By

Tracy Schroeder is democratizing R&D Tax Credits, and finding her home in Fintech.

As VP of Strategy and Growth at MainStreet, she’s part of the company’s mission taking the guesswork out of tax credits and passing the savings onto small businesses and startups.

Nicole and Tracy talk why Fintech isn’t the cool kids club everyone thinks it is, how surrounding yourself with a diverse network is key to growing as a leader, and why education will always be a core part of the MainStreet mission.

And our sponsor MainStreet is making it easy to find thousands of dollars worth of R&D Tax Credits. You only need to plug MainStreet into your payroll and let their team of experts do the heavy lifting, scanning hundreds of federal, state and local tax credits on your behalf. It’s going to save you so much time and your company so much money.

Head to MainStreet.com to sign up for their limited time offer.

And if you love listening to Humans of Fintech, please leave me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/humansoffintech

Thank you so much!

Follow Tracy:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tracy-schroeder-31757284

You can keep up-to-date with everything Humans of Fintech at https://workweek.com/brand/wtfintech/

And if you’ve enjoyed Humans of Fintech why not try: Chicks of FinTwit, Tech Unlocked, Breaking Banks or Fintech Insider

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

03:21 From Outsider to Inside

04:45 Not Just For The Big Boys

09:42 The Importance of Education For Customer Success

12:31 Back Yourself

15:21 The Power of Five

18:38 EQ For Career Success

22:50 Personalization, The Trend To Watch

27:57 The Trickle Down Leadership Effect

30:03 Creating Your Own Cool Kids Club

Leadership In Fintech

Fintech continues to expand rapidly. According to statistics, the global fintech market is continuing its upward trajectory

. As this sector expands and matures, the need for quality leadership grows as well. Leaders with a focus on fintech will play a pivotal role in the continued success of this industry. Here are three traits you should look for when searching for fintech leadership: Leaders who can see beyond their own interests Fintech leaders must be able to tackle problems from many different angles.

They have to be able to see more than just numbers and spreadsheets; they must be able to see people, too. Not everyone involved in fintech has the same motives or intentions—some may not have the best intentions at all. The ability of a leader in fintech to see beyond their own immediate interests will be what prevents corruption and exploitation of customers within this niche field.

Honesty

A leader who is honest with themselves and others will have much better luck with problem solving. A lack of self-awareness can lead to poor decision-making, and a lack of integrity can lead to unethical practices.

Honesty is a trait that all fintech leaders must have in order to ensure that their solutions serve the needs of their customers and have no hidden ulterior motives. When leaders are honest with themselves, they will not make excuses for poor performance; instead, they will have the ability to recognize where they need to improve.

A desire to do good

A desire to do good goes beyond honesty. Many people can be honest and still not have the best intentions. It is one thing to seek to make a profit, but it is another to want to use that profit to help others. Fintech will inevitably be a part of someone’s financial future. It’s important to consider how you can benefit them.

Doing good is not always easy, but it is necessary if a leader wants to build a long-lasting and successful fintech business. Customers want to know that the products they are using are ethically sourced and that their data is safe. If a leader has a desire to do good, they will go the extra mile to make sure they are following ethical business practices and delivering value to their customers.

Transparency

Transparency breeds trust. Many fintech companies make a big deal about boasting about the security of their services, but many don’t make their methods public. That makes it hard for people to trust their claims. If a fintech leader is not transparent, it will be almost impossible for them to earn the trust of their customers.

Fintech companies that offer privacy and security solutions for customers must be acutely aware of the regulations and laws surrounding their industry. That means they must have a team of legal experts to ensure that they are compliant with all applicable laws. If a leader is not transparent, they could be breaking the law. That type of non-compliance could lead to fines and even criminal charges.

Diversity of thought and culture

Fintech companies that want to last must promote a culture of diversity. You cannot solve a problem if you don’t understand the needs and desires of your customers. Leaders who are willing to hire people who think differently than they do and who come from different cultural backgrounds will be better able to serve their customers. W

hen hiring leaders and employees, fintech leaders should look for a wide range of skills, abilities, and cultures. Diversity is not about bringing in people who are exactly like you; it’s about bringing in people who can think differently and solve problems from new angles.