Co-founder and Chairman of Squirrel, Emanuel Andjelic is on a mission to change the way we think about money and personal spending. So if there’s always a bit too much month left at the end of your money, this one’s for you.
#1. So, what’s your favourite word?
Sleep.
#2. What gets you up in the morning?
My two year old daughter getting me up at 6 o’clock.
#3. Ouch. What do you truly, honestly think of social media?
I use Facebook occasionally. I dislike Twitter. I force myself to use it, but I can’t help but hate it. Too much ego and I’m just not sure who’s listening. I know I’m not.
#4. Kindles or books?
I’ve got a Kindle but I enjoy the old-fashioned experience of reading a book. I’m sitting on the fence.
#5. Sounds painful. What do you think is the biggest challenge to your industry right now?
#6. What did you want to be when you were growing up?
A millionaire.
#7. What led you to your current career?
I sold a previous business in 2013, however along the way, I found myself in some some serious debt. I vowed then that my next business would help solve some of the problems personal debt can cause.
#8. Can you use your favourite word in a sentence?
Sleep because I don’t get enough of it.
#9. Now can you make it rhyme?
Sleep is my favourite word and without it, I feel sh*t.
#10. Wanna job? What advice would you give to your younger self?
Stop trying to do a million things at once and focus. Be more efficient.
#11. Wise. What’s the best thing anyone’s ever done for you?
Someone told me once to stop talking about myself. I realised that’s what I did. A lot. So I stopped.
#12. Tell us, what’s been your ‘career-defining’ moment?
Selling my first business which gave me a bit of time and money, which in turn, gave me the chance to do something I really loved.
#13. If you won a big award of some kind, who would you thank?
Good fortune.
#14. Clever. Can you give us a timesaver of the day?
I recently started the practice of ‘eating the frog first’. Do you know that one? Comes from a Mark Twain quote, meaning if you tackle the single biggest, most important task first, the rest of the day will be a breeze.
#15. Oh…so, not some European amuse-bouche then. Moving on. Where do you see your industry in 24 months?
I think the banks will be facing major threats from the huge amount of innovators coming through the ranks; they’ll have to change the way they do things or buy up the disruptors.
#16. Where were you 24 months ago?
I was juggling a newborn baby and the beginning of a new business.
#17. Father of two then really. What’s an interesting fact about you?
I recently stood for election as a local councillor in London Borough of Tower Hamlets after the previous corrupt councillor in my area got put in jail.
#18. You’d get our vote. If you could have a 24 minute Skype chat with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?
It would have to be Winston Churchill.
#19. What’s one word you’d want people to describe you with?
Funny (even if people are laughing at me).
#20. Surely not. Would you mind taking a selfie for us?
#21. What’s your favourite Twitter handle or social media campaign?
I hate hashtags.
#22. We’ll #doourbesttoconvertyou. What’s one quote that defines your work ethic?
Burn the candle at both ends.
#23. What’s been the best part of your day?
Singing Frozen’s Let It Go with my daughter this morning.
#24. A day just isn’t complete without it. Finally, anything to plug?
We’re in the middle of a crowdfunding round for Squirrel; one week in, we’re halfway there. If you want a piece of the action, details can be found over at Syndicate Room.
