Interview with David Robinson of Academy Bank: Fintech Partnerships, Infrastructure, and Trust

Host - Rory Holland

Interviewed - David Robinson

In This Episode

In this discussion, David Robinson, Director of Fintech Partnerships at Academy Bank, shares the company's goals and various initiatives in the fintech space. He also goes through his personal story of getting into fintech. At Academy Bank, David focuses on growing their banking infrastructure and expanding their reach to serve small businesses and customers across the United States. David stresses that strong relationships and trust are key aspects of their approach, and emphasizes the importance of personal connections and open communication in establishing trust and restoring faith in the financial system. He also highlights the need for bank-fintech partnerships to better serve small businesses and improve access to banking services.

Key takeaways

Academy Bank is focused on growing their banking infrastructure and expanding their reach to serve small businesses and customers across the United States.Building strong relationships and trust are key aspects of Academy Bank's approach.Fintech partnerships are important to better serve small businesses and improve access to banking services.Open communication and personal connections are crucial in establishing trust and restoring faith in the financial system.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

04:49 Competition and Streamlined Processes

09:30 The Future of Lending and Trust in the Financial System

About Mighty Finsights

This is 'Mighty Finsights,' the podcast where finance meets formidable insights and spirited storytelling. Each episode offers a deep dive into the challenges and achievements that define the financial landscape, providing valuable lessons in finance, innovation, and resilience. Tune in for an experience that brings finance to life through the voices of its most influential leaders.

Interview with Eric Youngstrom: Working Capital Solutions – Helping SMBs Grow

Host - Rory Holland

Interviewed - Eric Youngstrom

In This Episode

Eric Youngstrom, Founder and CEO of Onramp, discusses his journey in the finance industry and the purpose behind his company. Onramp provides working capital solutions to small e-commerce businesses, helping them overcome cash flow challenges and grow. Eric emphasizes the importance of supporting independent small businesses to create a healthier economy. He shares success stories of businesses that have grown with the help of Onramp's funding. Eric also discusses the challenges of customer acquisition and recruiting, as well as the future of lending and the need for trust in the financial system.

Key takeaways

Onramp provides working capital to small e-commerce businesses, helping them overcome cash flow challenges and grow.Supporting independent small businesses is important for creating a healthier economy.Onramp has helped businesses grow and succeed, with some customers graduating to more affordable financing options.Customer acquisition and recruiting are ongoing challenges for Onramp.The future of lending lies in better data visibility and underwriting based on business performance.Trust in the financial system can be built by diffusing corporate power and promoting competition.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

04:49 Competition and Streamlined Processes

09:30 The Future of Lending and Trust in the Financial System

About Mighty Finsights

This is 'Mighty Finsights,' the podcast where finance meets formidable insights and spirited storytelling. Each episode offers a deep dive into the challenges and achievements that define the financial landscape, providing valuable lessons in finance, innovation, and resilience. Tune in for an experience that brings finance to life through the voices of its most influential leaders.

Interview with Vamsi Varanasi: Identity Verification – Build Trust, Drive Adoption

Host - Rory Holland

Interviewed - Vamsi Varanasi

In This Episode

Vamsi Varanasi, Product Strategy Lead at Clear, discusses the company's mission to provide portable and secure identity verification in the fintech space. Vamsi begins by sharing his professional experience and how he began working in fintech. He then tells Rory about how Clear aims to empower customers to verify identity once and link it to biometrics, allowing users to easily transfer their identity credentials between fintech platforms. The company focuses on building trust and ensuring data security, with the goal of becoming the identity layer of the internet. Vamsi also highlights the collaborative nature of the fintech industry, and the importance of customer education in adopting new identity verification methods.

Key takeaways

Clear aims to provide portable and secure identity verification in the fintech space.The company focuses on building trust and ensuring data security.The fintech industry is collaborative, with a shared goal of improving customer experiences.Customer education is crucial in adopting new identity verification methods.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Clear's Mission

08:13 Clear's Identity Verification Solutions

13:28 Clear as the Identity Layer of the Internet

About Mighty Finsights

This is 'Mighty Finsights,' the podcast where finance meets formidable insights and spirited storytelling. Each episode offers a deep dive into the challenges and achievements that define the financial landscape, providing valuable lessons in finance, innovation, and resilience. Tune in for an experience that brings finance to life through the voices of its most influential leaders.

