Please share your career trajectory to date.
I started my career as a graphic designer, working closely with brands to shape how they show up and communicate. Six years ago, I was working on a branding project for an insurance franchise. Through that project, I was exposed to a real challenge: how advisors present themselves, and how difficult it is to build trust with clients.
That moment sparked what would become ProfileMe.
What started as a design-led problem became something much bigger – a desire to rethink how professionals build trust and stay connected in a digital-first world.
Since then, my journey has shifted from design into building and scaling a technology platform, grounded in one principle: understanding how people connect and designing better ways for that to happen.
For readers who may not know ProfileMe well, how would you describe the platform in one sentence?
ProfileMe helps clients fall in love with their advisor – a mobile-first digital engagement platform that turns everyday interactions into trust-building, client-converting moments.
Rizanne, take us back to the beginning. What specific pain points in the advisor-client relationship were you trying to solve when you built the platform?
The problem was bigger than just the advisor-client relationship – it was structural.
On one level, advisors struggled with representation. They’re expected to operate like entrepreneurs, build personal brands and earn trust quickly, but they are limited by the tools they can use, often due to compliance. What was available in the market was either too clunky, too expensive or not built for the realities of the industry.
At the same time, clients became more digital-savvy, sceptical and self-directed – researching and forming opinions before engaging. Trust had to be built in seconds, often without meeting face-to-face. There was a clear gap between visibility and trust.
And then there was the enterprise layer – where businesses needed consistency, control and compliance across teams, without limiting the advisor’s ability to connect in a human way. So, the challenge was multi-layered: better representation, stronger trust-building and a solution that worked within compliance, not against it. ProfileMe was built to solve this: a single, structured digital front door that enables advisors to show up clearly, consistently and credibly in those critical first moments.
What is ProfileMe’s mission? What are its key features?
Our mission is to help professionals be seen, be trusted and be chosen in a digital-first world. ProfileMe gives professionals a structured, mobile-first presence that is always up to date, easy to share and built for real client engagement. A key differentiator is customisation; profiles reflect both the individual and the organisation, enabling consistency without losing personal connection. From an enterprise perspective, the platform is built to scale, supporting large teams with control, compliance and measurable engagement.
Importantly, it works within platforms people already use. In South Africa, that means seamless sharing via WhatsApp, where real decisions are made.
ProfileMe was recognised as an award winner in the Linktank State of Advice – Tech Survey. What does this recognition mean for you and your team?
It means a great deal. Not just because of the ranking, but because of who it comes from. This is advisor-driven feedback, based on real usage and value. That makes it meaningful in a way industry awards often aren’t. For us, as a bootstrapped business, it is recognition of the work, resilience and belief that it has taken to build something from the ground up. More than anything, it reinforces that solving real problems and staying close to your users is what stands out.
You beat out major, well-funded competitors. What do you believe set ProfileMe apart in the judging process?
Agility is a key factor. As a focused team, we can respond quickly to changing needs and continuously evolve in line with real-world behaviour. Another differentiator is perspective. We bring an outside view, approaching a financial services problem through design and user experience. That combination drives much of our innovation.
We also stay close to our clients. We listen, iterate and prioritise a consistently high standard in both product and support.
You’re a woman leading a self-funded, fast-growing tech platform in a male-dominated industry in a space overshadowed by large corporates. What unique challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?
It’s a double challenge – both in tech and financial services. Credibility must be earned repeatedly. You’re not always in the room where decisions are made and access at the right level can be limited. It’s not always about the value of your solution. Trust is influenced by familiarity and networks.
We’ve navigated that by focusing on the work. We built credibility through consistency, delivering at a high standard and staying close to our clients. Rather than forcing our way in, we focused on building something that performs and let that open the right doors.
What advice would you give to women entering fintech or starting their own tech ventures?
Firstly, a warm welcome. It’s an incredible space. Fintech offers real opportunity to build meaningful solutions, and women bring valuable perspectives, particularly around people. Focus on the work. Don’t get caught up in politics or noise – build to your own standard and let your work speak. Don’t wait for perfect conditions. You do not need everything figured out to start – you need resilience, consistency and belief.
Above all, back yourself.
What are the three biggest mistakes advisors make when presenting themselves online?
The first is assuming old ways will continue to work. The fundamentals haven’t changed, but the way clients discover and choose advisors has. The second is underestimating how much clients care. Your presence reflects your professionalism and how much you value them. The third is overcomplicating it or not starting at all. Effective advisor marketing should be simple, consistent and practical. Low cost, low effort, high impact.
You have conducted research into what financial information consumers are actively downloading and searching for. What stood out most from the data?
Behaviour has shifted. Initially, we saw strong engagement with trust indicators (About Us sections, testimonials and social proof). More recently, there’s been a clear move towards self-service. Demand for tools like calculators, budgeting resources and downloads has increased significantly. Clients are trying to solve problems themselves before engaging an advisor.
What does this tell us about the evolving expectations clients have of their advisors?
It is a move from “Can I trust you?” to “Can you help me take action?” Clients still value trust, but now expect accessibility, clarity and practical support. They want to engage in real time and make progress on their terms. For advisors, this means showing up differently. It’s no longer enough to present credentials. The role is shifting from information provider to enabler of action.
What’s next for ProfileMe – and for you?
We have exciting developments ahead, particularly around partnerships and enterprise enablement. Our focus is on helping advisors engage clients more effectively at scale. You will also see a strong focus on WhatsApp; building tools that enable advisors to share, engage and convert within the platforms clients already use.
