Host - Rory Holland

Interviewed - Clayton Mitchell

Clayton Mitchell, from Crowe, a public accounting, consulting, and technology firm, chats with Rory about the role of accounting and consulting in the fintech industry. He explains how he got into the world of fintech and shares his experience working with payments and remittance companies. Clayton also discusses the challenges of applying outdated regulatory compliance frameworks to new and innovative business models. He emphasizes the importance of trust in the financial system and the need for collaboration and understanding between regulators, compliance teams, and businesses. Clayton also highlights the value of listening to clients, providing actionable recommendations, and leaving organizations in a better place than when they started.

1. Accounting and consulting firms like Crowe play a crucial role in the fintech industry by helping organizations navigate regulatory challenges and improve risk management and compliance.
2. Applying outdated regulatory frameworks to new and innovative business models is a significant challenge in the industry.
3. Building trust in the financial system requires collaboration and understanding between regulators, compliance teams, and businesses.
4. Creating value in the financial services industry involves enabling innovation, understanding customer needs, and challenging traditional approaches.
5. Listening to clients, providing actionable recommendations, and leaving organizations in a better place are key principles for accounting and consulting firms.

00:00 Introduction and Background

04:05 Clients and Services Offered

08:10 Challenges of Applying Legacy Frameworks

15:45 What Sets Crowe Apart

This is 'Mighty Finsights,' the podcast where finance meets formidable insights and spirited storytelling. Each episode offers a deep dive into the challenges and achievements that define the financial landscape, providing valuable lessons in finance, innovation, and resilience. Tune in for an experience that brings finance to life through the voices of its most influential leaders.

Host - Rory Holland

Interviewed - Matt Michaelis

Matt Michaelis, Chairman and CEO at Emprise Bank, sits down with Rory to discuss the company's journey in the financial industry and their focus on embedded finance. In the family since 1965, Emprise continues to grow and evolve. Matt shares his perspective on going digital, and the challenges and opportunities that come with it in the fintech industry, particularly in relation to regulatory compliance. He emphasizes the need for trust and building strong relationships with customers. Matt believes that the future of finance lies in the intersection of technology and financial services, and that embedded finance will continue to grow.

1. Emprise Bank has been in the Michaelis family since 1965 and has grown from a $20 million bank to almost $2.5 billion.
2. The company is focused on bringing digital solutions to its customers and is on a journey to support embedded finance.
3. The regulatory environment is a major challenge for Emprise Bank and the industry as a whole.
4. The future of finance lies in the intersection of technology and financial services, with embedded finance continuing to grow.
5. Building trust and strong relationships with customers is crucial in the financial services industry.
6. Emprise Bank prioritizes serving their communities with integrity and delivering the best experience.

00:00 Introduction and Background

00:59 Emprise Bank's History and Focus on Embedded Finance

05:10 Empowering Through Embedded Finance

07:35 Challenges in the Regulatory Environment

11:11 The Future of Finance: Intersection of Technology and Financial Services

15:17 Building Trust and Strong Relationships

This is 'Mighty Finsights,' the podcast where finance meets formidable insights and spirited storytelling. Each episode offers a deep dive into the challenges and achievements that define the financial landscape, providing valuable lessons in finance, innovation, and resilience. Tune in for an experience that brings finance to life through the voices of its most influential leaders.

Host - Rory Holland

Interviewed - Cody Owens

Rory speaks with Equabli CEO Cody Owens about his company’s end-to-end collections management platform. In a few words, Equabli helps banks and fintech lenders effectively manage collections and recovery of delinquent loans. The platform uses machine learning to optimize strategies and improve performance, resulting in cost savings and better customer outcomes. The company aims to create a healthier financial ecosystem by addressing the underserved sectors of consumer finance and improving transparency in the industry. This comes with a few challenges, namely: scaling the business at the right pace, building trust in the financial system, and overcoming the slow adoption process in the industry. Cody’s key piece of advice for someone entering the fintech space is to have conviction, build trusted relationships, and seek strategic partnerships.

1. Equabli is an end-to-end platform that helps banks and fintech lenders effectively manage collections and recovery of delinquent loans.
2. The platform uses machine learning to optimize strategies and improve performance.
3. The company aims to create a healthier ecosystem by addressing the underserved sectors of consumer finance and improving transparency in the industry.
4. Challenges for Equabli include scaling the business at the right pace, building trust in the financial system, and overcoming the slow adoption process in the industry.
5. Key advice for someone entering the fintech space is to have conviction, build trusted relationships, and seek strategic partnerships.

00:00 Introduction and Background

04:58 Transition from Big Corp to Startup

10:24 Optimizing Recovery Strategies

16:17 Building Trust in the Financial System

This is 'Mighty Finsights,' the podcast where finance meets formidable insights and spirited storytelling. Each episode offers a deep dive into the challenges and achievements that define the financial landscape, providing valuable lessons in finance, innovation, and resilience. Tune in for an experience that brings finance to life through the voices of its most influential leaders.

