In this episode I had the opportunity to sit down with payments industry legend: O.B. Rawls. O.B. shared his fascinating journey from growing up on a farm in North Carolina to holding leading roles at big corporations such as Bank of America, Hypercom, and FiServ. Today, O.B is a partner at Wellesley Hill Financial, a boutique investment bank serving the $30-80 million deal size segment.

We discuss the verticalization of the industry and the value of offering services outside of just payments. According to O.B. the future of the payments and fintech industries is undoubtedly exciting and it requires constant learning, adaptation, and a focus on delivering value to succeed.

OB emphasizes the importance of being kind, helpful, and a good person – qualities that have guided him throughout his career. His perspective on the industry was enriched by his experiences, making his advice particularly invaluable for those starting out in the payments industry.

And finally, we talked about O.B.'s hobbies, which include gardening, wine, and a bourbon collection. I couldn’t think of a better guest to have on this milestone episode and am grateful to continue to learn from O.B. and call him a friend.