What makes a leader: Max Rothman, VP of Business Development at Checkout.com

Max Rothman is the Vice President of Business Development at Checkout.com, a London based firm that specializes in processing more than 150 currency international payments for e-commerce businesses.

Previously, he founded MaxBet which generated an annual average turnover of more than £2.8 million (S$4.8 million). He also took lead as the Business Development Manager at Payoneer and Monese.

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN YOUR FIELD?

Originally, I started my own brokerage. As I tried to optimise the business further in a technical fashion I started to develop an interest in the FinTech space and what it was trying to achieve.

I set some meetings with the top FinTech companies in the UK and decided to join a bank to head up their business development. I haven't looked back from there.

IF YOU HAD YOUR TIME AGAIN, WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENTLY CAREER-WISE?

I would have started my engagement in the FinTech space a lot sooner!

HAS YOUR INDUSTRY CHANGED SINCE YOU STARTED IN IT AND IF SO HOW HAVE YOU ADAPTED TO IT? 

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The interesting thing about FinTech is that it is an incredible fast-moving space.

Every day there are new companies with new tech trying to optimise and change the way typical, somewhat archaic, business models work.

If there's anything I have learned it is the ability to be agile and be adaptable.

LIFE IS FULL OF CHALLENGES, WHAT'S BEEN YOUR BIGGEST PROFESSIONAL ONE AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME IT? 

Starting a new business or joining a new region of the world with no network/contacts can be challenging.

The only way to overcome that challenge is to throw yourself into every opportunity and build connections along the way.

WHICH BUSINESS LEADERS DO YOU ADMIRE?

Richard Branson, Anthony Robbins.

WHAT QUALITIES DO YOU THINK YOU NEED TO BE A TRUE PIONEER?

Picking oneself up after countless knock-backs.

ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, WHO DO YOU ADMIRE? 

Anthony Robbins.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE YOUR GREATEST STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES? 

Confidence and over-confidence

IF YOU JUST HAD ONE DAY TO ACHIEVE SOMETHING YOU HAD ALWAYS DREAMT OF, HOW WOULD YOU DO IT AND WHAT WOULD IT BE? 

Sky diving without a parachute and have someone jump out and catch me.

FINALLY, ANY ADVICE FOR FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS? 

Rejection is the key to growth

This article was first published in BLLNR.