022 Lucy O’Boyle
Head of Content, Insignis
Lucy O’Boyle 🖊️ is Head of Content at Insignis. She’s also the Founder and Content Director at Lumen Labs (UK) - a strategic storytelling agency for B2B brands. Prior to this, she was Head of Content at CIRCA5000, and she spent her early career as a researcher, journalist, editor, and publisher.
“Magpie syndrome. There is always a new shiny object and the lure of a side quest.”
The interview
What’s your coffee ritual?
No coffee. Matcha tea. The 20 minutes of clear thinking from coffee is too high a price for the crash that follows 🫠.
What was your first marketing job?
Selling imported perfume bottles from the Czech Republic on eBay when I was 14. Tough gig before AI-generated descriptions.
What finance apps do you have on your home screen?
Monzo for saving pots, Revolut for business, Penfold for my pension, and Moneybox for investments.
Which newsletter, podcast, or book do you recommend most?
Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller. Balancing empathy with authority remains pretty relevant for fintechs.
What’s an underrated growth channel in fintech?
LinkedIn. Specifically activating employees. It’s almost impossible to grow a brand page on LinkedIn without them.
What keeps you up at night?
The emdash witch hunt. It’s an expressive piece of punctuation with a specific purpose. I’m more selective and cautious using it now, which is a shame. Presses play on calm meditation.
What’s one fintech brand (other than your own) that’s getting marketing right?
OakNorth. They have nailed their positioning.
Why is marketing so hard?
Magpie syndrome. There is always a new shiny object and the lure of a side quest. It takes discipline to drill down into what is working, systemise it, and keep going.
Whose answers to the above questions would you most like to read?
She has stepped down as CEO of Ellevest for now, but Sallie Krawcheck is my all-time fintech hero. She changed the narrative from women ‘cutting back’ on the things that bring enjoyment — like lattes — and instead encouraged thinking about how they could earn more to invest more. Love her.