Lifetime at Work: Finding the Meaning in Our Careers
Your career is more than just a job—it’s a chance to create an impact and find personal fulfillment. This podcast explores the journeys of business leaders, uncovering how work shapes our lives, the world, and what makes a career truly meaningful.
Hosted by Greg Martin, a Toronto-based investment banker and M&A advisor, the show dives into the deeper questions behind our careers—why we work, what drives success, and how our professional lives shape the world around us. In an era of AI, career freedom, and globalization, the meaning of work is evolving, leaving many to question its true purpose.
Through conversations with founders, business leaders, and investors across private equity, public markets, and venture capital, the podcast uncovers insights from those who have built, grown, and influenced some of North America's most successful companies. It also features advisors, consultants, and investment bankers who help shape the future of business, sharing lessons from their wins, losses, and defining career moments.
Lifetime at Work: Finding the Meaning in Our Careers
Building and Buying E-Commerce Businesses with Neil Twa
Episode 87. Neil Twa has built the type of business that can be repeated again and again. He’s in the world of e-commerce and has lots to share after trying again and again, failing and finding the way.
In this episode of the Lifetime at Work podcast, host Greg Martin interviews Neil Twa, CEO of Voltage Holdings. Neil shares his unconventional career journey, from learning about the internet to having to file for personal bankruptcy for a failed venture to working his way up in the corporate tech world at Sprint and IBM.
Following a personal tragedy, Neil made the leap to entrepreneurship, building a successful e-commerce business through innovative product strategy rather than invention. They discuss the evolution of e-commerce, the importance of automation, and practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. He emphasizes the need for a purpose-driven approach and strategic thinking in building a sustainable and profitable business.
- 00:23 Meet Neil Twa: From Fighter Pilot Dreams to E-commerce Expert
- 01:23 Neil's Early Career and Internet Beginnings
- 04:00 Transition to Entrepreneurship and Early Challenges
- 10:03 The Shift to Affiliate Marketing and E-commerce
- 12:25 Understanding E-commerce and Amazon's Role
- 20:45 The Power of Data and Innovation in E-commerce
- 26:25 Testing the Engine: 18 Months of Discovery
- 26:51 Rapid Brand Launches and Market Domination
- 27:21 Teaching and Scaling: From Employees to Partners
- 28:47 Acquiring and Automating Businesses
- 30:21 Veteran-Focused Business Growth
- 31:28 The High Voltage Business Builders Podcast
- 32:09 Building an Eight-Figure Business Strategy
- 34:21 The Importance of Patience and Realistic Expectations
- 35:06 The Role of the Operator in Business Success
- 45:26 Creating Value and Purpose in Business
- 47:31 Special Offer and Final Thoughts