Role

Marketing Lead

Timeline

2019 - 2021

Location

São Paulo, Brazil / Winter Garden, FL

The Challenge

In 2019, I was invited to help launch and grow a mobile app that allowed people to use local currencies like BRL, MXN, and NGN to invest in US stocks and crypto. The goal was to create a Robinhood alternative focused on emerging markets, namely Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Nigeria.


When I joined, the product was just a waitlist. By the time I left two years later, we had over 200,000 users. Passfolio grew 3x in 2021, and the product was eventually acquired by one of Europe's largest banks in late 2022. Additionally, Passfolio's original client portfolio was sold to Sproutfi (now Vest.app), a social trading app backed by Y Combinator and Founders Fund.

In 2019, I was invited to help launch and grow a mobile app that allowed people to use local currencies like BRL, MXN, and NGN to invest in US stocks and crypto. The goal was to create a Robinhood alternative focused on emerging markets, namely Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Nigeria.


When I joined, the product was just a waitlist. By the time I left two years later, we had over 200,000 users. Passfolio grew 3x in 2021, and the product was eventually acquired by one of Europe's largest banks in late 2022. Additionally, Passfolio's original client portfolio was sold to Sproutfi (now Vest.app), a social trading app backed by Y Combinator and Founders Fund.

In 2019, I was invited to help launch and grow a mobile app that allowed people to use local currencies like BRL, MXN, and NGN to invest in US stocks and crypto. The goal was to create a Robinhood alternative focused on emerging markets, namely Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Nigeria.


When I joined, the product was just a waitlist. By the time I left two years later, we had over 200,000 users. Passfolio grew 3x in 2021, and the product was eventually acquired by one of Europe's largest banks in late 2022. Additionally, Passfolio's original client portfolio was sold to Sproutfi (now Vest.app), a social trading app backed by Y Combinator and Founders Fund.

My Role as Marketing Lead

I was responsible for brand marketing and business development, overseeing all content and strategic partnerships. With a tight budget and a small team, we had to maximize our resources and over 60% of Passfolio's growth came from organic traffic and referrals, not ads.

I attribute Passfolio’s success to our ‘lean and mean’ team, which never surpassed 40 people. Carol Kowalsetskyj who led design was particularly great to work with. So were Fernando Tancredi and Bruno Pini, who set up our marketing analytics infrastructure and managed programmatic advertising.

Key Growth Drivers

The Referral Program was at the core of our growth engine. It offered stock rewards ranging from 1 to 100 for deposits over $100, with a 60-day lock-up period to ensure program integrity and deter short-term exploitation.

Influencer Marketing significantly amplified Passfolio’s brand awareness. By offering US stock and cryptocurrency trading, Passfolio operated in a distinct niche that didn't directly compete with local finance apps in Brazil, Nigeria, and Mexico—which primarily focused on domestic stock markets or fixed income products. This strategic positioning significantly streamlined influencer partnerships and contract negotiations, as there was minimal competitive overlap with existing sponsorship arrangements. Some of the influencers we sponsored include Ana Laura Magalhães, Otavio Paranhos, Uriel Shark, Voepa Bitcoin, Investopi, and Damian Ruiz, among many others.

Local Partnerships were another key driver of growth. By collaborating with payment providers like Facilita Pay in Brazil, Flutterwave in Nigeria, and Bancolombia in Colombia, we provided convenient deposit methods, built trust in local communities, and expanded our reach. Portfolio aggregators like Status Invest and TradeMap allowed users to integrate Passfolio seamlessly into their financial portfolios, offering a comprehensive view of their investments. We also partnered with local solutions for practical tax reporting, which was essential given our product mix of US stocks and cryptocurrency.

"Will is a natural-born communicator and team player with outstanding people skills. He brings innovative ideas, executes tasks efficiently, and excels in team discussions. I've worked at many startups, across many teams, and from my experience people like Will are the kind that get businesses noticed and moving. Will is a valuable asset to any team."

Caroline P. Kowalsetskyj, Head of Design at Passfolio

Caroline P. Kowalsetskyj, Head of Design at Passfolio

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