Fi911, the sister company of Chargebacks911, has launched a new micro-mentorship program to empower female leadership across the thriving fintech and payments arena. LIFT: Elevating Women in Fintech aims to champion and enable more women to seize opportunities across the sector.
The completely free program facilitates one-on-one, on-demand meetings with industry leaders and entrepreneurs, including Andrea Dunlop, managing director of the Payment Division, The Access Group, Marion King, Director of Payments, NatWest and Sondra Fienberg, Global Workload Lead-Fraud, Microsoft, allowing mentees to discuss challenges and pressure points.
Leading the program, Fi911 co-founder and COO Monica Eaton-Cardone said, “While there are many factors in achieving greater inclusion for women in fintech, it’s imperative that women at the top hold the door open for others to follow. Mentorship for aspiring leaders can improve their confidence, help them build a strong network and encourage self-advocacy, all of which are key tools for advancement.”
Eaton-Cardone continued, “We often hear about the benefits of mentorship, but many find it unattainable. Especially in an industry where there is such gender disparity – women currently only make up 7% of fintech startup founders – it can be difficult to find female mentors. On the other hand, influential women are often stretched to take on as many mentorships as they would like. That’s why we chose this format for LIFT.”
Women seeking mentors are asked to identify the challenge they are facing – such as navigating a difficult conversation or transitioning into a new role – and can choose a preferred mentor to speak to. After submitting a request, a virtual meeting is arranged, and mentors use the discussion to understand their unique situation and ensure they walk away with specific, actionable advice.
Applications are now open for leaders interested in joining the program as a mentor. The founding mentors represent a group of women in various positions of influence across finance and technology industries, and include:
• Andrea Dunlop, managing director of the Payment Division, The Access Group
• Angela Yore, co-founder & managing director, SkyParlour
• Becky Clements, director of payments, UK Finance
• Denise Gee, co-founder & MD, findexable
• Marion King, director of payments, NatWest
• Monica Eaton-Cardone, co-founder & COO, Chargebacks911 & Fi911
• Sondra Fienberg, global workload lead-fraud, Microsoft
• Tracy Cray, head of card scheme compliance, Chargebacks911 & Fi911
Between finding the appropriate mentor-mentee fit, to maintaining the relationship over time, traditional mentoring is a significant commitment on both sides. Micro-mentoring allows for greater flexibility and a broader reach by pairing mentees with the right professionals to coach them through specific pressure points as they arise.
In addition, Fi911 and sister company Chargebacks911 recently announced a partnership with findexable to build the Fintech Diversity Radar, the world’s first global platform that measures the role women play in fintech, creating transparency and encouraging progress within the industry. Eaton-Cardone currently serves on the initiative’s advisory board alongside top fintech and diversity experts.
For more information about LIFT: Elevating Women in Fintech, visit Fi911com.
