Technology and the coherence of our connections

By Theodora Lau and Bradley Leimer of Unconventional Ventures 

The omnipresence of financial services, fintech, and the very role of technology — at least in some of our lives — could be in question at this moment. We don’t know about you, but we may already be beyond saving from the spectre of technology echoing throughout our lives.

Yeah, we’re looking at you, fellow news junkies, app addicts, and the terribly tech-obsessed.

It seems like we could all use a bit more sleep and less time bathing in the glow of glass.

A community of many means and many muses

Technology and the coherence of our connections

When we look back at the events of our lives — of all of the paths we could have taken — what will we remember most? Which parts of our journey will transform our lives?

Beyond our work, the hours of caregiving, and the chaos of daily living, have we spent a bit too much time on our devices and less time with our humans?

For the rare moments that we look up and pause, do we take opportunity to reflect on what this time means and what — and whom — is truly meaningful to us?

What principles do we stand for? What legacy are we leaving behind?

And what of our tribe? Our connections?

The people that — by choice, by happenstance, or by fate — mean something to us? The ones that form our thinking from what is embedded inside us to the ones we choose — are the ones that have and will shape our lives and guide us when we need it most.

The real influencers of humanity

As we move throughout the various courses of our life, we become a product of our family, our friends, our teachers, and even our protagonists. And we are grateful for the connectors that travel with us on this journey; the words that shape our thoughts; the ideas that fuel our passions and lead to actions that matter.

Sometimes it takes but one connection. Sometimes it takes but one moment.

When it comes to the influence and evolution of fintech, we think about a moment like when Josh Reich emailed his friend Shamir Karkal with the subject line ‘let’s start a retail bank’ and the subsequent conversations that led to the creation of Simple.

A simple start from a ripple-effect of ideas started with an email that helped personify a decade-long revolution within the business model of financial services.

For some it’s an email, for others it’s a passage we read, an idea on a feed, a moment on a stage, having a coffee, or a late evening walk. There are countless stories in our industry that are the same. After all, everything is an iteration of everything else in the end.

The threads we form with other members of humanity matter.

These connections to people and to ideas and to progress matter most.

We have all had humans that matter to us — now more so than ever.

And through those connections may we all find hope.

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Despite everything that has happened in 2020, fintech — as an ecosystem — was quite active. Some would even say, even productive. What has been happening in the East, especially in India, a country with over 1.3 billion people? Don’t miss this week’s episode of #OneVision, where Theodora and Bradley talk with Urvashi Prakash about local innovation, funding, big tech, and regulation (and a big happy birthday this week to both Bradley and to Urvashi, our birthday twins). You can find this conversation on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and other players. Please consider subscribing, and please let us know what you think in the comments. Sponsorship opportunities for #OneVision are available.

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Unconventional Ventures helps drive innovation to improve systematic financial wellness. We connect founders to funders, provide mentorship to entrepreneurs, strategic advisory services to a broad set of corporates, and broaden opportunities for diversity within the ecosystem. Our belief is that anyone with great ideas should have a chance to succeed and every voice should be heard. Visit unconventionalventures.com to learn how you can partner with us.

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Our new book, Beyond Good, is now available for pre-order at Kogan Page.

Beyond Good is a call to arms for business leaders to recognize how they can do well by doing good. Business for good, which is the philosophy that you can pursue profits while delivering on sustainable and societal development goals, is already delivering big changes. With exclusive interviews with experts from the B-Corp world, policy makers and executives, this book also showcases how companies like Microsoft, Flourish Ventures, Ant Financial, Sunrise Bank and Paypal are doing their bit to make our world better — and you can too.

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