From Social Science Graduate to Head of Product
From Academia Dreams to Product Leadership: How Unexpected Pivots Led to Finding My True Calling
When people look at my career today, they see product leadership, fintech, and credit innovation. What they don’t see is that none of this was part of the original plan.
Ten years ago, if you had asked me where I thought I’d end up, I would have told you I was going to pursue a PhD and become a professor in sexuality studies. After earning my degree in sociology, that was the path I envisioned for myself. But like many people graduating with student debt and limited financial support, reality forced me to reassess what was financially possible.
So I stayed in banking.
I started as a teller and worked my way through both large and community banks before eventually pivoting into investment operations and asset movement. What fascinated me wasn’t wealth management itself, but the mechanics behind how money actually moves — the systems, the operational complexity, the infrastructure most people never think about.
Still, I hadn’t found the thing that truly excited me.
In 2020, I moved to New York City believing I was about to take the next step in my career. Instead, COVID changed everything. Positions I had interviewed for suddenly disappeared or were frozen indefinitely. Like many others during that time, I had to pivot quickly. I moved back to Florida after accepting a role simply because I needed stability.
At that point, I still felt uncertain about where I belonged professionally. I thought maybe I’d eventually return to an RIA or investment firm. Then something unexpected happened.
One company I had interviewed with years earlier called and offered me a position on the spot. At the same time, I was already interviewing with Green Dot. I ultimately chose Green Dot, and it became one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
For the first time in my career, I found myself in an environment where there wasn’t a rigid hierarchy or constant ego. I had leaders who valued curiosity, initiative, and problem-solving over titles. I was initially hired into operations management, not product management. But when a Lead Product Manager left the company, some of his responsibilities were transitioned to me. Within months of joining, I was leading my first product initiative.
That was the moment everything clicked.
I realized I loved building. I loved solving problems. I loved understanding customer pain points and figuring out how systems, operations, compliance, and technology could come together to create better experiences.
More importantly, I finally found a place where I didn’t feel like I had to shrink myself to succeed.
Throughout my earlier career, my directness was often misunderstood. In traditional environments, being outspoken or assertive as a woman can easily be misinterpreted. But in product, my directness became an asset. My ability to challenge ideas, think critically, and push conversations forward was valued instead of questioned.
Even things like my tattoos and piercings — which had once felt like distractions in more conservative spaces — stopped mattering. My work spoke for itself.
For the first time, I could fully be myself while still being taken seriously.
I’ve also realized over the years that I’m not the kind of person who comes to work simply for social politics, small talk, or performative culture. What motivates me is growth — being surrounded by people who challenge ideas, think long term, and genuinely want to build something meaningful.
I want to work in environments where people are encouraged to think beyond their title and contribute freely. Too often, rigid hierarchy limits potential and feeds ego. Some of the most transformative ideas can come from the one person who normally wouldn’t be included in the conversation. I’ve seen firsthand how a single perspective from someone closest to the problem can completely shift strategy and move an entire team in a better direction.
That’s one of the reasons product leadership resonates so deeply with me. The best teams aren’t built around status — they’re built around trust, collaboration, curiosity, and the willingness to listen to good ideas no matter where they come from.
Over the last several years, I’ve continued growing within fintech and product leadership, launching credit and payment products, building credit-building experiences, and helping shape customer journeys from the ground up. But growth also forced me to ask myself bigger questions about where I wanted to go next.
Last year, when my company announced it was being sold, I took a hard look at my future. I realized I had become too comfortable. I wasn’t stagnant because I lacked ambition — I was stagnant because I hadn’t clearly defined the next version of myself yet.
So I challenged myself.
I threw myself into interviews, sought feedback after rejections, analyzed where I could improve, and completely changed the way I approached opportunities. Even after difficult interviews or setbacks, I never questioned whether product was the right path for me. Instead, I became more certain that it was exactly where I belonged.
That persistence eventually led me to my current role as Head of Product at Dao Card, where I now help build financial products designed to guide small businesses toward credit growth and SBA readiness.
Looking back, none of my career progression was linear. I didn’t follow a perfectly structured roadmap, and I certainly didn’t arrive here the way I originally imagined.
But I’ve learned that careers are rarely built in straight lines.
Sometimes the most important thing you can do is remain open to reinvention, trust your instincts, and continue moving forward even when you don’t fully see the outcome yet.
Today, my goal is bigger than simply climbing a ladder. I want to help shape strategy at the highest levels, contribute to broader industry conversations, and build teams filled with extraordinary people who think differently, challenge convention, and create products that genuinely improve people’s lives.
Because ultimately, that’s what product taught me:
The best things are rarely built by fitting in.
