FinTech Founder confessions ... my (not-so) super story

Just as doctors' kids tend to be sick, and plumbers' homes have dripping taps, 'money people' don't always do what they should. That was certainly true for me when it came to my super.

Hey there. I'm Trenna, and this is my 33rd year of making money and paying tax. Today I am the founder and CEO of a digital financial wealth platform designed to help all Aussies, but especially women, to take control of their financial future. But underneath it all (and after decades working in financial services) I'm still just a girl from South Australia trying to work things out. You'd think by now money would be an easy one! I thought so too.

This is my shameful story.

Most of my early jobs were in hospitality, first working alongside study and then as a pathway to move from South Australia to Sydney, via Japan and Europe. As an aside, the people who told me I would get sick of pizza, doughnuts and wine were SO wrong, but that's a story for another day. Then after seven years working at American Express, I started my first small business. I was terrible at paying myself and even worse at paying my super. Next came full-time motherhood, a separation, and more jobs.

The result?

Not enough super, and way too many super accounts.

I eventually convinced myself that I had it sorted. You know, the type of conversation you have with yourself about your jeans being too tight because of the dryer, not the solo midnight wine and cheese parties you've been hosting too regularly? But I was kidding myself. I was also guilty of leaving it to my husband to sort out. (Just in case you're wondering, that's a big NO-NO. I beg of you, do what I say, not what I did!)

My husband and I have complex financial affairs – and the industry expertise to manage them – so we have an SMSF (self-managed super fund). I had just assumed that all my super was in there. Well, was I wrong!

When I started building Super Fierce, I decided to use my personal info to head into the ATO website to check out how certain things work. Imagine my surprise when I found a 6-figure number sitting in an account! The range of emotions?

Ever since that moment, I've been working like crazy to translate my learning into a beautiful digital super comparison tool which will make it simple for Aussies to:

Twelve months on and ... well, I have learnt a lot!

Lesson 1: Building a female-focused FinTech is much harder and more time consuming than I thought.

Now, I probably should have realised it was a massive undertaking to … build a complicated algorithm with multiple databases, code it and integrate various tech feeds … get an Australian Financial Services Licence … create a brand, work out how to make something complicated easy to understand and build a website … form a team … fund it with blood, sweat, tears and my life savings … it goes on. But thank goodness I didn't know, or Super Fierce might have remained just a dream. And now, we are so very close!

Lesson 2: Linking purpose, passion and heart is an unbeatable formula.

Inside my head is a thunderous voice which keeps reminding me that I can help. To make a difference in people's lives. It urges me to think about what an extra $100,000 at retirement would mean for women who've worked hard their entire lives but earned 17% less just because of their gender.

That makes it more than worth it to me. Even when I feel guilty about not spending enough time with my kids, or when my friends wish I'd make time to return their calls (sorry guys! I do love you). Or my husband wonders if I am ever coming to bed.

Because we have enough, and we need to do more. We must do more to help.

Lesson 3: Global Pandemics have taught me that "I eat scared for breakfast." Most of the time. 

Trying to finish a product and launch a business when your team is scattered far, people are struggling through financial stress and isolation, and the world has been turned upside down, isn't ideal. But I have discovered we are capable of so much more than we know. And I whisper to myself wise Wednesday Addam's words each morning when I rise: "I eat scared for breakfast." So now, here we are just weeks from launching a business designed to remove the angst and usher in the super good feels instead.

Oh! And I'm still celebrating my super windfall – which has been happily growing over the last 12 months – and all the dollars that I'm no longer wasting on fees.

We're getting ready to launch Super Fierce and Fierce Impact over the next few weeks. Our mission? Close the gap: economic security and a fairer super system for everyone. And we do mean everyone. We lift women because when women do well, the world does well. But we're for community. And connection. And we know we need everyone, regardless of gender, age or race, on our side if we're to achieve true equality.  

If you'd like to learn more or get involved, head on over to the Super Fierce interim website to join our growing community of lovers, warriors & believers.  And by all means, connect with me and follow our company page here on LinkedIn.

#superannuation #financialwellness #empowerment #startuplife #founder #womeninfinance