Host - Rory Holland

Interviewed - Emily Cisek

Emily Cisek, Co-Founder and CEO of The Postage, discusses her journey from a small town on the East Coast to starting her own fintech business in Texas. The Postage is a digital legacy and small business succession platform that helps individuals and businesses prepare for the future. Emily explains how the platform works for both individuals and businesses: it allows users to create legally valid wills, record memories, and build deeper relationships with their families and financial institutions. She also discusses the challenges of working with financial institutions and the importance of trust in the financial system.

1. The Postage is a digital legacy and small business succession platform that helps individuals and businesses prepare for the future.
2. Users can create legally valid wills, record memories, and build deeper relationships with their families and financial institutions.
3. A big challenge is helping financial institutions understand the value of the platform and drive adoption.
4. Trust is crucial in the financial system.
5. Building trust requires understanding and being there for customers in their micro-moments.
6. The smaller players in the industry can differentiate themselves by leveraging technology to build deeper relationships and maintain trust.

00:00 Introduction and Background

05:05 Expanding to Consumer and Small Business Markets

09:49 Financial Model and Relationship with Banks

16:04 Advice for Entrepreneurs in the FinTech Space

This is 'Mighty Finsights,' the podcast where finance meets formidable insights and spirited storytelling. Each episode offers a deep dive into the challenges and achievements that define the financial landscape, providing valuable lessons in finance, innovation, and resilience. Tune in for an experience that brings finance to life through the voices of its most influential leaders.

Host - Rory Holland

Interviewed - Justin Fischer

In this conversation, Justin Fischer, Co-Founder and CEO of RiskScout, highlights how his company provides financial crime software solutions for community banks and credit unions. He details how they aim to help these institutions prevent money laundering, better understand their customers, and comply with regulatory requirements. RiskScout offers a comprehensive suite of tools, including customer communication, KYC, transaction monitoring, risk scoring, and regulatory filing. They also prioritize community and collaboration by creating a space for institutions to share ideas and support each other. Ultimately, RiskScout's goal is to help smaller banks and credit unions thrive in an ever-evolving financial landscape.

1. RiskScout provides financial crime software solutions for community banks and credit unions.
2. Their suite of tools includes customer communication, KYC, transaction monitoring, risk scoring, and regulatory filing.
3. The company prioritizes community and collaboration and creates a space for institutions to share ideas and support each other.
4. RiskScout aims to help smaller banks and credit unions thrive in an ever-evolving financial landscape.

00:00 Introduction and Overview

04:16 Adoption and Implementation Challenges

09:51 Customizable Solutions for Specific Needs

25:25 Building Trust in the Financial System

This is 'Mighty Finsights,' the podcast where finance meets formidable insights and spirited storytelling. Each episode offers a deep dive into the challenges and achievements that define the financial landscape, providing valuable lessons in finance, innovation, and resilience. Tune in for an experience that brings finance to life through the voices of its most influential leaders.

Host - Rory Holland

Interviewed - Colton Pond

In this chat, Colton Pond, CMO at LoanPro, discusses his company's journey and the market they serve. Colton explains that LoanPro is a lending and credit platform that helps financial organizations launch, service, and manage various types of loans. Colton then highlights the range of clients they serve, from big companies–like Intuit–to small startups. He discusses how LoanPro enables organizations to modernize their tech stack, drive operational efficiency, and innovate in their lending programs. Finally, Colton provides some thoughts on the future of fintech.

1. LoanPro is a lending and credit platform that helps financial organizations launch, service, and manage various types of loans.
2. The platform enables organizations to modernize their tech stack, drive operational efficiency, and innovate in their lending programs.
3. They work with a range of clients from big companies, like Intuit, to small startups.
4. LoanPro is API-first and offers both API infrastructure and a UI for clients.
5. The future of fintech includes embedded finance and embedded lending, where everyday brands can offer financial services.

00:00 Introduction and Background

04:11 LoanPro's Platform: API and UI

08:59 The Future of Fintech: Embedded Finance and Lending

This is 'Mighty Finsights,' the podcast where finance meets formidable insights and spirited storytelling. Each episode offers a deep dive into the challenges and achievements that define the financial landscape, providing valuable lessons in finance, innovation, and resilience. Tune in for an experience that brings finance to life through the voices of its most influential leaders.

Host - Rory Holland

Interviewed - David Ness

In this episode, David Ness, Senior Vice President of Innovation at U.S. Bank, discusses his journey into financial services and his role in leading fintech partnerships. He emphasizes the importance of being humble and curious. David explains how, to know which partnerships and investments to prioritize, U.S. Bank identifies internal pain points and customer expectations. He also shares examples of successful collaborations. Finally, David highlights the impact of fintech in reaching underserved communities, and the importance of transparency and authenticity when building trust.

1. Being humble and curious are important qualities in the fintech industry.
2. Identifying internal pain points and customer expectations helps prioritize partnerships and investments.
3. Successful collaborations have solved issues like deposit switching and digitizing assets.
4. The fintech space has made a positive impact in reaching underserved communities.
5. Transparency and authenticity are keys to building trust in the industry.

