saud found the experience invaluable for understanding the intricacies of launching a fintech in Canada. Revolut's eventual exit from Canada was influenced by strategic decisions to focus resources on larger markets, highlighting the competitive landscape and demographic differences 4.

It was such a great experience because I would say it's probably like 40, 50% of the way there to launching your own startup.

--- Saud Aziz

This experience was instrumental in preparing him for his next venture, Vault.

   

Building Vault

Building Vault was a natural progression for Saud Aziz, leveraging his experiences from Coho and Revolut to address gaps in the Canadian banking landscape. Vault aims to serve Canadian Controlled Private Corporations (CCPCs) by offering significant savings on foreign exchange and providing a robust platform for businesses operating in multiple currencies 5. Saud emphasizes the importance of partnerships in the fintech space, particularly in Canada, where collaboration with smaller institutions is crucial due to the dominance of the big five banks 6.

We're still in closed beta, so you'll have to sign up for our waitlist.

--- Saud Aziz

Vault's strategic focus on startups and businesses with cross-border operations positions it as a key player in the evolving fintech landscape.