Payment Expert’s ID Check: Payments Professionals offers insight from industry leaders and experts on how they got their start in the financial industry, from their early years in education, to how they have been able to climb the corporate ladder.
This week, Tatiza Gondim, Head of Marketing at Clear Junction, discusses her rise through various industries working in marketing and how all this industry knowledge can be transferred to fintech.
Where did you go to university and what did you study? What impact did this have on your current journey?
Studying Marketing and Communications in Rio de Janeiro (where I’m originally from) provided a strong foundation for my career, especially when transitioning to the international market.
My degree not only gave me theoretical knowledge but also practical skills that have been invaluable in various roles I’ve taken on. It validated my expertise to potential employers in a new country, helping me overcome the challenges of being an immigrant in the professional world. It’s also been crucial in building my confidence and credibility in the marketing industry.
Were you part of any sports clubs or societies at university and has this influenced your educational and professional development?
I was part of the Academic Directory – a group of students from different years who were responsible for organising most of the cultural and social activities in our university. I’ve always been outspoken, and I wasn’t afraid to contact external speakers or contractors to organise a lecture or conference.
Now, I think that’s probably how I ended up starting my career in London, working in B2B events. It honed my organisational and leadership skills, and it taught me how to collaborate with diverse groups of people.
Did you have any jobs outside of the industry before making your start in it and was this experience a motivation to get into the industry you aspired to be in?
I consider marketing to be one of those versatile fields with transferable skills – people in marketing can easily switch between industries. If you know how to market a service, and if you understand the differences between marketing for B2B and B2C audiences, then you can be a marketer in pretty much any industry.
Having said that, I started my career in the oil and gas industry, then moved to publishing, then to commodities which has somehow led me to fintech. I wouldn’t say my previous experiences were a motivation per se, but I definitely enjoy working with fintech a lot more.
What was the first job you had in the industry and are there any lessons from this you still draw on?
My first job in the payments industry was at an international remittance company where I learned to balance the demands of both B2B and B2C marketing. It was a great experience, and I developed a lot as a professional by dealing with so many different cultures.
It made me understand the importance of cultural sensitivity and adaptability in marketing strategies. Cultural nuances of different markets are a massive factor in business decisions, and if companies don’t adapt to sell to specific geographies then they’ll probably fall behind competitors who do.
When was your first big break in the payments industry? Why was this such a significant moment for you?
Funnily enough my big break in the payments industry came in 2020 during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. I was delighted to have secured my dream job, it was scheduled to kick off in April 2020, and I handed in my notice to my previous employer. Then I got a call to say that my start date was being pushed back due to the pandemic.
Obviously, it caused a bit of a panic, but all’s well that ends well and I was able to fully onboard two months later. It was an amazing work experience and gave me a good focus during the months of Covid isolation.
Was there a moment you faced in the industry that really challenged you? How did you overcome this?
The collapse of FTX was a huge moment which shook the entire industry. From a marketing perspective, it was a question of how to maintain momentum and support sales teams with their targets when confidence in the sector was at an all-time low and the industry stepped on a break.
So many new rules and regulations have been put in place after that, and as marketers, we really need to know what’s going on in every sphere of the business, so we know how to prepare our campaigns and help our teams.
Lastly, what is some advice you would give to an aspiring person looking to get a start in your respective industry?
I don’t believe marketing professionals should specialise in just one industry; instead, leverage their skills to explore various sectors.
The important thing is to keep learning what’s trending in marketing, what’s best practice, and how to stay on top of the ever-changing methods we see and hear about every day. Dedicate time to work-related reading and network with the people who can help you achieve your professional goals.
