Hey, Fintech Fam! 💜

Do you ever work so hard on a project, feel relieved it’s done, but then find it hard to celebrate yourself afterward?

That’s exactly where I am right now.

After 350 pages, 90,000 words, and pouring my heart into Fintech Feminists… I’ll admit that celebrating myself feels strange.

As a writer, it’s easy to feel vulnerable about my work—especially when sharing the stories of such incredible women. Sometimes, it feels easier to hide away than to plan a celebration.

But here’s the truth: celebrating this book means celebrating ALL of us. And that’s what Fintech Is Femme is all about—lifting each other and owning our successes together.

So, we’re doing something BIG. 🎉

And it all kicks off on October 22nd in New York City with the official Fintech Feminists book launch party! 🎉✨

This isn’t just an event; it’s an evening of ambition, elegance, and the recognition we ALL deserve in this industry.

Here’s what’s in store (think Sex and the City meets fintech):

This is our time to celebrate each other, honor the women driving change in Fintech, and build our future together.

💥 Early bird tickets are limited. Save your spot here!

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COMMUNITY

When someone says credit unions, do you picture sleek apps, digital wallets, and AI-powered algorithms? Probably not. 

Credit unions are more likely to remind you of your parents’ go-to bank—steady, reliable. 

Then there’s fintech, the finance world's flashy new kid with all the latest bells and whistles.

But here’s the plot twist: these two are made for each other. 

Fintech’s got the tech, but guess who’s sitting on decades of trust and community connections? Yup, credit unions. 

Together, they could change the financial game. 

This isn’t just another Silicon Valley “disrupt everything” story; it’s a match that’s been waiting to happen, and it could be a huge opportunity that no one’s really paying close attention to yet.

Forget the buzzwords—this is where the real action is.

Before we dive into fintech, let’s give credit unions their well-deserved props. 

Believe it or not, credit unions have been practicing “financial inclusion” since before it was cool. 

While you might think financial inclusion is some shiny, new idea cooked up in a Silicon Valley PowerPoint deck, credit unions were already on that wave in 19th-century Europe.

It all started in 1864 when Friedrich Raiffeisen had a lightbulb moment in rural southern Germany.

Raiffeisen looked around and thought, “Hey, wouldn’t life be better if everyone in the community could pitch in and help each other out financially?”

So, he proposed this radical idea: let’s pool our money so anyone needing a loan can access it easily. Spoiler alert: his neighbors loved the idea, and just like that, the first credit union was born.

This wasn’t about making a bank (pun intended); it was about helping people. The whole credit union concept was based on cooperation, not competition, and the belief that everyone—regardless of how big or small their paycheck was—deserved access to financial services.

Fast-forward to 1934, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Federal Credit Union Act into law, officially establishing credit unions nationwide as not-for-profit cooperatives that promoted smart financial practices and encouraged thrift.

The credit union movement was growing, and the mission was clear: people helping people.

A year later, in 1935, TruStage (formerly CUNA Mutual Group) entered the scene to support credit unions by offering tailored insurance and financial products.

TruStage has been low-key helping credit unions level up for nearly a century now, from life insurance to financial advice, all while staying true to the credit union mission. And if you’re picturing big banks racking up fees and leaving communities in the dust, credit unions have been the reliable, community-centric alternative all along.

But they’ve missed out on one big thing: a tech makeover. Overhauling their tech infrastructure would be costly.

And that’s where fintech—the disruptor with all the gadgets—comes in.

Ah, fintech—the industry that’s been turning heads and making waves with algorithms, sleek apps, and promises to “disrupt” everything from banking to payments.

Let’s be honest, does anyone even carry cash anymore? Fintech has made things faster, more convenient, and—let’s face it—cool. But for all its swagger, fintech hasn’t quite lived up to its potential as the great equalizer in finance.

Sure, it’s fun if you’ve already got a bit of cash and know your way around an app store, but for a whole lot of people? Not so much. 

 And while fintech companies raked in over $120 billion in funding a few years ago, they mostly target the already well-off crowd. The people who really need affordable, accessible financial services? They’re often left out.

This is where fintech starts looking like a cool kid’s club. They talk big about inclusion, but when it comes down to actually reaching underserved communities, most fintech falls short.

And that’s exactly where credit unions—quiet, dependable, and with deep community roots—come in.

Credit unions serve over 130 million members in the U.S. alone, offering low fees, better rates, and—hold onto your hat—actual human customer service.

Meanwhile, fintech’s got the tech, but not necessarily the trust. And trust? Credit unions are practically swimming in it. You see where I’m going here?

