In this episode, Bryan Haakenson sits down with Heidi McMillen, Chief Revenue Officer at OttoMoto, to talk through how auto lending really works behind the scenes. With experience across underwriting, banking, and automotive technology, Heidi explains how the lending process has changed over time. From manual reviews to AI-driven decisioning and fraud detection, she breaks down what actually happens after a deal is submitted and why approvals and pricing land where they do.
 
The conversation also digs into fraud, synthetic identities, and the growing role of lender aggregators in today’s market. Heidi shares practical insight into how dealer behavior affects lender relationships and long-term portfolio performance. Together, she and Bryan discuss why it matters to understand what lenders are really looking for and how the right mix of technology, relationships, and back-end products leads to better outcomes for everyone involved.