by Monica Millares
Welcome to Purpose Driven FinTech! I'm your host, Monica Millares - Product Leader and fellow FinTecher. These days, with the rising cost of living, financial stress among customers, loss of trust in banks, speculation of crypto, and uncertainty, we're facing unprecedented challenges. But there is hope. We as FinTechers have the power to make a positive impact. Our products, the how we do product, and our people can make a difference on customers’ financial lives - and as a result, in the quality of their lives. However, more than ever Founders, CEOs, Leadership teams and all FinTechers have a ton of pressure to build solutions that actually solve customer problems, that people want, that are differentiated And profitable Yes that's you and me too! That's why I've created this podcast! I speak with FinTech CEOs, Founders, and Csuites to uncover their stories, challenges, and lessons learnt in building products with impact. You'll get to hear real-life conversations, and you’ll walk away with practical questions, frameworks and insights that you can apply to your own FinTech products. So, are you ready to make a bigger difference in FinTech? Let's come together and discover how Purpose, Product, and People can help us create a future of better financial wellbeing while building sustainable and profitable FinTechs. Follow me on LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube to stay connected and be part of the conversation. Cheers to making better FinTech and making FinTech better! Love, Moni
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🇺🇲
Publishing Since
4/24/2023
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April 16, 2025
<p>In today's episode, we explore how innovative fintech partnerships are tackling the UK's massive £4 billion energy debt crisis through compassionate collections and flexible payment solutions.</p><p>I speak with Fliss Berridge UK Managing Director and Co-Founder at Ordo, and James Sharpe, Sales Director, Digital Native Business at Eviden. We talk about their groundbreaking partnership creating an intelligent recommendation and notification engine that helps consumers manage utility payments in a way that matches their actual income patterns, not arbitrary monthly billing cycles.</p><p>Their solution combines open banking, AI, and a deep understanding of customer behavior to transform how utilities collect payments while making financial management more accessible and humane for consumers struggling with the cost of living crisis.</p><p>🔑 Key Highlights:</p><ul><li>The UK energy debt crisis £4 billion challenge</li><li>The concept of "compassionate collections with kindness" that benefits both consumers and utilities</li><li>Using AI and open banking to create payment schedules that match actual income patterns</li><li>The importance of designing financial services around people's lives, not forcing people to adapt</li><li>How partnerships between large corporations and agile fintechs can drive purpose-driven innovation</li></ul><br/><p>We discuss how traditional payment methods like direct debits are failing vulnerable customers, particularly those with irregular income streams or in the gig economy. The solution recognizes income patterns and suggests appropriate payment amounts at the right times, providing relief for consumers while improving collection rates for utilities.</p><p>This collaboration demonstrates how fintech innovations can address significant social challenges while creating commercial value, proving that compassion and profitability can coexist in financial services.</p><p>Follow for more discussions on building FinTech products with customer and commercial impact and to stay updated on the latest episodes.</p><p>👉 Connect with Fliss and James: </p><p>LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/fliss-berridge-07a05b84/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/fliss-berridge-07a05b84/</a></p><p>Website:<a href="https://ordopay.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> https://ordopay.com/</a></p><p> LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesrnsharpe/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesrnsharpe/</a></p><p>Website:<a href="https://www.atoseviden.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://eviden.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://eviden.com/</a></p><p>👉 Follow Monica: </p><p>LinkedIn:<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicamillares/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicamillares/</a> </p><p>YouTube:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@moni_millares" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> https://www.youtube.com/@moni_millares</a> </p><p>TikTok:<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@moni_millares" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> https://www.tiktok.com/@moni_millares</a></p><p>We cover: </p><p>[00:00:00] Introduction to the UK's £4 billion energy debt crisis</p><p>[00:03:00] Breaking down large bills into manageable chunks</p><p>[00:07:00] Compassionate collections: How kindness can coexist with effective payment solutions</p><p>[00:11:00] Preventing late payments through early intervention and intelligent recommendations</p><p>[00:15:00] Designing financial services around people's lives, not the other way around</p><p>[00:19:00] Partnership for purpose: How Eviden and Ordo collaborate effectively</p><p>[00:25:00] How startups and large corporations can work together effectively</p><p>[00:32:00] The six-week proof of concept: How rigor and discipline drive innovation</p><p>[00:37:00]...
