A Live Global Strategy Case Study: StepLadder's Expansion Journey

With Lucy Mullins, Co-Founder of StepLadder

We invite business schools and universities to book Lucy to host a live case study session exploring the real-world challenges of scaling a fintech platform internationally.

Recent Session:
Oxford Saïd Business School

Lucy Mullins, Co-Founder of StepLadder, was recently invited to deliver a live case discussion for participants on the Diploma in Strategy and Innovation at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. The session was developed in collaboration with Professor Dana L. Brown, Ph.D., and framed around key themes in global strategy.

Lucy shared StepLadder’s evolution - from its origins as a UK-focused platform helping first-time homebuyers, to its current role as a SaaS provider enabling digital Savings Circles (also known as ROSCAs and ASCAs) across diverse markets.

The discussion examined live strategic decisions, such as:

  • Market prioritization in international expansion

  • Platform adaptation to local financial systems and user behaviours

  • Trade-offs between scale and depth

  • The application of frameworks such as Ghemawat’s AAA model

Bridging Theory and Practice

Students were encouraged to engage critically with StepLadder’s choices and constraints, applying theoretical frameworks to a rapidly evolving real-world case. The interactive format allowed for rich dialogue around emerging market entry, inclusive finance, and the scaling of purpose-driven tech solutions.

This session was also a personal milestone: Lucy first met StepLadder’s Co-Founder and CEO, Matthew Addison, while studying for her MBA at Oxford in 2011. The company itself was born from conversations that began in the classroom.

For Academic Institutions

If your course explores themes in global strategy, entrepreneurship, fintech, or social innovation, this live case can offer:

  • Direct engagement with a founder navigating real-world scaling decisions

  • A dynamic supplement to traditional case teaching

  • Opportunities for students to apply theory in a practical, evolving context

For more information or to discuss incorporating this case into your teaching, please get in touch.