Fintech Nexus

While the fintech lending space is maturing with a number of lenders achieving significant scale today, the longevity of most platforms goes back barely more than a decade. But there is one lender today that was already seven or eight years old during the financial crisis of 2008-09. I am not saying the turbulent times we are experiencing today are equivalent to what become known as the Global Financial Crisis, but there are important lessons that can be learned from companies that survived that time.

My next guest on the Fintech One-on-One Podcast is Al Crawford, the CEO and Co-Founder of BHG Financial. Al founded the company back in 2001 and has been the CEO and Chairman since that time. He has some very interesting lessons to share from running a fintech lender for more than 20 years. I interviewed Al at the recent Fintech Nexus USA event in New York City, where this session led off the Credit and Underwriting track.

In this podcast you will learn:

• Background on the founding of BHG back in 2001.
• The different lending verticals they operate in today.
• What makes their loan funding marketplace unique.
• The recent volume they have seen on their marketplace.
• What they are learning from their borrowers today.
• The lessons they learned from the 2008-09 financial crisis.
• How their bank partners have adjusted their credit boxes.
• How BHG is taking advantage of the pullback in originations from other lenders.
• Details of the ABS deal they closed just after the SVB blowup.
• How BHG runs their credit team.
• Where their borrower demand is coming from.
• How their credit and fraud team helps prevent loan stacking.
• The keys for lenders to survive in turbulent times like we are experiencing now.

Connect with Al on LinkedIn
Connect with BHG Financial on LinkedIn

Connect with Fintech One-on-One:

• Tweet me @PeterRenton
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Find previous Fintech One-on-One episodes

Investing in fintech companies is never dull. The last three-plus years have seen every type of investing environment there is. Are we edging toward a new normal? Probably not yet but investment demand could start to pick up within the next nine months.

My next guest on the Fintech One-on-One Podcast is Mark Fiorentino, a partner at Index Ventures. One thing that is really interesting about Mark is that he comes to venture investing from the operating side of fintech. And not just any fintech, he spent many years at Stripe. I interviewed Mark at Fintech Nexus USA in New York City last month.

In this podcast you will learn:

• Why he decided to make the jump from Stripe to venture capital.
• What specifically attracted him to Index Ventures.
• His investment thesis.
• How he has navigated the downturn in fintech the past year.
• What is different now in fintech than 2019.
• Why he likes investing in Latin America.
• The advice Mark has for his portfolio companies in navigating this challenging time.
• The areas of fintech that he is most bullish on.
• How active they have been as an investor this year.
• Why demand for equity from fintech founders is still down.
• Why there will be a boom in fintech M&A.
• How VCs are being more collaborative today.
• How they are building their network in Latin America.
• Why he believes in the future of AI.
• His thoughts on the funding environment for the next 18 months.

Connect with Mark on LinkedIn
Connect with Index Ventures on LinkedIn
Connect with Fintech One-on-One:

• Tweet me @PeterRenton
• Connect with me on LinkedIn
• Find previous Fintech One-on-One episodes

• Alec Randall, Sivo
• Will Shao, CoVenture
• Moderator: Todd Anderson, Fintech Nexus

• Punit Dholakia, Pipe
• Blair Silverberg, Hum Capital
• Moderator: Brian Korn, Manatt

• Nelson Chu, Percent
• Sean De Clercq, Kickfurther
• Allen Sukholitsky, Masterworks
• Eric Satz, Alto Solutions
• Moderator: Elena Amato, CIM

• Dan McSherry, BHG Financial
• Dave Staley, Prosper
• Brooke Major-Reid, Affirm
• Jason Brown, Victory Park Capital
• Moderator: Larry Chiavaro, LPC Associates

• Ryan Gilbert, Launchpad Capital
• Sarah Hinkfuss, Partner, Bain Capital
• Jade Mandel, Goldman Sachs
• Moderator: Todd Beauchamp, Allen & Overy

• Andrew Hallowell, Arcadia Funds, LLC
• Moderator: John White, Fintech Nexus

• Christina Russ, Truist Ventures
• Emily Man, Redpoint Ventures
• Moderator: Dario deMartino, Allen & Overy

• Frank Rotman, QED
• Moderator: Peter Renton, Fintech Nexus