Humans of Fintech

Find out how Chris Hewish is bridging the gap between game monetization and customer expectation. Chris is President of Xsolla, the video game business engine that helps indie and global gaming companies solve the complexities of distribution, marketing, and monetization.  Nicole and Chris dive into the lightbulb moment he realized 40% of the global gaming market couldn’t transact in their favorit...

Growing up surrounded by Latino entrepreneurs, but only seeing white faces in the media, Lyanne knew it was time to tell a different story. From business journalist to creator of the Moneda Moves Newsletter, and Program Manager at Google, it’s no surprise Lyanne was recently named one of TIME X NextAdvisor’s 25 Most Influential Voices of New Money. Championing fintech, money and culture, Lyanne is...

The creator economy has found a new space and it’s not holding back. It’s time to re-think Only Fans and redefine its place in the creator economy.  Nicole tears up the rule book with a high signal tear through at why fintech needs to be there for creators and small business owners, Amrapali Gan’s leadership at Only Fans, and highlights from Money 2020. Quick, sharp and straight to the point. And...

Only when you’ve done your time in startups can you offer the kind of support Rex has created for other fintech founders. Find out how. Nicole and Rex dive into why conversation is the key to understanding a founder’s goals, why bringing together is a major high point to his working day, and why writing the second biggest check leads to way more collaboration. And our sponsor MainStreet is making...

Join Nicole as she gets into media representation and its link to diversity and equity. You’ll hear Nicole’s unique takes on how those stories impact investment and why outdated, prejudice stereotypes are still all too common in Fintech and the media. WTFintech and Nasdaq Data Link are teaming up to give one lucky fintech company a whole lot of attention. You can enter to win a full Nasdaq VIP gue...

Join Nicole as she explores the latest Fintech trends and news in this bitesize episode. Find out why so many Fintech founders believe education is the tide that lifts everyone and why we’ve had enough of Silicon Valley tactics when it comes to fintech apps. WTFintech and Nasdaq Data Link are teaming up to give one lucky fintech company a whole lot of attention. You can enter to win a full Nasdaq...

What happens when one of the most famous financial experts in the US teams up with a highly successful founder? They change the world. Suze Orman, host of the Women & Money podcast and bestselling author, joins one of her co-founders Devin Miller, an entrepreneur and former COO of Guidant Financial, to talk SecureSave. This is the work benefit that provides emergency savings solutions to help...

Dr Iyandra Smith Bryan has enough energy and experience to achieve anything, but it was in fintech she really found her place in the world.  Nicole and Iyandra get into the kind of conversation you’re going to want to grab a pen and paper for. Iyandra is the C-Suite exec who loves problem solving. She also believes in true authenticity and questioning the rules.  In this no-holds barred conversati...

When one in four startups are founded by US Latinos, it’s no wonder they’ve attracted the attention of big investment. Laura Moreno Lucas explains why. Laura is a partner at L’attitude Ventures, an early-stage institutional fund that invests in technology and technology-enabled businesses led and owned by US Latinos. Nicole and Laura get into the importance of networks, how education is rebuilding...

You heard it here first. Nicole takes you on a 10-minute tear down on what’s going on in Fintech, and why we’re missing the point about Kim’s crypto Ad fine. Join Nicole as she digs into the latest Fintech stories and trends and offers her unique take on what we really need to focus on, including no more fintech apps. Quick, sharp and straight to the point. And our sponsor MainStreet is making it...

When you don’t have a credit history, accessing even the most basic financial services is almost impossible. Find out how Michael Broughton is providing a unique solution. Michael grew up in Japan and Korea before returning to the United States, where he founded Altro, the free credit service helping people build credit through recurring payments and subscriptions Nicole and Michael talk about the...

If financial service providers were honest they’d admit, it’s mostly about selling products. But if you’re unsure how these products work, how do you know you need them? Erin Papworth already has a lifetime’s experience in fintech and is working to educate and empower a whole generation to make the best financial decisions possible and improve financial health outcomes. She and Nicole get into con...

Dana, through her company Luxus, has blown the world of luxury asset investment wide open. And she’s not stopping there. Find out how this fintech founder is smashing down barriers. Luxus partners with the world’s premium brands, offering fractional ownership of assets including jewelry, rare watches and precious gems. Nicole and Dana get into conversation about Dana’s experiences opening investme...

