Episode 133:  Inside Money 2020: Unexpected Wins from a Fintech Experience

We didn’t expect to find inspiration for our own businesses while walking the showroom floor of a major fintech conference… but that’s exactly what happened.

In this episode, we take you inside our experience at Money 20/20—one of the biggest events in the financial technology world—and share the unexpected lessons we walked away with. Spoiler: these lessons apply far beyond fintech.

From bold branding to experiential marketing, from seamless customer journeys to big vision leadership, we found ideas that can easily translate to any business looking to grow, stand out, and make more impact.

We’re talking about:

• What fintech startups are doing right (that small biz owners can totally steal)
• How the vibe of your brand matters more than you think
• The importance of making the customer experience feel something
• Why taking up space—literally and figuratively—is part of the growth game
• Our favorite “why didn’t we think of that?!” moments
• Catch our podcast with Danny Levy.

Whether you’re in tech, health and wellness, creative industries, or something else entirely—this one’s full of practical takeaways and juicy perspective shifts.

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Read the full transcript of this episode below:

 

Welcome to The Pursuit of Badasserie, the podcast. Let’s talk about an event that we recently went to called Money 2020.

We went last year, where Lynn went last year. We both got the chance to go this year, and a lot of stuff came up, so we’re gonna discuss it today.

Yes. So, Money 2020 is a global phenomenon, I like to say. It is not a conference. It’s not an expo.

It’s more like an ecotech for fintech. Because he’s Because I don’t And those in the fintech space, it’s science companies, it’s banks, it’s regulatory agencies and different things.

So it’s really cool. It’s been going on for a long time. This is our second year in Bangkok, and we definitely had the pleasure of going.

We met so many cool people. Like, yeah, it’s a great experience. First of all, it is an experience. Definitely.

Yeah, it’s, you know, I get so used to calling it a convention because you think of, like, you go to these conferences and conventions, like, oh, it’s a conference convention, but it absolutely isn’t.

It’s, I mean, Lynn likes to be called an experience, but it is. It’s, first of all, so well put together.

And if you want more information on it, we actually interviewed sort of the creator, the mastermind behind it, Danny Levy.

In this region. In this region, yes. In previous podcasts, if you want to reach out or look at that podcast, we highly recommend it.

Because it’s one of the best experiences I’ve had as an attendee and in speaking with a lot of the.

And Booth is one of the best conferences or events or experiences, ecosystems that they’ve had as well, because it really does encompass more than just you show up and you sit down in a cold room and maybe learn some things.

Well, and I think that that’s what adds to the value of this is, okay, so just kind of the layout.

And although they were just acquired and the Saudi one will be different, but the regular ones, like in Vegas, they attract like 10,000 people and they have for years.

Europe, it’s about midpoint between Bangkok and the attendees and the US. And then we had about a little shy of 4,000 this year.

Last year was around 3,000. But essentially, they have multiple stages happening at once. They even have an area where it’s like, where you can’t bring in your phone, like it’s really like you’re getting to know the no.

And this is in the main floor, because there’s other things happening outside of the main floor as well. But then they also have the podcast pop up.

That’s why, well, we were there. She was there in spirit. Because we did, I did a podcast interview there.

Last year, they have food, great food in different places. And then all of the booths, and then they have different experiences that you can do.

But then all of the booths have not just like they’re selling or hocking, whatever they’re doing or having conversations, but a lot of them are, are experiential.

So they have, you know, we went and met, what’s her name, Gabrielle? No. Anyway, a woman, a lovely woman from the UK, and she had an orange juice, like, and her business had nothing to do with orange juice.

And it’s just, so it makes it fun for even those who are going to just experience the experience. You know, Julian.

Gillian. Gillian. Gillian. Yeah, something like that. I knew it started with a G. Sorry. If you’re watching, if you’re watching.

We’re listening to this. We love you. We remember you. I remember everything except your name. Absolutely. But I know we’re friends on LinkedIn.

So anyway, it’s just, it’s so cool for a topic that can be a bit heavy, right? Especially because on the stages that are talking about like regulations and different things.

And yeah, that might be exciting to people in FinTech somewhat. But a lot of people, and we know this, regardless of the kind of the genre of business, they get into because they have an exciting idea or exciting product.

But they might not be excited in the regulatory issues, the kind of the expansion. It’s, it’s a different kind of market that’s excited about that stuff.

But they make the environment fun and creative. And really just keep using it just such an experience that you can’t help but to pick up things, even though like this was not our target audience.

