Life at MX: Nicole Barkalow Understands FI Pain Points Firsthand

Nicole Barkalow joined MX from Fiserv. She brings over 20 years of experience and relationship-building in financial services, along with a clear sense of why empowering the world to be financially strong via innovative digital solutions matters today.

We asked her some questions to highlight what she brings to #LifeatMX.

Why MX?

I joined MX because I like what we're doing to help the financial community. We build innovative tools, but they aren’t just another check-the-box solution to throw at customers. Instead, everything we built is made to help people become financially strong. Customers find them engaging, personalized, and helpful.

What do you like about MX so far?

I like the culture and the people. Everybody is driven to do great things. It's an agile organization, and we're all working together to build effective solutions, and everybody’s excited about it because we are helping the community.

Which of the MX values resonate most with you?

Iterative innovation. We release solutions that make a difference, and we do it quickly. For instance, we offer data cleansing tools that we’re constantly optimizing. They're a game changer because they change the way consumers use their data because we make that data human readable. 

We’re also changing the way consumers experience their digital relationship because it's all personalized and because we help financial services companies treat people like true customers. I know that I personally want to feel like I'm a customer; not just an account at a bank. We offer a true human connection instead of making people feel like they're just an account.

What have you worked on in the past that has prepared you for MX?

Prior to working at Fiserv, I worked at a large credit union, running a  group in the IT department there. I saw firsthand that there are many disjointed solutions that have nuggets of wisdom in them, and so I understand the pain that people in financial services have in bringing it all together in a holistic view. I've been in their shoes. I know how important it is to see everything in one place.

What do you hope to see as a result of joining MX?

I hope to play a role in helping financial institutions fix their pain points. I want to help them change how they do business, so they can better meet and exceed the needs of their customers.

What are some of your hobbies?

I enjoy gardening, beekeeping, snow skiing, and spending time with my family.

Book recommendations?

For personal reading, I like The Alchemist. For professional reading, I recommend Bank 4.0 by Brett King, which shows where the financial services industry is heading. In addition, I’m a fan of financial podcasts, including Planet Money from NPR. 

Connect with Nicole via LinkedIn.