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🤑 Playing Big
International Women’s Day and Playing Big to Win in Fintech
Nicole Casperson
March 11, 2025
In partnership with
Hi, fintech fam! đź’ś
If you’re at Fintech Meetup, I hope you’re having a fantastic time! Running into so many of you here in Las Vegas has been a lot of fun.
Speaking of which, I’ll be moderating a panel on the community stage on Wednesday at 1pm PT with an amazing group of women. We’ll be discussing funding strategies in the current market — stop by and say hello!
Big news: our early bird Fintech Is Femme Leadership Summit tickets are officially SOLD OUT!
The countdown to a packed 500+ event is on, and I will need your help spreading the word to fill our gorgeous venue, the Times Center, with the most incredible group of powerhouse women (and some very smart men!) in fintech.
And guess what? We’re also hosting our first Fintech Security Summit with community member Frances Zelazny, Founder & CEO of Anonybit.
Two summits, one venue, double the impact. See you there.
But now, let’s jump into today’s column. I’ve been reflecting on International Women’s Day and everything I’ve learned since last year.
Let’s dive in.
LEADERSHIP
Playing Big to Win in Fintech
I decided to build the largest Fintech Is Femme Leadership Summit this year.
Over the weekend, scrolling through countless International Women’s Day posts, I noticed mixed feelings.
On one hand, there were women celebrating their wins, expressing gratitude for those who paved the way, and reflecting on how far we’ve come.
But on the other hand, there was frustration.
One woman posted on LinkedIn that celebrating Women’s History Month is just “playing into the system,” adding that gender parity is “300 years away” and she’ll “celebrate then.”
No successful movement, entrepreneur, or endeavor ever took off by waiting for someone else’s permission to celebrate.
It’s the waiting, retreating, that the system is counting on.
The structures that keep women in their place want us to shrink, to play small.
At Fintech Is Femme, we’re flipping the script.
The Power of Playing Big
The world needs to stop telling us how to act and start listening to us.
Playing small? That’s not the Fintech Is Femme way. Frankly, it’s not the playbook of the women who’ve fought to pave the way left behind.
So, I choose to play big.
I’m here to speak louder, build a larger community, and take up all the space I—and our community—deserve.
It’s time to step up, own our narrative, and give ourselves permission to take risks unapologetically.
In an era when the political landscape seems hell-bent on pushing women into corners, I want you to dare—to take risks, to play big.
(Get to the end of this column, and I’ll share three quick tips on how to kickstart your personal brand and start taking up more space).
The Legacy of Women
Women like Ada Lovelace, Maggie Walker, and Grace Hopper didn’t just code—they built the very foundation we stand on.
They made history, and now, today, there’s a new wave of women solving our economy’s biggest problems.
But you haven’t heard about them. Why?
Because the media—and, let’s face it, the entire ecosystem—has a funny way of leaving women out of the conversation.
When the media doesn’t shine a light on women in fintech, the domino effect is real: less funding, less growth, and a financial system that keeps missing the mark.
Women represent 50% of the global population. Yet, only 25% of the voices we hear in the media are women’s voices.
That gap? It’s massive. The absence of women’s stories has real consequences:
2.5 billion adults worldwide don’t have a bank account.
1 in 5 Americans have no emergency savings.
Student debt has ballooned to $1.6 trillion.
Women still earn 80 cents on the dollar, with Black and Latina women earning even less.
Yet, we’re still pumping billions into a system that isn’t solving these problems because, surprise, surprise—98% of venture capital funding goes to one type of founder.
This isn’t just a gender issue; it’s a systemic issue we must fix.
Radical Rethinking
Women are redefining what it means to succeed in fintech, and guess what?
We’re kicking ass while doing it.
This is the centralized theme of the Fintech Is Femme Leadership Summit.
Feminist economics isn’t just about advocating for women; it’s about critically examining the data that drives our economy.
Traditional economic thought, heavily shaped by social norms and biases, often overlooks women’s contributions, focusing instead on male-associated topics and assumptions.
This isn’t a small oversight. The fact is, the economic models we rely on have historically ignored critical aspects of women’s work—particularly unpaid labor, the kind that keeps families, communities, and economies running.
It’s predominantly women who carry this responsibility—yet mainstream economics fails to account for its immense value.
GDP might measure the value of wage labor, but it doesn’t factor in the $10.8 trillion that unpaid care work contributes to the global economy each year.
That’s more than three times the size of the global tech industry.
When we leave women’s work out of the equation, we’re building a financial system that doesn’t reflect the reality of how economies function.
This has real-world consequences, limiting opportunities for a more inclusive, balanced, and efficient system.
Feminism isn’t exclusive to one gender or ethnicity—it advocates for equality for everyone.
Historically, men’s perspectives have shaped our financial systems, but we’re not here to just rewrite history; we’re here to claim it.
By amplifying women’s voices, putting them in leadership roles, and funding their ventures, we’re creating a financial system that truly serves everyone.
The New Era
Over a decade as a journalist covering finance and tech, I noticed a disturbing trend: every newsroom I worked in was male-led, and women were rarely covered unless for a special-interest angle.