April 8, 2025
<p>In this episode, I speak with <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/nthakur9/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Natalya Thakur</a>, Founder of Knox, and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinh5/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kevin Hoang</a> Founder of <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/eqxchange/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EQ Exchange (EQX)</a>, two innovative founders who are tackling the fundamental issue of trust in the digital assets space</p><p>🔑 Key Highlights:</p><ul><li>How EQX aims to become the first company in the world to disclose financial statements in real-time</li><li>The critical difference between "compiled" vs "generated" financial statements for transparency</li><li>How technology can play a central role in creating new trust frameworks for financial services</li></ul><br/><p>👉 Follow Natalya and Kevin</p><p>Natalya: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nthakur9/</p><p>Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinh5/</p><p>https://www.eq.exchange/</p><p>Press release of their partnership: <a href="https://www.eq.exchange/blog/building-a-new-era-of-trust-in-digital-assets-with-knox-network" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.eq.exchange/blog/building-a-new-era-of-trust-in-digital-assets-with-knox-network</a></p><p>👉Follow Monica:</p><p>LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicamillares/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicamillares/</a></p><p>YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@moni_millares" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/@moni_millares</a></p><p>TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@moni_millares" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.tiktok.com/@moni_millares</a></p><p><br></p><p>We cover:</p><p>[00:00:00] Introduction and defining trust in financial services</p><p>[00:04:00] Exploring the components of trust: what is transacted and who is transacting</p><p>[00:06:00] Knox's purpose: creating a multi-asset ledger as a unified source of truth</p><p>[00:08:50] Natalya's background in traditional finance and digital assets</p><p>[00:12:30] EQX's purpose: rewriting the script on crypto exchanges</p><p>[00:15:00] How Knox's and EQX collaborate to solve trust problems</p><p>[00:18:30] Kevin's background and entrepreneurial journey</p><p>[00:21:30] EQX's innovative approach to real-time financial statements</p><p>[00:24:00] Product thinking behind building a trust-based moat</p><p>[00:28:45] Translating radical transparency into user-facing features</p><p>[00:32:00] How companies can help customers trust the crypto space</p><p>[00:36:00] Challenges of applying design thinking with institutional users</p><p>[00:39:00] Obstacles financial institutions face with crypto adoption</p><p>[00:42:00] Why crypto remains too complex for mainstream adoption</p><p><br></p><p>SEARCH QUESTIONS</p><p>What is the definition of trust in financial services?</p><p>How did FTX collapse affect crypto exchange trust?</p><p>What does transparent financial reporting in crypto look like?</p><p>How to build trust in cryptocurrency exchanges?</p><p>Why do we trust traditional banks over crypto platforms?</p><p>What are real-time financial statements for crypto exchanges?</p><p>How can crypto exchanges improve user experience?</p><p>What is a multi-asset ledger in cryptocurrency?</p><p>How to manage both traditional and digital assets together?</p><p>What challenges do financial institutions face with crypto adoption?</p><p>Why is crypto still too complex for mainstream users?</p><p>How can design thinking improve crypto user experience?</p><p>What's the difference between compiled and generated financial statements?</p><p>How can technology build trust in financial services?</p><p>What is radical transparency in financial services?</p><p>How do you establish trust as a new financial services company?</p><p>What are best practices for crypto custody and...
March 24, 2025
<p>The financial industry is transforming rapidly, with traditional banking giving way to innovative FinTech solutions that are reshaping how people interact with money worldwide.</p><p>In this solo episode, I share my personal journey from traditional banking to building FinTech startups and products across multiple continents, revealing the challenges, insights, and transformational lessons learned along the way. From my first steps into product leadership to scaling products to millions of users, I share the journey, what helped me succeed and the mistakes that taught me the most valuable lessons.</p><p>What you'll learn:</p><ul><li>How I transitioned from traditional banking to the dynamic world of FinTech</li><li>My unexpected path into product leadership </li><li>How I ended up in Malaysia - from startup to scaleup</li><li>The reality of building financial products across different markets and cultures</li><li>Key insights from 10 years of FinTech product development</li></ul><br/><p>Follow for more discussions on building FinTech products with customer and commercial impact and to stay updated on the latest episodes.</p><p>👉 Follow Monica:</p><p>LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicamillares/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicamillares/</a></p><p>YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@moni_millares" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/@moni_millares</a></p><p>TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@moni_millares" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.tiktok.com/@moni_millares</a></p><p><br></p><p>We cover:</p><p>[00:00] My journey into FinTech - why I left traditional banking</p><p>[05:30] The catalyst moment that changed my career trajectory</p><p>[10:45] Discovering product leadership and the early challenges</p><p>[15:20] Building FinTech products from Mexico to Malaysia</p><p>[22:10] The unique challenges of developing products across different markets</p><p>[28:40] How purpose drives better product decisions</p><p>[34:15] Balancing innovation with compliance and security</p><p>[39:30] My framework for building high-performing product teams</p><p>[45:10] The future of FinTech and where I see the industry heading</p><p>[50:25] Critical advice for aspiring FinTech builders</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>SEARCH QUESTIONS</p><p>How to transition from banking to FinTech?</p><p>What skills transfer from banking to FinTech product development?</p><p>How to build FinTech products that solve real customer problems?</p><p>What are the biggest challenges when building FinTech products?</p><p>How to balance innovation with compliance in FinTech?</p><p>How to build purpose-driven financial products?</p><p>What does a FinTech product leader do?</p><p>How to build FinTech products across different markets?</p><p>What are the key differences between banking and FinTech product development?</p><p>How to build high-performing FinTech product teams?</p><p>How to create successful FinTech products with limited resources?</p><p>What is the future of FinTech product development?</p><p>How to build customer-centric financial products?</p><p>What are the most important metrics for FinTech products?</p><p>How to identify opportunities in the FinTech space?</p><p>How to navigate regulatory challenges in FinTech?</p><p>What does it take to be a successful FinTech builder?</p><p>How to scale FinTech products globally?</p><p>How to create inclusive financial products?</p><p>What are the biggest pitfalls when building FinTech products?</p><p><br></p><p>#FinTechBuilder #BankingToStartups #ProductLeadership #FinancialInclusion #PurposeDrivenFinTech</p><p><br></p><p>Disclaimer: This episode does not constitute professional nor financial advice and does not represent the opinion nor views of my current, past or future employers.</p>
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