Women in fintech — Irina Theodoru
I’ve been working for ThinkOut for 2 years now and I can say that fintech is a challenging, fascinating place. Until some years ago, the financial sector was still considered stiff, boring, hard to understand. Thanks to the fast technological developments, it becomes a playground for innovation, creative minds, and endless possibilities.
Whoever feels captivated by novelty, men and women alike, they should try it. Startups are fascinating creatures by themselves. Add the “mystery” of the business finances doubled by technology and you enter a magic territory; a treasure hunt.
My encounter with the fintech world wasn’t planned, it just happened. Four years ago I shifted towards a freelancer career in communication and PR. My initial projects were divided between consumer goods or services and NGOs. The digital products were still in a far away galaxy that I liked to contemplate but didn’t quite understand them. While collaborating with ThinkOut I found myself immersed in a brand-new world. At that time I didn’t even know it was called fintech.
At first, I felt very insecure. I thought that I needed centuries of experience and thousands of degrees in Finance to tackle such a heavy subject. I never imagined myself working in this field. I was always more interested in the strategic and marketing side of a business. The little that I remembered from my studies helped me to understand how the finances of a business work. This further served me to explain it in a familiar way to managers who, like me, had little to do with economics.
In the end, it is about passion for a certain subject. The startups’ world itself is built on passion, so when people who share such an enthusiasm get together, there are little barriers and differences. The great thing is that entrepreneurs are willing to support each other and share, so differences in knowledge don’t quite matter. If any, they are a great connector for the startup ecosystem: what one lacks, can get it from another.
I must confess I’m still not that into numbers, formulas and complicated financial mechanisms. I am more of a creative person, a woman of words and artistry. This is what helps me empathize with the ThinkOut public, the small business owners. They need a familiar, friendly voice to guide them through the hard facts of the financial data.
I have a lot of admiration for those women who are drawn by the complicated mechanisms of Finances, banking or cryptocurrencies. Such an example is Mirela Amariei, Product Owner at Pentalog and former Growth hacker and fintech Senior Editor at The Paypers. I attended a presentation she gave on challenger banks. I was inspired by the drive she put in her speech about a subject that I would normally consider at least dull. Her explaining and the joy in her voice convinced me to reconsider how I further relate to fintech. She made it cool.
All in all, being a woman who works in fintech feels just natural. I heard people wondering if there is anything unusual or difficult about that. My answer to them is ”No”, at least from my own experience. I believe that the degree of difficulty or freedom of access has nothing to do with being a man or a woman, but with the amount of interest and passion for the subject. Let’s not limit ourselves with prejudices; let’s allow our curiosity guide our careers and what we leave behind. If that means working in fintech, then be it!
