Instant Payments

Host Tal Clark, CEO of Instant Financial, interviews generational researcher and Center for Generational Kinetics president Jason Dorsey about CGK’s custom national study with Instant, “Underserved: The Financial Reality of America’s Hourly Restaurant Workers.” Jason explains the study’s Census-weighted methodology and discusses the perception gap between executives and frontline realities, noting leaders often view earned wage access (EWA) negatively while frontline managers want it. Key findings include 75% of restaurant workers living paycheck to paycheck and 61% skipping a meal in the last month due to lack of funds. They describe poor alternatives due to lack of choices such as overdraft and late fees, credit card cash advances, and payday lending, and urge leaders to read the research to understand how hourly restaurant workers are trying to navigate the economy.

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

01:34 Jason’s Background and Intro to CGK

04:11 Study Setup and Method

07:27 Leadership Perception Gap

10:28 Most Shocking Findings

12:55 Generational Differences

16:12 Why EWA Matters

19:12 Costly Workarounds

21:28 Message to Leaders

23:49 Rapid Fire Questions

27:09 Closing and Resources

Instant Financial: instant.co

Center for Generational Kinetics: https://genhq.com/

Connect with Tal Clark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tal-clark-a60776b/

Connect with Jason Dorsey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasondorsey/

References

• Free download of Underserved: The Financial Reality of America’s Hourly Restaurant Workers: https://www.instant.co/2026-restaurant-study/

Host Tal Clark, CEO of Instant Financial, continues the conversation with Ben Elliott, CFO of Randstad USA, on staffing trends and earned wage access. Ben says daily access to earned wages helps recruiting and retention, citing improved shift adherence and reduced call-outs/turnover, and notes the appeal extends beyond hourly workers to professionals. He also highlights workforce trends from the Randstad Work Monitor 2026 and Randstad’s digitization strategy, including the Randstad app for enrollment and job selection. Other themes include the importance of direct managers and work-life balance for retention, flatter career paths emphasizing horizontal experiences, increased client demand for identity verification to combat fraud, and careful AI use for efficiency and upskilling without bias in hiring decisions. Ben also shares career advice on volunteering, continuous learning, and mentoring.

00:00 Welcome Back and Setup

00:36 Talent Response to Daily Pay

02:31 Pitching Earned Wage Access

04:26 Instant Gratification and Not a Loan

05:20 Big Workforce Trends Now

09:46 Client Tech Demands and Verification

11:24 AI in Staffing and Compliance

14:41 Career Advice and Mentorship

16:57 Rapid Fire Round

19:16 Wrap Up and Where to Follow

Instant Financial: instant.co

Randstad: https://www.randstadusa.com/

Connect with Tal Clark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tal-clark-a60776b/

Connect with Ben Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-elliott-0586202

References

• Stephen Covey: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Stephen-R.-Covey/author/B000AQ2VAQ
• Born Fighting, by James Webb: https://a.co/d/04IvJJCa

Host Tal Clark, CEO of Instant Financial, opens season two of the Instant Payments Podcast with guest Ben Elliott, U.S. CFO of Randstad, who leads the North America Financial Shared Services organization supporting $6B in operations. Ben explains how Randstad serves employers with flexible access to workers across industries and helps talent access jobs, skills, and reliable pay, noting Randstad puts 300,000+ people to work daily globally and 70,000+ in North America, split roughly 50/50 between commercial and professional staffing. He describes Randstad’s complex payroll operations across 40+ states, tracking timecards in near real time, running three weekly payroll cycles, and targeting accuracy. Ben discusses why Randstad implemented earned wage access with Instant in 2021, citing technology maturity, competitive demand, operational controls, and ease of enrollment.

00:00 Welcome to Season Two

00:45 Meet Ben Elliott

02:22 What Randstad Does

04:14 Randstad Scale and Staffing Mix

05:27 Ben’s Career Journey

07:49 Payroll Complexity and Systems

10:18 Payroll Cycles and Tracking

11:46 Defining Payroll Success

14:04 Why Earned Wage Access

16:47 Wrap Up and Where to Follow

Instant Financial: instant.co

Randstad: https://www.randstadusa.com/

Connect with Tal Clark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tal-clark-a60776b/

Connect with Ben Elliott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-elliott-0586202

Tal Clark hosts part two of the Instant Payments Podcast with Laura McLand, VP of HR at Sun Holdings, a major U.S. restaurant group with 30,000+ employees, discussing HR trends including earned wage access and digital tipping. Laura says fast, fee-free access to tips improves satisfaction, and notes the shift from physical pay cards to mobile payments. She describes Sun Holdings’ efforts to position restaurant work as a career path, reporting retention improved by 20% over the last two years due to instant payments and greater employee engagement. She explains piloting new programs with one brand before scaling, outlines ROI-driven internal buy-in, and shares how AI is being used in recruiting and new payroll software for faster information retrieval.

