Anastasia Shaura, at just 24 years old, has already lived quite an adventurous life. After diving into computer science at University College London at the age of 16, she dropped out to explore the exhilarating world of startups in London and Singapore, eventually making her way to New York City. It was in this digital playground that Anastasia launched Oops, a quirky experiment-turned-app that went viral on TikTok and quickly transformed her into a Solo Female Founder.
Built by Gen Z for Gen Z, Oops tackles the younger generation's toxic relationship with finance using humor and irony. The app allows users to tag regretful purchases, tapping into a phenomenon Anastasia dubbed "oopsing." In just three months since its public launch, Oops has surpassed 100,000 downloads and cultivated impressive loyalty from users. The team's clever marketing strategy on TikTok not only launched her app into the limelight but also turned heads among industry insiders.
The young entrepreneur started to push the boundaries of personal finance and redefines how her generation perceives money management.
We had the chance to chat with Anastasia about all things Oops and her vision for the future of financial mindfulness.
Anastasia, what was the "oops" moment that inspired you to create the Oops App?
Last winter, my friends and I were sharing and joking about some of our recent "bad" or regretful purchases. The next day I sat down, printed out my bank statement from the past three months, and started highlighting all of the purchases I regretted. The total was $583. I "oopsed" $583 in three months. I'm not proud of it, but this was a wake-up call.
Each day - when it comes to finances - a lot of us choose to be ignorant instead of aware. So I asked myself: what if there was a tool that simplified awareness? After tons of iterations, the answer to that question was Oops.
How did you come up with the idea to use TikTok as the primary marketing platform for Oops?
TikTok plays a huge role in shaping the financial consciousness of Gen Z. There are close to 6 billion views of the hashtag #personalfinance. It is where Gen Z hangs out. Tiktok's fast-paced, ironic nature aligns perfectly with Oops' vibe - allowing us to reach our audience in a way that doesn't feel like a snooze-worthy finance lecture.
How has Oops helped users achieve financial mindfulness through humor and irony?
We've found that when you inject a bit of humor into something as dry as personal finance, people engage more. Tagging a purchase as an 'oops' moment is a bit like admitting you laughed at a dad joke. It's a tiny, self-aware nudge that says,"'I can do better".
How do you think Gen Z's approach to personal finance differs from that of previous generations?
The way we see our future determines how we manage our money. Gen Z thinks about our future in a very unique way. We think about life - family, home, kids - so different from our parents, and it shows in our money choices. Sadly, in the world of personal finance, we're often left behind and misunderstood.
It feels like we are constantly being shamed for our financial decisions, and it can make one feel very helpless. I think this is the biggest mistake of existing PFM tools. At Oops, we designed a different experience -eliminating any negative feelings previously associated with personal finance.
What advice would you give to other aspiring female founders in the tech industry?
Being afraid of something doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. Most of the time the right decision is to run towards your fear. And get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
How has Oops managed to gamify the often daunting task of tracking personal expenses?
No one has really tried reimagining personal finance from the ground up.
By introducing the concept of 'oopsing', we turned a mundane task into an exercise of self-awareness. The app's interface feels like swiping on Tinder or playing a sorting game. That's how we want it - intuitive and simple. It's meant to feel native for my generation. A well-designed product is the one that feels like you already know how to use it. ;)
How do you hope the Oops App will change the way people think about personal finance in the future?
Our mission at Oops is to enable everyone with financial mindfulness, empowering individuals to easily track and understand their spending decisions. Awareness provides the freedom to make informed personal financial decisions, moving away from the conventional one-size-fits-all advice. By making personal finance more personal - we are making it more powerful.