Yes. And actually in making. Connections with people. That was a common question. It was like, well, are you doing here?

Your business isn’t fintech. And not meant in a mean way, but just like what made you want to spend three days with a bunch of fintech nerds.

We loved it. It was great. And just because your business, or in our case, our business isn’t specifically fintech, because we don’t own a fintech company.

We’re not looking for fraudulent cases in fintech. That’s not what we do specifically. However, it trickles down into a lot of what our clients deal with.

And as we go into expand and as we are eventually going to be having an app as well, there will be some things that we need to navigate in that tech world.

And a lot of our clients and us as well do a lot of international transactions and all of that fintech space is a part of every business.

So, and it made me really think about a lot of times when you think about going to a networking event or into a conference or to an event and you’re

We’re like, well, it’s not 100% my target market, but can you get something out of it? Can you learn something?

Can you make connections that are going to push you forward? Can you meet somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody?

And it really isn’t, if you have that kind of mindset when you’re going into these events, you can meet some of the most incredible people, even just people that you want to watch, like people that you don’t necessarily think that they’re going to be benefiting you from a business perspective, but being in the same room with them is going to It’s elevate your game.

So I think that having that space and headspace when you go into these events is crucial. So many points there that I’m like fighting to say.

So I’m going to tap into the last point that you made. Listen, if you were in the room with the, regardless of the genre of business or the classification, if you’re in rooms with people who are doing big things, you’re going to be associated with people that are doing big things.

If you’re posting about it and sharing about it and different things. Also just being around people who have had great success outside of your type of success.

You know, the ripple effect or kind of the rubbing off, the asking lots of questions as like a mentor, learning from the people in front of the stage.

It is super important to put yourself in different scenarios and situations. And we’re not saying do things to waste your time.

We had intention of why we were going. There are several things, several reasons why. I will continue to go to Money2020.

But it is absolutely, you can up level your presence by just being in a room with people of that, that clout, that stature and that caliber.

mean, absolutely. And it made me think about some of the other conferences that I’ve attended this year and last year as well.

Even going to the WILET conference where an incredible group of people are speaking and not every subject they’re speaking on has anything to do with anything that I’m doing.

And what incredible things they’re doing. And to be able to be a part of that, even just in hearing it from firsthand, is incredible.

And it does change the way I think about things, even if it’s a subconscious level, being able, and if something comes up, even six months down the road, and it makes me think about that, I can reach out to that person again and be like, hey, this might be a good connection for you.

Just, you never know where it’s going to come. And again, what Lynn said about having that intention behind it, what’s your purpose of being there?

What are you trying to learn? What’s your reason? We absolutely don’t want you to waste your time on things that aren’t important to you or aren’t going to make anything for you.

But I would say quite frankly, every event is a waste of your time. you go into it, yeah, if you go into it with a attitude and go into it with an attitude of no one’s going to do anything for me, then you’re never going to get anything out of anything.

A hundred percent, a hundred percent. Absolutely. How you show up to any event, regardless of how into your niche it is.

Are you showing up to bring more to the table and to learn, or are you showing up to sell and hope that people will take things from you?

What’s your motivation there? Absolutely. So some of our motivation for going is, one, well, we know Danny, but we also know other people like the head of PR and different things on the local ground, although we did meet the head of PR for Money 2020 as well, to show respect and to support their efforts, because they are important people, although maybe not super close with some of them, but they’re still important people that we want to show respect to and support what they’re doing, because it’s our business model.

And they’re doing big things. Yeah, absolutely. The second thing is, is we definitely want to network. You never know who knows who.

Like you never know who you’re going to besides like running into and making connections, which I know we kind of talked about before, but

Like even pre doing connections with some of the speakers, which I like to do, especially on LinkedIn. And I started dialogue with a couple of people, high level people in the Philippines, which we’re going to be doing work in the Philippines for my fractional CEO work, all that, right?

So like reaching out to the people and networking with the people who could help you, but also like being in that environment in that vibe where business is happening.

Like that’s so important. Business is happening. And yeah, I think it’s just also, you know, obviously we’ve met up with some people that we know there outside of the people running it and different things and being able to like, you know, build relationships.

It’s about building relationships, I guess is what it boils down to and in depositing into those relationships and then also putting yourself in places where opportunity can happen.

And I know we were having this conversation conversation and… I feel like I’ve said this a kajillion times in different ways, but you’re, I put it in a post actually, is the effort that I put into it was the results that I received or there was a connection to.

