Founders Note: Why I started this site…

After months of deliberation, I’ve decided to build a website  

I’ve put a lot of thought into the “why” behind this website, distilling my rationale down to three main reasons:

1. I enjoy writing, but also building, and interacting with a community of like minded people
2. There’s a plethora of information about financial services, but only a few sources that successfully consolidates relevant information from first-hand experiences of those working in the space
3. I have aspirations of making a positive impact on how people bank, and I hope this can serve as a springboard for future opportunities

Who Am I?

To provide background and context to who I am, my name is Ryan, and I am an Account Executive at Chimney. Chimney provides financial calculators and a homeowner engagement tool, Chimney Home, to help connect FIs with homeowners in online banking. Chimney sits squarely in the fintech ecosystem primarily servicing credit unions, banks, and mortgage lenders across its suite of digital marketing and homeowner tools. I’ve been here for two years, and the experience has taught me a great deal about the industry, product development, sales, and client relationships.

The goal is to share these learnings and more with you, the reader. 

Who Inspired Me

A few individuals influenced my decision to start a newsletter:

• Alex Simon of Fintech Takes - Alex’s commentary and insights on financial services showed me the value of sharing first-hand experiences and industry expertise.

• Paul Graham - PG’s essays, like many, introduced me to a new way of thinking about entrepreneurship, problem-solving, and effective writing.

• Sam Altman – I specifically like his blog because of Sam’s willingness to share the good, bad and in between, of leadership, the future of innovation and the importance of having a clear mental model.

If there’s one major takeaway, it’s that taking the leap from zero to one is always the most difficult.

Looking Ahead

I’m excited (and a little nervous) to see where this takes me. My goal is to be transparent about the journey - documenting not only the successes but also the challenges. My hope is that sharing these experiences can spark new ideas for all of us interested in better banking, finance, and technology.

The day’s are long, but the decades are short. 

Talk soon,

Ryan