Bankadelic: The colorful side of finance

As the founder of Zeta, Bhavin Turakhia is a serial tech entrepreneur with strengths in collaboration and payments. But for all his success, he describes his passion this way: “I have always believed it's our moral obligation to make an impact proportionate to our potential.” Direct from Money 2020 in Las Vegas, Bhavin talks about that potential and what it's like to take on the biggest fintech challenges with the zeal of a gamer.

Economists and financial services pros alike were caught off guard by the staggering pace of interest rate hikes and the ways consumers scrambled to find new financial relationships. But bringing data to the task -- and to drive financial inclusion at the same time -- can help financial institutions gain a foothold amidst the chaos. Enter Rutger van Faassen and Adam Stockton of Curinos to help us make sense of it all -- and point the way forward for lenders and leaders in banking.

Going up against megabanks and neobanks, community and regional institutions might be tempted to cede some valuable ground. But as our guest Jeff Galloway of Core10 reminds us, banks that make the move to best-in-class infrastructure improvements can start staking out turf no competitors can touch. At an anxious time when many in financial services would rather sit things out, Galloway makes a compelling case for meeting and beating the big dogs.

Though artificial intelligence has been used in financial services for some time, the industry is only now beginning to grasp generative AI’s potential on customer-facing fronts, while enhancing transparency, accuracy, trust and customization. Kasisto CEO and Co-Founder Zor Gorelov -- who helped create the chatbot as we know it today -- shares the story of KAI-GPT, the first large-language model created specifically for banking, and explains how it works.

Bankadelic’s “Bank to School” special episodes have ranked among our most popular over the years, and our five guests this time around raise the GPA to new heights. Join Professor Lou as he quizzes them about 2023’s teachable moments, the banking industry’s honor-roll-worthy innovations, their agendas for learning — and the best excuse each one had for not turning in their homework.

Our esteemed A students:

Ben Bays, VP of Enterprise Solutions, Praxent

Stephen Curry, CEO, Endurance Advisory Partners

Jeff Grobaski, CEO, Epic River

Brian Kass, President and Managing Director, TruStage Ventures

Kris Kovacs, President & CEO, Constellation Digital Partners

Community banks have been hit by the double whammy of high interest rates and trying to incorporate technology to help them keep up with the times. But leave it to a fintech guy to stress that more than ever, the personal touch matters. Colin Savells, SVP of Revenue at  Teslar Software walks us through how the high-interest rate environment still spells opportunity if banks get the high-tech/high-touch mix right.

While AI is but a shiny new toy in the hands of some, it’s also a tool for bringing unprecedented clarity to how financial advisors and clients collaborate. On this episode, Responsive AI Co-Founder and CEO Day Wachell explains how his company is leveraging tax data to bring sharper insight to the advisor’s work, and help them to provide ongoing guidance in service of clients building better lives.

Remember when they said radio was dead? Then vinyl? Just like those forms of music, cash has yet to be replaced in a high-tech banking sphere. Tom Jordan, the VP Sales Manager at Avivatech, walks us through the case for cash and how cash and check automation management can help financial institutions make the most of consumer resources across the board.

The ugly truth about the phrase “financial inclusion” is that it’s become more of a catchphrase than a commitment for many financial institutions. Anthony Sharett of Pathward discusses how his company’s Banking as a Service suite — and its brick-and-mortar origins dating to 1954 — make for a unique combination. The South Dakota-based FI addresses small business and consumer needs and stresses solid, positive relationships, even if it means turning difficult clients away.

For banks, the Gig Economy represents more than just a side hustle: It’s an opportunity to build the fabric of communities and bring stability to rollercoaster finances. On this episode, Lindsay Hodges of BankiFi talks about how her company is striving to complement technology that makes things seamless for all parties — and in the process, spreads the opportunities for financial success all the way around.