Here are links to a couple of really worthwhile videos on BizNews TV, our channel on YouTube.
Last night we published the first episode of Money 101 with Jane Dutton. She spoke to community member Nicholas Shepherd who had some questions about about offshore investing and, in particular, the Shyft App. Shyft’s co-founder Arno von Helden came into our studio to answer Jane’s questions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLdYsghwxvk.
Ms Dutton is always on the lookout for interesting ideas for her new personal finance show. So if you have a Money 101 question, please send it to [email protected]. Like Nicholas, you could be the unexpected star of the next episode.
Also yesterday, I caught up with my old pal Magnus Heystek to talk property, share markets and what he is doing with his own money right now. Great insights from the fiercely independent financial advisor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApyP568NRyo.
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Comment from BizNews community member Nick:Â
Hi Jane
I just watched your Shyft interview.
I got very excited and and sent an email to Orbvest enquiring if they would pay my dividends into Shyft for me. I then thought let me just google other peoples experiences before I jump in. Well I won’t be going down the Shyft path. I got that that terrible call centre syndrome feeling.
My personal opinion is if you are going to interview people try to get some info from the other side before giving these guys a platform to market their products for nothing with out some checks and balances. Is that not what journalism should be like instead of a mouth piece for corporate avarice. Thanks.
Regards.
Response from Arno von Helden:Â
Hi Nick
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Shyft is a fantastic platform. It’s capabilities are world class and we have over 100 thousand very satisfied customers. Shyft has won numerous awards form reputable and independent organisations such as the MTN App of the Year award which we have now won on two separate occasions. That being said we are not perfect, although we stive to be, and on the rare occasion things have gone wrong, but we have always resolved, learnt and improved from them.
In terms of your question, we are launching the ability to receive FX. I’m not sure if Orbvest will pay dividends into it, but it’s worth asking them. It certainly is possible.
In terms of your own perception of Shyft, my suggestion is try it out and make up your own mind. It won’t cost you anything and we really do offer amongst the best rates available in the country.
Alec has been a long time user of Shyft so from my perspective BizNews have done their homework, and the fact that we work together is a testament to that.
I hope you find this helpful and happy to answer any further questions you may have.
All the best.
PS… we don’t consider ourselves a big corporate. We’re a fintech startup that wants to make forex and investments accessible to everyone.
Comment from BizNews community member Rowan Williams-Short:Â
Good Morning Alec and Jane,
I trust that you have been keeping well.
I’m a user and a big fan of Shyft. As someone who recalls the misery of travellers’ cheques and who once had to sleep rough in Madrid for several nights following the theft of mine, I love the convenience and security of Shyft’s forex functionality.
As a mathematician and a patriot, I feel duty-bound to correct Jane’s guest from Shyft on a material and common error. The rand is certainly NOT a “devaluating” currency. Assuming Arno meant to say that it is a “depreciating” currency, I wish to challenge that too. The assertion stems from a simple but simplistic look at exchange rates over time. Properly measured, I can demonstrate that the rand has been stronger than the pound, dollar and euro this millennium. I’m happy to share my reasoning and evidence, if that might be of interest to your listeners.
I also noticed that Nicholas suggested that he might need to withdraw his wife’s funds within “weeks or months” for his granddaughter’s tour to Ireland. Further, he used the word “stability”. Understandably, and interestingly,  the ensuing conversation covered Shyft’s foreign equity buying functions, but it did not return to the issue of stability and Nicholas’s suggestion of high tech shares. I feel someone ought to let Nicholas know that, with such a short-term horizon, tech stocks are highly unsuitable for his needs.
All the best.