And I’m really happy with, you know, what, what we got out of it, but also what I got out of it with some personal connections that I made for a personal level or for other reasons.

And it was just, but we also went into it with the mindset of we’re going to go support, we’re going to go and learn, we’re going to go absorb, We’re going to go and meet new people, um, and see, see what comes.

Yeah, it was, like said, it was an experience. There was so much going on at the same time. And I actually, it was like ADHD, like on overload.

Like it was, and I was saying, I was really worried coming into it because I had not experienced it before to be like, how am I going to be able to, my ADHD mind was like, how am going to be able to focus on this one stage?

And there’s like six stages going on at the same time. Um, and luckily, unluckily at the time I had an ear infection.

So I. I really had to extra concentrate because only one of my ears was working and how this echoing sounds.

So I really had to concentrate and it made me even more present, present. I mean, I did not like the circumstances that I was feeling that it made me extra aware.

And my active listening skills were off the charts because I had to be there. I couldn’t catch things on a whim.

I really had to focus and pay attention. And so it brought a new level of awareness to the event that I probably wouldn’t have had had I been 100 percent myself.

So, you know, blessing in disguise, sort of. No, absolutely. So, I agree with that. But also the way, and this isn’t a promo for Money 2020, although we are saying like the ticket is worth it.

But the way that they have it set up and stuff, like you feel like that stage is like the stage.

Like they do an excellent job in everything, networking, et cetera. But yeah, you need to go with a purpose.

You need to go with the right attitude. And… So you need to go with something that will make you stand out, even in a sea of a place where maybe you’re not like their ideal target audience or they’re not yours.

And actually the go-to is the name of our podcast and our book because they give you this big old name tag that you wear around and it’s just the Pursuit of Badasserie.

Everybody was like, the Pursuit of Badasserie, that’s cool. Like, what about that? And like, remember back to the days where I would go to the B&I international conferences and my tag would say Hawaii and everybody’s like, Hawaii, I want to go to Hawaii.

So having that like conversation starter to be able to like kind of let down the walls so you’re not being pitched to or different things like that is super important regardless of what type of conference or ecosystem or wherever you’re going into.

And it was just really a reminder of like, yeah, make sure you’re, make sure you’re the right thing. Make sure your company is bad , I guess.

Yeah. So don’t try it, yeah, watching you. Yeah, what do you think? I think that, I mean, obviously we don’t want, this isn’t, like we said, this isn’t a pitch for my 2020, though if you’re anywhere in the business world, we do recommend it.

They have them all over the world. I was thinking about going to the next one in Vegas just because.

really thought it was, you’ll be home. Maybe. I don’t know. Who knows. But ultimately, it is about going with the points.

And going with intention, going with the right attitude. And listen, I’m an introvert. Being around that many people, even if I wasn’t talking to them, was hard for me.

For three full days, well, two full days because of my infection, two full days of being around that many people, it’s super draining and it was absolutely worth it.

And so for those introverts out there who are saying, I could never go and make chit chat with thousands of people in a room with, I don’t know, a single person, you can.

don’t know. And yes, it’s hard, and it will drain you at the end of the day. All you want to do is go to bed.

But it’s absolutely worth it. And having that intention and knowing that ahead of time, like I didn’t schedule big meetings after those days, because I knew I was going to be drained.

So I didn’t have big client meetings or big sales pitches. An hour after that event, I did not have anything on my schedule for that very reason.

So just being prepared and knowing what you’re going into. And as I said, going, if you have a list, you have, if you’re lucky enough to get a list of who Who’s going ahead of time, make some connections on Instagram, make some connections on LinkedIn, try to start following people who you feel like you want to connect with, because it makes that connection easier to come by once you get in front of them.

And it’s, it’s a good way to start building a relationship, like even one person who is like the head of a really big, big bank in a certain country, I’m not going to name names.

I befriended said, I’m looking forward to because I was actually looking forward to their talk. And I got there, watched their talk.

I talk. Took a picture of the stage and then sent it to him and was like, Oh my gosh, like it was great.

This is what I took from it. And it’s just building that relationship. And even though I’m not looking to do business with the biggest bank in this particular country, it still is a good connection to have.

I do want to make one other point is a lot of times, like these conferences or expos or whatever are multiple days, right?

So let’s, let’s take a call. Let’s use the word conference, for example, there are multiple days. Typically they have networking on these days.

I will tell you that attend the networking. You’re actually, because in the environment, it’s about business. It’s about a little bit of relationship, but the networking.

