The Journey to 100 (Founder’s Note)
Growing up in the Bay Area during the 80s, I’ve become accustomed to technology. The days of software on disks, CD players, mp3s, palm pilots — I can appreciate how far tech has come in terms of performance, cost, and efficiency. The last 15 years showcase the influx of innovation and technology, to the tune of annual smartphone upgrades, subscription services, gig and shared economy models, and new products that we didn’t need before.
The start of a career in financial services in 2006
FinTech, the intersection of finance and technology, is a critical part of this wave of innovation. Mobile banking and digital wallets are commonplace now, but in early 2006 (when I started my career in retail banking) online banking and ATM deposits were a breakthrough. It was this early exposure to technology in financial services, rapidly changing how customers bank, how employees work, and how a financial institution operates — that had me interested in the changes happening outside of traditional banking. Fast forward to the end of 2020 — there’s no need for bank branches, physical cards, or to interact with a bank employee to open a deposit account or perform a transaction. In less than 15 years, the dynamic completely changed due to FinTech.
In mid-2015, I explored this interest in banking technology extensively — both internally at the banks I worked and externally at local, early-stage startups in San Francisco aimed at being disruptive. The internal discussions focused on digital transformation and efficiency in the banking model by automating back-office processing and reduciing staff. It was the new entrants and startups openly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in user experience, banking functionality, and financial access to all. This was the early era of companies like Plaid, Ripple, Robinhood, and Stripe — all well-known brands and unicorns in today’s ecosystem. I dove in head-first to study and learn as much as I could about this growing field in financial services.
An early protoype logo and tagline for FinTechtris
This new interest became part of my identity — I decided a year later to make this a career. Attending local meetups, industry events, coffee chats with new LinkedIn connections — every activity energized me in this new path forward.
The combination of what I read of articles and insights I learned from those in the industry had tremendous value — something I wanted to share with others exploring financial technology, working in financial services, or lauching their own platform.
I started FinTechtris in 2017 — posting my first article in November. In September of this year (2020), I posted my 100th article on FinTech.
Guest lecture at the University of San Francisco from 2019
The journey to 100 started with discussions on blockchain and cryptocurrency, which at the end of 2017 were making huge headlines in the industry. In early 2018, banks and FinTech companies had started to explore partnerships — many of these early relationships were still vendor-based. For the most part, financial institutions were taking a wait-and-see approach with tech. The valuation of fintechs continued to rise — 2019 ushered in a cohort of unicorns and niche-focused sectors expanded lending, insurance, and wealth management. As a result, I started two monthly series: Deep Dive (discussing companies that are industry leaders) and Sector Spotlight (areas in financial services experiencing dynamic growth). The majority of the content continues to be centered on FinTech (about 70%), with the remainder discussing overlapping fields of artificial intelligence, crypto, and blockchain.
What’s to come with the next 100 posts? Expect deeper content on product, market, business models, and differentiation. The FinTech industry has become crowded with numerous neobanks, alternative investing platforms, P2P lenders, and financial management apps. Bringing something new to market continues to be a challenge, but shouldn’t be the final goal. After years of dialogue with industry folk, this is the next level for the industry in the 2020s. Our focus will continue on sharing trends and discussing industry topics monthly, but also to be a resource for the next generation of founders, product leaders, and visionaries. FinTechtris will be their community to connect, learn from each other, and challenge what’s possible.
I’m excited what the next decade will bring to the global FinTech landscape. I’m thrilled to continue connecting with market makers around the world and discussing new platforms. Thank you for being part of this community for the last 3 years!!