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Guest: Levi — Founder/Builder at Nav
Topic: Making business credit visible, useful, and fundable.

Key Takeaways

• Business credit ≠ consumer credit. The ecosystem is opaque; owners often don’t know what’s being scored—or why. Nav makes it legible and actionable.
• Visibility first, capital second. You can’t optimize what you can’t see. Pull your business credit data, fix errors, and understand how banks read your file.
• Cash-flow signals matter. The wrong checking account or weak deposits can silently disqualify you from entire categories of financing.
• Right product, right stage. Lines, cards, term loans, and revenue-based financing each fit different business seasons. Matching beats “spray and pray.”
• Data > guesswork. Nav’s approach reduces randomness by aligning real business data with lender criteria—moving you from “no idea” to “next step.”

What We Cover

• The “blind spot” in traditional small-business credit and how Nav closes it.
• How to build a real business credit profile (beyond your personal FICO).
• Cleaning up silent killers: bank account choice, thin files, mismatched signals.
• Funding ladders: which instruments to use and when to move up.
• The future of business credit data and where underwriting is headed.

Practical Actions for Owners

1. Pull your business credit reports (all major bureaus) and correct inaccuracies.
2. Bank where you build: choose accounts that strengthen underwriting signals.
3. Sequence your funding: start with the product that fits today’s data, not tomorrow’s hopes.
4. Separate personal and business credit early; establish consistent trade lines.
5. Monitor monthly so you can course-correct before you apply.

Memorable Lines

• “You don’t know it’s eliminating you from financing—until someone shows you.”
• “Visibility isn’t vanity; it’s eligibility.”
• “Match the capital to the stage, not the dream.”

Resources Mentioned

• Nav – business credit visibility and funding matches.
• Major business credit bureaus (e.g., D&B, Experian, Equifax).
• Business credit cards, lines of credit, term loans, revenue-based financing.

About the Guest

Levi is the founder behind Nav, serving 2.4M+ small-business users and backed by $200M+ in capital. He’s an operator-investor who’s sat on multiple fintech boards and spends his time solving real owner problems with clean data and clear decisions.

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Episode Summary

Amy — a retired Texas teacher living on a fixed income — whose protected retirement funds were swept from her bank account to satisfy an old, likely time-barred credit-card judgment. By filing a detailed complaint with the CFPB and notifying both the collector and the bank that the funds were protected under Texas law, Amy triggered a reversal and got her money back. The episode explores why precision in language matters, what ‘protected funds’ and ‘time-barred debt’ mean, how responses differ between banks and collectors, and the broader, compounding costs of consumer-financial abuse on older Americans.

Key Topics

• Protected funds and Texas anti-garnishment protections
• Time-barred debt and judgment enforcement
• How to file an effective CFPB complaint (what to say, who to notify)
• Bank vs. debt-collector obligations and typical responses
• The hidden tax of junk fees, high-risk interest, and remediation costs on fixed-income seniors

Practical Takeaways

• Name the money source explicitly (e.g., Texas teachers’ retirement) and state it is protected under state law.
• File a CFPB complaint and share it with both the collector and the bank, in writing.
• Keep records: dates, amounts, messages, and call notes help accelerate resolution.
• Older Americans on fixed incomes are disproportionately harmed by junk fees and predatory products.
• Policy matters: clear rules and enforcement protect households long before a crisis does.

Resources Mentioned

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Complaint Portal (file and track complaints)
• Your state’s exemptions chart (review protections for wages, retirement, and benefits)
• Legal aid organizations for debt-collection and garnishment issues
• Bank account ‘benefits-only’ direct-deposit settings and alerts

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Title: Insuring Fraud at Signup: Sunil Madhu on AI Underwriting, Faster Approvals, and Claims in 30 Days
Guest: Sunil Madhu, Founder & CEO, Instnt (previously Founder & CEO, Socure)
Length: ~41 minutes

What This Episode Is About

Most fraud tools try to detect risk. Instnt goes a step further: it underwrites onboarding fraud risk in real time and transfers residual loss to A-rated insurers. For consumers, that can mean fewer false declines and faster approvals. For institutions, it can free up risk capital and reduce the pressure to add friction “just in case.”

