This summer I developed the go‑to‑market strategy for Skypay, a money‑transfer application designed to serve Morocco’s unbanked population. Because the app was still in development, my job was to define Skypay’s value proposition and identify how we would bring it to market. I prepared presentations to align potential investors and tested the app with users to assess whether it met their needs. I evaluated whether to partner with local businesses or pursue direct‑to‑consumer outreach, and I identified initial customer segments and use cases. The work was central to Skypay’s mission of financial inclusion. I met domestic workers who needed to send money to rural families, shop owners who struggled to pay suppliers quickly, and people who traveled for hours to use agents who charged high fees. Our goal was to make those remittances cheaper and easier by allowing people to send money from their phones instead of visiting physical locations.

My marketing courses at Columbia Business School helped me segment users and tailor messaging. I moved beyond the generic term “unbanked” to understand distinct user groups—such as construction workers who send wages home weekly versus market traders with business‑to‑business payment needs—and developed personas for each. Operations classes informed my approach to user testing by showing me how to plan sessions that elicit actionable feedback, particularly when participants have limited technology experience. Strategy frameworks from my MBA and my prior consulting experience guided my analysis of the competitive landscape and helped me weigh partnership strategies and entry options.

The greatest challenge was understanding what people truly needed. Many potential users were wary of new financial services because of past negative experiences, and they were reluctant to discuss money with strangers. Building trust required genuine conversations rather than scripted interviews. Deciding between business‑to‑business and direct‑to‑consumer models also posed difficulties. Partnering with local businesses promised quicker reach but meant ceding some control over the customer experience. A direct approach offered full ownership of client communications but demanded more time and resources. Ultimately, I realized that Skypay would need a hybrid strategy that leverages partners for distribution while building a direct relationship with users.

This internship taught me that successful strategies are grounded in empathy. Analytical frameworks are useful, but they do not replace time spent listening to customers, understanding cultural contexts, and designing products for real circumstances. I learned to test ideas in ways that made participants comfortable and to adapt solutions based on their feedback. The experience confirmed my commitment to building inclusive financial products and highlighted the importance of human‑centered design. I intend to pursue roles that combine strategy, product development, and social impact to drive financial inclusion in emerging markets.