She left it all behind when her daughter’s simple but impactful ninth birthday wish inspired her to build Goalsetter, an innovative mobile banking and investment platform dedicated to closing the wealth gap in America through financial literacy tools that empower K-12 students and their families.
Tanya Van Court’s story isn’t just an inspiring tale of personal and professional reinvention—it’s a masterclass in resilience, leveraging unique strengths, and redefining success. Her journey offers actionable insights for anyone looking to overcome obstacles, build something meaningful, and create lasting impact. Here are the key takeaways that can help you turn challenges into opportunities.
When the dot-com bust wiped out her million-dollar stock valuation, Tanya didn’t let the loss define her. Instead, she saw it as an opportunity to pivot and focus on what she could control: teaching financial literacy to her children. This shift ultimately led to the creation of GoalSetter, a platform aimed at empowering families with financial education. Tanya’s mindset—seeing adversity as motivation—is a powerful tool for anyone facing setbacks. She put it simply: “All I can do is move forward and make sure…this never happens to my own kids.” This lesson teaches us that in times of difficulty, focusing on what you can control and using it to fuel progress is a winning strategy.
Tanya’s career—from engineering to media to motherhood—equipped her with a wide range of skills that gave her a unique perspective in launching GoalSetter. As she explains, “Remember Nickelodeon girl who doesn’t have a background in banking…but brings entertainment and education…into the world of financial services?” Her unconventional skills became her strength. Don’t discount the value of your diverse strengths—embrace them as tools for innovation.
Early in her fundraising efforts, Tanya faced skepticism from those who told her that “Kids FinTech is not a thing, Tanya, and it will never be a thing.” However, rather than getting discouraged by negative feedback, she listened to the market, which was telling her that there was a need for her platform. “The market…was telling me, yes, we need this,” she says. Tanya’s ability to filter out irrelevant noise and focus on the feedback that truly matters is a crucial skill for anyone looking to innovate. Trust the voices that align with your vision, and don’t let doubt from others hold you back.
Tanya’s most actionable piece of advice is to start small and focus on incremental progress. “Don’t look at other people and …try to contort yourself into being someone who you’re not,” she advises. Instead, Tanya focused on securing $750,000 to develop a prototype for Goalsetter, not a lofty $30 million. This approach allowed her to build momentum without feeling overwhelmed. By starting small and scaling thoughtfully, Tanya turned her vision into a successful platform. This advice serves as a reminder that success is a process—taking the first step, no matter how small, is the key to building lasting momentum.
Tanya Van Court’s story shows us that reinvention isn’t about completely starting from scratch—it’s about building on what makes you unique. By transforming her personal experiences and challenges into opportunities for growth, she created a lasting impact. Tanya’s lessons remind us that the path to success is paved with resilience, authenticity, and the willingness to listen to the right voices. If you’re looking to make a difference, take a page from Tanya’s book: embrace your journey, leverage your strengths, and don’t let setbacks define your future.
