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An Interview with Bardya Ziaian, Indie Filmmaker and CEO
Bardya Ziaian is a finance entrepreneur and independent filmmaker. He is the president and CEO of SITTU Group Inc, a consulting management firm dedicated to analyzing and strategizing for companies in finance and technology. His role encompasses system design, strategic consultancy for companies, and investments in early-stage businesses.
Q: For those unfamiliar with it, can you give us a bit of a rundown on what “Fintech” is?
Baryda Ziaian: “Fintech” stands for Financial Technology, which covers any app, software, or tech that allows people to digitally access their financial info. Fintech is way more common than people may realize – for example, if you’ve used your banking app to pay bills, make bills, or if you’ve used an app on your phone to buy things like crypto, you have used fintech. I’m sure if you look at your phone right now you would be surprised at how many fintech apps you have and didn’t realize it.
Q: What would you say are some of the benefits of Fintech for consumers?
Baryda Ziaian: The main benefit for consumers would be convenience. A quick example comes down to getting paid from work and paying bills. If you’re someone who gets paid with a physical cheque, getting that money into your account is as easy as opening your banking app, taking a photo of the cheque and selecting which account it goes into. Then, within a few more seconds you choose a bill to pay, and it’s taken care of. All of that happens within maybe a minute. Compare that to going to the bank to either deposit your check into an ATM or to go to a teller etc. Or to take another example, if your friend or loved one asks you to lend them some money, an app like Venmo gets the money in their account in seconds. It really can’t be overstated what a game changer fintech has become on society in general.
Q: What is it that initially drew you towards Fintech?
Baryda Ziaian: I’ve always loved both math and technology. During University I obtained both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in mathematics. So with that educational skill set, I was pretty sure that I had a career in finance ahead of me. At the same time, I’ve always been fascinated by technology and its potential to maximize efficiency and diversify options for customers. That combined interest has kind of been my “north star” for much of my career.
Q: You’re also becoming known as a film producer. How would you say fintech relates to film production?
Baryda Ziaian: Anytime one sets out to make a movie, a big challenge is the budget. And with good reason – it’s a critical part of production. No money means no movie. That’s true for both Hollywood blockbusters and movies with small budgets. So, it’s imperative to know where every cent is going, considering one has to plan for cast, locations, equipment, prop rentals, and so on. Software that helps with this micro-budgeting is important for staying on track.