Who Should Listen

• Banking, fintech, and payments leaders balancing growth vs. fraud
• Compliance and risk teams navigating KYC/AML, Reg E, and UDAAP
• Curious listeners who want a plain-English look at how onboarding actually works

Key Topics We Cover

• The customer journey: where the binary “insurable / not insurable” decision fires during signup and what changes for the user experience
• What’s novel: pairing AI risk assessment with insurance capacity—not just a score, but loss transfer
• Claims & operations: online filing and marketed ~30-day payouts; how coverage coexists with chargebacks and statutory consumer redress
• Risk incentives: preventing moral hazard and keeping approvals smart (model governance, recalibration, bias checks)
• Compliance fit: how the model sits alongside existing KYC/AML stacks and why it doesn’t change Reg E obligations to consumers
• Market impact: where traditional defenses fail (e.g., synthetics, first-party fraud) and how insurability changes economics

Plain-English Glossary

• Onboarding fraud: Fraud that happens while opening or activating an account (e.g., stolen or synthetic identity).
• Loss transfer: Moving expected fraud losses from the institution’s P&L to an insurance policy.
• False decline: A legitimate customer wrongly blocked or forced through excessive friction.
• Moral hazard: The risk of loosening controls just because losses are insured.

Takeaways

1. Consumers feel it: Insuring residual fraud risk lets institutions remove friction and cut false declines, improving first impressions.
2. Finance cares: Moving expected losses off the books can free reserves, turning fraud spend from a pure cost to a growth enabler.
3. Policy still binds: Insurance doesn’t erase Reg E or consumer redress—coverage is about the institution’s residual loss, not limiting statutory rights.
4. AI with accountability: Real-time underwriting must come with explainability and recalibration to avoid bias and drift.

Suggested Chapter Guide (approx.)

• 00:00–04:30 | Why fraud insurance at onboarding exists
• 04:30–12:00 | The “apply → approved” flow and the insurability decision
• 12:00–20:00 | Claims, payouts, and what changes for ops teams
• 20:00–30:00 | Compliance fit: KYC/AML, Reg E, data privacy
• 30:00–40:00 | Incentives, bias, and the future of AI + insurance

Resources

• Guest: Sunil Madhu (LinkedIn)
• Company: Instnt — identity fraud loss insurance for onboarding (AI underwriting + A-rated insurer backing)

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Paying U.S. college tuition from abroad can be slow, expensive, and confusing. Crebit says it fixes that by letting families in Brazil and Mexico pay locally (PIX or bank transfer), converting funds to USD, and delivering a check directly to the school—positioning itself as a faster, lower-cost alternative to incumbents like Wise and Flywire. We unpack how the product works, the regulatory plumbing (KYC/AML, FX/US checks), where the savings come from, and what this means for international families and bursar offices.
crebitpay.com+1

• Simmi Sen (Crebit)
• J. Coonradt (Crebit)
  (Both joined to discuss the product and roadmap; roles/titles may evolve.)

• What Crebit does: Families pay in local currency (e.g., BRL via PIX), Crebit converts to USD and issues a check to the university—streamlining a process that’s often fragmented across banks and payment platforms.
  crebitpay.com
• Why it matters: International tuition payments are fee-heavy and time-consuming. Crebit markets “faster transfers and better rates” than Wise/Flywire; the team breaks down where those savings may emerge (FX spread, fee structure, operational model). (Claim per company site.)
  getcrebit.com
• Brazil context: PIX has transformed domestic payments in Brazil (trillions of BRL annually), creating user behavior and rails that cross-border services like Crebit can tap.
  PagBrasil
• School operations: Receiving a USD check directly simplifies reconciliation for bursars and avoids wire-related mystery fees.
  crebitpay.com
• Who benefits first: Families in Brazil and Mexico paying U.S. tuition; potential expansion paths to other corridors.

(Adjust times to your actual edit.)

1. The problem — international tuition pain points (fees, delays, opaque FX).
2. Crebit’s flow — local pay-in (PIX/bank), FX conversion, USD check delivery.
   crebitpay.com
3. Comparing to incumbents — where rates/speeds diverge vs. Wise/Flywire; what “better” means in practice. (Company positioning.)
   getcrebit.com
4. Regulatory plumbing — KYC/AML, corridor compliance, school receiving processes.
5. Brazil spotlight — the PIX effect and why BRL→USD corridors are unique.
   PagBrasil
6. Roadmap & expansion — additional countries, payment methods, campus integrations.
7. Advice for families — how to compare fees, FX spreads, and delivery times across providers (what to ask before sending).
8. What’s next for Crebit — product integrations and university onboarding.

