Thoughts on redefining banking*

On May 20, we held our inaugural company conference, Mercury Spheres, where 300+ founders, entrepreneurs, and other ambitious builders gathered for a day of networking, learning, and inspiration. We heard from Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer on the importance of customizing hospitality; investors Sarah Guo from Conviction and Sonya Huang from Sequoia on what’s next in AI; Fishwife’s Becca Millstein on building a big brand on a small budget, and many more. 

I talked about what our team at Mercury is focused on each and every day: redefining banking*.

Because that’s what technology can do — it can redefine the way we think about everyday things to the point that they get new definitions. 

Consider banks. If asked to describe them, you might say they hold your money, they’re often in big buildings with tellers behind the counter; you wait in line, you cash a check, you punch in numbers at an ATM. Would your everyday definition or perception of banking experiences have you describe them as easy and seamless to use? As real leverage for building and running your business? As intuitive and transparent? Probably not. But why not? 

Why should we settle for an old definition?

At Mercury, we believe banking* can — and should — do more. And we’re working to build that. I shared more about this at Spheres:

Thank you to our speakers and sponsors (Mastercard, Notion, Orrick, and Remote) for being part of the day. And thanks to you for being part of the journey. 

Want to learn about community as a moat, how to think like Rick Rubin, matching money to mission, using your curiosity as leverage, or a ~dozen other topics relevant to early-stage founders? Watch our Spheres speaker session recordings on YouTube. 

*Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group, Column N.A., and Evolve Bank & Trust; Members FDIC.