Interview with Trey Maust: Banking Innovation Through Partnerships and Trust

Host - Rory Holland

Interviewed - Trey Maust

This Episode

Back in 2006, Trey Maust and Jeff Sumpter started Lewis & Clark Bank–a traditional commercial bank that has embraced banking innovation and evolved to work with third parties to explore new frontiers in banking. In this chat, Trey explains the concept of bankerpreuner: a neologism they coined. He then goes over his own professional history before highlighting how Lewis & Clark has formed strategic partnerships to provide unique banking solutions. The bank focuses on serving clients who value input from experts and are open to soliciting advice from their bankers, attorneys, and CPAs. Trey also shares his view on the future of banking: a critical infrastructure that supplies banking functions and ensures secure and compliant financial services.

Key Takeaways

Since 2006, Lewis & Clark Bancorp has evolved from a traditional commercial bank to embrace strategic partnerships.The bank focuses on serving clients who value input from experts and are open to soliciting advice from their bankers, attorneys, and CPAs.Regulatory challenges are a significant obstacle for the bank, but they prioritize compliance and recognize the value of maintaining trust and confidence in the banking system.Trey believes that working with established banks that have successfully navigated the fintech space can provide valuable insights and guidance for newcomers.For Trey, banking is a critical infrastructure that supplies banking functions and ensures secure and compliant financial services.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

05:34 Exploring the Possibilities of the Bank Charter

10:26 Targeting Unique Solutions and Verticals

15:02 Balancing Stability and Innovation in Banking

About Mighty Finsights

This is 'Mighty Finsights,' the podcast where finance meets formidable insights and spirited storytelling. Each episode offers a deep dive into the challenges and achievements that define the financial landscape, providing valuable lessons in finance, innovation, and resilience. Tune in for an experience that brings finance to life through the voices of its most influential leaders.

Interview with Clayton Mitchell: Navigating Fintech Regulatory Compliance

Host - Rory Holland

Interviewed - Clayton Mitchell

In This Episode

Clayton Mitchell, from Crowe, a public accounting, consulting, and technology firm, chats with Rory about the role of accounting and consulting in the fintech industry. He explains how he got into the world of fintech and shares his experience working with payments and remittance companies. Clayton also discusses the challenges of applying outdated regulatory compliance frameworks to new and innovative business models. He emphasizes the importance of trust in the financial system and the need for collaboration and understanding between regulators, compliance teams, and businesses. Clayton also highlights the value of listening to clients, providing actionable recommendations, and leaving organizations in a better place than when they started.

Key Takeaways

Accounting and consulting firms like Crowe play a crucial role in the fintech industry by helping organizations navigate regulatory challenges and improve risk management and compliance.Applying outdated regulatory frameworks to new and innovative business models is a significant challenge in the industry.Building trust in the financial system requires collaboration and understanding between regulators, compliance teams, and businesses.Creating value in the financial services industry involves enabling innovation, understanding customer needs, and challenging traditional approaches.Listening to clients, providing actionable recommendations, and leaving organizations in a better place are key principles for accounting and consulting firms.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

04:05 Clients and Services Offered

08:10 Challenges of Applying Legacy Frameworks

15:45 What Sets Crowe Apart

About Mighty Finsights

This is 'Mighty Finsights,' the podcast where finance meets formidable insights and spirited storytelling. Each episode offers a deep dive into the challenges and achievements that define the financial landscape, providing valuable lessons in finance, innovation, and resilience. Tune in for an experience that brings finance to life through the voices of its most influential leaders.

Interview with Matt Michaelis: Embedded Finance - The Power to Redefine Daily Life

Host - Rory Holland

Interviewed - Matt Michaelis

This Episode

Matt Michaelis, Chairman and CEO at Emprise Bank, sits down with Rory to discuss the company's journey in the financial industry and their focus on embedded finance. In the family since 1965, Emprise continues to grow and evolve. Matt shares his perspective on going digital, and the challenges and opportunities that come with it in the fintech industry, particularly in relation to regulatory compliance. He emphasizes the need for trust and building strong relationships with customers. Matt believes that the future of finance lies in the intersection of technology and financial services, and that embedded finance will continue to grow.

