Lane → Blockchain.com
2021: new President ✅ Big Pharma > covid ✅ new job… ✅ Beginning today I’ve joined Blockchain.com as the Chief Business Officer to help them scale in the blazing fast financial sector. If your reaction to this news is “Rad, congrats!” well then, thank you. If your reaction is “Wait, WTF?” then read on:
Aren’t you a comms guy? What do you know about business?
The poorly kept secret around Greenbrier is that for years I’ve focused on managing the business, advising clients on strategy and transactions, working with my parent company on investments and acquisitions as well as running my own family investment office.
What happens to Greenbrier?
Greenbrier’s growth has continued to accelerate YoY for the last five years. Going into 2021 we’re building out the leadership bench, first with the soon-to-be-announced acquisition of Segal Communications, followed by many more communications pros joining the team. And of course, my co-founder and rock Matt McKenna will be the ever present steady hand. I’m also staying on in the background, helping with legacy clients, projects and hopefully 🤞writing a column in the next issue of Greenbrier magazine.
Have you always been one of those crypto fanatics?
Not at all. I have nothing but adoration for the original crypto evangelists. They created the change they wanted to see in the world. My joining Blockchain.com to help them scale is a sign of a maturing industry. Think about it like this: Until 2013 we all just accepted that taxis sucked. Unsafe, dirty, hard to find and expensive. Then Travis created what we now know as ridesharing and we can’t imagine a world without it. I think about crypto in very much the same way. Isn’t it odd it takes a month to close escrow on a house? Or that it costs $20 to send a wire? Or even worse, billions of people don’t have a bank account? Blockchains and bitcoin won’t solve all of these problems immediately, just like Uber didn’t solve last-mile delivery immediately, but soon escrow will be faster, finance will become more equitable and the financial system will get better.
Ah, so you are a fanatic!
Nope, still not a crypto fanatic. But I’m personally offended 20,000 people in San Francisco don’t have a bank account or that for generations finance has been walled off by Wall St. You’re not going to hear me pitching Lanecoin anytime soon, but I believe in the mission. Also, my dad drove a taxi (I worked at Uber) and then had a career in banking (and I’m going into finance)–he would have loved the symmetry.
Why Blockchain.com?
Two reasons: First–Blockchain.com is one of Greenbrier’s oldest clients and the CEO, Peter Smith, is not only a close friend, but a realistic visionary about the future of the industry. It’s reasonable to say we’ve been interviewing each other for nearly six years! He’s built an amazing team of respected professionals from across finance and I’m humbled to be working with them. Second–think about Blockchain.com like the JP Morgan of crypto. It’s one of the oldest firms, is incredibly well respected, is laser-focused on the work and stays out of controversy.
So, can I still call you if I have a crisis?
Of course. Solving problems isn’t just Greenbrier’s motto, it’s mine. I’m still just a call, text or email away and if I can’t help you solve it on the spot, I happen to know an excellent firm that specializes in it.