Fay Scott

VP of Marketing

Bio

Fay Vlahu Scott is the Vice President of Marketing at April, a fintech company dedicated to integrating tax solutions into everyday financial experiences. Since joining April in July 2022, she has led a multidisciplinary marketing and brand creative team, focusing on developing personalized tax products embedded within financial decision-making apps. Prior to April, Fay held strategic roles at prominent organizations, including Director of Brand Strategy at Robinhood, where she oversaw brand strategy and creative development for products in the Crypto, Education, and Retirement sectors. Her experience also includes leadership positions at VSA Partners, Huge, and Turner Duckworth, where she managed branding and go-to-market campaigns for clients like Google and Coca-Cola. Fay holds a B.A. with High Honors in Psychology and Technology Management from UC Santa Barbara.

Fay Vlahu Scott is the Vice President of Marketing at April, a fintech company dedicated…

Company:

April

Location:

New York, New York, United States

Description:

Founded in 2021, April is a New York-based fintech company revolutionizing the tax filing process by embedding tax solutions directly into financial services. By partnering with banks, payroll providers, and financial apps, April offers real-time tax insights and streamlined filing experiences, aiming to make tax season less daunting for consumers. The company’s innovative approach has garnered attention in the fintech space, positioning it as a leader in integrating tax assistance into everyday financial tools.

Founded in 2021, April is a New York-based fintech company revolutionizing the tax filing process…

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Conversation
Highlights

In this episode of Marketing from the Frontlines, we speak with Fay Scott, VP of Marketing at April, a fintech startup creating embedded tax solutions. Fay joined April at the Series A stage and built their marketing function from the ground up, establishing a category in embedded tax while navigating the challenges of startup brand evolution. Drawing from her psychology background and 12 years in agency work, Fay shares her framework for disruptive brand strategy and explains how she’s positioning April to serve increasingly complex tax use cases.

Topics Discussed:

Creating a category in embedded fintech (embedded tax)
Building brand strategy through psychological research and customer segmentation
Navigating brand evolution in startup environments
Transitioning from agency work to in-house marketing leadership
Managing brand positioning during crisis (Robinhood post-GameStop)
Targeting unmet needs in complex tax scenarios
Brand strategy refresh cycles in startups vs. established companies
Risk-taking in marketing campaigns and preparing organizations for polarizing reactions

Actionable
Takeaways

Prioritize Research for Brand Strategy Development:

Fay conducted a 4,000-participant segmentation study of taxpayers to identify specific profiles, unmet needs, and financial behaviors. This data-driven approach informed both product development and partnership targeting in their B2B2C model.

Approach B2B Marketing with Emotional Intelligence:

B2B buying decisions are highly emotional because stakeholders' jobs and livelihoods are on the line. Rather than focusing solely on features and functionality, elevate messaging to address the emotional aspects of business decisions.

Create Category Differentiation Through Three Disruptor Elements:

Fay's disruptor brand framework requires: 1) having a clear point of view on the category problem, 2) solving a specific unmet need for a particular customer type, and 3) appearing in unexpected places where competitors aren't present.

Recognize Brand as a Business Multiplier:

Brand is not just marketing—it's a promise and the external articulation of your strategy. While good products can succeed without strong brands, they operate at "1X." Adding strong branding creates a multiplier effect that attracts stakeholders and creates excitement.

Build Brand Strategy for Complex B2B Products:

For April's embedded tax category, Fay reframed the conversation from "adding tax services" to focusing on the business value unlocked through tax embedding—customer data insights, deposits, and improved retention.

Leverage Agency Experience for In-House Roles:

Agency work provides exposure to different industries, mediums, and marketing challenges—functioning like an MBA for marketers. This breadth of experience prepares marketers to handle various challenges when moving in-house.

Expect Accelerated Brand Refresh Cycles in Startups:

While large companies like IBM might reposition every 10-15 years, startups need brand refreshes every 2-3 years. Be prepared to iterate quickly based on market signals and evolving product-market fit.

Prepare Organizations for Brand Risk-Taking:

When planning potentially polarizing campaigns, prepare the organization by building a business case based on projected organic impressions and establishing a clear path to convert attention into revenue.

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