In this episode of Non Consensus Investing, host Ram Ahluwalia, CIO at Lumida Wealth, sits down with Vishal Garg, founder and CEO of Better. They discuss the transformative impact of AI on the mortgage market, share personal anecdotes, and delve into Garg's experience with SoftBank's Masayoshi Son. Highlights include lessons from Vishal's viral Zoom layoff moment, his journey from Stuyvesant High School to his first public company exit, and the development of Better's AI tool Betsy. Vishal also offers insights on managing a startup, the importance of urgency and customer focus, and juggling entrepreneurship with parenthood.
00:25 Meet Vishal Garg: Founder and CEO of Better
01:06 The Zoom Viral Moment: Reflecting on Layoffs
06:59 Negotiating with SoftBank: Insights and Experiences
14:08 From Stuyvesant to Public Company: Vishal's Journey
19:29 The Birth of MyRichUncle: Early Fintech Innovations
21:40 Investing in Distressed Securitizations
26:05 The Mortgage Market: Challenges and Innovations
28:27 Revolutionizing the Mortgage Process
30:03 Challenges in the Mortgage Industry
31:40 Building Better.com
32:12 The Mortgage Market Landscape
39:45 AI and Automation in Mortgages
42:23 Entrepreneurial Insights from the Jungle Book
45:03 The Importance of Customer Focus
47:37 Impact of Mortgage Rates on the Economy
52:37 Balancing Family and Entrepreneurship
53:53 Closing Remarks and Future Outlook