The Financial Experience Podcast for Banks, Credit Unions, and Fintech

Through the use of fintech apps and partnerships between tech companies and financial institutions, people are being introduced to more personal financial management tools. Dov says that "financial wellness should not be on autopilot," and through the use of embedded finance, investment and financial wellness tools can be integrated into our daily lives.

Whether it is Credit-Card-as-a-Service or embedded finance, we're covering the trends to watch on this latest episode.

Our latest guest, Nikkee Rhody, joins Hunter to detail her 20+ year banking background and her role in the foundation of a fintech accelerator. Falls Fintech is a 12-week program based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota for early-stage financial technology startups. It is the first accelerator to be founded by a full-scale digital payments bank, and Nikkee describes the development of the program, its deep focus on research and figuring out who (and how) they want to serve.

In an unusual year, the Falls Fintech team had to pivot to help their founder community deal with not only the typical challenges of starting a new company, but the weight of doing so in the most unconventional of years.

Kreighton Reed joins The Financial Experience Podcast to discuss his journey at Solera National Bank, a community bank in the Denver metropolitan area. Solera Bank is not your "typical" community bank. It was founded in 2007, is nationally-charted, and from its conception, the bank's focus was on efficiency. They decided to cut out retail banking and hone in on the niche market of self-directed IRAs and 401(k) plans.

We discuss the importance of leading with product innovation, and then finding the technology to marry it. Solera Bank created a new checking account product, made an easy wiring system, and it was attractive and convenient for customers that don't want to spend an extended amount of time waiting in their local bank.

Our latest guest, Cokie Hasiotis, discovered America's banking infrastructure to look like a mess of spaghetti, one that is routed the wrong way with a foundation based on social and economic inequalities.

Cokie's goal is to make an infrastructure resembling a stacked lasagna, and this idea led to Cokie founding the first Banking-as-a-Service consultancy in the United States, aptly named Lasagna Consulting.

On the latest episode of The Financial Experience Podcast, Hunter and Kelsey Weaver, Chief Innovation Officer and Co-Founder of Neocova, discuss the transforming relationship between banks and fintechs, as well as what the future holds for the success of these partnerships. She says that fintechs are now being viewed as "Lego blocks," and serve an important role in the building of a bank. Neocova's focus is on rebuilding, not replacing, what a bank needs to run efficiently and securely.

How can one find the right borrower-lender relationship in the most efficient way? Accessing capital has never been easier in today's digital marketplace, but the explosion of choices doesn't mean businesses are getting the right capital.

Mike Rozman joined The Financial Experience Podcast and discussed the evolution of BoeFly, a business financing marketplace, the franchisor lending model, and the unique impact COVID-19 had on the business.

How does a 100+ year-old community bank based in Cedar Falls, Iowa become a national leader in the emerging "banking as a service" model for partnering with fintechs? Mike McCrary, a longtime banker and fintech fanatic saw the opportunity when others saw fintech as a threat.

"Digital transformation" is a phrase de jour right now and, as is the case with any overused phrase, it's lost some of its meaning amidst the punditry. But James Robert understands the definition and what it means to be an organization focused on "digital growth."

What are real tangible steps to digital growth today? Listen in for great tips from James Robert.

As a commercial banker, you can't just a be "a conduit to cash," Greg, a longtime lender and small business advisor, reminded bankers on our recent podcast. But it's tough not to fall into that vacuum. We live in a financial world where options are aplenty and credit is becoming commoditized.

So how do you stand out?

If you're a current banker or just need some lessons on perseverance, you'll love the lessons Greg teaches on this episode. Enjoy!

Zach Bruhnke and team are creating "the best bank in the world if you are saver." It's a bold mission, but HMBradley has gained serious momentum in 2020. Featured as a fintech to watch by many outlets, HMBradley doesn't exactly sound like a bank (although it is technically a bank).

Our discussion took on some of the largest issues facing the financial sector incumbents today. This is one you won't want to miss.