In this episode, we're joined by Nick Mathews, the founder and CEO of Mainvest, where to date he has funded 400+ small businesses around the country. Nick is a visionary leader dedicated to rebuilding the American dream by empowering communities and small businesses with the capital they need to thrive. Nick talks about how his pivotal role in launching Uber in Boston helped him gain first hand insights into the economic challenges faced by local communities. He founded Mainvest to address these issues, with a commitment to a community-driven approach funding small businesses across the U.S.. Nick discusses the concept of locality and how to scale, how companies go through the underwriting process, and what’s got him excited for the world of alternative capital in the future.
Key Takeaways
[2:56] Nick’s former career as one of the early employees at Uber and launching the Boston market.
[3:02] What seeing how Uber could work outside of major metropolitan areas meant to Nick.
[5:33] How new regulations and frameworks coming from The Jobs Act and crowdfunding enabled Nick to launch Mainvest
[8:26] Fun fact: Nick was planning on being a rockstar and went on a few mini tours, with almost all his bandmates eventually going into tech.
[10:21] Lessons Nick took from Uber to Mainvest.
[11:03] The concept of locality.
[13:03] Underwriting and the vetting process.
[24:50] Why local investors are open to funding local businesses, such as breweries and bakeries.
[28:22] Portfolio performance.
[30:12] Mainvest’s 400+ deals they have funded and why the model unlocks interest in more businesses that need capital.
[32:09] Customer acquisition strategy.
[32:10] Mainvests’ capital strategy and revenue share model.
[40:39] Building a bespoke financing platform.
[42:40] Geographic hot spots for SMB financing.
[47:31] What Nick saw at Uber that wouldn’t fly today.
[54:57] What fundamental truths have changed for Nick since starting Mainvest?
Resources:
RBF Network
Keith’s Twitter
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