Joe Lu: From Meta Layoff to HeyMax, Rebuilding Value, Miles & the Future of Consumer AI – E644

"we initially had these insights of what people want but then we dig deeper into the fundamental drive of customers' behavior it took me almost three years to actually articulate it at this level here’s what it is and put it into a framework there is a price tag that any business is willing to pay to get you to engage with them they pay different things for different actions they pay you to look at their TikTok that’s one price if you try their product there’s another price if you buy their product there’s another price if you become a long-term customer or partner that’s another price everything has a price tag and companies like Facebook or Google built strong engines to figure out what that price tag is and effectively monetize it for themselves" - Joe Lu, Co-Founder of HeyMax

"what I am predicting and this is my very convicted view of the future is that consumers will increasingly be universally smart and savvy because it will cost almost nothing to be smart and savvy miles and rewards will be done automatically and the trade-off disappears so more people become universally savvy which means consumers will win and feel entitled to get all their own value into their own wallet in the cheapest and easiest format possible and that is what HeyMax is" - Joe Lu, Co-Founder of HeyMax

"why does the consumer have to start with a loss that is the fundamental question what if I figure out a way to let you tell me what you care about and what segment matters to you then I upsize the rewards for you this becomes a redesigned consumer rewards model truly a consumer first product instead of rewards being business products disguised as consumer offerings created to retain customers or increase loyalty or AOV the real consumer rewards ecosystem should start by asking what do you want as a reward" - Joe Lu, Co-Founder of HeyMax

Joe Lu, Co-Founder of HeyMax, joins Jeremy Au to unpack how layoffs, timing, and conviction turned a setback into a startup opportunity. They trace Joe’s journey from Shanghai to Michigan to Facebook Singapore, and how getting laid off in 2022 pushed him to co-found HeyMax. The conversation explores his reflections on building a consumer-first fintech, understanding mindshare arbitrage, and predicting how AI will reshape loyalty and value distribution between businesses and consumers. Joe also shares how fatherhood, risk-taking, and curiosity shaped his path as a founder.