Making Fintech Partnerships Actually Work

In this episode of Funnel This, I’m joined by Olivia Minnock, Head of Commercial & Partnerships at mmob, to talk about what partnerships really look like inside a fintech startup — and how life changes when there’s no dedicated marketing team.

Olivia shares her journey from editorial and community roles into commercial leadership, and how those early skills in translating complex topics into plain language now shape everything from enterprise sales to product feedback.

We explore the reality of long, complex sales cycles with tier one banks, why partnerships aren’t just logos or announcements, and how sales and marketing must work as one function — especially when resources are lean.

This is a grounded, honest look at startup life: prioritisation, letting things go (and picking them back up), avoiding ecosystem myopia, and remembering that partnerships aren’t just about what you take out of the business — but what you feed back in.

In this episode, we cover:
- What “partnerships” really mean in fintech — from marketplace listings to referrals and ecosystems

- Selling into tier one banks and navigating long, multi-stakeholder sales cycles

- Why sales and marketing should sit together, not compete

- Turning complex technical products into clear, compelling stories

- How to avoid partnership breakdowns and know when you’re truly “ready” to scale

If you’re operating in that grey space between commercial, marketing and partnerships — or building in a startup where roles overlap and evolve — this one will resonate.

Useful links:
Connect with Olivia Minnock on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-minnock/
Connect with Sally Baker on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sallybaker/