Tiktok celebrity and ex-Google analyst tells fintech horror story

by James · October 20, 2022

The technology industry is one where the brave, or rather, the risky, thrive. Innovation is at the heart, and with many up-and-coming companies looking to make a real difference in the world, seeking a career in a small startup with big ideas has seemed like an attractive proposition for many…including TikTok celebrity Ken Waks . The former Google analyst and current head of technology at Walmart Connect has amassed over 680,000 followers and used his platform to tell his self-proclaimed “American Nightmare” about leaving Google to join a fintech startup.

Although he’s spoken about this chapter of his career before, Wak’s latest chapter in his TikTok odyssey sheds some light on the emotional damage the fintech movement has inflicted on him. Presumably, many other young fintech workers are at risk of similar wounds.

“No one had trained me, no one had taken me on board, no one had told me what my job was,” claims Waks. After four weeks of working for the unnamed fintech that he “built [them] a fully functioning website that is now the face of [their] the company, the company tried to “railroad” him in a vague and unspecified way. This in turn led to his resignation.

Waks admits he “was very lucky” when Google was willing to take him back, but many people either in finance or technology who move into smaller fintech companies may not be so lucky. His story underscores the inherent risk of moving from a larger company to a smaller one and serves as a warning to those looking to find a foothold in fintech; look out for yourself and make sure your employer gives you a clear role and place.

@ken Responding to @ken “the American dream” and the day I woke up to corporate reality. Making 110k at 25, with a company that claimed to help immigrants, poor, unbanked. What a dream. #americandream #americannightmare #corporate #corporateamerica #truestory #fallguy #sanfrancisco #startup #fintech ♬ Suspense, horror, piano and music box – takaya

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