Join host Elise Tan in this special episode of the Hard Truths by Vertex podcast, as she sits down with member of the PayPal mafia, Jack Selby, venture investor and independent film director. Discover the untold stories of PayPal's early days, including the merger with X.com and the birth of the pioneering digital payment giant.

Jack shares valuable insights on the current investment landscape, exploring business cycles, and the hard truths for both early-stage founders and investors. Plus, delve into the fascinating world of independent filmmaking and learn why Jack finds it a refreshing departure from the routine of tech and finance. Tune in now!

IN THIS EPISODE
(00:00) Introduction
(02:51) How did PayPal know about Vertex Ventures in Singapore?
(03:56) Comparing 2000s and now, what has evolved in the area of startup and venture investment?
(09:10) What strategies were implemented to make the PayPal & X.com merger work?
(10:53) What led to the substantial growth of PayPal?
(12:17) Hard truths for early-stage founders and investors
(17:25) Opinions about portfolio value creators
(18:50) What are the emerging trends of 2024?
(22:51) How are filmmaking and investing similar?
For the full transcript, click here.

OUR GUEST: Jack R. Selby
Jack R. Selby is the managing director at Thiel Capital. He is a former managing director at Clarium Capital Management LLC.

Prior to Clarium, Mr. Selby served as a Corporate Officer and Senior Vice President of PayPal, Inc. (NASDAQ: PYPL). Mr.Selby was an original member of the founding PayPal team, and served in a variety of roles during his tenure at the company, including the management of PayPal’s international operations.

Prior to PayPal, Mr.Selby worked for GFTA Analytics GmbH, a Dusseldorf-based financial consulting company which provides foreign exchange solutions to financial institutions, multi-national corporations, governments, central banks and institutional investors.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackselby/

Elise Tan
Elise Tan is the Director of Communications and Community at Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia and India. Prior to joining Vertex, she had extensive experience in investor relations and partnerships at global venture funds and accelerators with more than $100m in AUM. Elise also currently runs a Southeast Asia-based startup community of nearly 800 entrepreneurs called the Asia Startup network and actively supports their startup journey through panels, meet-ups, and mentoring programs.

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Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India is a pioneer in investing in tech start-ups in this region and has helped to build a number of unicorns. In this podcast, we seek to share and uncover the Hard Truth - raw, unfiltered insights and venture capital knowledge from across Southeast Asia and India. Tune in to learn from leading founders, innovators, venture capitalists, and industry experts in the region and to gain industry insights from those in the know.

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