Technology and People with Rowan Simpson (Hoku)

Rowan Simpson joins us to have a conversation with Matt Allen on the Hard Mode podcast, discussing his journey in navigating technology ecosystems and his  role over the years as a founder of and early investor in multiple high-growth technology businesses, including companies such as Timely, Vend, Xero and Trade Me.Rowan is the Chairman of Hoku Group family office, which combines private investments, early-stage venture investments and Hoku Foundation, a non-profit foundation. His active startup investments include Atomic, Melodics, Mentemia, Parkable, StickyBeak and Thematic, and as referenced, Rowan is a significant investor into Tractor Ventures itself.Rowan elaborates on capital investment trends, how technology and people can achieve great things together, the skill in execution and much much more from his extensive experience.Talking points:The life story in reverse chronological ordersAn emphasis on what technology and people can do togetherBuilding software companies for which there doesn’t exist a big blueprintBootstrapping before it was even a termThe grind of doing the things when no-one is watchingStruggles in startup landA series of stumbling into success momentsThe people that make all the differenceEmerging trends in how founders are thinking about capitalThe ‘Quite Ones’What’s next for RowanLinks:Rowan SimpsonHokuAtomicMelodicsMentemiaParkableStickybeakThematicAccentureBernie TaupinBreveCharlie MungerEdmund HillaryElton JohnFlathuntTenzing NorgayTimelyTrade MeVendXeroFollow Rowan Simpson on Twitter: @rowansimpson Online:rowansimpson.comhoku.nzrowansimpson.substack.comwww.tractorventures.com---This episode was hosted by Matt Allen: @mattallen