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From McKinsey to Trade Me to leading one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing tech companies—Alex Fala’s career is a masterclass in leadership, strategy, and scaling businesses. 🚀
In this episode, the former CEO of Syft and Vend (now Lightspeed) joins us to talk about his journey into tech, the challenges of scaling a SaaS company, and what the future holds for retail businesses navigating an ever-evolving landscape.
In today's episode, we cover:
✅ Early career & McKinsey days – How Alex’s experience in strategy consulting shaped his approach to leadership and decision-making.
✅ Jumping into tech – From TradeMe to Vend, what drew Alex to the world of startups and high-growth SaaS businesses.
✅ Scaling Vend – The key milestones in Vend’s journey, from its early days to expanding across 140 countries and raising nearly $50 million in funding.
✅ Building a global SaaS business – The challenges of balancing rapid growth, hiring top talent, and keeping a company culture strong across multiple markets.
✅ Growth & go-to-market strategies – What’s worked for Vend, how their marketing has evolved, and lessons learned from optimizing for sustainable scale.
✅ Retail & the future of POS software – How technology is reshaping retail, why independent retailers still matter, and what’s next for Vend in an AI-driven world.
Alex also shares his insights on fundraising, leadership, and the importance of resilience in building a world-class company.
Resources & Links:
👋 Alex Fala: linkedin.com/in/alexanderfala
👋 Harry Uffindell: linkedin.com/in/harrisonuffindell
📌 Learn more at vendhq.com
📌 Explore career opportunities at lightspeedhq.com
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