We take a look at digital currency’s potential in this week’s Profile Snapshot, a series that invites thought leaders and executives to share some personal insight on industry trends. Marc Rochman, founder and CEO of OpenBucks, has nearly 20 years of experience in the world of plastic cards and prepaid services, with a vision of freeing money access to anyone with the purchasing power they’ve worked so hard to earn.  Launched at TechCrunch Disrupt last month, OpenBucks lets you buy digital goods with something as readily available as a Subway gift card.  It’s a new way to think about transactions, and Rochman is building the next iteration of his network to leverage existing payment platforms in order to realize that dream.  Here, Rochman discusses democratization of currency, the importance of his early experiences, and shares his most prized possessions.

What necessary relationships did you establish from your previous businesses to make Openbucks succeed?

My previous company Card USA, Inc. is a major player in the manufacturing and logistics of cards and every year ships over 300 million gift cards, bank cards, prepaid phone cards, etc. Our relationship with major retail customers and stored value companies was instrumental in our understanding of the business and reaching out to the right people and companies with whom we had instant credibility.

What’s the most important step in democratizing transactions at the consumer level?

Consumers should decide which card they use, and not the other way around. In the brick and mortar world you can spend your cash without restrictions or the control of a third party. You earn money, you spend money. Online commerce has eliminated a lot of friction and eliminated distances, as you can buy with a click of mouse. However, this is true only if you have access to an electronic form of payment, meaning you have a bank account, credit card or a debit card.

For many people who don’t have those or who are worried of security or privacy, online commerce has a major friction when it comes to pay or it is just impossible. Democratizing transactions online means that consumers should be able to load their money on any cards, anywhere, without fees and without having to turn over their personal information.

What’s your most prized possession?

I would say my most prized possession is my freedom to work for my own company without having to report to anyone. I am so unemployable.

Other than that, it would be a coin of 10 French Francs. The coin was the first allowance I got from my Dad, which I never spent. It is worth nothing today since Francs are outdated but it means a lot to me.

What do you feel the most important era was for economic change when it comes to empowering the average man?

Don’t get me started!  I don’t think the average man is empowered. Maybe change would come if politicians were drafted randomly among people who have proven that they have the skills rather than electing politicians to make the average man believe that he matters. Athenians called that sortition.

 You have some keen ideas on what the future holds for transactions, and you’ve leveraged both relationships and technology to create an incredibly accessible product.  What does “balancing the future” mean to you?

My definition of balancing the future means to spend the time that I took away from my kids for my business, but they probably will turn me down when the time comes because they will not be kids anymore. That’s why it is important to work hard not for the money but to change the world, their world. Too many people are working to make sure the world does not change, but we will prove them wrong.  ◊