Farzam Ehsani, CEO, Valr.com, is one of the few successful entrepreneurs in the crypto and blockchain space on the African continent.
Based out of South Africa, Farzam has successfully raised $1.55M for his cryptocurrency exchange. The company is looking to expand across Africa in future.
In an interview with Allan Gray Orbis Foundation, an organization that educates, supports, and champions entrepreneurship on the African continent, Farzam discussed why he left his lucrative job at Rand Merchant Bank to start his business:
“I left because there was work to be done in improving our financial system and sometimes its very difficult to do that in a corporate that, like a human being, it gets older and more inflexible. So it was time to leave to start something myself and attack a problem with the freedom that I wanted.”
Farzam lists 4 tips for budding entrepreneurs that helped him build and grow VALR:
- Have an idea
- Have a solid team behind
- You need some funding
- You need courage to just do it
Farzam admitted that having the courage to quit his corporate job to start the VALR cryptocurrency exchange was the biggest challenge for him.
With so many startups and entrepreneurs looking to get into the blockchain and crypto space, Farzam’s experience and insights in starting and running a business in the industry will prove invaluable to many.
When asked what is his top tip for budding entrepreneurs with respect to having courage, Farzam said:
“Don’t take yourself too seriously. I needed to become comfortable with the fact that I might fail before I can ever think of possibly succeeding. Be comfortable with the fact that you may fail, and only once you’re comfortable with failure will you be able to succeed.”
About VALR
VALR provides a digital asset platform that allows customers to buy, sell, store and transfer cryptocurrencies seamlessly and securely. They help bridge the gap between the traditional financial system and the new world of cryptocurrencies.
The goal of VALR is to usher in a new financial paradigm that makes financial services available to the public with pricing that is fair and transparent, and with an experience that is intuitive and seamless. In this capsule, Farzam shares his top tips for all aspiring entrepreneurs on how to take the leap to become an entrepreneur.
Video courtesy of Allan Gray Orbis Foundation
