In recent years, the finance industry has witnessed a powerful transformation with the rise of women taking the helm and making their mark. While historically male-dominated, women are challenging the status quo and revolutionizing the finance industry with their expertise, resilience, and innovative thinking. We are excited about our new series “Women Reshaping Finance” where we will feature a few of our female leaders!
Meet Jeanne Burwick, VP of Finance. She came to SoFi in May of 2021 at the recommendation of several SoFi employees whom she had worked with earlier in her career. Jeanne had the opportunity to learn about SoFi’s strategy, mission, and culture from people whose opinions she trusted, which made her really excited to be a part of the SoFi team. When asked “Why do you love working at SoFi?” Jeanne quickly answered, “It’s all about the people.” At SoFi, we believe that people are our greatest asset, so an answer like that is music to our ears! We also were able to discuss why SoFi was an easy choice for her, her hopes for increasing representation of women, and benefits she finds value in here at SoFi!
Why was coming to SoFi an easy choice for you?
I felt like SoFi’s approach was unique in tech in that it would afford me a more comprehensive opportunity as a Finance Partner. There are very few financial planning roles that allow you to support a full income statement. I was confident this role would challenge me in new ways, which I found exciting! While the job itself is undoubtedly important, joining SoFi because of the people offered a range of benefits that extended far beyond my role. It’s given me a supportive network, incredible collaboration, and lifelong connections.
How do you drive inclusion on your team?
I think that inclusion is about creating a safe space for our teams to share ideas, ask questions, challenge assumptions, or even just confide in me if they’re feeling stretched at work or going through a difficult time personally. Creating an open environment and actively listening to diverse perspectives is very important to me. I want to provide my team with the same support that previous leaders have given to me and help them feel encouraged and supported.
How do you hope to see SoFi grow in terms of women in finance representation?
I’d love to see more working moms, including women who decide to return to the workforce after taking time off to be a stay at home mom (like myself). I doubted my skill set, marketability, and ability to juggle work and children after a 7-year departure from the workforce. But I quickly found that with the support from my team at SoFi, I didn’t have to start from ground zero — being a mom was an advantage because it made me a more motivated and productive employee. Job satisfaction is no longer primarily based on title or compensation. I now prioritize other benefits in an employer like flexibility, stability, and culture.
What benefits at SoFi do you feel most excited about?
As a single working mom, I value the flexibility to work from home as needed. While I enjoy being in the office and understand the value that in person interaction brings, I appreciate the ability to pick up a child from school, or take them to the doctor. Being able to balance both work and family is extremely important to me. I feel supported by my leaders and team at SoFi to be a good mom and a good employee.
Last Question, just for fun! What will your next vacation spot be?
For several weeks this summer, I’ll be at the Jersey Shore. I spent most of my summers there as a child! My family has had a home in Long Beach Island since I was in grade school and I love continuing the tradition with my children. We also just got a puppy and are not ready to leave her alone yet!
Thank you Jeanne, we can’t thank you enough for sharing your meaningful experience at SoFi. You are an example of the many talented and inspiring women working in finance today.
The individual featured is a SoFi employee. Their personal experiences, obviously, do not take into account your own specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. Results will vary.
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