As part of the Morning Lazziness series highlighting empowering women who are making a remarkable impact with their ideas, I had the pleasure of interviewing Lissele Pratt.
Lissele Pratt is a fintech entrepreneur, investor, and speaker with over a decade of industry experience. As the founder of Capitalixe, a multi-million-dollar fintech advisory firm, she has spent the last 10 years helping high-risk sectors secure specialised banking and payment solutions.
In this interview, she reveals the mindset shifts, bold moves, and lessons that helped her turn ideas into impactful online businesses.
What inspired you to enter the fintech space, and what personal or professional experiences led to the founding of your company?
I fell into fintech working as a junior FX broker in London. I loved the pace, the complexity, and the problem-solving, but I couldn’t ignore a glaring gap. So many high-potential businesses were being shut out of banking just because they were labelled high-risk. It didn’t sit right with me. I knew there had to be a way to connect them with the right solutions, and that’s exactly why I started Capitalixe.
Fintech is often seen as a male-dominated industry—what challenges did you face breaking into this space, and how did you navigate them as a woman founder?
When I was working as an FX broker in London, I was spoken over, and even told I didn’t belong, all because I was a woman in a male-dominated space. Those experiences were tough, but they also lit a fire in me. When I started Capitalixe, I knew I wanted to build something different. A place where female talent is welcomed and given the space, support, and opportunities to grow, learn, and succeed.
What specific financial problem or gap in the market does your product solve, and who benefits most from your innovation?
We bridge the gap for high-risk businesses that are shut out of traditional banking. From crypto exchanges to regulated investment platforms, these companies often struggle to access trustworthy and reliable payment solutions. This is not because they’re unviable, but because they don’t fit the outdated risk models of mainstream banks. We connect them with trusted, compliant providers.
How is your approach to financial technology different from others in the space, and what makes your product or platform stand out?
Most fintechs focus on volume, we focus on fit. Our approach is completely bespoke, matching each high-risk client with carefully vetted, regulated providers who understand their industry. Because we only succeed when our clients do, our incentives are perfectly aligned and that’s rare in this space.
What’s been the most impactful strategy for acquiring early users or scaling your customer base in such a competitive industry?
Trust has been our biggest growth engine. In the early days, we won clients by solving the problems no one else could touch and delivering on every promise. In fintech, especially with high-risk clients, word of mouth is the most powerful currency you can have.
How do you balance innovation, security, and compliance when building or scaling fintech solutions?
For us, innovation, security, and compliance are all interconnected. You can’t innovate responsibly without airtight security, and you can’t grow without compliance at the core. We work closely with regulated providers, build in robust safeguards from day one, and stay ahead of regulatory changes so our clients can move fast without cutting corners.
How are you using data, AI, or automation in ways that empower your users rather than overwhelm or exclude them?
We work with a lot of trusted providers that use data, AI, and automation to simplify. Our clients don’t need another layer of jargon. What they need is faster onboarding, smoother payments, fewer manual complications. By connecting clients to the best providers for automating the complex parts of compliance and payments, we give them more time to focus on growth while staying fully protected.
What does leadership look like for you in fintech, and how do you cultivate trust and transparency in a sector that’s historically lacked both?
In fintech, leadership means setting the tone for integrity from the top. I’m transparent with my team, my clients, and my partners (even when the truth is uncomfortable) because trust is built on honesty, not spin.
Trust and credibility are of huge importance in fintech and especially when servicing high-risk industries, this is built from delivering solutions for our clients that actually work, and are reliable. We don’t just sell to make money, we provide solutions to our clients’ problems.
To me personally, leadership also looks like leading by example, with empathy and emotional intelligence and also being able to take constructive criticism and continuing to learn and grow from it.
What are the top 3 mindset shifts that helped you overcome imposter syndrome and confidently own your place as a fintech founder?
First, I realised that confidence isn’t something you’re born with. It’s something you build by showing up every day, even when you don’t feel ready.
Second, I stopped shrinking to make others comfortable. My voice, my ideas, my ambition all deserved space.
And third, I got comfortable with imperfection, understanding that waiting for the “perfect moment” or “perfect pitch” is just fear disguised as procrastination. Progress beats perfection every time.
How do you personally define financial empowerment, and how is your business working to make that more accessible to women or underserved groups?
To me, financial empowerment means having the knowledge, tools, and confidence to take control of your money and your future, no matter where you start from. That’s why I invest in people. I make sure that I focus on hiring women at all levels so our workplace is balanced, and I personally mentor aspiring female founders. It’s about creating real opportunities and smashing the barriers that hold underserved groups back.
Fintech is fast-moving and highly regulated—how do you stay ahead of trends while staying grounded in your company’s mission?
Staying ahead means being curious and disciplined. I’m constantly reading industry articles, following key voices on social media, and tuning into what’s happening globally. I like to keep updated with what’s happening in my niche, as well as the broader economy as everything plays a role in how fintech and finance develops.
What role does diversity and inclusion play in your company culture and product development?
Diversity and inclusion are the foundation of everything we do. Building a team with different perspectives makes us smarter and more innovative, especially when solving complex problems for high-risk clients. It also means creating a culture where everyone feels valued and heard. That mindset carries over into every aspect of our work.
If you could spark a global movement through your work in fintech, what would it be—and why does it matter right now?
I want to see a global push that gets more women into business, especially in tough spaces like fintech. Right now, it feels like the old boys’ club is still holding on tight. But honestly, the future needs women leading the way because diversity is what makes businesses smarter and stronger. If we break down those walls and give women real chances, the whole world wins.
What’s one financial myth or industry narrative you’re passionate about disrupting?
The biggest myth I want to smash is that “high-risk” means too risky or not worth the effort. That label shuts the door on businesses with huge potential just because they don’t fit traditional banking capabilities. I’m passionate about proving that with the right tools and partners, high-risk doesn’t mean high-failure, it means high-opportunity.
What advice would you give to other women looking to innovate or invest in the fintech space?
“Own your space and don’t apologise for it. Fintech can feel intimidating, especially as a woman, but your perspective is exactly what this industry needs. Trust your instincts, keep learning, and find people who believe in you. Most importantly, start before you feel ready. Confidence grows with action, not waiting.”
Where can our readers connect with you, explore your product, or learn more about your fintech journey?
The best place is LinkedIn. I share daily content about my journey into entrepreneurship and on fintech developments and trends. I also have a fintech-focused newsletter. Finally, I host a podcast called Success Secrets, where I talk to founders about the real ups and downs of building something.
