Nearly eight years ago, my co-founder, Ed Robinson, and I sat down and decided to start Stash. It’s been an incredible journey. Before we launched, I remember walking around midtown interviewing people in the street about whether they invested their money. When they said “No,” we asked, “But why not?” Stash was born at that moment, and since then, it’s been amazing.
I remember hitting the button on the app store to release Stash and getting sick with nerves. Stash being appointed as one of the best apps in the Apple App store during our first week. I remember when we hired our first engineer; when we moved our offices maybe eight times. When we launched Stash Core. All of the customers who have written to us, to ask questions and to say thanks for helping them understand their money and how to invest and build long-term wealth, just small amounts at a time, all the way to nearly $3 billion. It’s been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
Today is another huge milestone at Stash, as we are announcing Liza Landsman as Stash CEO. I couldn’t be more confident that she is the right person to lead Stash into its next phase. Fresh leadership can be so valuable to a growing organization as it scales. I realized this and Ed understood. Together, we went in search of the very best person for the job. When I met Liza, I knew. Liza brings incredible expertise and experience. It makes me so optimistic. She has seen a company hyperscale; she’s operated in consumer and financial services successfully. Liza is what Stash needs now and into the future.
I will be stepping into a new role at Stash, as Co-founder and Head of Business Development. This allows me to accomplish one of my long-time goals: To help all employers, large and small, to invest in the future of all of their employees—not just the people who work in the corporate offices. Stash is developing a new business that helps the biggest companies jumpstart their employees’ journey to financial wellness, while also providing an easy way to offer stock rewards. The largest employers in the U.S. should help to solve the financial strain of hard-working Americans. It’s so important, and that’s why I’m committed to devoting my time to this massive opportunity.
For a moment, I want to talk about Ed, my co-founder. Ed is a dear friend of mine and he has done a phenomenal job as President, a role that he’s keeping and crushes every day. It’s rare for co-founders to be friends and solid partners eight years later, and I’m so happy that this is true for us. Together with Liza, our dynamic is stronger than ever. When you add in the excellent Stash team, whom I’m proud to work with every day—it’s truly a dream come true for me.
To the millions of Stash customers, I am so excited for you. Liza is customer-centric and ready to bring even more value to the Stash subscription. And to our industry, it’s great to be one of the first to formally welcome Liza as Stash CEO. Her leadership will inspire us all to even greater heights.
Brandon Krieg, Stash Co-Founder and Head of Business Development
