At Finovate, we believe that fintech has the potential to benefit people all around the world, helping with fundamental problems like access to capital, basic banking services, investment opportunities, and more. In order for fintech to make a difference on a global scale, though, it’s vital to get diverse opinions, experiences, and insights into the conversation. One group (though certainly not the only group) that’s consistently underrepresented in fintech is women, who face a slew of obstacles and challenges that their male counterparts don’t have to overcome.

This is a pain point which I’ve been aware of for my entire life. My mother spent her career working as a programmer for a variety of companies, and I grew up hearing about her experiences in a field dominated by males. Despite the obstacles she faced, she was able to rise through the ranks, and held management positions in some very large companies, including McKesson, Oracle, and Coors. Although I didn’t understand the full implications at the time, I remember hearing stories about interactions she had with male coworkers and employees that (justifiably) set her teeth on edge, and which are even more cringeworthy now that we’re 20 years further down the road.

While there has undeniably been progress made since she began her career in tech in 1985, it’s also undeniable that there’s a long way still to go. I still hear stories that echo her experiences 10, 20, or 30 years ago, and it amazes me that we’re not farther along than we are.

In honor of International Women’s Day today, we are going to be spending a week celebrating women in fintech with inspiring stories from female founders, influencers, and executives, who are helping to shape our industry. We’ll be posting daily updates on our Finovate.com blog, highlighting interviews with women on our Finovate Podcast and YouTube channels, and offering a week-long discount (see footer for details) for all of our 2020 events to help make our shows more accessible to women.

I hope you enjoy the programming coming up this week, and I hope to see the number of female speakers, founders, and attendees at our events continue to rise. In order for fintech to be for everyone, it needs to be from everyone, and we are committed to doing our part to create an inclusive, diverse ecosystem.

To promote the gender goal of 50/50 diversity in financial services, women who register by this Friday, March 13, can purchase a ticket to any 2020 Finovate event at a 50% discount. Just enter the code EQUALITY on the booking form.

“Don’t tolerate disrespect or discrimination against you or anyone else. Don’t wallow in imposter syndrome because someone gaslights you. Don’t apologize and don’t explain/justify/mitigate your existence in the room. Be accountable, and hold others accountable for themselves.” Ghela Boskovich, head of fintech/regtech partnerships, Rainmaking Innovation, spent the last ten years focused on business development for core insurance and banking system solutions, and is the founder of FemTechGlobal that bridges the gender gap in fintech and the financial services industry. We speak to her about her career, inspirations and advice for fellow #WomenInTech.

Finovate: How did you start your career?

Ghela Boskovich: In grad school, unbeknownst to me, my committee chair put me forward for an internship with the state utility commission. The phone call telling me I got it was a total surprise. That started my journey into rate-of-return and pricing regulation modeling. My career took a bit of a detour from regulatory analysis, but the path eventually lead to being involved in tech business development. Exposure to core policy admin systems for insurance bled into dynamic pricing solutions for financial services. Pricing, for me, came full circle. It introduced me to the ins and outs of core banking systems, strategies for product development, looking at the whole architectural landscape of product workflows and processes. It was the beginning of my love affair with fintech. Now with regtech playing such a key role in the industry, my career-long romance with regulatory and policy impact is in full bloom.

Finovate: What sparked your interest in fintech?

Boskovich: I was head hunted to join a fintech dynamic pricing solution company to help build out the business pipeline. Fintech, as a hashtag, was still a nascent term at that time. My history with pricing modeling and the fact that I was working with tech that automated relationship pricing created an atmosphere for my curiosity to flourish. I had the perfect perch from which to see how systems, data, modeling, product and customer all fit into a puzzle; pieces which could take different shapes depending on how they were deployed or organized. That puzzle fascinates me, and now all I do is play with these puzzle pieces.

Finovate: What was your lightbulb moment?

