If "The Devil Wears Prada" Were a Fintech Startup

What a fashion magazine can teach us about hiring culture in high-growth teams ?

Hiring in fintech isn’t just about filling seats—it’s about setting the rhythm for your entire company. The right team creates flow. The wrong one? Constant friction.

Now picture your fast-growing fintech being led by a visionary founder—sharp, brilliant, but emotionally unavailable. Expectations are sky-high. Feedback is rare. And onboarding? A mystery.

Sounds dramatic? It’s also the plot of The Devil Wears Prada.

The Devil Wears Prada is more than a stylish drama—it’s a masterclass in what happens when leadership brilliance meets emotional disconnection. The film unpacks ambition, loyalty, and pressure through the lens of one of the most dysfunctional high-performance teams ever shown on screen. Swap fashion for fintech, and suddenly the lessons hit even closer to home.

So what if Miranda Priestly, the editor-in-chief of Runway, a fictional fashion magazine, known for her sky-high standards, swapped couture for code and ran a high-pressure fintech startup instead of a fashion empire?
Here’s what her team dynamics teach us about what not to do—and how to build a culture that scales without the drama.

Lesson 1: Fear might move fast—but trust moves better

Miranda gets results. No doubt. But her team is always on edge. One glance from the boss, and suddenly everyone is stressed, second-guessing, and overworking just to stay in the clear. People follow orders, but no one feels confident enough to speak up or suggest a better way.

In fintech, urgency is real. The pressure to ship, scale, and outperform is baked into the business model. But when your team starts optimizing for survival instead of success, the cracks show quickly. You can almost feel the energy shift—like a plant left too long in the shade, your brightest people start to wilt.

Takeaway: High standards can bring out the best in your team—but if people are too scared to speak up, you’ll only hear silence. Real growth happens when people feel safe, trusted, and heard. Think of it like growing a startup and watering a plant—give it the right environment, and it’ll thrive. People do too.

Lesson 2: Onboarding isn’t a luxury—it’s your compass

Andy, short for Andrea Sachs, is the film's main character—a bright, ambitious journalism graduate who lands a job as Miranda Priestly's assistant at Runway magazine. She’s smart. Capable. Full of potential. But she’s thrown into the deep end without a map. No clarity. No real support. Just vibes and passive-aggressive glances.

Sound familiar?

Startups often skip onboarding in the name of speed. “We don’t have time,” they say. But time spent orienting a new hire is time saved correcting missteps later.

Takeaway: Great onboarding is like handing someone a compass in the fog. It doesn’t slow them down—it shows them where to go.

Lesson 3: “Culture fit” can quietly turn into a team of copy-paste hires

Andy didn’t look or act like the Runway crew. And at first, that made her an outsider. But slowly, her perspective became a strength.

In fintech, we often chase “culture fit”—but too often, that just means hiring people who think, act, and talk like us. That might feel comfortable. But comfort doesn’t build category-defining companies.

Takeaway: Don’t build a team that looks like a copy of your LinkedIn feed. Hire people who challenge your ideas, add new flavors to the mix, and help you grow. The best teams aren’t echo chambers—they’re playlists with depth and surprises. And for that to work, your team needs psychological safety—here’s how to build it.

Lesson 4: Leadership is louder than you think—even in silence

Miranda didn’t need to shout. Her silence said everything.

As a founder or team lead, you don’t just set priorities—you set the emotional tone. If you’re cold, reactive, or closed-off, your team will mirror that energy. If you’re curious, clear, and collaborative, they’ll rise to meet it.

Takeaway: You don’t just build product—you build the weather system your team works in. Make it one they can thrive in.

Lesson 5: People don’t quit jobs—they quit meaning

Andy didn’t walk away because the job was hard. She walked away because she no longer saw herself in the mission. The late nights, missed weekends, and constant pressure only feel worth it when there's meaning behind the work. When that meaning fades, so does motivation.

The same goes for fintech teams. We talk a lot about flexible schedules, stock options, and growth potential. But perks don’t build loyalty—purpose does. If your team doesn’t understand or believe in the mission, the shiny extras won’t keep them around for long.

Takeaway: A strong mission isn’t a slide deck—it’s what makes people show up on tough days. It’s the story your team believes they’re part of—and the reason they’ll choose to stay.

Don’t build a "Prada" culture in a product-led world

Sure, The Devil Wears Prada is fiction. But if you’ve ever worked in a startup where leadership was intimidating, onboarding was non-existent, and everyone just “pushed through,” then you know it’s not that far from reality.

At Evotym, we help fintech companies build teams that feel like a perfect match—not just on paper, but in rhythm, mindset, and mission. We care about your team like you care about your most precious potted plant—nurturing it, checking in, making sure it’s growing strong. It is not just about quick hires, but about the right hires. The ones who lift your product, challenge your thinking, and make Monday mornings actually feel exciting.

Because the truth is— You don’t need a Miranda. You need people who grow with you, not around you.

Contact us today and let us help you build the team that will propel your business to new heights!

‍