Persevere. The ride is worth it!
In this year’s Top 35-under-35 competition’s Develop category, judges were looking for an individual using their designation, skills, and training as a CA(SA) to influence and develop business.
Josh Moritz (32)
Head of Operations and Finance at DocFox
They asked whether the model is replicable, scalable, and sustainable and questioned how innovative and creative the techniques employed by the individual are to spur business growth.
The winner, Josh Moritz CA(SA), head of operations and finance at DocFox, ticked all the boxes and more.
Josh has always had a keen passion for technology, learning, innovation and entrepreneurship. ‘I am also passionate about recognising peoples’ talent and helping them develop to reach their full potential.’
After completing his CA(SA) at EY and returning from the USA where he worked for Cross Country Consulting, Josh joined DocFox in 2017.
Each hurdle an opportunity
‘I have been entrepreneurial and financially minded since I can remember. I knew that becoming a CA(SA) would give me a solid understanding of how businesses work and would build a strong foundation for the path I always dreamed of following. My journey has been a roller coaster filled with many highs and lows. It has taught me to be resilient, to persevere, and that nothing comes easily. It is so important to use each hurdle as a new opportunity for learning and to ensure that you grow from them; this makes any obstacle that comes your way surmountable.’
DocFox automates businesses’ KYC processes so that their compliance teams can make better-informed decisions in a fraction of the time, all the while in the pursuit of making money laundering impossible.
Josh joined the company primarily to focus on financial forecast, budget, and valuation to aid in the seed funding round.
‘A challenge I faced when joining DocFox was adapting to a company that was a start-up, especially after coming from a big corporate organisation. Joining a start-up in its infancy is tough − there are few processes in place, and I found myself doing a bit of everything in the company, which often felt confusing and overwhelming. Roles are not clearly defined, and expectations can be a bit blurred. I saw this as an advantage and opportunity to be able to pave my own path in the company. I also saw this as an opportunity to learn about and immerse myself in all the different areas of business, and I firmly believe that this has played a huge role in getting me to where I am in DocFox today.’
To be a leader takes a team
As the sixth employee at DocFox, he formed part of the founding leadership team and was instrumental in the building of a start-up from humble beginnings to a business with over 250 financial institutions using its product each day.
He aided in making key financial and strategic decisions which have ensured that DocFox has continuously grown by 100% year-on-year and played a key role in growing the business from a team of six to one that now boasts more than 80.
‘It was a massive personal achievement just being selected as one of this year’s finalists. It was a surreal and overwhelming feeling when I was announced as a winner. It has been such a humbling experience reflecting on my career and so much of my success is attributable to the amazing company I work for. I feel immense pride and gratitude to have been selected as a winner amongst such incredibly talented and inspiring candidates,’ he smiles.
Be passionate about people
Josh currently leads the biggest team in the organisation. He has a passion for people and puts great emphasis on empowering and enabling each person to be successful by understanding what they are experiencing and how he can aid them in their journey.
’Being a part of the founding leadership team, I have played a pivotal role in developing, implementing, and executing all the operational processes that we still use today. Over my six-year journey with DocFox, the business has grown exponentially, and these processes now allow us to support hundreds of customers who use our software every day.’
He is proud to have been instrumental in the development of a business from such humble beginnings to one that now serves over 300 organisations around the world.
To Josh, this achievement is a testament to all of the hard work, dedication and enthusiasm that has been put in over the years, and recognition of both his own personal, as well as DocFox’s success. ‘This achievement serves as a further driver to keep pushing the limits to achieve my goals, both personally and as a company.’
Josh believes that his role as a leader is to recognise each team member’s potential and to support them in furthering their careers. He is zealous about helping people to achieve the things that they didn’t believe to be a possibility for them.
He aims to facilitate the people who he is entrusted to lead to realise and reach their full potential, both for their own success and for the common good.
Reflect on what you have achieved
‘At DocFox, part of our culture is to set ourselves Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals. This enables us to grow the business as well as ourselves as quickly as possible,’ Josh explains.
‘Sometimes, not all of these goals are achieved, which can be very discouraging and can cause us to feel despondent, disheartened, and like we have failed. For me, it is so important to stop and take a step back to reflect on what we have achieved. It is then that I realise how much we have done and can appreciate how far we have come.’
Even so, Josh was humbled to be nominated by a previous winner of the Top 35-under-35 competition. ’When I heard what an incredible experience she has had, the phenomenal people she has met and networked with, and the opportunities that have come from this prestigious award, it was a no-brainer for me to accept the nomination and enter.’
Josh’s goal for the future is to continue on this steep growth and learning curve. ‘I have a dream of expanding our business across Europe and the rest of Africa.’
He reminds young and aspiring CAs(SA) that the qualifying journey is tough. ‘There will be times that you feel like quitting. Don’t give up. The CA(SA) profession will open up abundant doors and opportunities. It will set you up for success and teaches you invaluable skills and lessons that you will use every day in your personal life too. Being a CA(SA) means you can make a real difference. Hang in there, the ride will be worth it!’
Author
Marteli Brewis