• “Pay locally, settle in USD—schools get what they expect without wire surprises.”
  crebitpay.com
• “Our goal is faster transfers and better rates than the legacy options.” (Company claim.)
  getcrebit.com

• Crebit (homepage) – overview & positioning.
  getcrebi

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Episode Summary:
In this special episode of Financial Forward, we present Jim McCarthy’s keynote address from FinovateSpring 2025, held in San Diego, California. With over three decades in banking and regulatory leadership, including pivotal roles at the FDIC and as a founding member of the CFPB, Jim shares a powerful perspective on the future of financial services under the returning Trump administration.

The speech explores the risks and opportunities of deregulation, the impact on consumer protection, and the expected wave of bank mergers and fintech innovation. Jim also addresses the ethical challenges of a system with fewer oversight mechanisms and calls on industry leaders to step up when traditional regulators pull back.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• The new deregulation landscape and its potential to reshape the financial sector.
• Systemic and consumer risks that could emerge when oversight diminishes.
• Opportunities for innovation in fintech and distressed debt markets.
• The ethical imperative for leaders to uphold accountability in times of loosened regulation.
• Why trust and responsibility will be the deciding factors in the next chapter of banking and fintech.

Key Moments

• 00:00 – Introduction: Setting the stage at FinovateSpring 2025.
• 03:15 – The Landscape of Deregulation: How agency cuts and policy shifts create a vacuum.
• 06:20 – Risks of Deregulation: From consumer harm to systemic threats.
• 09:35 – Opportunities of Deregulation: Innovation, M&A, and market entry advantages.
• 12:50 – Who Watches the Watchers?: The conflict of gatekeepers and the need for ethical leadership.
• 15:10 – Closing Thoughts: A call to action for the industry to balance innovation with responsibility.

About the Speaker:
Jim McCarthy is Chairman of McCarthy Hatch, a financial technology and consulting firm focused on regulatory risk management. A former FDIC leader during the financial crisis and a founding member of the CFPB, Jim brings unparalleled insight into the intersection of regulation, compliance, and innovation.

Resources & Links:

• Follow Jim McCarthy on LinkedIn
• Learn more about McCarthy Hatch: www.mccarthy-hatch.com
• Subscribe to Financial Forward for more industry insights

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“FirstCash, the CFPB, and Military Lending Protections: A Follow-Up to Our Service Member Panel”

Release Date:
July 2025

🔍 Episode Overview

In this special follow-up episode of Financial Forward, host Jim McCarthy revisits the critical topic of military financial protections in the wake of a major enforcement action by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

Since the airing of our original Service Member Panel, the CFPB reached a $9 million settlement with FirstCash, Inc. and its subsidiaries for violations of the Military Lending Act (MLA). The Bureau alleged unlawful pawn loans with APRs over the MLA’s 36% cap, mandatory arbitration clauses, and missing disclosures—violations that also breached a 2013 Bureau order.

To help unpack the implications of this case and what it means for the financial marketplace, Jim is joined by returning guests:

👥 Featured Guests

🔹 Eric Goldberg

• Chambers-ranked expert in consumer financial services compliance and regulation
• Former Senior and Managing Counsel at the CFPB, where he led rulemaking on payments, credit, arbitration, and more
• Advisor to fintechs and banks on launching compliant, innovative financial products

🔹 Colonel Paul Kantwill, U.S. Army (Ret.)

• Former Assistant Director, CFPB Office of Servicemember Affairs
• Led the Department of Defense policy team that implemented the Military Lending Act
• Professor, veteran advocate, and national voice on military and consumer financial law

💡 Topics Covered

• Details of the CFPB’s July 11, 2025 enforcement action against FirstCash
• The Military Lending Act – what it protects and why it matters
• Insights from those who helped write and enforce the MLA
• Compliance expectations for lenders serving military families
• Broader implications for fintech and financial institutions

📎 Resources & Links

• 🔗 CFPB Press Release: FirstCash Settlement (July 11, 2025)
• 🎧 Original Service Member Panel Episode
• 📄 Military Lending Act Overview – CFPB

💬 Join the Conversation

Are you a servicemember with a financial story to share? A compliance officer with questions about the MLA? Reach out to us at [email protected] or connect with us on LinkedIn.