Key Takeaways

Emprise Bank has been in the Michaelis family since 1965 and has grown from a $20 million bank to almost $2.5 billion.The company is focused on bringing digital solutions to its customers and is on a journey to support embedded finance.The regulatory environment is a major challenge for Emprise Bank and the industry as a whole.The future of finance lies in the intersection of technology and financial services, with embedded finance continuing to grow.Building trust and strong relationships with customers is crucial in the financial services industry.Emprise Bank prioritizes serving their communities with integrity and delivering the best experience.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

00:59 Emprise Bank's History and Focus on Embedded Finance

05:10 Empowering Through Embedded Finance

07:35 Challenges in the Regulatory Environment

11:11 The Future of Finance: Intersection of Technology and Financial Services

15:17 Building Trust and Strong Relationships

About Mighty Finsights

This is 'Mighty Finsights,' the podcast where finance meets formidable insights and spirited storytelling. Each episode offers a deep dive into the challenges and achievements that define the financial landscape, providing valuable lessons in finance, innovation, and resilience. Tune in for an experience that brings finance to life through the voices of its most influential leaders.

Interview with Cody Owens: Optimize Collections With a Loan Management System

Host - Rory Holland

Interviewed - Cody Owens

This Episode

Rory speaks with Equabli CEO Cody Owens about his company’s end-to-end collections management platform. In a few words, Equabli helps banks and fintech lenders effectively manage collections and recovery of delinquent loans. The platform uses machine learning to optimize strategies and improve performance, resulting in cost savings and better customer outcomes. The company aims to create a healthier financial ecosystem by addressing the underserved sectors of consumer finance and improving transparency in the industry. This comes with a few challenges, namely: scaling the business at the right pace, building trust in the financial system, and overcoming the slow adoption process in the industry. Cody’s key piece of advice for someone entering the fintech space is to have conviction, build trusted relationships, and seek strategic partnerships.

Key Takeaways

Equabli is an end-to-end platform that helps banks and fintech lenders effectively manage collections and recovery of delinquent loans.The platform uses machine learning to optimize strategies and improve performance.The company aims to create a healthier ecosystem by addressing the underserved sectors of consumer finance and improving transparency in the industry.Challenges for Equabli include scaling the business at the right pace, building trust in the financial system, and overcoming the slow adoption process in the industry.Key advice for someone entering the fintech space is to have conviction, build trusted relationships, and seek strategic partnerships.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

04:58 Transition from Big Corp to Startup

10:24 Optimizing Recovery Strategies

16:17 Building Trust in the Financial System

About Mighty Finsights

This is 'Mighty Finsights,' the podcast where finance meets formidable insights and spirited storytelling. Each episode offers a deep dive into the challenges and achievements that define the financial landscape, providing valuable lessons in finance, innovation, and resilience. Tune in for an experience that brings finance to life through the voices of its most influential leaders.

Interview with Emily Cisek: Digital Legacy - Why SMBs Need a Succession Plan

Host - Rory Holland

Interviewed - Emily Cisek

This Episode

Emily Cisek, Co-Founder and CEO of The Postage, discusses her journey from a small town on the East Coast to starting her own fintech business in Texas. The Postage is a digital legacy and small business succession platform that helps individuals and businesses prepare for the future. Emily explains how the platform works for both individuals and businesses: it allows users to create legally valid wills, record memories, and build deeper relationships with their families and financial institutions. She also discusses the challenges of working with financial institutions and the importance of trust in the financial system.

Key Takeaways

The Postage is a digital legacy and small business succession platform that helps individuals and businesses prepare for the future.Users can create legally valid wills, record memories, and build deeper relationships with their families and financial institutions.A big challenge is helping financial institutions understand the value of the platform and drive adoption.Trust is crucial in the financial system.Building trust requires understanding and being there for customers in their micro-moments.The smaller players in the industry can differentiate themselves by leveraging technology to build deeper relationships and maintain trust.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

05:05 Expanding to Consumer and Small Business Markets

09:49 Financial Model and Relationship with Banks

16:04 Advice for Entrepreneurs in the FinTech Space

About Mighty Finsights

This is 'Mighty Finsights,' the podcast where finance meets formidable insights and spirited storytelling. Each episode offers a deep dive into the challenges and achievements that define the financial landscape, providing valuable lessons in finance, innovation, and resilience. Tune in for an experience that brings finance to life through the voices of its most influential leaders.

Interview with Justin Fischer: Financial Crimes – Securing Banks and Credit Unions

Host - Rory Holland

Interviewed - Justin Fischer

This Episode

In this conversation, Justin Fischer, Co-Founder and CEO of RiskScout, highlights how his company provides financial crime software solutions for community banks and credit unions. He details how they aim to help these institutions prevent money laundering, better understand their customers, and comply with regulatory requirements. RiskScout offers a comprehensive suite of tools, including customer communication, KYC, transaction monitoring, risk scoring, and regulatory filing. They also prioritize community and collaboration by creating a space for institutions to share ideas and support each other. Ultimately, RiskScout's goal is to help smaller banks and credit unions thrive in an ever-evolving financial landscape.

