“How long does it take to get a financial licence?” It is one of the questions I hear most often from FinTech founders and teams preparing for regulatory approval. The second question usually follows quickly: “What can I do to make it faster?” There is no universal answer. A licence Read more…
Every compliance officer I have met believes they are protected because they escalated the issue. They wrote the memo. They flagged the risk. They documented the gap. They sent the email. They copied senior management. They have a paper trail. And they assume that paper trail will protect them if Read more…
Everyone in compliance seems to wear perfectionism like a badge of honour. High standards. Rigorous processes. Nothing gets through unless it is airtight. I understand it. I used to believe the same thing. But after observing, training and hiring hundreds of compliance and risk professionals, I have come to a Read more…
Very often, compliance leaders ask me how to tell whether their CEO simply dislikes the compliance function or has lost confidence in them personally. It is an important distinction. When a CEO sees compliance as a business obstacle, the problem may be how the function is positioned, how risks are Read more…
So, you want to move into a higher-level compliance, risk, or regulatory role in FinTech? You have the experience. You understand the regulations. You have worked on compliance projects and handled responsibilities that matter to the business. But how do you convince a hiring manager that you are ready for Read more…
Many FinTech CEOs find themselves frustrated and helpless when making decisions about compliance. They believe they are objective, pragmatic, and data-driven. Yet they often make irrational or impulsive decisions that slow down both compliance and business growth. Why does this happen? Compliance decisions are rarely just about regulations. They involve Read more…
Hey there, Yana here. Let’s talk about something that keeps many compliance professionals up at night: how to make more money. For many, the path seems straightforward. Change jobs, negotiate a higher salary, and move on. Changing jobs can increase your earnings, but it is only one of several options. Read more…
There is a scene early in The Godfather where a man comes to Don Corleone asking for justice. He has a problem and has tried everything. Nothing has worked. The Don listens, then points out what the man has failed to understand: asking for help is about more than offering Read more…
A legal entity in a new country is not an asset, it’s a liability. In fact, 99% of new legal entities within FinTech corporate structures that I see are not needed, will never create new opportunities, and will likely hurt the growth capacity of that organization. So, if you want Read more…
Gap Analysis is a terrible and most inefficient approach to assess any FinTech compliance project. You may be thinking: “Wait, what? Isn’t it how you are supposed to start your compliance analysis..?” Well, yes, we all were indoctrinated to believe and act that way, this is what all compliance gurus Read more…