In this episode of The Tech Trek, Amir sits down with Sadi Khan, Co-Founder and CEO of Aven, to unpack how technology can make capital fairer for everyone. Sadi explains how Aven is tackling one of the world’s biggest inefficiencies—the trillion-dollar burden of consumer credit card debt—and why the solution lies in reducing the cost of capital through innovation. This is a deep dive into building products that require not just engineering skill, but endurance, conviction, and a long-term mindset. Key Takeaways • Aven’s mission is to cut credit card interest payments in half by rethinking how consumers access and use home equity. • True innovation often comes from solving inefficiency, not chasing market trends. • Complex problems create strong moats when founders are willing to grind through technical and regulatory barriers. • Founders should pick problems worth spending a decade on—pivot less, persist more. • Product success depends on identifying your “axis” and going all-in on being the best at that one thing. Timestamped Highlights 00:40 — How Aven’s hybrid credit card + HELOC model is lowering the cost of borrowing for homeowners 04:10 — The moment Sadi realized the cost of capital was a massive, overlooked problem 12:34 — Why most lenders haven’t solved this yet and how Aven’s approach differs 19:33 — Building what others couldn’t: how persistence and engineering precision led to breakthroughs 23:36 — Choosing execution risk over market risk and what it takes to stay with a problem long enough to solve it 37:47 — Why picking the right “axis” is how great companies build an unshakable moat Memorable Line “The only problems worth working on are the ones worth working on for a very long time.” Call to Action If you enjoyed this episode, follow The Tech Trek for more conversations at the intersection of people, impact, and technology. Subscribe on your favorite platform and share it with someone building bold ideas.
