Interview with: Davinia Tomlinson

Last year, I had the pleasure of interviewing Davinia Tomlinson who is launching a new fintech app for women: Rainchq. She is also a marketing and business development expert with 15 years experience within the investment management and professional services industries. A mum of two who is currently on a one women mission to smash the gender investing app and promoting financial inclusion for women!

Did you always know this was the career you wanted?

I've wanted to be my own boss since I was a child. I didn't know it would necessarily be in financial services, that came later, but self employment definitely chose me

What's something people would be surprised to learn about you?

I’m a massive rap fan and know every word in Mos Def’s iconic ‘black on both sides’ album

What is the most fulfilling part of your work?

Speaking to women across the country to understand some of their barriers to investing. I'm a real chatterbox so the customer feedback part of the concept development process was my absolute dream!

What are you currently working on?

Rainchq launch!

What advice would you give your younger self?

Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong it usually is. Also: save more into your pension!

Usually when something is geared towards women exclusively, there can be some backlash from men, have you experienced this?

I've received overwhelmingly positive feedback from people who recognise the gap in the market for something that is designed to address the specific needs of a group of people who've been badly let down by the financial services industry. As you rightly suggest however, there have been some detractors but these have tended to come more from women than men who in some cases have been concerned that it is an attempt to infantilise them by segregating them from the mainstream. Of course this is not the case. Our vision is to promote greater financial inclusion by increasing the number of women thinking about how to achieve their financial goals, whatever they may be, and providing the means through which they are able to do so. rainchq is the platform through which I hope to reach as many women as possible right across the country, on the basis that if the established industry model was successfully including women there wouldn't be a need for myself and others who are committed to this mission.

What's your favourite thing about the fintech industry?

I think the thing about technology full stop is its wonderful ability to transcend barriers from communication to geography among many others. Obviously fintech in particular is unique in that it must be bound by the regulatory frameworks of the markets it operates within, but notwithstanding this, it provides a great platform for change and disruption of traditional business models to service rapidly changing needs as people shift the way they live and work.

Originally on Milk News