THRILLED by the idea of creating something and solving problems with every project he was presented with, John Matthew Sinclair had his heart set on pursuing a career as an architect. However, with the conviction that tech found him, he recognised an opportunity to bring people together through platforms, apps, and digital experiences, making the future easier, ultimately. As a lifelong learner, Sinclair’s career saw him evolving from a “hard-core coder” to pursuing IT project management and digital transformation roles. While still heavily invested in tech, Sinclair pivoted to explore behavioural change by using technology and growth hacking.

Sinclair’s tenure as CEO of CreditInfo is one he recounts as remarkable because it presented him with challenges he welcomed enthusiastically. It saw him supporting a young team, providing financial, inclusion-focused private and public sector companies with new financial services. However, eager to explore behavioural change through technology and finding the idea of building something to benefit the future of Jamaica attractive, he’s now the chief product officer (CPO) at a fintech start-up. Under his leadership, the company has been commissioned to create different types of user experiences in Jamaica, essentially changing the landscape and behaviours using technology. As CPO he is tasked with bringing frictionless experiences to the market, underpinned by universality and interoperability. He hopes that what is being built should be so easy that it is almost invisible.

But the path has not been easy for Sinclair, though he counts the ups and downs as critical for where he is today. Reflecting on his mistakes, Sinclair admits that he has had many ideas and dreams but didn’t take action. Fear of failing, and possible embarrassment, led to hesitation about venturing into the unknown or taking significant risks, resulting in many lost opportunities. Help came from a close circle of friends who shared different perspectives and continuously learned and pushed each other. Embracing a fresh perception that FAIL means the “first attempt in learning”, Sinclair now believes “that most times success will overcompensate for failure and that it is a part of the process, but you must believe that you will always come back stronger. A dream without action serves no purpose, and we shouldn’t delay,” a philosophy he lives by daily, Sinclair admitted.

Sinclair feels that the digital age is an opportune time for established companies, and even more so for start-ups with equally significant challenges. As a digital attacker mainly associated with the fintech space, Sinclair also sees disruption as a phenomenon allowing small companies to provide new services and greater collaboration with traditional companies. Sinclair sees himself as a digital native given game-changing opportunities.