From the Slopes to Startups: How Madelyn Merchant is Carving Her Path in Fintech

“Pizza! French fries! Pizza! French fries!” Madelyn Merchant (Class of 2025) yelled, coaxing a group of preschoolers down a beginner ski slope in Sun Valley, Idaho.

It was 2018, and Merchant, fresh out of undergrad, had traded the office grind for the fresh air of the mountains. She had always wanted to be a ski instructor, and here she was, guiding her students through the basics, teaching them how to steer their skis with simple shapes.

But there was something else she was learning in those moments on the mountain — something that had little to do with skiing.

“It was a crash course in leadership. You learn quickly how to communicate, adapt and focus, even when everything feels chaotic — like managing a class of eight four-year-olds during a sudden blizzard,” she says now, reflecting on the experience.

Years later, that same ability to lead and adapt brought her to the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, where she’s not only pursuing her MBA but also taking the reins as co-vice president of skiing for the Darden Outdoors Club with her friend Andy Baxter (Class of 2025). This December, they’ll lead more than 100 classmates on the annual ski trip to Park City, Utah — a trip so popular it sold out in just two hours.

“It’s wild to see how excited everyone gets for this trip,” she says. “We even expanded this year to try and accommodate more people.”

A Global Business Journey

Merchant’s path to Darden has been anything but conventional. After working as a ski instructor, she pivoted into the world of tech, venture capital and startups, gaining diverse experience along the way. As a fellow for Alter Global, a Silicon Valley venture firm that supports high-growth tech startups in emerging markets, she was connected to Chiper, one of Alter’s portfolio companies — a leading B2B e-commerce ecosystem for corner stores in Latin America.

“At Chiper, I managed customer acquisition for small businesses across Latin America, running ads on platforms like Google, Facebook and WhatsApp,” she explains. “We even reduced customer acquisition costs by 70% — it was a powerful, hands-on experience that showed me how business can drive meaningful change.”

This global perspective helped shape her focus as she arrived at Darden, ready to dive into the growing field of fintech.

The Fintech Focus

During her recent summer internship at MasterCard, Merchant’s career focus crystallized. She led a team developing a generative AI prototype designed to help small business owners better engage with customer reviews.

“It was amazing to see how AI could directly impact small businesses,” she says. “We built a tool that aggregated reviews from platforms like Google and Yelp, analyzed trends and made recommendations on how to improve business operations.”

Her passion for financial inclusion has only deepened since then. On the side, she’s working on Magic Wallet, a project she created to help people optimize their credit card rewards by analyzing transactions and offering personalized strategies.

“It’s about making financial literacy accessible,” she says. “I want to give people the tools to make smarter decisions without the complexity.”

Leadership and Service at Darden

Merchant is also pursuing social impact within Darden. As vice president of the Darden Net Impact Board Fellows program, she helps match Darden students to serve as non-voting board members at local Charlottesville nonprofits, providing hands-on experience in management and governance. She herself serves on the board of Core Knowledge, a nonprofit focused on education.

“It’s a way to use the skills we’re developing to make a tangible impact in the community,” she explains.

And when she’s not leading ski trips or board fellowships, Merchant teaches Foundations in Business to incarcerated women at the Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women through the Darden Prison Entrepreneurship Program. Next semester, she will teach Financial Capability.

“We use the case method, just like we do at Darden,” she says. “The students are so engaged, and they challenge you to think differently. It’s been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.”

The Quiet Impact of Support

Behind all of these opportunities is a quiet but profound source of support. As a Forté Fellow, Merchant’s journey at Darden has been made possible by a Darden School Foundation scholarship funded by alumni gifts to the Darden Annual Fund.

“Receiving the scholarship was a huge relief,” she said. “It’s allowed me to focus on what I’m passionate about — fintech, leadership  and service — without the constant pressure of financial stress.”

The support has unlocked doors that may not have been available to her otherwise.

Looking Ahead

As for what’s next, Merchant hopes to continue her work in fintech.

“I want to help people understand and manage their finances in a way that’s simple and accessible,” she says. “That’s where I see myself making the biggest impact.”

For now, though, she’s focused on leading the Darden Outdoor Club’s ski trip, bringing a group of fellow students back to the mountains.

“I’ve always loved skiing, and organizing this trip is one of the highlights of my Darden experience,” she says. “It’s not just about the skiing — it’s about the community we build along the way.”

Members of the Darden Outdoors Club participate in the “Penguin Chase” during last year’s ski trip to Park City, Utah, where someone dressed as a penguin hides at a bar on Main Street. (contributed photo)

Support Scholarships for All

Every gift to the Darden Annual Fund, no matter the size, directly supports scholarships that empower students from all walks of life, including Forté Fellows. Your contribution helps fund opportunities for women leaders to thrive at Darden. To make a difference today, make a gift.

Create a Lasting Legacy

Establishing an endowed scholarship ensures perpetual support for students. To learn more about how you can endow a scholarship, please contact Samantha Hartog, senior associate vice president of advancement, at +1-434-981-4025 or HartogS@darden.virginia.edu.