Boskovich: There are a few moments in my life when the spotlight suddenly shone on truth, but most of the time it’s little candles that have flickered here and there, one or two being lit by a conversation with colleagues and peers, that combined to eventually light up the room enough to remove the shadows in the corners: the slow dawning of realization. Oddly enough, most of those have revolved around language, grammar, and sentence construct. I see fintech as an alphabet of sorts, piecing it together to craft a sentence (workflow) that has meaning (purpose and output/product and service). The tech itself is built by (logic) language, the way it integrates and speaks to other systems is a communications structure. It all maps back to that, and we’re in a position to refine the language of financial services through fintech.

Finovate: What inspires you?

Boskovich: Language. I adore language and its power, and how the careful, conscious use of language can inspire others. Language of course is a double-edged sword, it can be the most beautiful, constructive, inclusive thing, or it destroys, condemns, and reveals the ugliness inside. Lately I’m trying to pay attention to the former use of language, and in our industry I’m seeing more and more of it inspiring people to be open to change, embrace diversity, and include others who’ve previously been on the sidelines. The language of collaboration is inspiring: improving service through fintech collaboration, expanding inclusion to reach the un- and underbanked, empowering through personal insights with an aim towards financial health. How we talk about our industry is becoming more positive, and that is inspiring.

Finovate: Why is the #WomenInTech movement important?

Boskovich: Taxation without representation is tyranny. At the fundamental level of social organization, the notion that anyone would submit to a government taxation scheme without due representation is antithetical to the idea of democracy. That’s how I see #WomenInTech: a push towards fair representation and say in how tech is deployed, especially as tech as policy is a reality. Women are 51% of the population, and women control 80% of (all and any type of) household discretionary spending. We are a distinct minority in deciding how the money system is designed or run, it impacts us disproportionately to our representation in the industry. That smacks of tyranny. There are myriad business cases for women in tech, so if we’re driven by ROI, there’s justification aplenty. There is, however, a more fundamental reason: representation and justice.

Finovate: What piece of advice would you give women starting their careers in fintech?

Boskovich: Find your tribe. Seek out those that would challenge your assumptions, those who will teach you, and those who will encourage you to do the crazy, irrational, new thing – but who have similar core values and respect for others. They are out there, and they’ll be the best safety net and cheerleading squad you could ask for. Don’t tolerate disrespect or discrimination against you or anyone else. Don’t wallow in imposter syndrome because someone gaslights you. Don’t apologize and don’t explain/justify/mitigate your existence in the room. Be accountable, and hold others accountable for themselves. Fintech is like any other industry (albeit with a dearth of women), and like in any other industry, skills can be learned, but values and character matter most.

Adding to our line up of leading women in fintech, we speak to Emma Margetts, Head of European Operations at Visible Alpha, about how she made it in the financial services space, having started out at just 16 years old.

How did you start your career?

While growing up in South Africa, I always had a passion for capital markets and entrepreneurship. I started investing in the stock markets at 16 years old and later started the non-profit Business Learning Network, the first women’s accelerator for female entrepreneurs in the townships of South Africa. Straight after university, I moved to London and worked in asset management for five years. This is where I met my co-founders for Alpha Exchange and the idea for our company was born.

What sparked your interest in fintech?

I’ve always loved the financial markets coupled with knowing definitively that I wanted to be an entrepreneur. The problem was: I didn’t know where to start.

Many people starting out in fintech ask me if it’s possible to run a tech company without being technical. Well, if you don’t count being able to turn an iPhone on or off as technical, then “yes.”

The truth is, I surrounded myself with a best-in-class co-founding team with complementary skill sets, which proved to be the optimal way forward. I had the vision and drive to make up for the shortfalls in my technical skills. But even so, it was an extreme learning trajectory for the first 18 months.

What was your lightbulb moment?

Two and a half years ago, the initial idea behind Alpha Exchange came to me and my co-founders, Alex Santos and Scott Winship, while we were working in asset management in London. During this time, the average investment analyst we worked with would receive upwards of 1,000 emails daily containing investment research – only 5-10% of which was ever opened. We saw research distribution as an inefficient, legacy-driven process that had seen little to no innovation. Research pricing was also a problem in that it lacked transparency, as it was typically “bundled” in with a broader set of client services.

