Beyond Transactions: The BNPL Journey & Start-up Insights with Ibtissam Ouassif from Cashew Payments

On today's episode, we are joined by Ibtissam Ouassif, Co-Founder and CPO of Cashew Payments. Ibtissam speaks about her initial career efforts in the financial services industry, focused on partnerships and outreach, which led to the fascination with buy now pay later (BNPL) in fintech.  She talks about the inspiration behind the launch of Cashew, a pioneering BNPL company in the UAE. Overcoming the regulatory concerns, proving BNPL safety, supported by an open-minded UAE regulatory environment. Despite initial reservations, BNPL gained substantial adoption. We discussed transitioning from a product-centric to a team-focused mindset, and acknowledged the human side of hiring and managing, emphasizing the importance of creating conducive environments. We explored the intricate payments infrastructure and proposed a BNPL product to a financial institution, facing challenges due to a credit card-centric focus.  We discussed personal growth through managing mistakes in a startup, and transitioning from a small to a diverse team, as well as highlighted the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship.  Ibtissam advocates for gender-neutral labels, questioning the necessity of specifying gender or race in achievements, and comparing support for female entrepreneurs in the UAE to Western experiences, noting positive initiatives and a more equal representation in private and governmental entities.