Weyn Financial aims to disrupt the financial literacy space by leveraging the massive mobile gaming market to provide retirement education. Targeting 'The Invisible Foundation'—women and people of color who control $8 trillion in annual U.S. buying power—the company proposes a gamified approach to 401(k) and 403(b) education. The deck outlines a business model transitioning from consumer freemium to subscription services, supplemented by lead generation for financial professionals. While the team boasts diverse corporate experience from brands like Activision and Quicken Loans, the deck relie…
Key takeaways
- The company targets a combined $8 trillion in annual U.S. buying power from women and people of color (Slide 3).
- Weyn identifies a specific opportunity in mobile gaming, noting that women control 46% of revenue in a $21 billion market (Slide 5).
- The revenue model is a 'Consumer Freemium' approach that evolves into subscription services and lead generation for financial advisors (Slide 7).
- Revenue projections are highly aggressive, forecasting a rise from $7,897,875 in 2016 to $24,187,242 by 2018 (Slide 9).
- The founding team includes roles for a CEO, CQO, CMO, and CTO, with experience cited at companies like Activision, AXA, and Domino's (Slide 11).
- The 'Looking Forward' slide requests $508,000 in Pre-Seed funding to cover the next 12 months of operations (Slide 13).
- The roadmap includes a multi-stage hiring plan, starting with a development team in Asia before moving to U.S.-based hires (Slide 13).
- The deck omits a specific product walkthrough or screenshots, focusing instead on the market 'Problem' and 'Solution' concepts (Slides 3 and 5).
Executive Summary: Gamifying the Wealth Gap
Weyn Financial presents a pitch centered on the intersection of social impact and high-growth technology. By framing the financial literacy of women and people of color as 'The Invisible Foundation' of the economy, the deck attempts to justify a mobile gaming solution for a traditionally dry subject: retirement planning. The deck is structured as a classic problem-solution narrative, though it leans heavily on macro-economic statistics rather than product-specific data.
Slide 1: Title and Contact
The cover slide introduces Weyn LLC with the tagline 'Changing the wealth game.' It includes a direct phone number and email address for Ida Byrd-Hill. The background imagery of a hundred-dollar bill overlaid with a stock market candlestick chart immediately signals the financial nature of the venture. The date 7/13/2015 indicates this is an older deck, providing context for the market figures used later.
Slide 3: The Problem - The Invisible Foundation
This slide defines the target market. It claims women account for 85% of all consumer purchases, representing $5 trillion in annual spending. It also highlights 'People of Color Buying Power' at $3 trillion. The slide aggregates these to an '$8 Trillion in US Buying power annually.' The 'Problem' implied here is a disconnect between this massive economic engine and the traditional financial institutions of 'Main Street - Silicon Valley - Wall Street.'
Slide 5: The Solution - Economic Strategy via Mobile Video Games
Weyn proposes mobile video games as the delivery mechanism for financial strategy. The slide cites a 2014 worldwide mobile game revenue of $21 billion. It breaks down the user base into 684 million women (ages 25-54) and 190 million teens (ages 11-18). A key data point provided is that 'PEOPLE OF COLOR Control 64% of REVENUE' in the US mobile gaming market, citing a 2011 Mocospace study. The solution is presented as a way to capture this existing engagement for financial education.
Slide 7: Revenue Model
The business model is described as 'CONSUMER FREEMIUM evolving to SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES.' The slide lists three primary revenue streams: 1. Retirement Education for 401(K), 403(B), and 457 Plans; 2. Financial Wellness programs; and 3. Lead Generation for Financial Advisors, Insurance Agents, Real Estate Advisors, and Mortgage Lenders. A quote from Heather Tredup of Aon Hewitt supports the idea that gamification in the 401(k) space is in its 'infancy stage.'
Slide 9: Projected Revenue
This slide features a 3D bar chart showing aggressive growth. The projections are: $7,897,875 for 2016, $13,821,281 for 2017, and $24,187,242 for 2018. There is no breakdown of how these numbers are calculated (e.g., ARPU, conversion rates, or number of corporate contracts), which makes them appear as top-down estimates rather than bottom-up calculations.