Then came the day my editor told me, “You need to choose between covering fintech or women. You can’t do both.”
That’s when I realized I couldn’t wait for traditional business media to catch up—I had to take matters into my own hands.
So, I walked away and started Fintech Is Femme.
It began with a newsletter sharing the untold stories of women innovators.
Then it grew.
The newsletter hit 50,000 subscribers, followed by a podcast, a book deal, and the first-ever fintech event with an entirely female-led speaker faculty: the Fintech Is Femme Leadership Summit.
The summit is back this year, on April 23, and trust me—you don’t want to miss it. (And since you’re reading this, use this unique code for a sweet discount!)
The Future of Innovation
At the summit, you’ll hear firsthand why women are the key to unlocking a better financial future.
Because we’re the most qualified to do it.
Women aren’t a niche market.
We represent 50% of the population.
We own more homes, are more educated, and outpace men in entrepreneurial resilience.
We’re creating businesses, leading communities, and driving economies forward.
Oh, and we also bring in higher returns on investments than men. That’s right—we’re more profitable.
And yet, every year, we leave $700 billion on the table because financial services don’t cater to us the way they do to men.
But things are changing. And guess who’s driving that change? Women.
Women are stepping up, leading with innovation, and building solutions that benefit everyone.
The Movement
The rise in women entrepreneurship is a direct result of economic shifts, especially post-pandemic.
In 2020, 32% of women started new businesses due to layoffs. By 2022, 64% of women became entrepreneurs in search of work flexibility.
Women are building businesses that serve their employees, their communities, and ultimately, society at large.
We’re building profitable businesses with limited funding, while male founders—who underperform—continue to take home the lion’s share of the funding.
We need to change this. The future of fintech, and our economy, will thrive when women are fully represented and supported.
And it starts with you.
Personal Branding Action Items (I promised!)
Alright—let’s get down to it. If you’re ready to start playing big, it’s time to focus on your personal brand. Here’s your first steps:
#1 Reflect on the Gaps: Before you take any action, ask yourself some hard-hitting questions:
How many opportunities have you missed because you’re waiting for someone else to be the face of your company, your career, your story?
How many customers are slipping through your fingers because they can’t connect with you, the person behind the product?
How many recruiters have passed on your resume because they have no idea what makes you tick, what drives you, what sets you apart?
How much growth are you leaving on the table simply because being visible feels… well, uncomfortable?
And finally, what if the thing holding you back isn’t external—but the belief that you should stay behind the scenes, quietly working your magic while someone else gets the spotlight?
Let me tell you something: The question isn’t whether you should build a personal brand. It’s whether you’re willing to let discomfort cost you your version of success.
So, what camera are you avoiding that might change everything? That’s the one you need to face.
#2 Don’t Overcomplicate It—Start Documenting: I know you’re probably thinking, Ugh, content creation is a full-time job! Guess what? You don’t need to spend hours crafting polished blog posts or slick Instagram stories.
You already are the content.
You’re an expert in what you do.
Every insight, every story, every lesson you’ve learned is something someone else needs to hear.
Start looking at your daily life as content and document it—don’t create it from scratch. The magic happens in sharing the real, raw, and relatable parts of you.
#3 Be the Observer—and Report Back: Start observing the world around you like a journalist.
Jot down your thoughts, observations, and ideas.
Brain dump them into a document, and then… publish them. Whether it’s LinkedIn (my recommendation) or your own blog, press publish and move on. Practice your voice, refine it, but don’t overthink it.
Pick two days a week to practice documenting and writing. That’s it. Commit to it, even on days when it feels awkward. Trust me, over time it gets easier—and more powerful.
#4 Rinse and Repeat: Branding isn’t a one-time project. It’s a habit.
Keep documenting, keep sharing, keep building. The more consistent you are, the more comfortable it will feel. And the more visible you are, the more opportunities will come your way.
So, stop hiding. The world needs your voice, your expertise, and your story.
The future of fintech? It’s already yours—you’re just waiting to claim it.
Now, let’s get to work.
WTF ELSE?
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I WANT IT, I GOT IT
📰 Today’s Read: Throwback to a Forbes article I wrote last year: 17 Fintech Apps Created By Women, For Women.
🌍 Today’s Food: I'm in Las Vegas, and it looks like dinner is turning into a night of drinks! To keep my energy up, I'm sipping on my trusty green AG1 drink.
🎤 Today’s Buy: Lately, I've been receiving so many compliments on my necklace stack! For those curious, I got them from En Route Jewelry.
FINTUNES
🎵 Doechii - Anxiety
Relatable much? She continues to deliver — and we love to see it!
LET’S CONNECT
đź“° Share this newsletter with a friend and start growing your network.
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đź“Ł Promote yourself to 50,000 subscribers by sponsoring this newsletter.
🎤 Host an epic event by booking me as a speaker, moderator, or emcee.
đź“š Increase your expertise by ordering your copy of my book, Fintech Feminists: Increasing Inclusion, Redefining Innovation, and Changing the Future for Women Around the World.
That’s all for now! See you Thursday!
Love,
Nicole đź’ś