We knew there had to be a more intelligent and efficient way to quickly surface relevant insights, cut through the noise, and create an investment edge. So we set out to do just that. Despite daunting competition from the likes of Bloomberg and Thomson Reuters, we built Alpha Exchange, a platform that aimed to transform the way institutional participants interacted, shared knowledge, and discovered investment insights.

At the same time, the world of investment research was rapidly evolving before our eyes. Asset managers were battling some of the most widespread regulatory challenges of our time brought about by a revamped version of the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive, MiFID II.

We then had the opportunity to join forces with Visible Alpha, which acquired Alpha Exchange in November 2017. By joining our two platforms, we have created a robust end-to-end MiFID II solution. This has opened up many more possibilities, and I’m proud to be leading Visible Alpha’s European operations.

What inspires you?

I surround myself with people who approach life with passion and enthusiasm. I get so much out of this – I think that kind of energy is contagious and necessary in life.

I’m inspired by remarkable people who are courageous and brave. My mum is one of these people. She is a strong woman who has faced entrepreneurship battles whilst raising a family and being a constant source of excitement in my life!

Why is the #WomenInTech movement important?

When I started Alpha Exchange, every pitch, every boardroom, every investor, mentor or advisor was male. Also, being in my mid-twenties, the amount of times I get a look of surprise and have to repeat who I am and what my role is always makes me laugh.

I made an active choice many years ago not to focus on being just one of a few women in a field or an industry, but instead to concentrate on always improving my skills, going for every opportunity presented to me, and being an expert in my industry of choice.

I feel empowered knowing I’ve not let stereotypes hold me back. My best advice for women is to spend your life doing something you love, regardless of how male-dominated the field may be.

I have been lucky to have incredible female fintech mentors as part of my work life (big shout out to the incredible Jenny Fielding, MD at Techstars).

What piece of advice would you give women starting their careers in fintech?

Go for it! There is never a perfect time to take the leap and start something new. There is always a reason to wait another day. I guess the critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something about it. It’s as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but very rarely do people action on them.

I ripped off the band-aid and resigned from a stable job in order to start something that I had barely figured out myself. It probably took me more by surprise than it did anyone else. I was terrified, but I quickly discovered that as a fintech founder you only ever experience two emotions: euphoria and terror.

It’s important to surround yourself with people who believe in you and your abilities. There are countless examples of women who triumphantly navigate through male-dominated landscapes, and there’s no reason why you can’t be one of them.

This article was first published on FinTech Futures on July 11th 2017.

Aleksandra Gren chats to us about her focus on making a success story out of fintech around the world. Today, she is Strategic Sales, Country Manager at Fiserv and Fortune Most Powerful Women US Mentoring Program Alumna. How does she think the fintech space will adapt as a more gender-equal environment, and how should we promote women in tech?

How did you start your career?

I started my career in banking at 23 after I graduated from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, with a degree in international relations. As I quickly realized that technology has a huge role in how things are run in the world of banking, I joined a fast growing U.S. technology company expanding its outreach in Europe and the Middle East. There, I saw first hand the continuing fusion of banking and technology in a number of economies around the world.

What sparked your interest in fintech?

From my experience of working in various countries, I saw how similar the challenges in banking were when it came to technology. In the mid-90s, technology and business departments within a typical bank didn’t talk to each other. As consumer-originated technologies started affecting the enterprise sector, business and technology began to realize how they need each other to be successful. Today most financial services’ CEOs acknowledge that running a bank is like running a big technology company which happens to be in banking. 

What was your lightbulb moment?

I don’t think there was necessarily a “lightbulb moment”. Different regions around the world embraced change differently. For example, some banks in Asia and Central Europe benefitted from the leap frogging effect and went from very little computerization in early 90s, straight to full digitization today. They skipped cheques, implemented instant payments, and designed new business models by leveraging the newest technologies from the start. The technology journey for banks in the developed economies of Western Europe and North America has been more evolutionary.

What inspires you?

