WORKWEEK

In the ever-evolving world of fintech, Katie Perry, not to be confused with the famous pop star, is making a name for herself as the GM of B2B and Editorial at Public. 

Having studied journalism in college, Katie initially embarked on a path rooted in storytelling (sound familiar 😉)? 

However, in my conversation with Katie, she shared that the challenging job market during the last recession led her to explore a career in marketing. During her time working at an ad agency specializing in social media marketing, she witnessed the firsthand impact of viral content. 

This experience and her background in marketing, corporate strategy, and consulting equipped her with a unique perspective on making finance more accessible and engaging for the general public. At Public, Katie focuses on content creation and B2B partnerships. 

Her primary goal: Educate and empower users about investing through content that breaks down the barriers and intimidation often associated with finance. 

My conversation with Katie underlines the transformative power of diverse perspectives, the need for trusted content, the importance of differentiating through customer experience, and the value of media literacy in the digital age.

So, here are the key takeaways from our interview. If you want to really have some fun: Read these highlights and then listen to these insights in-depth by clicking here. 

#1 Fintech meets culture

The GameStop phenomenon in early 2021 had a massive impact on the fintech industry, bringing investing into the public consciousness and introducing it to individuals who had never considered investing. 

Companies like Public, emphasizing community, learning, and social investing features, were at the forefront of this movement and acted as pioneers in bridging the gap between culture and finance. 

Today, with the fintech industry continuing to grow and innovate, there is a heightened demand for trusted and credible content to help consumers make informed financial decisions. 

Consumers are turning to independent creators for authentic and reliable advice and shifting their focus away from speculative assets and cryptocurrency to more fundamental aspects of personal finance, such as budgeting, saving, and building credit scores. 

This change in behavior reveals a growing desire for financial literacy and education and indicates that people are more aware of the need for reliable information about finance. 

The transition to trusted content within the fintech industry will be a critical differentiator between companies that make it and those that do not. 

Think of content like this: By creating accessible, relevant, and relatable content, our fintech industry can help people make informed financial decisions and break down traditional stigmas and barriers.

#2 B2C fintech is far from over

Thanks to crypto winter, there has been a shift from the excitement around cryptocurrency and investing in speculative assets to focusing on the basics of personal finance. 

Users are now more interested in learning about emergency savings, budgeting, and building credit scores. This change in consumer behavior reflects a growing desire for financial literacy and education.

The demand for reliable content and primary financial education proves that consumer-focused fintech companies still have a significant role to play.

But to differentiate themselves, companies must prioritize offering a personalized customer and community-centric experience because it’s very oversaturated out here in finance app land. 

#3 Media literacy is critical 

Media literacy has become increasingly crucial in an era of constant information overload for fintech consumers and our industry leaders. 

The ability to navigate the vast sea of information, identify reliable sources, and separate fact from opinion is increasingly essential, and fintech companies need to be mindful of this, particularly in the context of financial media, where biases and misleading information can have profound effects on our user’s financial decisions. 

Think of it like this: Media literacy extends beyond news and financial media to encompass all forms of media, including entertainment, advertising, and social media. 

Having the skills to evaluate and analyze messages critically allows individuals to resist manipulative tactics and align their choices with their values.

Media literacy empowers users to make informed choices and form their opinions based on accurate and reliable information. So will you be the company that stays ahead of this trend? 

#4 Innovation lives in diversity

Katie’s journey into fintech is an excellent example of the importance of having diverse perspectives in the industry. Companies like Public recognize that to make finance accessible and relevant to everyone, you need to build with people with various experiences, backgrounds, and skills to launch a solid and sustainable platform. 

How can we do more of this? Here are a couple of steps you can take right now: 

1️⃣ Actively diversify your network: Katie emphasized the importance of surrounding yourself with different people, personally and professionally. By broadening our horizons and engaging with individuals from diverse backgrounds, we can gain new perspectives and ideas that ultimately lead to innovation and growth. 

2️⃣ Encouraging more women in fintech: Katie highlighted the need for more women, especially those in creative roles, to enter the fintech space. She debunked the misconception that fintech is solely for engineers or coders, emphasizing plenty of opportunities for marketers and content creators. We can foster a more inclusive and dynamic fintech ecosystem by welcoming more women into the industry.

We also need more women speaking at conferences and industry panels to bring these fresh perspectives to bigger stages and challenge the status quo. 

3️⃣ Understand the intersection of business and doing what’s right: Katie shared her belief that doing what’s good for business and doing what’s right can often align. We can create win-win situations by finding those intersections that benefit the company and the user. 

I hope you’re as excited as I am about this episode! Don’t forget to give it a full listen, here. 

And now, this…