Conversations with a Financial Services startup founder

1. Tell us a bit about yourself 

I’m Sayali Rai, I’ve been raised in Mumbai by an incredible independent woman who comes from a Finance background! My dad also comes from the finance lineage and dinner table conversations when I was young were always about that. It normalized finance for me so I guess that’s how I ended up here, a career finance woman. I founded FinCocktail in August of 2020 after realizing the lack of financial literacy in the country and the desperate need to address the same. 

2. What do you enjoy about your current job?

Well, it’s not a job at all! It’s my baby I guess haha! It’s the company I founded a few months ago and I absolutely love it. I work on it day and night and it doesn’t seem like work at all. It’s like someone said, find work that you love and you’ll never work a day in your life!

3. Let’s zoom back, Can you describe a few challenges you faced while finding your first internship at J.P Morgan?

Well, it was my absolute first internship and I was like a fish out of water, I had no idea what I was doing or looking for! So I tried to learn as much as possible while hiding my fear of incompetence. Because honestly, I was scared of crashing and burning. Just trying to be a professional woman in the field of finance is difficult enough, when you add being an intern to the mix it gets even more complicated. Trying to get coffee and make copies for everyone makes you constantly feel undervalued and underappreciated. I’ve learnt one thing, to never ever underappreciate interns or underestimate their enthusiasm or capabilities! So, I think just trying to learn why keeping my head up was what my first internship was all about! 

4. What was your experience at DBS Bank? Any learnings from there that still help you in your current profession?

DBS bank was actually a great experience, I was assigned to the debt desk and learnt a lot from my supervisor. He took the time out to teach me about what debt products are all about, how they are created and structured and how investments in debt products are done! He was really helpful and taught me not just about the material but all about what being a good supervisor or mentor can be about! I guess he was my first mentor! 

5. Any learnings/experiences from Epigram Advertising that created an impact on your professional journey?

Well yes, a lot actually! Epigram Advertising was where I was exposed to the world of social media marketing for the first time. I was put on campaigns and was taught how they are created, curated and executed. Till then I only thought social media was for fun, or something you did to pass the time! But that’s when I realized it’s a business entirely - not just for the social media platforms but for brands and for creators too! So I guess that always lingered in my mind before I ended up where I am today!  

6. What learnings did you take from your work experience at NYU as a research assistant that you still follow even now?

As a college student at NYU, I absolutely adored my time, at the same time, as a research assistant I realized the scope of what is out there. One of my professors there was just amazing, I looked up to him as my second mentor in life and he put me on a project where I had to analyse a bunch of venture capital investments. That opened me up to the world of VCs, how they are made, how large the market is and how they are analyzed! So that opened up a whole new avenue for me. It also helped me learn how to efficiently do my research! Till this date, I follow through, do my research before I finalize on any piece of content we put out as FinCocktail or any idea I zero down on. Research is key and doing it well is always the first step towards something larger!   

7. Would you want to change your journey of navigating through the different internships since your current job is very different from your earlier experiences? If so, how and why?

Not at all! I think every single internship, every job, every gig was an opportunity. It was a stepping stone to where I am right now and even though it may have felt difficult at the time to get through it, it was an unparalleled experience! Every single opportunity taught me something new, something different. It was something that gave me exposure to help me learn and lead me to where I am today!  

8. Any advice you would like to give recent graduates, especially those who are finding it difficult to navigate and find a path, especially amidst a pandemic?

I think there are two types of people in the world, the first type are those who know exactly who they want to be and the second type who absolutely have no idea and are trying to figure it out as they go along.  I’ve been around both! Both types of people have been close friends of mine. I myself was the second type. I had no idea where life or any of these experiences would lead me, but here I am! Every single one taught me something new. I would say, listen to your heart. I know it sounds like a cliche, but even though the world has been turned upside down due to the pandemic, the world is your oyster. It will get better! You have to listen to your heart, take that chance, take that job you think works for you right now, pick up that unpaid internship because you think you may learn something, find that hobby which makes you who you are! Slowly, you will find your path and you will figure out where you are meant to be.  

9. How did your different volunteer experiences shape you not only professionally but also personally?

Volunteering has been an integral part of who I am today. My grandmother is 86 years old and still volunteers at a school nearby. She’s someone who taught me the importance of using your privilege for good. We are extremely fortunate with the cards we’ve been dealt and it’s our duty to do whatever is in our power to try and give back to the community as much as we can. Volunteering helped me learn about working on tight budgets, connecting with a community and understanding what drives people to do what they do. So I would love to say, volunteering experience is something no one will ever regret!