Rob Gardner: A Pitch for Nature - Protecting and Restoring the Planet | Ep 11

In today's episode, I’m joined by the incredible Rob Gardner. Rob is an entrepreneur, investor, and co-founder of various successful ventures, including Reddington and Mallow Street. He's also the co-founder and co-CEO of Rebalance Earth, a startup that aims to make nature the most valuable asset class on the planet.

After studying geography at Oxford University, Rob navigated the finance industry and eventually started his own pensions consultancy from his bedroom at the age of 27. His passion for making a difference then led him to co-found Redstart, a financial education charity that aims to teach kids about money management. Through his charity work and his books, "Save Your Acorns" and "Freedom," Rob has empowered thousands of individuals to take control of their financial futures. Now, with his latest venture, he’s taken on an arguably even more important challenge.

In a frank and open discussion, we dive into the importance of feedback, resilience, and the power of storytelling in pitching and communication. Plus, Rob reveals more about his mission to protect and restore nature through innovative investment strategies.

Get ready for an inspiring episode filled with valuable insights from a remarkable entrepreneur. Join us as we dive into Rob Gardner's fascinating journey on Why Life's A Pitch!

00.00 Introduction
01:54 Nature as a valuable asset; twin risks: climate change, biodiversity loss. Urgent need to reverse nature loss. New business Rebalance Earth makes investing in nature easy for pension funds.
04:26 Business pitches require clarity, energy, and teamwork.
08:52 Teachers' son suffers, finds purpose in banking.
09:46 Unaware of finance.
14:49 We aimed to revolutionise pensions like Jamie Oliver.
18:47 Starting with Stuart, Dylan, our CTO, and Angela, our COO, we hired more people as our business grew. Then the global financial crisis hit.
22:42 Making time for training led to growth.
25:30 Shifting mindset about pensions with analogy.
28:23 Intuition led to joining an impressive pitch team.
32:26 Retirement savings must increase; individuals lack knowledge.
35:01 Study impacts kids, parents, and schools.
39:37 Famous athletes spend a million dollars in one day.
43:10 Accelerated learning, multiple courses, powerful pitches.
44:24 Quitting a job led to learning and applying.
49:15 Reframe nature's value, pay for its service.
51:07 Travelling in Argentina exposed me to poverty.

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Twitter: @robertjgardner
Instagram: @robertjgardner