Hi, fintech fam! 💜

It feels like 2024 is in full swing! Our community is buzzing, and there is so much to accomplish. We can do this.

Here are a few ways to hang out with me and network with the community in the coming days, weeks, and months!

1. Valentine’s Day 2/14: I will be celebrating tomorrow from 2 to 3 p.m. ET with a LinkedIn Live conversation featuring my friend Vrinda Gupta, the founder of Sequin Financial. She will share her valuable insights on fundraising, building a fintech product, and promoting female financial wellness. Join us here!

2. Fintech Meet Up Women’s Breakfast 3/5: ​Kick off the second day of Fintech Meetup with an exclusive gathering of female FinTech founders, investors, and executives as we take a unique “behind the scenes” look at the ever-changing 2024 landscape. Hosted alongside my pals Kesi Johnson of Parity at Storm2 and Vanessa DiFrances of SVB. RSVP here!

3. Fintech Is Femme Leadership Summit 4/8: New York Fintech Week is fast approaching, and we have a stellar lineup of speakers and activations to combine the best of education, community, and culture to kick off the week with an absolute bang. Grab your ticket here!

Also, mark your calendars for the launch of my debut book, Fintech Feminists, which will be published in October!

My manuscript is due in two months! In preparation, I’ll share some stories that inspired this book right here in the newsletter, giving you all a sneak peek into my research.

Let’s dive in.

UPGRADE TO PREMIUM

There’s a big difference in how the mainstream media covers fintech and how I do. Every week, I will provide you with the latest fintech news (minus the BS), profiles of inspiring women in fintech, and insightful analysis to help you stay ahead of the competition.

For our premium members, I send out updates 3x a week through our new column, "On Performance.” These columns will provide tactical advice to improve your entrepreneur and business leader performance.

Plus, premium members support female-led journalism and keep this work going. Because of your support, Fintech Is Femme is more than just a newsletter; it's a media empire and community for women to connect, learn, and support one another.

PROFILE

Maggie Walker: Forging a New Frontier in Finance & Entrepreneurship

The historical trailblazers in finance and tech weren't your typical bros.

They were women, often juggling activism and entrepreneurship, shaping the future of finance while moving the world toward a more equitable future.

Post-Civil War, a powerhouse named Maggie Lena Walker emerged, building a bridge between a history of oppression and a future of financial inclusion.

Maggie, armed with education, economic uplift, and a fierce commitment to gender equality, left an indelible mark, creating a playbook for more women to be absolute powerhouses.

Teacher, activist, newspaper editor, and the nation's first African American female bank president – Maggie Lena Walker, was the OG high-powered woman, dropping lessons from the past that are as on-point today as ever.

Born Maggie Lena Draper on July 15, 1864, in the chaotic aftermath of the Civil War, Maggie and her mom, Elizabeth Draper, hustled with a laundry business, serving rich white folks.

Growing up during Reconstruction, Maggie saw the Freedmen's Bureau trying to help formerly enslaved people transition to citizenship, giving young Maggie a front-row seat to the economic divide between races.

But real change for African Americans happened in their communities — churches, schools, and businesses – and Maggie was at the forefront in Richmond, Virginia.

Public schools, thanks to Black teachers who dropped knowledge, introduced her to financial responsibility, race pride, and cooperation during a transformative period.

She eventually became a teacher herself, but that gig ended when she got hitched to Armstead Walker Jr. Married women at the time weren’t allowed to work (I know), but she didn't settle for societal norms.

Maggie showed that being a wife, mom, and a successful public figure was doable — particularly for women of color.

With two sons in tow, she shifted focus to the Independent Order of St. Luke, a Black fraternal organization providing mutual aid.

As the 20th century kicked off, bringing Jim Crow laws and economic oppression, Maggie aimed for economic empowerment.

In 1901, she envisioned a bank, department store, and newspaper under the St. Luke banner.

So, Maggie started a newspaper spotlighting Black entrepreneurship and tackling civil rights issues.

She opened a clothing store in downtown Richmond, creating jobs for women, especially African American women, giving them respectable career options.

In 1903, Maggie made history, opening the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank – the first bank run by an African American woman.

Talk about an absolute queen.

The bank turned Jackson Ward into a thriving center for Black business, challenging Jim Crow on Broad Street.

Using the St. Luke Herald as her microphone, Maggie incited civil rights movements, such as a boycott of Richmond's segregated streetcar system in 1904, which bankrupted the company after two years of boycotting.

Monumental achievements aside, Maggie faced personal battles, including diabetes, in the 1920s.

Yet, she kept leading in civil rights and philanthropy and even ran for office.

1929 the stock market crashed, and Maggie, now in a wheelchair, kept things going by merging with another bank.

During the Great Depression, Maggie initiated the merger, creating the Consolidated Bank and Trust – the nation's longest continually run Black-owned bank.

Maggie Lena Walker passed away on December 15, 1934, leaving a legacy that fueled generations in the fight for civil rights.

Monuments, schools, and a national historic site now honor her memory, ensuring her legacy endures.

As Maggie once said,

"Don't sit down and wait for opportunities to come, get up and make them."

She's the ultimate inspiration for all of us humans building in fintech – a true pioneer who understood that power is making things happen for yourself and your community without asking permission.

As we navigate another crazy year in fintech, Maggie Lena Walker's journey isn't just a historical tale; it's a personal roadmap for every woman in the industry.

Maggie's story teaches us that we can be leaders, partners, and mothers without compromising our aspirations.

Her resilience, innovative spirit, and unyielding determination aren't relics of the past but guiding stars for our present and future.

In the midst of societal norms, Maggie fearlessly carved her own path, reminding us that our uniqueness is our strength.

As women in fintech, let's channel Maggie's energy to break molds, challenge norms, and infuse our distinct perspectives into the ever-evolving narrative of finance and technology.

And remember, women as leading innovators in finance, business, and entrepreneurship are a part of our history.

_{WTF ELSE?}

• When goals become aspirations, where does that leave us?

• Forbes dropped its Fintech 50 2024 list

• Open Banking Regulation Is (Almost) Here: Why It Matters

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_{I WANT IT. I GOT IT}

• 📚 Today’s Read: Over Three Decades, Tech Obliterated Media: My front-row seat to a slow-moving catastrophe by Kara Swisher.

  👀 Today’s Watch: How to find the person who can help you get ahead at work and the myth of meritocracy: A TedTalk by Carla Harris.

• 🍣 Today’s Eats: I had an amazing time having brunch with my work bestie (she was in New York City this weekend) at one of my go-to Mexican vegan restaurants in Brooklyn, Jajaja.

_FINTUNES

🎵 16 CARRIAGES - BEYONCÉ

The QUEEN is about to bless our eardrums with yet another mind-blowing album this year! And hold up, hold up, hold up! Can we take a moment to appreciate how Beyoncé is getting all raw and vulnerable with us?

It's like she's taking us on a journey through country vibes, folk goodness, and of course, sprinkling in those signature R&B flavors.

This right here, my friends, is an absolute masterpiece that's gonna leave us shook to our core.

Get ready to have your minds blown in 2024, 'cause it's gonna be EPIC!

That’s all for now! Stay safe, everyone. Hug your loved ones. See you Thursday!

Love,

Nicole

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