Episode 105: Bianca Zwart: Chief Strategy Officer at bunq - bank of THE FREE

EU-Startups Podcast

In this episode of the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski hosts Bianca Zwart, the Chief Strategy Officer at bunq. bunq has raised a total funding of $373M and is valued at $1.85B and is making mobile banking that makes life easy. They call themselves the bank of THE FREE and are know for their extreme attention to users. Bianca shares her unconventional career journey, starting from answering support tickets to leading strategy at a fintech company that prioritizes user experience. She discusses the importance of a user-centric approach in banking, the unique business model of bunq, and the lessons learned from her experiences in startups. Bianca emphasizes the significance of a growth mindset and the need for constant adaptation to user needs. The conversation concludes with her vision for the future of bunq and valuable advice for those navigating non-linear career paths. Takeaways 1.bunq's culture encourages questioning the status quo and prioritizing user needs. 2.User feedback is essential for improving banking services and products. 3.bunq's business model focuses on profitability before scaling, ensuring a sustainable approach. 4.A growth mindset is crucial for success in fast-paced environments. 5.Leadership is about matching problems with the right people. 6.bunq aims to be a global bank that adapts to local realities. 7.The importance of hiring the right talent cannot be overstated. 8.Bianca believes in challenging conventional wisdom and embracing discomfort for growth. 9.True success lies in the journey and the person you become, not just the end goal. This podcast episode is brought to you by Scytale - making compliance super easy for startups, helping them get compliant and stay compliant with frameworks like SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, NIS 2, HIPAA, PCI-DSS and more, without breaking a sweat. Learn more at https://scytale.ai/eustartups/.