While we’re talking about fintech shaking up the system, we have to shout out some forward-thinking entrepreneurs who are already leading the charge in financial inclusion by working with credit unions.

Take Tanya Van Court from Goalsetter, for instance. Her mission is simple but powerful—she’s using financial education to help families (especially kids!) achieve financial freedom. By focusing on teaching smart money habits from an early age, Goalsetter is setting the foundation for a future generation that understands how to make their money work for them. 

Another fintech company making waves with credit unions is Frich, a social finance app for Gen Z women launched in 2021 by former model-turned-entrepreneur Katrin Kaurov and Aleksandra Medina to offer financial transparency and community learning. 

And then there’s Maya Mikhailov, co-founder of Savvi AI, who’s tackling one of fintech’s biggest hurdles: data access. Maya’s all about making AI and data more accessible and usable, empowering financial institutions (yes, including credit unions!) to harness the power of artificial intelligence without needing to hire an entire tech department. She’s the future of forward-thinking, AI-driven financial tools.

Lastly, you can’t forget James Chemplavil from Salus. He’s bringing microloans—often a lifeline in developing countries—right to the U.S. It’s a game-changer for financial independence and entrepreneurship, giving people the boost they need to start their own ventures or cover emergency expenses without getting trapped in the vicious cycle of payday loans.

With leaders like this, fintech and financial inclusion are getting the shake-up they need.

Here’s the deal: fintech might have the tech toys, but credit unions have what fintech needs most—trust. A 2021 survey showed that 72% of credit union members trust their institution, compared to just 47% for traditional banks. That’s a huge trust gap, and it’s exactly what fintech needs if it wants to go from being just another flashy app to becoming a real financial partner.

So, why hasn’t anyone thrown these two in a room and let the magic happen?

Oh, wait—we did. Cue TruStage Ventures’ Fintech Summit last week in Madison, Wisconsin.

The event was buzzing with fireside chats, roundtable discussions, panels, and 29 fintech demos from TruStage Ventures’ portfolio, including startups like Zirtue, Rippleshot, Debbie, and Caribou—to name a few.

The big takeaway? Credit unions aren’t going anywhere. In fact, tech is here to help them level up, not replace them. It’s all about enhancing what they already do best and expanding their reach.

Credit unions can bring the loyalty and community connections, while fintech delivers the innovation and user experience.

Credit unions get to modernize and attract younger, tech-savvy members, and fintech gets to reach communities it otherwise couldn’t.

And let’s face it: Fintech has been mostly chasing millennials with smartphones and disposable income—what about everyone else?

That’s where credit unions come in. They serve the 90% who aren’t already on fintech’s radar: the underserved, the low-income, and the financially vulnerable. Fintech wants to reach them, and credit unions already have them.

Now imagine what happens when these two finally join forces.

It’s not just about a shiny app or a clever algorithm—it’s about revolutionizing financial services for everyone, not just the top 10%.

Credit unions and fintech together could build something that levels the playing field.

Think: faster loan approvals, better savings tools, personalized financial advice—all powered by tech and backed by the deep trust credit unions have spent decades building.

TruStage Ventures is already onto this. They’re investing in fintech companies that actually get the credit union mission, focusing on real-world solutions like the fintech startup’s mentioned in this story. 

It’s fintech at its finest, making credit union services more accessible, especially for those who’d rather not wade through mountains of paperwork.

This isn’t just about new tech—it’s about creating real value for the communities credit unions serve.

Fintech and credit unions together could solve some of the biggest problems in financial access, especially for people who’ve traditionally been left out of the system.

So why now?

Well, the financial landscape is shifting faster than ever, thanks in part to the pandemic.

People are interacting with money in new ways, and there’s a growing demand for more inclusive financial services.

Plus, the $84 trillion generational wealth transfer is one of the largest in history, presenting a golden opportunity for credit unions and fintechs to step up, modernize, and cater to a new wave of younger, tech-savvy inheritors who will be seeking trusted financial partners to manage and grow their wealth.

For fintech startups, growing and scaling can feel like an uphill battle right now, but teaming up with credit unions? That might just be the untapped growth opportunity staring us in the face.

There’s no better time for credit unions and fintech to come together and create something truly transformative. The future of finance isn’t about staying stuck in the past or only serving the already well-off—it’s about adaptability, inclusivity, and meeting people where they are.

And that’s where this power couple—credit unions and fintech—can really shine.

This song is mainstream but absolutely hits hard. Fun fact: Anton and I are considering it for a duet. What do you think?

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That’s all for now! See you Thursday!

Love,

Nicole 💜