istash

As part of DePaul University’s Integrated Marketing Education (IME) program, I worked on a consulting project for Istash, an early-stage digital wallet startup exploring international expansion.

Our team was tasked with assessing Istash’s potential entry into the Chinese market, one of the most advanced mobile payment ecosystems in the world. To do this, we conducted a multi-layered market viability analysis—combining competitive benchmarking, CAGE framework analysis, and consumer behavior research.

A key part of our research involved using synthetic user interviews to simulate real customer perspectives. This helped us evaluate core product preferences such as security, ease of use, integration with local merchants, and reward incentives. We also explored barriers to adoption for foreign digital wallets and developed personas that reflected different user segments within the Chinese fintech space.

Our final deliverable included a comprehensive strategy report with actionable recommendations around market positioning, feature prioritization, and go-to-market planning.

Working with Istash pushed me to think strategically and globally, while also refining my skills in qualitative research, B2B analysis, and emerging tech marketing.