Why Fintech Startups Need Anti-PR to Survive the Spotlight

1. From your experience, what are the biggest misconceptions fintech founders have about PR and strategic communications?

Too many fintech founders treat PR like a vanity tool… something to “do later” once they’ve built the tech or raised the round. That’s backward thinking. PR isn’t decoration, it’s armor. It’s how you control the conversation before someone else defines you. The other big mistake? Thinking results alone will carry the day. In this attention-starved market, if you’re not deliberately crafting your narrative, you’re invisible… or worse, misunderstood. Performance or technology all by itself doesn’t speak for itself anymore. Narrative is performance. Good technology has to be well-publicized today.

2. How can fintech leaders showcase not only innovation, but also long-term stability and compliance, in their external messaging?

Innovation without stability is chaos. Stability without communication is irrelevance. The winners are those who make boring things sound brilliant… like compliance, governance, and risk management. That means deliberately weaving those topics into your media storylines, showing you’re not just building flashy tech, you’re building infrastructure that lasts. The subtext needs to scream: We’re not a shiny toy… we’re here to reshape the system. That’s what serious investors and regulators are listening for. You must exploit the harm, controversy, money wasted, lost, to-be-gained… that your technology SOLVES… this drives media narratives and let’s face it – the media shapes our economy.

3. What are some early warning signs that a fintech startup needs a crisis comms strategy even if things seem stable?

If you’re scaling, raising, or making noise, you’re already in pre-crisis territory. The second you get ANY attention, you’re under scrutiny. If you’re getting customer complaints, employee leaks, competitor attacks, or hard media questions, even low-level ones, it’s time to button up. But the deadliest sign? Thinking you’re safe. Founders who say, “We’re good, nothing’s wrong,” are usually the first ones caught off guard. WARNING: Traditional PR has been used 10X more to take a competitor out in the court of public opinion than it has been used for proactive, offensive narrative control. This has only escalated in a more competitive environment. So, startups and innovators are way more vulnerable today. No plan = no control. Plan = control and control = income. And control is the only currency that matters before, during and after a crisis.

4. You’ve spoken about turning risk management into a competitive advantage. Can you elaborate on how fintech startups can do that through communication?

Most startups try to hide risk. Smart startups own it… and use it as a flex. Communicating that you see the landmines and have systems in place to navigate them doesn’t make you look weak, it makes you look nimble, smart, unshakable. Plus, you fill the information vacuum before anyone else does. Investors, customers, and partners don’t expect perfection. They expect foresight. If you’re the founder who can talk about risk calmly, confidently, and on the record, you’re the one who stands out and gets taken seriously. Everyone else looks like a gamble.

5. Do you believe fintech startups should speak directly to regulators and policy trends in their messaging? Why or why not?

Absolutely, yes… and not just speak to them, speak through them. Regulators shape the game. If you’re not part of that dialogue, you’re already behind. Startups that ignore the regulatory narrative are giving up massive ground to competitors who are smarter and louder. Messaging around policy shows you’re paying attention, thinking ahead, and playing to win. You don’t have to be boring about it, just strategic. Speak their language without losing your edge.

6. How do you see the role of PR evolving alongside AI, automation, and investor expectations in the fintech world?

The more AI floods the space with noise, the more raw, human, unfiltered storytelling is going to stand out. PR is no longer about making you look polished; it’s about making you look real and relevant. That’s where Anti-PR comes in. Forget the fluff. Forget the “safe” talking points. Founders who show up with clarity, conviction, and a point of view will dominate investor mindshare. Strategic communications is no longer a “nice to have”… it’s your survival kit in a world where perception is reality.