🎧 Listen & Subscribe

Available wherever you get your podcasts:

• Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Amazon Music

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Recorded: Tuesday, July 1 | 1:00 PM CT
Presented by: McCarthy Hatch

🎯 Episode Overview:

As the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) sharpens its lens on how financial institutions serve military members and their families, this live panel explores the evolving regulatory landscape and the moral imperative to do better.

We go beyond compliance checklists to examine complaint data, identify institutional risks, and spotlight opportunities to lead with integrity.

👥 Featured Panelists:

• Jim McCarthy
  Chairman, McCarthy Hatch
  Founding member of the CFPB, regulation expert, and host of Financial Forward.
• Eric Goldberg
  Partner, Akerman LLP
  Nationally recognized regulatory attorney with deep experience advising banks and fintechs on CFPB rules and servicemember protections.
• Lezlie Hansen
  Executive, U.S. Bank
  Senior banking leader overseeing compliance and customer experience, with a strong focus on military financial services.
• Colonel Paul Kantwill (Ret.)
  Former Assistant Director, Office of Servicemember Affairs, CFPB
  Decorated U.S. Army veteran and one of the most respected voices in military consumer protection.

🔍 Topics Covered:

• The CFPB’s intensifying enforcement posture on military-related financial harm
• Common SCRA compliance failures—and their legal and reputational risks
• Trends emerging from complaint data and regulatory actions
• What military families are experiencing in the marketplace today
• Best practices for banks and servicers navigating scrutiny with integrity
• How to build an internal culture that respects, protects, and empowers those who serve

📌 Key Takeaways:

• Data is destiny: Complaint trends offer early signals of where regulators are headed next.
• Culture matters: Compliance with the SCRA isn’t just a legal issue—it’s a leadership one.
• Enforcement is rising: Expect increased scrutiny, particularly in lending, collections, and repossessions involving servicemembers.
• Institutions must lead: Those who proactively close gaps and invest in consumer fairness will be best positioned to thrive.

📚 Resources Mentioned:

• Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) guidance
• CFPB enforcement updates
• McCarthy Hatch’s FSAi risk monitoring technology
• Akerman LLP legal insights hub
• U.S. Bank’s commitment to military families
• Kantwill Strategies: Veteran advocacy and training

📣 Stay Connected:

👉 Follow McCarthy Hatch on LinkedIn
💬 Reach out to Jim McCarthy for speaking engagements or media inquiries
🎧 Subscribe to Financial Forward for future episodes and webinars

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“AI Governance & Change Management in Financial Services”
Guest: Parijat Banerjee, Global Head of Financial Services at LatentView Analytics

🔗 Episode Summary

In this episode of Financial Forward, host Jim McCarthy sits down with Parijat Banerjee, a leading expert in financial data analytics and the Global Head of Financial Services at LatentView Analytics. Together, they explore the challenges and opportunities financial institutions face in implementing AI-driven transformation, with a special focus on AI governance, data integrity, risk alignment, and change management.

Drawing from nearly two decades of experience in data-first consulting, Parijat shares how financial organizations can adapt to the rapidly evolving AI landscape while maintaining compliance, trust, and operational resilience. This is a must-listen for leaders navigating digital modernization, regulatory scrutiny, and cultural shifts inside banks and financial service providers.

💡 Topics Covered

• The current state and future trajectory of AI adoption in banking
• Governance models that support responsible AI use
• The importance of cross-functional collaboration between compliance, risk, and IT
• How to translate AI strategy into execution without disrupting core operations
• The cultural and organizational shifts needed for successful change management
• Lessons from working with global Fortune 500 clients

👤 About Our Guest

Parijat Banerjee is the Global Head of Financial Services at LatentView Analytics, a data-native consulting firm helping some of the world’s most respected organizations harness the power of data for decision-making. With over 20 years of experience, Parijat leads transformation initiatives across analytics, AI, and digital strategy.
🔗 Connect with Parijat on LinkedIn

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This episode is proudly supported by BoulevardCoffee.co — a Women-Owned Small Business delivering handcrafted blends with heart. Support small business and grab your next cup of meaning at BoulevardCoffee.co.

