057 Fernando Tobias
Marketing Director, LYNK Markets
Fernando Tobias is Co-Founder of KeyGateways, a comparison and matchmaking platform helping businesses find the right gateway for crypto payments. He’s also currently Marketing Director at Lynk Markets, an alternative investment platform. Prior to that he was a marketing leader at Fairgate.
“I think newsletters are an amazing way of building your first 1000 True Fans, as Kevin Kelly would put it.”
The interview
What’s your coffee ritual?
Not extremely picky on the coffee front, as long as I get my morning dose. Currently just getting it out of the bag, mixing it with hot water. Straight, no milk, no filter. I do eventually enjoy a quality double espresso.
What was your first marketing job?
I was a research analyst for Nielsen, focusing on consumer goods for Unilever. Interesting, but far from my dream job: impossible deadlines, difficult clients. Guess my lack of experience took its toll.
What finance apps do you have on your home screen?
Since I moved to Spain I have both Argentinian and Spanish ones depending on what I’m using: crypto wallets such as Buenbit and Lemon, Mercado Libre for payments in Argentina, Santander and Trade Republic for my day-to-day here in Spain.
Which newsletter, podcast, or book do you recommend most?
Lenny Rachitsky’s newsletter is the one I usually end up reading the most, as it has a great variety of guests. Dan Koe is another one I try to follow periodically. On podcasts, lately I’ve discovered David Senra’s Founders Podcast and Open Residency, both with tremendous guests and conversation analysis.
What’s an underrated growth channel in fintech?
I think newsletters are an amazing way of building your first 1000 True Fans, as Kevin Kelly would put it. No matter how obscure your niche, you can develop the tone, content, and insights your audience is looking for.
What keeps you up at night?
How to bring food to the table while keeping the family happy, mostly.
What are the most useful measurement tools you use in your work?
Might depend on the business’ stage we’re in. Right now, I care about how the content resonates with my audience: engagement, time spent, visits, volume flow. When working with niche markets / audiences, it can get a bit tricky.
What’s one fintech brand (other than your own) that’s getting marketing right?
I’m an absolute Stripe fanboy. Love what they’ve done with the brand and how they’ve reshaped what to expect from a fintech brand, or a Tier 1 brand in general. Their ‘byproducts’ such as Stripe Press and Cheeky Pint are proof that you can expand your brand into everything if you have the right approach and passion.
Why is marketing so hard?
I think it might be due to a mix of a constantly moving target with ever-evolving technology, while trying to stick to what matters amidst a constant flow of noise… and everyone has a say about it.
Whose answers to the above questions would you most like to read?
I think Argentina has been shipping some good fintech and crypto apps, and would love to know their thoughts. Lemon, Belo, Mercado Pago, Buenbit (now Nexo), and many others. Anyone from their Marketing teams would surely have a great story to tell.