"Never focus on what your competitor is doing. Keep innovating, not imitating"
Dovid Gabay, senior vice president at Banquest Payment Systems (and Jewish music celebrity).
In 2013, following a 12-year, full-time music career, Dovid joined his longtime friend, Kalmen (Kevin) Frisch at Banquest, and took on the challenge of revolutionizing the credit card processing industry. Focused on improving the overall bottom line for businesses, organizations, and schools, Dovid works with clients across the US on all of their credit card processing needs, and also meets with software companies to help integrate their payment modules into their online platforms.
Dovid grew up in Brooklyn and went to Yeshivas Ner Israel in Baltimore. He describes how, when he and his wife married in 2001, they were deciding where to move: They needed something “faster than Baltimore, but slower than Brooklyn.” So they settled in Lakewood, and 18 years later, he and his wife (along with eight new additions to their family) still live there. Lakewood, he says, has evolved along with its residents. “When I moved to Lakewood in 2001, Brooklyn seemed to be the mecca of Jewish business. Fast-forward to 2019: Lakewood has now evolved into a powerhouse of entrepreneurship, and major businesses are launching and thriving from within our community. It’s very exciting to see the growth firsthand among our clients, and I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes from here.”
I’ll be entirely transparent: I’ve been a major fan of Dovid’s since his debut album Legabay in 2006. And I know I’m not alone. The title track was the wildly popular theme song on a kiruv program I attended in Switzerland, and since then he’s been performing at some of the most prestigious concerts all over the world. Over the last few years, I’ve also been fascinated by his transition into the business world, where he continues to balance his time with learning and family, and has been blessed with tremendous success, making a kiddush Hashem in all of his professional interactions. I hope you’ll be entertained and inspired by Dovid’s journey too.
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