So I also only attended two days. So I attended the first day, Amanda attended the second day. Then we attended the third day to get there.

The first day, well, the day before there was a networking, but we couldn’t make it. We were flying back.

So the first night I really didn’t want to come back to the networking event because I was doing all the things in between.

I forced myself to, even though I’m an extrovert, I’m still an introvert, too, and I can get, like, where I want to stay in, but I went, and, you know, I walked in, I didn’t see anybody that I knew, I just kind of walked the long haul, and I made eye contact with this one woman who I feel like we went to Money 2020 to actually meet each other.

If we joke about it, I’d love her, Claire, so we had this whole conversation, then we had this group, and then I went over, and other friends came that I knew there, and I will tell you that the last day that I went, I ended up being able to feel like I felt familiar, and, like, people were like, oh, hey, this and that, and I wish I would have went to the second night, because I couldn’t go to the second day, because a lot more happened, and a lot of people weren’t necessarily there on the third day, kind of 20-year-old, but I will tell you, like, the connections I made were mostly, and this is usually factual, are from the outside of the event, because you can only talk.

It was the outside connection, so even when with the BNI International Conferences, it was the outside meetings or the outside activities where everybody just kind of like let their hair down, figuratively, sometimes, yeah, for real, literally, and you get to know each other on different levels, so make sure that you, even as an introvert, that that, because that’s where the real connections are going to be made, and then you feel more comfortable like the following days, and they usually have them on the first or three, or the second day as well.

Yeah, so just, you know, take a look at the schedule, make sure that you’re going to the meat of what you want to go to, make sure you’re making connections with the people that you want to connect with, be intentional, it does make a difference, yes, showing up is the first step, and showing up with intention is going to get you a lot further, and it’s going to, no matter what your attitude is going into it, you’re going to feel like you got more out of it if you went in with intention, because then you had a goal in mind, you had expectations, and then ultimately, you’re going to be more likely to meet, theo right …

If you have them in the first place, rather than just like hoping a connection falls out of the sky and you get a $10,000 deal in, you two minutes.

So go with intention. Keep it up in mind, network, meet new people. You know, I have to give kudos to our girl Jasmine.

She was there hustling and she did what she was supposed to do. She looked at, she knew what her target audience is and that was her target.

And she’s relentless, but she’s also like a social media queen. She’s always doing like lives. And whenever she’s around, I don’t have to pull out my phone ever.

Cause she will take all the pictures and videos. She is so good. But when I first got there, she was, cause banks are her client base.

And she was like trying to like get in with this one particular woman has no footprint. She’s actually a, she’s like the, I think she created the bank, but she also still runs it, but she’s like the number one person for a big bank in Thailand.

And she’s just like, this is elusive person. Cause she has no social media, online presence or anything. And yeah.

And jazz was. They’re like trying to have a conversation, trying to get a picture with her, and you know, it’s that kind of hustle that’s going to get you further, and again, you never know, the more you’re in front of people, the more that you’re out there, the more that you’re showing you’re doing the things, and then you make sure that you’re asking on the second side, on the other side, it’s going to get you places.

It’s going to get you places, period. So if you are thinking about a conference, experience, a convention, you’re not quite sure, take another look.

We’re not saying join every single one. However, take a look. What’s your intention behind it? What’s making you think that you want to join?

And lean into that a little bit and see if it’s the right fit for you. Yeah. And just a quick shout out to Danny and his team.

You guys do an amazing job. We love the Money 2020 experience and all of the people that you bring, and we know that you are such a great leader.

We had you on the podcast again, but we appreciate you. Yeah, it was incredible. We know the amount of effort that went into that.

Both of us have worked in convention spaces and done all sorts of events, similar-ish, but we know how much work goes into it, but never at that magnitude.

And just all the moving pieces, you guys did an incredible, incredible job. So, yeah, well done. Absolutely. Listen, share this with somebody who you know is either going to conferences or needs to start going, but there are little nuggets in here that hopefully can help you step out of your way and really utilize the conference space and kind of look at it differently because it can be a goldmine, but there are little ways that you can absolutely get a return on investment.

And think of it as a long game, not as a short game as well. So a lot of times people go into looking to make a deal and deals can happen, but you definitely want to look at the long game as well, not the short game.

So, absolutely. Thank you so much for joining us today. If this resonated with you, make sure you are liking, subscribing, all the things, and share this podcast with someone you know.

Absolutely. Until next time, get after it.