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New episodes drop regularly featuring deep conversations at the intersection of finance, technology, and regulation.

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Episode Title: Behind the Credit Curtain: Understanding Consumer Reporting with NCRA’s Eric Ellman
Guest: Eric Ellman, President of the National Consumer Reporting Association (NCRA)
Host: Jim McCarthy

🎙️ Episode Summary:

In this episode of Financial Forward, host Jim McCarthy sits down with Eric Ellman, the newly appointed president of the National Consumer Reporting Association (NCRA), to explore the often-overlooked yet critically important world of consumer reporting agencies.

With more than 25 years of experience at the forefront of data policy and financial services—most recently with the Consumer Data Industry Association (CDIA)—Eric brings a unique lens to the complex network of companies that help banks, lenders, and employers make informed decisions. Now at the helm of NCRA, Eric is working to amplify the role of smaller, specialized consumer reporting agencies, particularly in the mortgage and tenant screening sectors.

Whether you're a banker, a compliance executive, or a consumer navigating your financial journey, this episode demystifies how consumer data flows, what powers credit decisions, and how industry players are responding to growing regulatory scrutiny.

📌 Topics Covered:

• What is the NCRA and who are its members?
• The difference between the “Big Three” credit bureaus and resellers/specialty agencies
• How consumer reports are created and used in the mortgage and employment industries
• The role of trade associations in shaping data policy and consumer protection
• The impact of CFPB regulations and evolving expectations around data accuracy and consumer rights
• What bankers and consumer finance leaders need to understand about the data supply chain
• What consumers should know about how their credit and tenant reports are built and used

👤 About Our Guest:

Eric Ellman is the President of the National Consumer Reporting Association (NCRA). He previously served as Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Legal Affairs at the Consumer Data Industry Association (CDIA), where he led government affairs and served twice as Acting CEO. He is a veteran of the consumer reporting space and one of the country’s leading voices on data use, accuracy, and policy.

🧠 Who Should Listen:

• Bankers and mortgage professionals seeking a deeper understanding of the consumer data pipeline
• Compliance and risk executives monitoring third-party data use
• Fintech leaders building tools that rely on credit or background checks
• Consumers interested in understanding how their financial data is collected and used

🔗 Resources Mentioned:

• National Consumer Reporting Association (NCRA)
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
• Consumer Data Industry Association (CDIA)

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If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow Financial Forward on your favorite podcast platform. Leave us a review and share this episode with colleagues and friends in the financial services industry.

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🔍 Episode Summary:

In this unforgettable episode of Financial Forward, host Jim McCarthy reconnects with Jacob, the breakout analyst from McCarthy Hatch whose debut podcast went viral. But Jacob's talents go far beyond financial risk modeling — turns out, he was hired as Luka Dončić’s body double in the buzzy new Jordan Brand ad, ‘The Trial of Luka Dončić’.

We dive into Jacob’s unexpected journey from spreadsheets to spotlights — how he landed the role, what it was like on set, and how he balances regulatory risk work with a little celebrity on the side. It’s a conversation that proves opportunity can strike anywhere — on a Zoom call or a sound stage.

☕ Sponsored by:

BoulevardCoffee.co
We’re proudly sponsored today by Boulevard Coffee, a woman-owned coffee shop committed to bold brews and strong communities. Whether you’re building financial models or building your dream, Boulevard Coffee is here to fuel your journey. Shop online or visit in person — and tell them Financial Forward sent you.

💡 Featured Topics:

• How Jacob's first Financial Forward episode went viral
• The story behind The Trial of Luka Dončić commercial
• Behind the scenes of working as a body double
• Balancing analyst life and unexpected fame
• What we can learn about opportunity — in finance and beyond

🎙️ About the Host:

Jim McCarthy is the Chairman of McCarthy Hatch and a founding executive of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. He brings 30+ years of regulatory and consumer finance experience — and a belief that the best stories in finance are often the ones you never see coming.

📢 Free Ad Space Campaign:

Financial Forward offers free ad space to women-owned and protected businesses. If that’s you — or someone you know — we’d love to feature your story on a future episode. Reach out at [email protected].

🔗 Episode Links:

• 🎥 Watch The Trial of Luka Dončić commercial
• ☕ Support today’s sponsor: Boulevard Coffee

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