Slide 11: The Team
The leadership team consists of Ryan Hauer (CQO), Ida Byrd-Hill (CEO), Tamara Oliverio (CMO), and Kevin Hill (CTO). The slide includes a 'Team Experience' section featuring logos from Activision, AXA, Domino's, Quicken Loans, and Borders. 'Team Education' logos include the University of Michigan, Strayer University, Eastern Michigan University, and R.I.T. This slide aims to establish credibility by association with established corporate brands.
Slide 13: Looking Forward - The Ask
The final slide in this set requests $508,000 in Pre-Seed funding for a 12-month runway. The roadmap is detailed across three tracks: Team Building, Product Development, and Company Progress. Notable milestones include hiring a development team in Asia in May, launching a Kickstarter in August, and aiming to 'Disrupt NY Pitch' in June 2016. It also mentions a $5K win at a DEGC Pitch event.
What Works in This Deck
Clear Demographic Targeting: The deck does an excellent job of identifying a specific, underserved, and economically powerful demographic. By focusing on women and people of color, Weyn carves out a niche that many fintech companies overlook.
Market Validation: Using established mobile gaming stats to justify the medium (gaming) for the message (finance) is a smart way to bridge two different industries. It shows that the audience is already spending time and money in the proposed channel.
Multi-Stream Revenue: The revenue model isn't reliant on a single source. By combining B2C (subscriptions) with B2B (lead gen and employer plans), the company shows multiple paths to monetization.
What Is Missing or Weak
Product Visuals: For a company proposing a 'Mobile Video Game' solution, the total absence of screenshots, wireframes, or even concept art is a significant red flag. Investors need to see what the 'gamified' experience actually looks like to judge its viability.
Unit Economics: The revenue projections jump to nearly $8 million in the first year without explaining the cost of customer acquisition (CAC) or the lifetime value (LTV) of a user. In the crowded mobile gaming and fintech markets, acquisition costs are usually the primary barrier to scale.
Technical Feasibility: While the team has corporate experience, the deck doesn't detail their specific history in game development or financial compliance. Building a game that is both engaging and educationally sound is a high bar that requires specific expertise.
Founder Takeaways
Show, Don't Just Tell: If your solution is a visual medium like a game or an app, include high-fidelity mockups. Concepts are harder to fund than prototypes. · Bridge the Gap in Projections: If you project millions in revenue for year one, provide a slide that explains the 'Math of the Business.' How many users? What is the conversion rate? What is the price point? · Leverage Small Wins: Mentioning the $5K pitch win (Slide 13) is a good way to show early momentum and external validation, even at the Pre-Seed stage. · Be Specific with the Ask: The request for $508,000 is specific, which is better than a broad range. However, it should be tied directly to the milestones it will achieve, which this deck attempts to do with the timeline.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the core product Weyn Financial is building?
- Based on the slides, the product is a mobile video game designed for financial education, specifically targeting retirement plans like 401(k), 403(b), and 457 plans. The goal is to use gamification to improve financial wellness and generate leads for insurance agents and mortgage lenders. However, the deck does not show actual gameplay or a user interface.
- How does the company plan to make money?
- Weyn Financial utilizes a three-pronged revenue strategy: first, a freemium model for consumers that eventually converts to paid subscriptions; second, providing retirement education for specific employer-sponsored plans; and third, acting as a lead generation engine for financial, real estate, and insurance professionals.
- Who is the target audience for this platform?
- The deck explicitly targets two demographics: women (who account for 85% of consumer purchases and $5 trillion in annual spending) and people of color (who control $3 trillion in buying power). They specifically highlight the 684 million women aged 25-54 and 190 million teens aged 11-18 in the mobile gaming market.
- What is the funding ask and how will it be used?
- The company is seeking $508,000 in Pre-Seed funding. According to the roadmap on slide 13, these funds are intended to cover the next 12 months, including hiring a development team in Asia, hiring the C-suite and production team, launching a beta, and conducting a Kickstarter campaign.
- Are the revenue projections realistic based on the deck?
- The projections are very ambitious, showing nearly $8 million in year one (2016) and tripling to over $24 million by year three. Given the Pre-Seed stage and the lack of an existing product or user base shown in the slides, these figures represent a high-growth 'hockey stick' forecast that would require significant validation of user acquisition costs.