People are my biggest inspiration. I believe strongly in the power of the individual. We as individuals are not powerless; people on their own can do great things and make positive changes in the world, even if it is through small steps. I was always inspired by personal stories of great leaders and very early on developed a belief that every person matters and can contribute. I always believed that it is important to motivate people to tap into their inner potential. In my opinion, the key measure of leadership is how effectively the leader is able to build talent around them. Do they listen to the people closest to the battle field, who test management’s strategies first hand? For me the biggest source of insights are always conversations with the front-line people in any business.

Why is the #WomenInTech movement important?

With the onset of artificial intelligence, bots and virtual reality, we are witnessing a shortage of data science skills. Various sources refer to vacancies counted into millions in the data science fields around the world by 2020. It is important that STEM skills are taught from a very young age and that STEM becomes a key priority for domestic digital agendas. For me, the #WomenInTech movement is very important as women represent 50% of society. They have extra responsibilities assigned to their roles, which should mean more investment, more recognition, and more support at a state and corporate level. The #WomenInTech awareness and programs also have the power to capture the mindset of young girls before college years. Women need to be taught the STEM skills needed at primary school, as it will help them to perform in future digital industries and succeed in the workplace. There are certainly some excellent schemes out there at the moment, but we still have a little way to go to capture girl’s imaginations at a very young age.

What piece of advice would you give women starting their careers in fintech?

Always keep learning: from people around you, the industry and changes in technology. Stay curious and open minded. It is important for women to step outside of their comfort zone and keep pushing for more.  Take a computer course, learn to code, do something you wouldn’t normally do. I would also say that women need to believe in themselves and know that their voice matters and that can drive innovation and change in the industry.

This article was first published on FinTech Futures on June 27th 2017.

Part of our #WomenInFinTech series, we chat to Christina McGeorge – chief product officer and VP of product ownership for D3 Banking – about how she only became aware of her success within fintech a few years ago. She shares some words of inspiration and motivation to the next round of successful women in tech.

How did you start your career?

I began my career nearly thirty years ago as a software engineer at ACI Worldwide. I was still in college, working on my degree in management information systems at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. After two years, I switched my focus to solutions architecture because I wanted to broaden my skillset. I went on to work for ACI for 20 years, eventually becoming the lead design engineer for ACI’s point of sale product.

What sparked your interest in fintech?

Computer sciences had always been an interest of mine, so it was a natural fit to study in college. However, my curiosity and passion quickly grew beyond just computer sciences, and I found myself pursuing some exciting opportunities in the fintech space. I’ve been hooked ever since.

What was your lightbulb moment?

I’ve always enjoyed my work, but my lightbulb moment didn’t come along until a few years ago. While I was designing front-end authorization systems at ACI and back-office solutions for BHMI, I was assembling pieces of a puzzle, gaining more knowledge of particular niches within the fintech space. It wasn’t until I joined D3 Banking and gained a new perspective that the broader picture came into focus. Suddenly, the trajectory of my career made sense. Without my previous experiences and the perspectives gained from them, I would not have been positioned to contribute to D3 Banking as I have, helping to design our platform. The pieces of the puzzle just fell into place; I had been on this path all along.

What inspires you?

I’ve always been inspired by the notion of providing people with the opportunity to better themselves financially. This is why when I had the chance to join a start-up digital banking company more than five years ago, there was no hesitation. I was employee number 15 at D3 Banking, which allowed me to help build our platform from the ground up in a way that helps both banks to reduce complexities in their systems, and end users to better understand their financial situations and enhance communication with their banks.

Why is the #WomenInTech movement important?

Culturally, we struggle with the idea that it’s normal or even acceptable for girls to be good at math or sciences. In fact, I remember being one of few girls in my computer science classes. The #WomenInTech movement spreads the message that anyone in the world, even a young girl in grade school, can be good at science at math, and that the world is open to you. This is so important for future growth and progress.

What piece of advice would you give women starting their careers in fintech?

When I was younger, my grandfather used to quiz me on my math. I remember one day he told me, “it’s not whether you can; it’s whether you want to.” That’s something that really resonated with me, and is something I think is important for not only women, but all people to know. You are capable, if you’re willing to put in the effort necessary to achieve your goals.