Mighty Finsights

Host - Rory Holland

Interviewed - Meghan Kober

In this chat, Meghan Kober, VP of Fintech Partnerships & Investments at U.S. Bank, starts by telling us about how she got started in fintech. She then discusses her role on the bank innovation team and how they work with startups to accelerate innovation in the banking industry. She talks about the challenges of introducing new ideas to business lines, and the importance of cultural fit in partnerships. Meghan also highlights the trend of B2B software in fintech and the benefits it brings to both large organizations and startups. She encourages individuals interested in fintech to jump in and start somewhere, reflecting on what brings them high vibe and low vibe experiences.

1. U.S. Bank's innovation team works with startups to accelerate innovation in the banking industry.
2. Introducing new ideas to business lines can be challenging.
3. Cultural fit is important in partnerships between large organizations and startups.
4. The trend of B2B software in fintech is exciting and beneficial for both parties.
5. Individuals interested in fintech should jump in and start somewhere, reflecting on what brings them high vibe and low vibe experiences.

00:00 Introduction and Background

04:08 Role in U.S. Bank's Innovation Team

09:04 Testing Hypotheses in Innovation

14:07 Advice for Those Interested in Fintech

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 Robinson

In this discussion, David Robinson, Director of Fintech Partnerships at Academy Bank, shares the company's goals and various initiatives in the fintech space. He also goes through his personal story of getting into fintech. At Academy Bank, David focuses on growing their banking infrastructure and expanding their reach to serve small businesses and customers across the United States. David stresses that strong relationships and trust are key aspects of their approach, and emphasizes the importance of personal connections and open communication in establishing trust and restoring faith in the financial system. He also highlights the need for bank-fintech partnerships to better serve small businesses and improve access to banking services.

1. Academy Bank is focused on growing their banking infrastructure and expanding their reach to serve small businesses and customers across the United States.
2. Building strong relationships and trust are key aspects of Academy Bank's approach.
3. Fintech partnerships are important to better serve small businesses and improve access to banking services.
4. Open communication and personal connections are crucial in establishing trust and restoring faith in the financial system.

00:00 Introduction and Background

04:49 Competition and Streamlined Processes

09:30 The Future of Lending and 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 - Eric Youngstrom

Eric Youngstrom, Founder and CEO of Onramp, discusses his journey in the finance industry and the purpose behind his company. Onramp provides working capital solutions to small e-commerce businesses, helping them overcome cash flow challenges and grow. Eric emphasizes the importance of supporting independent small businesses to create a healthier economy. He shares success stories of businesses that have grown with the help of Onramp's funding. Eric also discusses the challenges of customer acquisition and recruiting, as well as the future of lending and the need for trust in the financial system.

1. Onramp provides working capital to small e-commerce businesses, helping them overcome cash flow challenges and grow.
2. Supporting independent small businesses is important for creating a healthier economy.
3. Onramp has helped businesses grow and succeed, with some customers graduating to more affordable financing options.
4. Customer acquisition and recruiting are ongoing challenges for Onramp.
5. The future of lending lies in better data visibility and underwriting based on business performance.
6. Trust in the financial system can be built by diffusing corporate power and promoting competition.

00:00 Introduction and Background

04:49 Competition and Streamlined Processes

09:30 The Future of Lending and 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 - Vamsi Varanasi

Vamsi Varanasi, Product Strategy Lead at Clear, discusses the company's mission to provide portable and secure identity verification in the fintech space. Vamsi begins by sharing his professional experience and how he began working in fintech. He then tells Rory about how Clear aims to empower customers to verify identity once and link it to biometrics, allowing users to easily transfer their identity credentials between fintech platforms. The company focuses on building trust and ensuring data security, with the goal of becoming the identity layer of the internet. Vamsi also highlights the collaborative nature of the fintech industry, and the importance of customer education in adopting new identity verification methods.

1. Clear aims to provide portable and secure identity verification in the fintech space.
2. The company focuses on building trust and ensuring data security.
3. The fintech industry is collaborative, with a shared goal of improving customer experiences.
4. Customer education is crucial in adopting new identity verification methods.

00:00 Introduction and Clear's Mission

08:13 Clear's Identity Verification Solutions

13:28 Clear as the Identity Layer of the Internet

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 - Trey Maust

Back in 2006, Trey Maust and Jeff Sumpter started Lewis & Clark Bank–a traditional commercial bank that has embraced banking innovation and evolved to work with third parties to explore new frontiers in banking. In this chat, Trey explains the concept of bankerpreuner: a neologism they coined. He then goes over his own professional history before highlighting how Lewis & Clark has formed strategic partnerships to provide unique banking solutions. The bank focuses on serving clients who value input from experts and are open to soliciting advice from their bankers, attorneys, and CPAs. Trey also shares his view on the future of banking: a critical infrastructure that supplies banking functions and ensures secure and compliant financial services.

1. Since 2006, Lewis & Clark Bancorp has evolved from a traditional commercial bank to embrace strategic partnerships.
2. The bank focuses on serving clients who value input from experts and are open to soliciting advice from their bankers, attorneys, and CPAs.
3. Regulatory challenges are a significant obstacle for the bank, but they prioritize compliance and recognize the value of maintaining trust and confidence in the banking system.
4. Trey believes that working with established banks that have successfully navigated the fintech space can provide valuable insights and guidance for newcomers.
5. For Trey, banking is a critical infrastructure that supplies banking functions and ensures secure and compliant financial services.

00:00 Introduction and Background

05:34 Exploring the Possibilities of the Bank Charter

10:26 Targeting Unique Solutions and Verticals

15:02 Balancing Stability and Innovation in Banking

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 - 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.