Can you talk about your career path and what brought you to work in sales at Plaid?
Educating people on financial security and savings became meaningful to me after working as a client advocate for injured workers and later in insurance. I entered the FinTech space by joining, Rebellion Research, a quant fund that had opened an RIA offering strategy which was traditionally for wealthy investors.
I later join Quovo, as I loved the mission of providing connectivity to consumer’s financial data. My role was to sell services to financial advisors, so that they had a full picture of their clients’ finances and could provide better financial advice. My role evolved as more FinTech companies emerged and I was able to understand their needs and sell the Quovo service to them as well. I ultimately became Head of Fintech, managing the client life cycle. This January Quovo was acquired by Plaid! The merger has been excellent so far and I’ve moved to a role in Enterprise Sales.
What drew you to FinTech, and what about this industry is motivating you to stay?
My definition of FinTech means the creation of optionality for consumers. The best part about working for Quovo (now Plaid), is that I do not have to choose one path to consumers, we are able to power thousands of applications and services! This might mean simplifying sending money cross border, or making investing accessible, or programmatically moving funds for a user to a savings account while ensuring there is enough in their checking account to cover their expenses.
How were you able to build your network and maintain these relationships?
FinTech is still in its nascence and being part of a small community means if you build a few strong relationships, word spreads. As we build out the next iteration of financial services every company needs partners. Connecting companies, and people, with the tools they need to grow is a great way to make friends and build a network.
Who is one of the most influential people in your career and why?
Amanda MacLachlan was incredibly influential in my career as my first manager at MassMutual. I met Amanda when she was teaching my class for insurance licensing. I loved that she was so passionate about her job, that she taught as well. Amanda is confident, smart, and pushes boundaries. She taught me to do what’s best for clients, learn everything you can, and share what you know.
What advice do you have for women who are looking to enter the FinTech space?
Learn one thing really well. If you know your segment you can be confident in your knowledge and in yourself. FinTech seems like a complicated space so take it one piece at a time and don’t try to boil the ocean. When you need help ask for it, and then give back.
Reach out to Lauren on LinkedIn.