What happens when you’re in your final semester of college and you run out of money to pay your tuition? You light your ass on fire and take action – because as Benjamin Franklin once said, “Action is the foundational key to all success.” In this week’s episode, you’ll hear what Miguel Armaza did when he was in this situation.
Miguel grew up moving around the world, and global citizenship became part of his identity at an early age. He spent several years living in Moscow and Beijing – where he learned the ins and outs of each country’s culture.
Early in his career, he created one of the 50 most popular pages on Facebook – reaching 2.6 million fans in the first three months. His biggest regret? Not using that momentum, which led to the page ultimately being shut down.
After his Facebook page failed, Miguel graduated from American University and started his professional career in finance. His first job was at Citi and allowed him to travel the world again, including living in Dublin for a year. He later entered the world of angel investing, which is when he also discovered his interest in fintech.
In this episode, we talk about how to view things from alternative perspectives – and how there is no right way. Listen to find out how now, as the host of the Wharton Fintech podcast and co-founder of Gilgamesh Ventures, he gets the best of both finance worlds: angel investing and fintech.
Favorite Moments
- (3:39) – Attending public school in Russia
- (8:01) – Paying for student loans
- (14:47) – His parents
- (21:22) – Trying new things
- (34:10) – Facebook comedy page
- (43:11) – Lessons applied to the Wharton podcast
About Miguel Armaza
Miguel Armaza is the Host of the Wharton Fintech podcast and creator of the Fintech Leaders newsletter, reaching a combined monthly audience of almost 100k downloads and visits from over 100 countries around the world. He is also a Co-Founder of Gilgamesh Ventures, an emerging seed-stage venture capital fund investing in fintech, with a geographical focus on the Americas.
Prior to his current roles, Miguel worked in structured finance and operations roles at Citi & MUFG Bank covering Latin America, Europe, and the US. Before his banking career, he created one of the 50 most popular pages on Facebook, reaching 2.7 million subscribers in three months.
Miguel graduated from American University and is an MBA candidate at The Wharton School and a MA Candidate at the Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania. He is fluent in Spanish, Russian, and English.
