FinArchives

1. In plain English, please describe your current role and function.

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I help build and grow the fintech and DeFi ecosystem on Stellar, a public Layer 1 blockchain built for everyday financial services.

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2. On average, how is your time divided across quantitative work (e.g., financial analysis), qualitative work (research and writing), presentations (to investors, management, etc), and other tasks? Please describe what falls into ‘other.’

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There's substantially less quantitative work than in my previous roles in corporate and investment banking. When we extend grants or equity to projects, we do dive into the financials but far less than in banking. Most of my time is qualitative: assessing projects and blockchains, researching new products, and tracking a market that's evolving fast. As Wall Street moves deeper into crypto and digital assets, I'm spending more time on market research and strategy. The rest is supporting tech and crypto startups, navigating the Stellar ecosystem, traveling to meet partners and builders, and keeping internal teams aligned.

 

3. Where did you attend college and what was your major/minor? Did you participate in any clubs in school or internships that you believe helped you decide what you wanted to pursue as your career? 

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Purdue with an economics major, with minors in international business and French. I did some game theory research, which made me realize academia wasn't for me. My internship at HSBC showed me that finance and capital markets is a crucial piece to a company’s growth and taught me how money actually moves around the world.

 

4. Do you have a graduate degree, and if so, what type?

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No. In early-stage tech and crypto, it's less about your degree or resume and more about your impact and your ability to get things done.

 

5. What about certifications like as a chartered financial analyst, certified public accountant, or other similar certifications? 

 

No. I completed CFA Level 1 and was glad to stop there. There are enough exams for banking already (i.e. FINRA). Most people in crypto skip this route. Instead, they go deeper into the technical/engineering side, to understand how the onchain plumbing actually works.

 

6. What did you wish you had known in college that would have made your transition into the working world smoother? 

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Grades and clubs matter less than connections. Friendships and networking aren't overrated. Build them, keep them. They'll be worth more than you think.

 

7. How will the rising prominence of artificial intelligence (“AI”) impact your job and entry level jobs in your industry?

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It'll maximize our efficiency. Finance and business are relationship-driven industries, and that will matter even more in the age of AI when the technical work becomes secondary once AI does it faster. Agents are already running workflows and taking over repetitive technical tasks like financial analysis and coding. AI can help you build a product. You still have to sell it.

Longer term, five to ten years out, I think the working world changes shape entirely. Possibly toward more entrepreneurs, globally connected.

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8. What skills or qualities do you look for when hiring for an entry job level candidate?

 

Curious. Adaptable. Resourceful. Good with people. Someone I wouldn't mind being stuck next to on a long flight. A strong problem solver.

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9. Is there any other information you would like to share that hasn’t been shared through the questions above?

 

Dream jobs change. Priorities change. What you know changes in value. Stay curious - the world will surprise you, and that curiosity will lead you to your next dream job.