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Insights and Expertise

StreetSmarts SM

PayTech Women, 20 years strong

By Allen Kopelman provide opportunities outside traditional conferences and
Nationwide Payment Systems Inc. trade shows, especially at the regional level."

hat's the first thing you think of when you Ferguson noted that local chapters are vital to the organi-
hear the word "networking"? For me, it's zation. "I work closely with our national team and incred-
relationships, the heart and soul of pay- ible local leaders like Dana," she said, adding that PTW
W ments. Some people I met 20 years ago, has 16 active chapters around the country, from Los An-
when I was just getting started, are still part of my net- geles and Omaha to Chicago and New York, with more in
work today. the pipeline. "If you're a woman in the business, this is a
great way to network with other women in the business
When it comes to building a network, there's no better ex- and participate in regional and national shows," she said.
ample than PayTech Women, a 20-year-old 501(c) (3) non- Trendsetters in fintech, payments
profit association serving professional women in fintech
and payments. PTW members Dana Sills and Julianie Another advantage PayTech Women offers its members,
"Jules" Ferguson discussed the organization and industry partners, sponsors and advocates is access to the innova-
trends in a recent Street Smarts edition of the B2B Vault: tors and thought leaders who are shaping the future of
The Biz-to-Biz Podcast. fintech and payments. This access is critical in a fast-mov-
ing space where change is the only constant.
Sills, a payments veteran and current chair of PTW's
Atlanta chapter, and Ferguson, who currently serves as Ferguson recalled coming to the United States from Be-
business development coordinator for PayTech Women, lize and how much everything has changed during her
reflected on PTW's exponential growth. Originally estab- five years of working with PayTech Women. "Technology
lished in 2005 as Women Networking in Electronic Trans- is moving at breakneck speed, which means we have to
actions (Wnet), the organization rebranded to PayTech analyze what tech we are selling today and what we'll be
Women in 2022, to reflect its diverse and global commu- selling next week, next month, and next year," she said.
nity of over 6,500 members.
Next-level networking So true, I said, recalling my own early days in 2001, when
I'd ask merchants who their processor was and they would
Getting back to networking, how would you rate your say, "my bank." Today, most merchants are with fintechs.
skills in this area? For Sills, there's more to networking
than collecting leads or referrals. It's about building rela- In the past few decades, I saw the emergence of PayPal,
tionships. Chairing the Atlanta chapter for PayTech Wom- Square—and Stripe, which now processes billions of dol-
en has helped her grow professionally. lars per month. And then you have a company like Toast,
which I've recently read has close to 25 percent of restau-
"Networking is about learning, mentorship, and open- rants using a POS system.
ing doors," she said. "Organizations like PayTech Women

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