00:00 Introduction and Background

05:40 Example: Solving the Problem of Deposit Switching

10:58 The Importance of Transparency and Authenticity

16:17 The Future of Underwriting and Automation

This is 'Mighty Finsights,' the podcast where finance meets formidable insights and spirited storytelling. Each episode offers a deep dive into the challenges and achievements that define the financial landscape, providing valuable lessons in finance, innovation, and resilience. Tune in for an experience that brings finance to life through the voices of its most influential leaders.

Host - Rory Holland

Interviewed - Nick Elders

In this conversation, Nick Elders, co-founder and CEO of SPARK, discusses his background and journey into fintech. He shares the story of how SPARK–an ​​end-to-end solution for small business lending–was created, as well as the crucial role that the company plays in community and economic development. Nick highlights the challenges faced by SPARK and the broader financial services industry, provides an overview of SPARK’s future plans, and delivers some compelling insights into the potential of fintech in the coming years. Finally, Nick offers advice to those interested in entering the world of fintech and financial services.

1. SPARK plays a crucial role in community and economic development: digital infrastructure for lenders, and digital partner for small business owners.
2. Traditional financial services often lag behind other industries in terms of user-friendly digital experiences—that’s why customer experience is a key focus for SPARK.
3. Distribution and awareness are major challenges for SPARK and other fintech companies.
4. The future of fintech lies in solving current problems and meeting customer demands.
5. To enter the fintech field, you must solve a problem that exists today and focus on creating value for customers.

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:41 Getting into Fintech

07:38 Transition from CRF to SPARK

13:35 SPARK's Role in Community and Economic Development

16:18 Challenges in the Financial Services Industry

29:18 Future Plans for SPARK

32:08 The Future of Fintech

34:06 Advice for Entering the Fintech Field

This is 'Mighty Finsights,' the podcast where finance meets formidable insights and spirited storytelling. Each episode offers a deep dive into the challenges and achievements that define the financial landscape, providing valuable lessons in finance, innovation, and resilience. Tune in for an experience that brings finance to life through the voices of its most influential leaders.

Host - Rory Holland

Interviewed - Jason Henrichs

In this conversation, CSTMR’s Rory Holland and Alloy Lab’s Jason Henrichs begin by discussing the Fintech House experience at SXSW, and the importance of attending events like this. Jason then gets into the purpose of Alloy Labs as a consortium of community banks, and highlights their focus on innovation. He shares his insights on the future of banking and fintech: how they are merging, and how financial services will embed into other industries. Jason also discusses the challenges in the fintech space, and points out the need for startups to solve real problems. The conversation ends with a discussion on building trust in the financial system, and the importance of authenticity and consistency in fintech.

1. Attending events like SXSW is important for people in banking and financial services to stay updated on the evolving needs of businesses and customers.
2. The future of banking and fintech involves their full merger and the embedding of financial services into other industries.
3. Startups in the fintech space must solve real problems in order to succeed.
4. Building trust in the financial system requires authenticity, consistency, and transparency.

00:00 Introduction and Fintech House Experience

01:13 The Purpose of Alloy Labs

03:06 Background and Experience in Finance

05:27 Challenges in the Fintech Space

06:19 Entering the Finance Space

07:38 The Evolution of Fintech

08:06 Building Trust in the Financial System

09:43 Innovation and Problem-Solving in Banking

11:05 The Future of Banks and Fintech Startups

12:54 Restoring Trust in the Financial System

14:54 Authenticity and Consistency in Fintech

17:47 The Importance of Attending Events like SXSW

18:16 Closing Remarks

This is 'Mighty Finsights,' the podcast where finance meets formidable insights and spirited storytelling. Each episode offers a deep dive into the challenges and achievements that define the financial landscape, providing valuable lessons in finance, innovation, and resilience. Tune in for an experience that brings finance to life through the voices of its most influential leaders.

This is 'Mighty Finsights,' the podcast where finance meets formidable insights and spirited storytelling. Hosted by financial services and fintech marketing agency CSTMR, this show explores the personal stories behind financial innovation, featuring interviews with the innovators, disruptors, and visionaries shaping the fintech and finance sectors. Each episode offers a deep dive into the challenges and achievements that define the financial landscape, providing valuable lessons in finance, innovation, and resilience. Tune into 'Mighty Finsights' for an experience that brings finance to life through the voices of its most influential leaders. Subscribe and join us on this journey at the heart of financial innovation.

Whether you're a finance professional seeking insights from leaders in the field, a fintech founder curious about the latest trends, or someone fascinated by the stories behind successful enterprises, 'Mighty Finsights' is a waypoint to the financial world's complexities and spirit.

Join us as we unveil powerful insights and the incredible people behind them. 'Mighty Finsights' offers lessons not only in finance but also in innovation, resilience, and the pursuit of excellence. It's more than a podcast—it's an experience where finance and insight come to life.

Each episode is a journey into the heart of financial innovation and personal achievement. We sit down with finance professionals, fintech founders, and visionary leaders to uncover the narratives that are often overshadowed by numbers and charts. From humble beginnings to groundbreaking achievements, our guests share not just their successes, but the challenges and setbacks that have shaped their path in the finance industry.