00:00 Welcome Back to Laura

00:35 Instant Tips Impact

01:45 Beyond Plastic Cards

03:25 Turnover and Retention

05:39 Employee Engagement Focus in 2026

07:05 Rolling Out Instant Pay

08:45 Selling Value of Instant Payments To Execs

11:09 AI In HR Operations

13:19 Rapid Fire Q&A

15:51 Closing And Thanks

Instant Financial: instant.co

Sun Holdings: sunholdings.net

Connect with Tal Clark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tal-clark-a60776b/

Connect with Laura McLand: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-mcland/

Host Tal Clark interviews Laura McLand, VP of HR at Sun Holdings, a franchise operator with 1,250+ locations across 32 states, 13 brands, and 30,000+ employees. Laura describes moving into HR through payroll, then joining Sun Holdings to unify previously fragmented HR, payroll, and benefits teams and improve speed and consistency of employee support. She explains how payroll is organized by brand type with shared resources for similar brands. Tal and Laura discuss Sun Holdings’ use of Instant Financial since 2021 for digital tips and earned wage access, and emphasize immediacy and mobile, 24/7 access as key to employee financial wellness. This episode is a great conversation around how one of the country’s largest restaurant groups prioritizes financial access.

00:00 Introducing Today’s Guest, Laura McLand

01:38 Laura’s Career Path: From First Payroll Role to HR Leadership

03:35 Joining Sun Holdings: Fixing a Fragmented HR/Payroll/Benefits Org

05:02 Managing 13 Brands at Scale

06:40 What Makes Sun Holdings Special

07:59 Supporting 30,000 Employees

10:00 Modern Pay in Action: Digital Tips + Earned Wage Access

12:25 Meeting Employees on with 24/7 Tools

14:49 What’s Next and Wrap-Up

Instant Financial: instant.co

Sun Holdings: sunholdings.net

Connect with Tal Clark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tal-clark-a60776b/

Connect with Laura McLand: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-mcland/

In this episode of the Instant Payments Podcast, host Tal Clark, CEO of Instant Financial, continues the discussion with Stephanie Callihan, CFO of Cotton Patch Cafe, about the transformative impact of instant digital payments in the restaurant industry. Stephanie shares insights on how Cotton Patch's adoption of Instant Pay for both tips and wages has significantly boosted employee satisfaction, reduced turnover, and streamlined payroll processes. They explore the benefits of providing daily access to earnings and discuss how this system supports career advancement within the company. Additionally, Stephanie reveals her personal passion for equestrian sports and forecasts technology trends that could shape the future of restaurant operations. The episode concludes with a look at 2026 growth for Cotton Patch Cafe.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:26 Digital Tips and Employee Satisfaction

02:22 Transition to Instant Pay

07:07 Regulatory Landscape and Earned Wage Access

11:44 Future of Restaurant Technology

14:38 Stephanie's Equestrian Passion

17:42 Rapid Fire Questions

20:07 Conclusion and Farewell

Instant Financial: instant.co

Cotton Patch Cafe: https://cottonpatch.com/

Connect with Tal Clark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tal-clark-a60776b/

Connect with Stephanie Callihan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniecallihan/

In this episode of the Instant Payments Podcast, host Tal Clark talks with Stephanie Callihan, finance leader at Cotton Patch Café, about navigating payroll, compliance, and retention in a large hourly workforce. Stephanie shares her career path through restaurant finance, Cotton Patch’s people-first culture, and how digital tipping helped the brand preserve daily pay while reducing operational risk. The conversation highlights why listening to employees, simplifying manager workflows, and modernizing pay systems are critical to retention and guest experience.

