The last financial crisis prompted many consumers to reassess their banking expectations—none more so than millennials and Gen-Z-ers. While revealing one’s financial information was once considered taboo, now consumers are more apt than ever to openly discuss money and debt on online platforms. It’s a trend that’s evident on both ends of the spectrum, whether that’s people divulging their crushing levels of debt on Twitter and Instagram (#debtfreejourney), bragging about their credit scores, or bemoaning their latest stock trades. And the repercussions extend far beyond social media.
In this conversation with fintech general partner Anish Acharya (a former product manager at Credit Karma), consumer tech partner D’Arcy Coolican (a social+ fintech founder himself), and host Lauren Murrow, we discuss why the “holy grail” of social plus fintech is both so challenging and, potentially, so rewarding. We cover which products and companies are taking advantage of it (some in rather novel ways), how it’s being driven by various subcultures online, and why this shift is happening now.
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Anish Acharya Anish Acharya is an entrepreneur and general partner at Andreessen Horowitz. At a16z, he focuses on consumer investing, including AI-native products and companies that will help usher in a new era of abundance.
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D'Arcy Coolican D'Arcy Coolican is a partner on the investment team where he focuses on marketplaces, social networks, and consumer technology companies.
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Lauren Murrow is the Head of Special Projects at a16z, leading multimedia editorial packages and new initiatives in audio, video, newsletters, and digital design.
More About This Podcast
The a16z Podcast discusses the most important ideas within technology with the people building it. Each episode aims to put listeners ahead of the curve, covering topics like AI, energy, genomics, space, and more.