Leadership should be defined by the quality and longevity of those who follow. If you define a leader by their own personal attributes you fail to measure them against their purpose.
Tell us a little bit about your current projects. What exciting milestone would you like to share with our readers? (Don’t hesitate to delve into your achievements, they will inspire the audience)
Joshua Bentley: I am currently the Co-Founder and Head of Research at OvertEd Markets, which developed the largest knowledge base for the retail CFD/FX industry and provides an unprecedented level of transparency and visibility into the activity of market participants globally. It is a really exciting project as we have built everything in-house, including our own proprietary algorithms, and have collaborated with a number of leading universities to bring the product to market. We are also lucky enough to be working with a number of market leaders, even though we have only recently launched. Being chosen by a major listed broker to drive their emerging markets research was a key milestone for us.
Was there somebody in your life that inspired you to take that specific journey with your business?
Joshua Bentley: We were inspired by the industry and the opportunity to fill a knowledge gap that we identified during our time working within the industry. We knew that we could help brokers dramatically improve their cost optimization and targeted client acquisition via the platform and this was our inspiration for starting the company. So to answer the question, it was the opportunity rather than an individual that inspired us.
What are the most common mistakes you see entrepreneurs make and what would you suggest they do?
Joshua Bentley: I think it is really important to make sure that you are solving a genuine problem recognised by prospective clients rather than trying to find a problem to match your solution. We developed our platform based on the feedback of prospective clients and aimed to address problems as prioritized by them. We believe that we can add value in a number of other business areas, but it is much easier to enter the market solving the problems that give clients the biggest headache. Sometimes this can simply involve communicating the same message in a different way.
Has the pandemic and transitioning into mostly online shopping affected your company positively or negatively?
Joshua Bentley: The pandemic has made it difficult for us to fully demo the product and build genuine relationships with clients. Online calls have been great, however, they are no substitute for in-person meetings where genuine relationships can be formed.
In your opinion, what makes your company stand out from the competition?
Joshua Bentley: The OvertEd Markets platform provides the quickest, most accurate, and cost-effective way of obtaining competitor intelligence and industry insight in the retail CFD/FX industry. We have the most comprehensive knowledge base on the offerings and activities of retail brokerages globally and use proprietary algorithms to provide market share data on more regions than any other provider. This makes us a truly unique proposition.
What do you consider are your strengths when dealing with staff workers, colleagues, senior management, and customers?
Joshua Bentley: I recognized early on the importance of empathizing with both clients and colleagues when interacting. Successful communication and achieving desired outcomes require both parties to be working towards the same result. Two people can have different motivations for reaching the same end goal and it is much easier if you know exactly what they are.
What have you learned about personal branding that you wish you had known earlier in your career?
Joshua Bentley: Personal branding is important as clients want to know the person behind the product or service and this is essential for building trust and credibility. The founders of OvertEd Markets are introverts by nature and the initial plan was to market the product and adopt a low public profile. Although we are able to do this to some extent, we recognize the importance of proving our credentials via personal branding.
How would you define “leadership”?
Joshua Bentley: Leadership should be defined by the quality and longevity of those who follow. If you define a leader by their own personal attributes you fail to measure them against their purpose.
What advice would you give to our younger readers that want to become entrepreneurs?
Joshua Bentley: I don’t refer to myself as an entrepreneur and I don’t necessarily think it is an achievement in itself. The term is too broad and has both positive and negative connotations. I didn’t personally go looking for an idea but rather an idea found me and inspired me to act. I think this is great advice as it ensures that you end up solving a genuine problem and increases your chances of success.
What’s your favorite “business” quote and how has it affected your business decisions?
Joshua Bentley: “The ability to learn faster than your competitors may be the only sustainable competitive advantage”.
This reminds me of the benefit my product brings clients and the value I am able to create for them.
This interview was originally published on ValiantCEO.
