What to expect working at a FinTech Startup- Kronos?

By Vicki Chen, Marketing Associate

The thing is, I’m not a finance or tech major. I’ve never even considered working in a FinTech startup, not to mention a FinTech startup that has taken upon itself the duty to revolutionize the entire crypto ecosystem. So how did an art major end up as a marketing associate at Kronos?

I worked in the events industry for a year or two, doing digital marketing, social media management, PR and event coordination. For me, marketing was the perfect bridge between business and art; It was an alternative way to remain innovative and artistic. Eventually I still left the company due to lack of creative freedom. I realized I needed to be in a space that had a big appetite for experimentation.

Then I went on to teach art and do marketing for an American school. I quit just before my 10th month, because I got bored. Well, technically I was frightened by the complacent lifestyle I was leading, teaching high school students art and posting facebooks ads. I was looking for something more, just wasn’t sure what.

I first came across Kronos while I was mass sending resumes to companies that I found interesting. Startups caught my eye. The typical image of a startup is a fun, creative and fast paced environment, that 99% of the time has a snack bar. With that in mind, I applied to Kronos. I did a full extensive research on the company, on the CEOs, and watched any interviews I could find online, even had to google what a hedge fund was.

Then I went in for an interview. There was a break room with beanbags, a fridge stocked with coconut water and coffee, and yes, a self-replenishing snack bar. I only sat there for a brief moment before Jack, the company’s Co-CEO, this tall guy wearing a black T, navy pants, and flip-flops, came in to meet me. Interesting wardrobe.

I remember saying to Jack, “I don’t know if I’m fit for the industry, I’m not good at math.” To which he replied, “I’m not so good at math either, so much for the Asian stereotype huh? But I think you’d be a good fit for this industry, trust me.” And at that, with no prior experience in finance, tech or crypto, I decided to take a leap of faith, and started as a marketing associate at Kronos, doing digital marketing, social media management, and PR.

It’s been 4 months since, although it feels like It’s been a year… a long, exciting, frustrating, and deeply rewarding year. The crypto space has been unlike any industry I have ever been in. For starters, It’s predominantly a young crowd, from early 20s to late 30s. It’s very cosmopolitan, you get to meet people from all over, people with different perspectives and agendas. Since the industry is fairly new too, there are a lot of self-proclaimed entrepreneurs, and startups pop up left and right.

These factors combined, the crypto world becomes very dynamic and refreshing; you get an incredibly experimental space where change is constantly happening because many things are not set in stone.

With that being said, what to expect working at Kronos, a startup invested in the crypto space?

1.You will feel lost half the time

It’s tough. As a total newb in the crypto space, I spend most of my days figuring things out, and re-figuring things out, and taking apart the things I thought I’ve figured out.

Somedays I get out of meetings like, what the hell is a liquidity dark pool? And other days I celebrate small victories like being able to explain that exact term to newcomers.

What’s different is that in such an unsaturated and niche market, everyone’s a little lost, everyone’s trying to figure something out. That’s when people really start listening to each other, and pay attention to issues that need to be solved.

2. Brainstorm 24/7

“What do you think?” becomes a regular routine.

There’s a shit ton of discussions at Kronos, whether it’s with your team, your bosses, your clients and other crypto enthusiasts. Sometimes pitching ideas are a smooth sail, sometimes they get brutally tossed, and many times they evolve into something better.

It can be quite intimidating at first, because what you say actually holds value.

3. If you’re looking for stability, swipe left.

Second week in, I’m working a private party till midnight, meeting strangers from all over the world and explaining what Kronos does. The alcohol helped.

Second month in, I’m coordinating an entirely new brand launch in Shanghai, with 7 days notice to have the venue, the catering, the visuals and the media ready.

A crypto startup is just as volatile as the crypto market. It’s hard to keep up, but we learn to adapt and run with it. It’s chaotic, but if you’re like me- you thrive in chaos and enjoy conquering it- hit super like!

4. Be Ms./Mr. Independent

There’s hardly any micromanaging at work, or any detailed guidance.

There’s no instruction manual, you kinda just hit the ground running.

In an environment where surprises are a part of your everyday, everyone’s juggling 5 things at a time. You are expected to pull your own weight, in your area of specialty, because people rely on you to.

5. It’s not all rainbows and unicorns

Don’t get me wrong, work is a lot of fun.

We travel and meet interesting (sometimes absurd) people, we have happy hours and movie nights, we make inside jokes about the industry, we share new trends to experiment with, and we even give each other advice on our love lives…

But it’s also downright hard work. You can forget about your 9–5 work schedule. You can forget about scrolling through instagram at work on your free time. There is always something to do, but most of the time you actually enjoy doing it.

The crypto space and Kronos are a tightly knit group. When the people around you are passionate about change, and go above and beyond to reach their goals, it inspires you to do the same.

I don’t think working at a startup is everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’ve read this far, and still feel that tingle of excitement, give it a shot, you might find what you need.