ADVISOR SPOTLIGHT: Braulio Lam, Chief Product Officer, Payfare Inc.

Every month we spotlight people from our incredible network who support MATR Ventures and our mission to change the game in Venture Capital and actively invest in the Underestimated founder.

We are honoured to spotlight Braulio Lam, Chief Product Officer, Payfare, Inc., and former Cofounder and CTO of Pungle, acquired by Berkeley Payment Solutions.

Who was/were your role model(s) and why?

My parents have been amazing role models for my siblings and me. They have taught me hard work and perseverance, to never give up and to keep moving forward. I owe everything to them.

What was the biggest factor that contributed to your success?

My parents, of course, were a huge factor at the beginning of my career. But I was very lucky early on to come across great mentors that took the time to teach me and fill me with confidence. They took me under their wing and provided me with a strong foundation on which I’ve been able to build a successful career thus far.

What was the hardest decision you’ve ever had to make?

Selling my startup. In hindsight, it might have been a tad early but it was the right decision at the right time. Secondly, as a manager, firing people is always hard as you are affecting peoples’ livelihoods.

What was the one book that has influenced your path?

It’s hard to narrow it down to one book! But two that come to mind are “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership” by John C. Maxwell. I read this book when I first had the responsibility to manage a team. It made me realize that leading people was hard and that I needed to figure out what type of leader I wanted to become.

The other book is “The Outliers” by Malcom Gladwell. This book was a bit surreal to me as it makes you think about all of the little things that happen in life that shape who one becomes. Practice, practice, practice!

What motivated you to support MATR Ventures?

MATR Ventures’ mission to help the underrated and underestimated founder, who happen to be visible minorities simply resonated with me. As an immigrant, taking the leap into entrepreneurship and founding a startup came with all kinds of doubt and question marks and the kind of support that MATR Ventures provides to its founders would have been amazing during my journey. I want to help the next generation of founders in their journey!

This article is part of MATR Ventures Newsletter. If you would like to subscribe, please sign up.