Key Takeaways

RiskScout provides financial crime software solutions for community banks and credit unions.Their suite of tools includes customer communication, KYC, transaction monitoring, risk scoring, and regulatory filing.The company prioritizes community and collaboration and creates a space for institutions to share ideas and support each other.RiskScout aims to help smaller banks and credit unions thrive in an ever-evolving financial landscape.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Overview

04:16 Adoption and Implementation Challenges

09:51 Customizable Solutions for Specific Needs

25:25 Building Trust in the Financial System

About Mighty Finsights

This is 'Mighty Finsights,' the podcast where finance meets formidable insights and spirited storytelling. Each episode offers a deep dive into the challenges and achievements that define the financial landscape, providing valuable lessons in finance, innovation, and resilience. Tune in for an experience that brings finance to life through the voices of its most influential leaders.

Interview with Colton Pond: Lending Platforms – Innovation and Embedded Lending

Host - Rory Holland

Interviewed - Colton Pond

This Episode

In this chat, Colton Pond, CMO at LoanPro, discusses his company's journey and the market they serve. Colton explains that LoanPro is a lending and credit platform that helps financial organizations launch, service, and manage various types of loans. Colton then highlights the range of clients they serve, from big companies–like Intuit–to small startups. He discusses how LoanPro enables organizations to modernize their tech stack, drive operational efficiency, and innovate in their lending programs. Finally, Colton provides some thoughts on the future of fintech.

Key Takeaways

LoanPro is a lending and credit platform that helps financial organizations launch, service, and manage various types of loans.The platform enables organizations to modernize their tech stack, drive operational efficiency, and innovate in their lending programs.They work with a range of clients from big companies, like Intuit, to small startups.LoanPro is API-first and offers both API infrastructure and a UI for clients.The future of fintech includes embedded finance and embedded lending, where everyday brands can offer financial services.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

04:11 LoanPro's Platform: API and UI

08:59 The Future of Fintech: Embedded Finance and Lending

About Mighty Finsights

This is 'Mighty Finsights,' the podcast where finance meets formidable insights and spirited storytelling. Each episode offers a deep dive into the challenges and achievements that define the financial landscape, providing valuable lessons in finance, innovation, and resilience. Tune in for an experience that brings finance to life through the voices of its most influential leaders.

Interview with David Ness: Fintech Partnerships Within the U.S. Bank Ecosystem

Host - Rory Holland

Interviewed - David Ness

This Episode

In this episode, David Ness, Senior Vice President of Innovation at U.S. Bank, discusses his journey into financial services and his role in leading fintech partnerships. He emphasizes the importance of being humble and curious. David explains how, to know which partnerships and investments to prioritize, U.S. Bank identifies internal pain points and customer expectations. He also shares examples of successful collaborations. Finally, David highlights the impact of fintech in reaching underserved communities, and the importance of transparency and authenticity when building trust.

Key Takeaways

Being humble and curious are important qualities in the fintech industry.Identifying internal pain points and customer expectations helps prioritize partnerships and investments.Successful collaborations have solved issues like deposit switching and digitizing assets.The fintech space has made a positive impact in reaching underserved communities.Transparency and authenticity are keys to building trust in the industry.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

05:40 Example: Solving the Problem of Deposit Switching

10:58 The Importance of Transparency and Authenticity

16:17 The Future of Underwriting and Automation

About Mighty Finsights

This is 'Mighty Finsights,' the podcast where finance meets formidable insights and spirited storytelling. Each episode offers a deep dive into the challenges and achievements that define the financial landscape, providing valuable lessons in finance, innovation, and resilience. Tune in for an experience that brings finance to life through the voices of its most influential leaders.

Interview with Nick Elders: Customer Experience in Financial Services

Host - Rory Holland

Interviewed - Nick Elders

This Episode

In this conversation, Nick Elders, co-founder and CEO of SPARK, discusses his background and journey into fintech. He shares the story of how SPARK–an ​​end-to-end solution for small business lending–was created, as well as the crucial role that the company plays in community and economic development. Nick highlights the challenges faced by SPARK and the broader financial services industry, provides an overview of SPARK’s future plans, and delivers some compelling insights into the potential of fintech in the coming years. Finally, Nick offers advice to those interested in entering the world of fintech and financial services.

