Sarah Jessica Parker once said, “Trying to be a man is a waste of a woman” and as we celebrate Women’s Month during August, we met with an inspiring woman in the financial technology (fintech) space who is opening the door to a conversation around female leadership within the space, and what it takes to venture into a male-dominated industry.
‘Women in Tech’ is a global movement that sees the importance of highlighting the contributions that women make within tech, and fintech is no exception.
Head of marketing at FASTA, Karen Senior, shares her experiences of working in the fintech space, the greatest career risk she has taken, and her advice to other young women wanting to enter the sector.
- Can you tell us a little bit more about your role as head of marketing at FASTA?
FASTA’s purpose, as a credit provider, is to provide quick and easy access to financial resource to South African consumers by making credit accessible and easy to understand. It is this thread of speed, simplicity and relevance that runs through everything we do.
We are a small marketing team of highly capable women who fulfil the diverse roles required to run a digital marketing strategy. My role is to formulate and guide strategy and to make sure all channels are performing optimally – my wonderful hands-on team does the rest!
- What’s a leadership lesson that you’ve learnt that’s unique to being a female leader in fintech?
Trust your female intuition and understand what your ‘special sauce’ is. In marketing terms, this is your USP, your unique attribute that no one else can claim. I am a firm believer in values-based leadership, aligning personal and business values to inspire and motivate teams. Fintech can be a stressful and highly competitive environment – you need to be the best version of yourself and lead from the front.
- Name a woman who inspires you and why
My grandmother. She was a scientist and obtained her PhD at the age of 52. In a male dominated world, she stood her ground and overcame all obstacles to become the first female Chemical Pathologist in SA. This was an immense achievement and she inspires me to this day.
4. What’s the best work-related advice you’ve received throughout your career in fintech?
You do not need to be a version of someone else to succeed. Simply just be yourself and say “No” or “I don’t understand” if something doesn’t make sense to you. Fintech is a complex and multifaceted industry and even the leaders don’t have all the answers!
- How do you unplug or unwind from work?
I put on my gardening gloves and head into my garden – my sanctuary.
6. What inspires you about being a woman in Fintech?
Finance is, historically, a male dominated industry that is often all about ROI and targets and dotting i’s and crossing t’s. What I love about FinTech is the breaking of this mould and the ability to approach finance from a different perspective that is fast changing. And in this ever-evolving industry there is plenty of room for women to be themselves and to bring empathy, collaboration and intuition to the workplace.
- Name one challenge you’ve had to overcome from working in fintech?
To believe in my skills and experience and to be heard. My career started in the advertising world as an art director and my cross-industry experience gained over 25+ years has been invaluable. It has taught me that there is always more than way of approaching a challenge and it is the combined effort that results in success.
8. How do you manage self-doubt within this industry?
By following my heart and being myself. Self-doubt is the antithesis of self-belief and is toxic to fulfilment and productivity, and it is unfortunately something that many of us experience regularly. There will always be situations where your method is challenged or your strategy is questioned, but being able to keep your head up, believing in your actions and retaining an all-important positive attitude will enable you to come out stronger and wiser!
9. What’s the greatest risk you’ve taken as a professional?
Recognising burnout and career fatigue and taking time out from my professional career to pursue my dream of being a garden designer. These few years of studying and running my own business fulfilled a personal need and fed my creative soul. It is something I still do, and it provides me with the essential mental balance between two very different professions.
10. As we celebrated Women’s Day on 9 August, what’s your advice to young South African women looking to start a career in fintech?
Be brave, believe in yourself and never stop learning! Go for roles that scare you, even if you don’t think you are ready. Be challenged outside of your comfort zone – it is where you will thrive and shine.
Reflect on the success you’ve had and the achievements you are proud of and use these to guide and shape your career. A lecturer of mine (a long time ago!) once said that we should “be sponges”, advice that I have never forgotten. Take it all in, absorb to a level of overload – there is always something new in Fintech and you will never stop learning as you continue your journey in this exciting industry.
Play to your strengths. Everyone is different and we all bring a piece to the puzzle to form the complete picture. A high performing team isn’t all about meeting targets, it’s about playing to each of our strengths and being our own centre of excellence, so we holistically contribute and make the difference.
Karen Senior, head of marketing at FASTA, is a brand, marketing, and communications director with over 28 years’ experience of the full Marcomms mix.
