Leaders in Lending

Innovation is not just about adoption of technology, it’s also a change in mindset. Especially for some traditional banks that have been operating for over a decade, this mindset shift in the lending space usually involves influencing multiple stakeholders at a financial institution: from credit, risk and regulatory sides of the business. So how do you influence the risk averse and push innovation, especially in today’s tough climate of mortgage lending?
Our guest today Leisa Kinnin, SVP Lending Product Manager at UMB Bank, together with her team helped to launch a downpayment assistance program that provides help to qualified borrowers who cannot meet the high upfront costs of purchasing a home. Leisa has spent her entire career in lending and knows this team effort requires institutional process change to meet the tech changes she sees in the industry.
Join us as Jeff and Leisa discuss:
How traditional banks can leverage fintechs for digital experiences
Influencing decisions without a seat at the top of the org chart
Serving underserved communities   


Want to learn more about how Upstart partners with Banks? Check out this case study mentioned in the episode.

Innovations in fintech have significantly improved the consumer lending process, but the same hasn’t been true for the commercial banking industry. Lending time for middle market businesses can take up to 100 days,nd that lag time to accessing capital can slow a business down incredibly.
Fintech has invested less in optimizing the lending market for commercial businesses and Allan Rayson, Chief Innonvation Officer and Chief Technology Officer at Encore Bank, is determined to change that. Allan spent the majority of his career in commercial banking and recognizes the need to streamline the process for extending commercial credit.
Join us as Jeff and Allan discuss:
Where the inefficiencies are in commercial banking
Opportunities for smaller community banks to come together with Fintechs to make innovations in consumer lending more transferable to the commercial space
Focusing on data interchange, underwriting and negotiations to level-up middle market lending   


Want to learn more about how Upstart partners with Banks? Check out this case study mentioned in the episode.

When members do business at their credit union, their digital preferences aren’t just measured against other experiences in the financial services space — but by bigger retail and entertainment companies. So, credit unions need to keep pace with the technology and provide that ideal member experience.
Nicol Matthews, Chief Experi ence Officer, Carlolinas Telco Federal Credit Union, has done just that — upleveling th e digital experience of members as an extension of in-person service.
Join us as Jeff and Nicol discuss:
Putting yourself in the member’s seat to feel the pain points
What it takes to execute and elevate a comprehensive member experience
How to drive execution-mindedness at the credit union
The impact of AI in banking

Access to credit is the key to opportunity and upward mobility for millions of Americans, yet less than half of Americans have access to prime credit today. AI and machine learning are helping lenders identify creditworthy borrowers without increasing risk, but some have questions about how these new technologies apply to Fair Lending laws.
Annie Delgado, Chief Compliance Officer at Upstart , has been actively engaged in working with regulators on fair lending practices and shares how Upstart works to prevent bias in its AI algorithms.
Join us as Jeff and Annie discuss:
Policy implications of use of new technologies (like AI) in lending
How to interact with regulators in this new space of AI and lending
Why fair lending is a policy issue we need to be concerned about

What is the value of digital assets and how are they used? It’s not an easy question to answer- and it’s not just about cryptocurrency either. Is it possible to leverage digital assets in the lending space?
Joe Keller, VP of Digital Assets at Visions FCU, details his experience in the metaverse and what digital assets can be of real value to both lenders and borrowers.
Join us as Eric and Joe discuss:
How do we assign and access the true value in the metaverse- using real estate as an example
Examples of digital assets where people interested in the space can get involved and learn more
Digital assets beyond cryptocurrency (Yes, we talk about NFTs)


Want to learn more about how Upstart partners with credit unions? Check out this case study mentioned in the episode.

In the current economic environment, finding an affordable home has become out of reach for many potential buyers. What if a realistic option was to co-own a home or property- instead of pouring money into your landlord’s mortgage?
Underserved homebuyers and renters who can’t afford to buy a home on their own are now multiplying their buying power and making co-ownership a reality.
Eric Chebil Founder and CEO of Cher, does all this for clients, realtors and lenders looking to co-own a home.
Join us as Eric and Jeff discuss:
Co-ownership as a way to serve those just out of reach of home ownership in competitive housing markets like California
How lending and other agreements works in a co-ownership model
Activating more clients for lenders- risks and rewards

Is the future of everyday transactional banking going to be on the blockchain? Are we closer to bringing traditional currencies into and out of the crypto space for a wider range of banks and customers?
Sidney Powell shares his experience running and co-founding Maple Finance- a lending organization bringing capital markets on-chain.
Join us as Sidney and Jeff discuss:
Building an on-chain credit history and how grouping of funds can make lending more efficient and accessible
Application and value added services that can be provided on top of the blockchain to allow broader use
The real world adoption of crypto currency outside of the lending space, with examples from international payments and remittances.
Practical advice for people who want to get started in crypto

There’s a lot of buzz about the “artificial intelligence revolution” and the impact it’s going to have on businesses as we know it. As AI and machine learning emerge in the consumer lending space, the technology has proven to provide dramatic wins for both lenders and consumers.  
This week we are running an older, listener favorite episode featuring Paul Gu, co-founder of Upstart.

Banking has seen some drastic shifts since the global pandemic- from the competition to attract and retain new talent, to meeting the needs of customers facing increasing inflation and uncertainty in this precarious economic climate.
From his view over multiple institutions and as a public policy expert, our guest today, Ramon Looby, CEO of the Maryland Bankers Association gives us a nuanced look at the issues facing the banking industry.
Join us as we discuss:
Looby’s perspective as an industry advocate across community, national and multinational banks
Attracting and retaining talent in banking in an altered job market
The perception of so called “junk fees” for banking services
Putting financial literacy on the public policy agenda


Want to learn more about how Upstart partners with banks? Check out this case study mentioned in the episode.

In recent years there has been more reporting and recognition of the racial wealth gap- the large, and growing, gap in the percentage of family wealth in black households, as compared to white households.
Banks like Carver State have been operating within the mission to serve the African American community since 1927 and are now leveraging partners to maximize their reach and accessibility.
Our guest today, Robert James, Chief Executive Officer at Carver State Bank, gives our listeners a look at the unique service they provide and how they have been addressing the racial wealth gap in Georgia for several decades.
Join us as we discuss:
Carver State’s role as both a minority depository institution (MDI) and community development financial institution (CDFI)
Unlocking credit access and opportunity
Leveraging fintech partnerships to find the balance between high tech and high touch
How the National Bankers Association (NBA) ensures the needs of MDIs across the country are met     


Want to learn more about how Upstart partners with banks? Check out this case study mentioned in the episode.