Key Takeaways

SPARK plays a crucial role in community and economic development: digital infrastructure for lenders, and digital partner for small business owners.Traditional financial services often lag behind other industries in terms of user-friendly digital experiences—that’s why customer experience is a key focus for SPARK.Distribution and awareness are major challenges for SPARK and other fintech companies.The future of fintech lies in solving current problems and meeting customer demands.To enter the fintech field, you must solve a problem that exists today and focus on creating value for customers.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:41 Getting into Fintech

07:38 Transition from CRF to SPARK

13:35 SPARK's Role in Community and Economic Development

16:18 Challenges in the Financial Services Industry

29:18 Future Plans for SPARK

32:08 The Future of Fintech

34:06 Advice for Entering the Fintech Field

About Mighty Finsights

This is 'Mighty Finsights,' the podcast where finance meets formidable insights and spirited storytelling. Each episode offers a deep dive into the challenges and achievements that define the financial landscape, providing valuable lessons in finance, innovation, and resilience. Tune in for an experience that brings finance to life through the voices of its most influential leaders.

Interview with Jason Henrichs: The Future of Banking - Financial Services and Trust

Host - Rory Holland

Interviewed - Jason Henrichs

This Episode

In this conversation, CSTMR’s Rory Holland and Alloy Lab’s Jason Henrichs begin by discussing the Fintech House experience at SXSW, and the importance of attending events like this. Jason then gets into the purpose of Alloy Labs as a consortium of community banks, and highlights their focus on innovation. He shares his insights on the future of banking and fintech: how they are merging, and how financial services will embed into other industries. Jason also discusses the challenges in the fintech space, and points out the need for startups to solve real problems. The conversation ends with a discussion on building trust in the financial system, and the importance of authenticity and consistency in fintech.

Key Takeaways

Attending events like SXSW is important for people in banking and financial services to stay updated on the evolving needs of businesses and customers.The future of banking and fintech involves their full merger and the embedding of financial services into other industries.Startups in the fintech space must solve real problems in order to succeed.Building trust in the financial system requires authenticity, consistency, and transparency.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Fintech House Experience

01:13 The Purpose of Alloy Labs

03:06 Background and Experience in Finance

05:27 Challenges in the Fintech Space

06:19 Entering the Finance Space

07:38 The Evolution of Fintech

08:06 Building Trust in the Financial System

09:43 Innovation and Problem-Solving in Banking

11:05 The Future of Banks and Fintech Startups

12:54 Restoring Trust in the Financial System

14:54 Authenticity and Consistency in Fintech

17:47 The Importance of Attending Events like SXSW

18:16 Closing Remarks

About Mighty Finsights

This is 'Mighty Finsights,' the podcast where finance meets formidable insights and spirited storytelling. Each episode offers a deep dive into the challenges and achievements that define the financial landscape, providing valuable lessons in finance, innovation, and resilience. Tune in for an experience that brings finance to life through the voices of its most influential leaders.

This is 'Mighty Finsights,' the podcast where finance meets formidable insights and spirited storytelling. Hosted by financial services and fintech marketing agency CSTMR, this show explores the personal stories behind financial innovation, featuring interviews with the innovators, disruptors, and visionaries shaping the fintech and finance sectors. Each episode offers a deep dive into the challenges and achievements that define the financial landscape, providing valuable lessons in finance, innovation, and resilience. Tune into 'Mighty Finsights' for an experience that brings finance to life through the voices of its most influential leaders. Subscribe and join us on this journey at the heart of financial innovation.

Whether you're a finance professional seeking insights from leaders in the field, a fintech founder curious about the latest trends, or someone fascinated by the stories behind successful enterprises, 'Mighty Finsights' is a waypoint to the financial world's complexities and spirit.

Join us as we unveil powerful insights and the incredible people behind them. 'Mighty Finsights' offers lessons not only in finance but also in innovation, resilience, and the pursuit of excellence. It's more than a podcast—it's an experience where finance and insight come to life.

Each episode is a journey into the heart of financial innovation and personal achievement. We sit down with finance professionals, fintech founders, and visionary leaders to uncover the narratives that are often overshadowed by numbers and charts. From humble beginnings to groundbreaking achievements, our guests share not just their successes, but the challenges and setbacks that have shaped their path in the finance industry.