Conversations with Cohen

What would you do if you almost wired your entire life savings to a scammer? For Andy White, Ph.D., that near-disaster didn’t just spark outrage—it inspired a groundbreaking fintech company. In this episode of Conversations with Cohen, Gregg Cohen sits down with Andy White, Founder and CEO of Closinglock, to explore how an email spoof almost cost him everything and why that moment of vulnerability led to building one of the most trusted platforms in real estate fraud prevention. Andy’s journey is anything but typical. With a Ph.D. in computer engineering and early experience in machine learning before it became mainstream, Andy shares how he transitioned from working at a startup and Samsung Research to founding Closinglock on nights and weekends—all while navigating the challenges of a young family and financial uncertainty. He discusses the grit it takes to bootstrap a business in a highly traditional industry, where moving millions of dollars still depends on outdated systems like email and wire transfers. In this conversation, you’ll learn: The real-life origin story behind Closinglock and how a personal encounter with wire fraud exposed deep vulnerabilities in the real estate transaction process. Why disrupting the centuries-old real estate industry was like turning an oil tanker, and how Andy overcame resistance from title companies wary of change. The power of relationship-building and trust in early-stage sales, and how Andy and his wife won over their first customers—often armed with just lunch and a lot of persistence. The emotional toll and personal sacrifices behind the scenes: cashing out savings, dealing with financial stress, and navigating self-doubt in the face of entrepreneurial risk. How Andy approached hiring the right team (after some painful missteps), bringing on a COO who helped elevate the company’s sales strategy and scale Closinglock beyond its initial limitations. The decision to take outside investment and how Andy balanced investor expectations with the personal drive to grow Closinglock on his own terms. This episode offers an honest, unfiltered look at what it really takes to build a fintech startup from the ground up—especially when you're tackling one of the most sensitive pain points in real estate: protecting people’s life savings. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, fintech enthusiast, real estate professional, or just love hearing the story behind the story, this conversation is filled with insights on resilience, leadership, and the evolving intersection of technology and trust. 🔗 Learn more about Closinglock: https://www.closinglock.com 📧 Connect with Andy White: andy@closinglock.com Subscribe to Conversations with Cohen for more founder stories, leadership insights, and candid conversations from the front lines of business.