Meet Stephen Varghese, Method’s Director of Finance & Business Operations

Can you describe your role on the team? 

My role is primarily strategic finance and business operations, which means I spend a lot of time doing financial forecasting, analyzing data to look at how we're performing, and identify ways in which we can improve and grow our company. My work is inherently very cross-functional and as someone very deeply entrenched in our data, I often end up working as a connector between different teams, like engineering and customer success, helping them work better together.

During my first two years at Method, I also worked directly with customers, helping them get onboarded and scale up with Method. That hands-on experience was super valuable because it gave me real insight into what customers actually need, which really helps me with my primary role of handling business operations and finance. 

And lastly, there's the investor relations side. I am actively involved in preparing board decks, investor reporting, and fundraising initiatives. It keeps me plugged into the bigger picture of where the business is headed. You could say I wear a few hats here!

Tell me about your journey into Finance & Business Operations

My love for math led me to engineering at one of India's top schools, but I quickly discovered I preferred the business side over pure research. This took me into financial services consulting and eventually private equity, where I got deep into investment analysis. This was intellectually exciting but a little removed from the action.

I wanted to move from the 10,000-foot view and actually build things; so I came to the United States for my MBA with the intention of transitioning to tech. After graduating, I looked for operational roles. What really energizes me is creating systems from scratch and watching ideas come to life. That's exactly what drew me to Method—the perfect blend of analytical work with the hands-on building that gets me excited every day!

What attracted you to Method?

The opportunity to join a company at its early stages was incredibly compelling, but what really sealed the deal was meeting the team. I already know Mit (COO) from school but through my interactions with Quyen (People & Talent), Phil (legal), and my visit to HQ in Austin to meet Jose (CEO) and the engineering team, I got a genuine sense of who I'd be working with. Everyone struck me as both exceptionally sharp yet fun and easy-going which was a huge factor in my decision.

As a former investor, I also carried out extensive diligence on the market opportunity and Method's competitive positioning. Everything I discovered reinforced that Method is a clear technological leader in a very promising market. What excites me most is that Method is more than just a fintech company, the work we do here genuinely improves people's financial lives and creates real value for consumers. The potential for impact is tremendous!

What else attracted you about Method other than it being an early stage company at the time when you had joined?

The opportunity to join a company at its early stages was incredibly compelling, but what really sealed the deal was meeting the team. I already know Mit from school but through my interactions with Quyen (People & Talent), Phil (General Counsel), and my visit to HQ in Austin to meet Jose and the engineering team, I got a genuine sense of who I'd be working with. Everyone struck me as both exceptionally sharp yet fun and easy-going which was a huge factor in my decision.

As a former investor, I also carried out extensive diligence on the market opportunity and Method's competitive positioning. Everything I discovered reinforced that Method is a clear technological leader in a very promising market.

What excites me most is that Method is more than just a fintech company, the work we do here genuinely improves people's financial lives and creates real value for consumers. The potential for impact is tremendous!

How does your work specifically impact the consumers that use Method?

I work in a highly cross-functional role that spans engineering, customer success, and sales teams, essentially serving as the connective tissue that keeps our organization running smoothly. One of my main roles is ensuring all the moving parts work seamlessly together - keeping the machine well-oiled, so to speak.

Through the direct customer success experience in my first two years, I've worked with our customers to help them unlock maximum value from Method's platform, which gives me invaluable insight into real user needs and pain points. The product partnerships work is strategic. We're always looking for gaps in the market and figuring out what users still need that can enhance the value we provide. Method has already made a big impact, but there's still a long way to go. Partnerships help us expand what we can do and fill in those missing pieces to make our platform even better for users. It's all about building this ecosystem where we can anticipate what customers need and then deliver on it.

Can you describe Method's culture and an experience that encapsulates it?

Method's culture is really energizing. We're a small team and everyone loves coming into the office, which creates this great collaborative vibe you just can't get remotely. We definitely celebrate the fun stuff too; birthdays mean cookies and pastries for everyone! We're all genuinely invested in each other's wins and losses as we navigate this journey together.

Everyone here is seriously talented and operates at a high level that constantly pushes me to up my game. It's awesome to find a place where you get both the personal connections and the drive to do amazing work. That combo is pretty rare, and it's what makes Method’s culture unique.

What's been the most energizing event or moment?

One memory that stands out is this fun cook-off we did in Austin a couple of years ago during the holidays. Different teams competed against each other, and it was a perfect mix of friendly competition and enjoying each other's company. We all had a blast trying to outdo each other in the kitchen, and I was lucky enough to be on the team that ended up winning. We had the best dish! 👨🏾‍🍳

Why should people come and build with us?

What excites me most is the genuine, tangible impact we're having on people's lives. Coming from India, I was surprised to find that the US is behind in financial digitization. India leapfrogged a lot of traditional banking infrastructure when mobile phones became widespread, digitizing financial services rapidly. Meanwhile, in the US, we are still sending physical checks to close loan accounts.

The work we're doing directly improves people's financial lives. We're unlocking opportunities, making credit more accessible, and helping people secure better interest rates and terms. We’re helping drive true financial inclusion and empowerment. 

If you're someone who seeks meaning in your work, Method is an incredible place to be. Everyone here is driven by the mission to fundamentally improve consumers’ financial well-being.