00:00 Welcome and Stephanie’s career journey in restaurant finance

03:28 Cotton Patch Café culture, awards, and growth focus

06:31 Payroll compliance and the realities of an hourly workforce

09:05 Retention strategies and strengthening management coverage

12:03 The decline of cash and the challenge of daily tip payouts

14:30 Preserving daily pay through digital tipping

17:01 Operational efficiency, security, and auditing benefits

Instant Financial: instant.co

Cotton Patch Cafe: https://cottonpatch.com/

Connect with Tal Clark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tal-clark-a60776b/

Connect with Stephanie Callihan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniecallihan/

In this bonus episode of the Instant Payments Podcast, host Tal Clark, CEO of Instant Financial, and Heather Heebner, head of compliance at Instant Financial, discuss the CFPB advisory opinion released December 23, 2025. The conversation delves into the current regulatory environment of earned wage access (EWA) at both the federal and state levels, the history of advisory opinions from the CFPB, and the implications for employers and EWA providers. They also explore how this new ruling affects compliance, the differences between previous advisory opinions and the current one, and what it means for the overall industry. The episode provides valuable insights for employers considering offering EWA as a benefit to their employees.

00:00 Welcome to the Instant Payments Podcast

00:33 Introducing Heather Heebner and Today's Topic

01:02 Understanding Earned Wage Access (EWA)

03:18 The CFPB's Advisory Opinions on EWA

08:44 Implications for Employers and Providers

10:40 State-Level Legislation and Its Impact

13:56 Final Thoughts and Industry Outlook

16:49 Conclusion and Contact Information

CFPB Advisory Opinion: https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_earned-wage-access-advisory-opinion_2025-12.pdf

Instant Financial: instant.co

Connect with Tal Clark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tal-clark-a60776b/

Connect with Heather Heebner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-heebner-8b59615/

Get in touch with Instant: [email protected]

In this episode of the Instant Payments podcast, host Tal Clark, CEO of Instant Financial, continues the conversation with Britt Landrum, CEO of Landrum, Inc. They discuss the impact of AI on staffing, including Landrum's AI, 'Abby,' for recruiting. The conversation extends to the evaluation of tools like payroll cards and earned wage access for worker impact and business ROI. Britt touches on Landrum, Inc.'s industry reach, recent acquisitions, and new office openings. The discussion also delves into Britt's personal interests, including his journey in music and triathlons, and the integration of physical and mental health. Britt shares advice for HR and business leaders about being adaptable and flexible, emphasizing the importance of communication and creativity. The episode concludes with rapid-fire questions about Britt's recommendations and future expectations for AI and automation in HR.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:26 Impact of AI on Staffing

01:56 Evaluating Payroll Solutions

03:27 Industries Served by Landrum

05:10 Expansion and Acquisitions

08:02 Musical Talents and Early Influences

14:09 Triathlon Journey and Fitness

20:10 Advice for HR and Business Leaders

23:07 Rapid Fire Questions and Conclusion

Instant Financial: instant.co

Landrum, Inc: https://landruminc.com/ 

Connect with Tal Clark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tal-clark-a60776b/ 

Connect with Britt Landrum: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittlandrum/

Pensacola Business Community: https://www.pensacolachamber.com/ 

In this episode of the Instant Payments podcast, host Tal Clark, CEO of Instant Financial, interviews Britt Landrum, CEO of Landrum, Inc — two companies based in Pensacola, Fla. Britt shares insights on the history of his family staffing and PEO business, the technological advancements in staffing and HR, and the importance of earned wage access for hourly workers. They explore the impact of AI on employment, the adaptability required for future growth, and the significance of maintaining personal relationships and trust in business. Tune in to hear about Landrum's journey from a local staffing firm to a major player in the HR industry.

00:00 Introduction to the Instant Payments Podcast

00:35 Meet Britt Landrum: CEO of Landrum, Inc.

02:03 The History of Landrum, Inc.

07:25 Adapting and Thriving in the Staffing Industry

12:27 The Role of Technology in Modern HR

18:45 The Impact of AI on Employment

20:45 Conclusion and Future Discussions

Instant Financial: instant.co

Landrum, Inc: https://landruminc.com/

Connect with Tal Clark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tal-clark-a60776b/

Connect with Britt Landrum: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittlandrum/

Pensacola Business Community: https://www.pensacolachamber.com/