When you’re rejected by the financial product you’re helping to build, you know you need to learn (and change) the system. Find out how Vrinda is doing just that. Welcome to season 3 of Humans of Fintech, the show that brings you the stories of diverse leaders and how they’re transforming the industry from the inside out. Nicole and Vrinda get into how it felt watching her mom live in fear of bein...

The world of fintech is dominated by the same old voices, drowning out diverse founders and operators. Step forward Humans of Fintech. The podcast empowering the stories of diverse leaders at the forefront of change in our industry. Hosted by me, Nicole Casperson, journalist and founder of the WTFintech? newsletter. This season shines a spotlight on those underrepresented fintech founders , zoning...

How do you crack business growth and become an advocate for under-represented groups? Lara has the secret sauce that sets her apart as an entrepreneur and activist. Lara and her Co-Founder Stacey Abrams are behind Now, an invoice payment solution that redefines when businesses get paid.  Nicole and Lara get into conversation about how they started Now to solve their own problem, why it takes inten...

How do women in fintech, particularly women of color, make change happen? Goodfynd Co-Founder Sofiat, believes in leading by example. Here’s how she’s shaking up the industry. Sofiat is the Co-Founder of Goodfynd, the platform helping mobile businesses grow and customers quickly find their favorite food outlets. In 2007 she was a student at Virginia Tech, scene of a horrific school shooting. Nicol...

How do you bring embedded finance products to millions of people who’ve fallen between the financial cracks? Find out how Ahon Sarkar is building infrastructure through empathy. With almost 20% of the US population still underbanked, basic banking is as far as it goes. Even with the crazy advancements made in fintech, too many are still struggling to access the financial services they need. Join N...

In an industry where so few AAPI women make it into the private equity world, what’s the secret to Jennifer Lee’s success? She shares her story. Nicole and Jennifer get into why Jennifer wanted to change the world right from early childhood, what it feels like to be awarded a bunch of industry accolades, and how she’s working to lift other women, especially from under-represented groups. You’ll al...

How do you stay financially stable without sacrificing your mental or physical health? Through a platform that looks after your whole life, not just your money. Kelsey Willock is a first-time founder, crushing entrepreneurship with her platform, Aura. From her own experiences of feeling financially vulnerable, she’s building a platform to help others reach their goals. Nicole and Kelsey get into w...

For most Americans, the financial system is broken. But Kurtis Lin is working to fix it. Find out how his company, Pinwheel, is creating financial equity. Nicole and Kurtis get into the weeds of how feeling like an outsider inspired him to find belonging through fintech. You’ll hear Kurtis’ uncomfortable truth about Asian Excellence and how it’s shaped him as a leader, plus why Kurtis wants compan...

Cannabis banking is still a baby, but Jontae James is on a mission to help banks stay compliant and safe through NatureTrak’s state-of-the-art platform.  He’s proud to be disrupting the industry and ready or not, he’s here to shake up fintech and cannabis. A proud child of the 80s, Jontae had already grown and sold his first company at the age of 28. An entrepreneur from the start, he went from wo...

On today’s special episode of WTFintech? we’re collaborating with our friends at Yieldstreet to bring you News Bites, a segment where I go over the top trends in fintech via quick bite episodes. In this episode we’ll be covering: - Fannie and Freddie Mac making reforms to address inequity in homeownership - Apple is set to introduce its own integrated Buy Now Pay Later - Staff cuts in fintech Brou...

But she is the Vice President of Enterprise Development at Snappy Kraken and believes sales in fintech needs more female voices. Find out how she’s making a difference. Diana Cabrices is in the business of helping financial advisors with automated growth programs and client engagement through the award-winning Snappy Kraken platform. Nicole and Diana dive straight into conversation talking about D...

Trevor Marshall is CTO at Current, the challenger bank giving companies like Stripe and Chime a run for their money. Trevor was always going to be a classical percussionist, it’s what he worked so hard for and why he moved to NYC to study. But after an economics lesson, became a math class, which became a computer science course, he knew things had changed. Nicole and Trevor dig into how he has he...