FinTech Revolution: How Startups Are Transforming Finance (Updated)

Innovation & Strategy

Since 2008, an increasing number of technology ventures have been revolutionising the financial industry.

This is what I called in 2013 the “FinTech Revolution”.

In this article, I focus on the reasons for this revolution from a strategy and innovation perspective.

I also listed some of the best FinTech ideas. These are great examples of disruptive ideas that have now become significant providers of financial services.

A Change of Paradigm

The internet has allowed an innovative jump to occur in many industries. Customers have now an easy, very affordable access to books (e.g. Amazon), furniture (Made.com), TV (Netflix), education (Coursera.org), media (YouTube)…

Read the whole article: FinTech Revolution: How Startups Are Transforming Finance (Updated)

(Estimated reading time: 11:56 mins)

Fintech: The Next Target Is Asset Management

Guest Posts

In this study of the asset management’ industry and of the FinTech disruption, I’ll share with you the impact that digital transformation has had and will have.

1- Digital transformation started 30 years ago
2- But the tools allowing for its boom only appear nowadays
3- This does not make life easy for incumbents
4- The new tools are opening new channels and new segments
5- Thus brings new rules and new actors
6- Asset management will live its digital transformation
7- New players will challenge the incumbents
8- Staff skills will evolve

Read the whole article: Fintech: The Next Target Is Asset Management

(Estimated reading time: 8:42 mins)

Writing Reports as Easily as a Digital Genius With Markdown

Guest Posts

We all write reports, presentations, etc. … and all have our moments of despair in front of the time-consuming and often complex word processor.

The asset management industry is particularly prolix and tears its hair everyday in this situation.

In all industries, managers and executives suffer daily, especially when they get a writing assignment they cannot delegate!

But good news!

There is a handy tool to simplify the creation of a professional article!

Back to the Essence of Writing

This tool was created by developers who can devote even less time to writing than a CEO. I use this very interesting tool that brings us to the essence of the text input : the markdown.

Read the whole article: Writing Reports as Easily as a Digital Genius With Markdown

(Estimated reading time: 3:18 mins)

Boost Your Team Performance with These Two Retrospective Techniques

Lead a High Performance Team

As a team leader, you must agree:

Constantly making sure that your team remains engaged and motivated is a real challenge, especially since we’re all so busy.

Here’s a simple solution to know how they feel:

Organise a Team Retrospective with your team.

How to Run Your Next Team Retrospective: The Clearing Session

At the end of every week, meet with your team and ask these two questions:

  1. What is not working for you?
  2. What is working for you?

One person at a time answers the first question. And when everyone is done—you included—the team starts answering the second question.

Read the whole article: Boost Your Team Performance with These Two Retrospective Techniques

(Estimated reading time: 1:41 mins)

Are You Sure You Advertise on the Right Media Platforms?

Business Miscellaneous

You and your team must spend a lot of money and effort trying to get the attention of your customers to tell them about your business.

You want them to pay attention to your story.

No attention = No impact

Since we live an over-communicated world, attention has become one of the most precious resources. Getting people to pay attention to what we want to say requires to be in the right place at the right time with the right story.

What They Find the Most Challenging about Marketing and Advertising

Everything is changing so fast. Your customers’ attention is constantly switching from one platform to another.

Read the whole article: Are You Sure You Advertise on the Right Media Platforms?

(Estimated reading time: 8:54 mins)

Brainstorming Is An Idea Killer (And 3 Creativity Techniques to Guide Innovation in Your Team)

Lead a High Performance Team

alternatives-brainstorming

 

Creativity is key in established businesses as well as startups.

The former needs to find new areas of growth while leveraging and fighting against its structural inertia, whilst the latter must deal with initial fragility.

Problem: many idea killers prevent innovation from happening.

In many cases, brainstorming is one of these idea killers.

Let’s see why.

Creating and implementing new ideas are essential, core competencies in today’s business world. As Rita Gunther McGrath explains in her book The End of Competitive Advantage:

Read the whole article: Brainstorming Is An Idea Killer (And 3 Creativity Techniques to Guide Innovation in Your Team)

(Estimated reading time: 8:31 mins)

What’s a Business Ecosystem: How To Build or Join One?

Innovation & Strategy

Business ecosystem is an important concept in marketing strategy.

Why?

Being part of an ecosystem boosts both innovation and growth.

(1) It opens many doors for innovation by preventing from having to reinvent the wheel.
(2) It’s a springboard for reaching new audiences.

Building a Business Ecosystems as Competitive Advantages

Leading an ecosystem is the dominant form of competitive advantage in high-tech. It helps tech companies create what Warren Buffett calls an ‘economic moat‘.

I love Buffett’s medieval metaphor.

What does it mean?

Read the whole article: What’s a Business Ecosystem: How To Build or Join One?

(Estimated reading time: 2:54 mins)

Market-Network: A New Type of Business Model

Innovation & Strategy

Social network. Marketplace. SaaS. These buzzwords are no longer synonyms of massive business opportunities.

The gold rush has already happened.

But a new business model has emerged.

Market-networks are hybrid animals: part social network, part marketplace, part SaaS. [1]

  • It’s a social network. Professionals use profile pages to showcase their work and demonstrate their credibility. They also connect with each other and build relationships.
  • It’s a marketplace. Professionals come online together to find other parties with whom they can do business.
  • It’s a SaaS tool. Professionals use the tools on the top of the marketplace to negotiate, do the job, or manage the paperwork.

Read the whole article: Market-Network: A New Type of Business Model

(Estimated reading time: 1:14 mins)