In this episode, hosts Grant Evans and Justin Hanna are joined by Warren Whitfield, Founder & CEO of MWBS, to unpack what’s broken in merchant services — and how the channel model needs to evolve.

Warren shares his journey from sales into entrepreneurship, explaining the moment he realised the market had become too crowded, too confusing, and too focused on acquirer-first models. The conversation explores what merchant-first really means in practice, and why transparency, choice, and better partnerships matter more than ever.

They dive into the reseller and multi-acquirer model, the role of technology in improving the post-sale merchant experience, and how MWBS is using in-house platforms and data to give merchants more visibility and control. The episode also looks ahead to the future of merchant services — from embedded payments to platformisation — and how Modern World Business Solutions £9m growth fund fits into that vision.

🪑 Plus, Warren steps up for The Payments Shed’s legendary Shelf of Shame — nominating one thing in merchant services he’d happily banish forever.

***

The Payments Shed Podcast is headline sponsored by ISX Financial.

ISX Financial, delivers a unified ecosystem with multi-currency accounts, online payments,  real-time UK and EU transfers and global mass payouts. Within that platform, PaidBy® provides Pay by Bank with real-time settlement notifications, automated reconciliation and integrated refund management. One partner, one integration — helping your business transact with confidence. Learn more at www.isx.financial

***

The Payments Shed Podcast is sponsored by Snap Finance UK.

Snap Finance is a flexible point-of-sale finance provider helping consumers spread the cost of essential purchases. They offer transparent repayment options, built around accessibility and real-world affordability, focused on making credit work better for everyday shoppers.

***

The Payments Shed Podcast is supported by PCN.

PCN is a boutique recruitment agency rooted in Amsterdam, driven by a singular mission: connecting top talent with industry leaders. PCN specialises in five core pillars — Fintech, Cybersecurity, SaaS, E-Commerce, and Salesforce — backed by a global network across borders.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://teampcn.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

***

Disclaimer. Any views or opinions referenced in this podcast episode are our own, or those of our respective guests, and they do not represent any views, opinions, or statements from our respective employers, or those of our guests. Additionally, any views expressed here are not intended as investment, legal, tax, or financial advice.

In this episode, hosts Grant Evans and Justin Hanna are joined by Dwayne Gefferie, Founder of Gefferie and a leading voice in the payments industry, for a wide-ranging conversation on AI, data, and entrepreneurship — and how they intersect to create real competitive advantage.

Dwayne shares his journey as a founder, reflecting on the challenges, hard decisions, and resilience required to build and scale businesses in fast-moving, data-driven markets. The discussion explores where AI is already delivering impact in fintech and payments, why so many organisations still underutilise their data, and where the next wave of AI-led disruption is likely to emerge.

They also cut through the hype versus reality of AI, unpacking ethical considerations, regulatory pace, and whether AI represents a threat to jobs or a powerful enabler for innovation.

Plus, Dwayne steps up for The Payments Shed’s legendary Shelf of Shame — nominating one thing in fintech, AI, or business he’d happily banish forever.

***

The Payments Shed Podcast is sponsored by TAMI AI.

TAMI AI is the market intelligence and lead generation platform built for sales and marketing teams who want precision, not guesswork. TAMI helps businesses identify their best-fit prospects, gain deep market insights, and boost revenue growth, and it has become the go-to solution for the payments and fintech industries.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tami.ai/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

***

The Payments Shed Podcast is supported by PCN.

PCN is a boutique recruitment agency rooted in Amsterdam, driven by a singular mission: connecting top talent with industry leaders.

PCN specialises in five core pillars — Fintech, Cybersecurity, SaaS, E-Commerce, and Salesforce — backed by a global network across borders.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://teampcn.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

***

Disclaimer. Any views or opinions referenced in this podcast episode are our own, or those of our respective guests, and they do not represent any views, opinions, or statements from our respective employers, or those of our guests. Additionally, any views expressed here are not intended as investment, legal, tax, or financial advice.

In this episode, hosts Grant Evans and Justin Hanna are joined by Lou Murray, Chief Sales Officer at Railsr and Equals Money, for a deep dive into the growing role of Electronic Money Institutions (EMIs) in the platform economy.

Lou shares her journey across payments and sales leadership, before unpacking why EMIs are becoming critical enablers of marketplaces, platform ecosystems, and embedded finance models.

The conversation explores how EMIs complement traditional banks, where they add the most value, and why infrastructure matters more than ever as money movement becomes increasingly embedded.

They also discuss the Railsr and Equals Money merger, what it unlocks for customers, and how the combined business is positioning itself for the next phase of growth.

Plus, Lou takes on The Payments Shed’s legendary Shelf of Shame — nominating one thing in fintech she’d happily banish forever.

***

The Payments Shed Podcast is sponsored by TAMI AI.

TAMI AI is the market intelligence and lead generation platform built for sales and marketing teams who want precision, not guesswork. TAMI helps businesses identify their best-fit prospects, gain deep market insights, and boost revenue growth, and it has become the go-to solution for the payments and fintech industries.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tami.ai/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

***

The Payments Shed Podcast is supported by PCN.

PCN is a boutique recruitment agency rooted in Amsterdam, driven by a singular mission: connecting top talent with industry leaders.

PCN specialises in five core pillars — Fintech, Cybersecurity, SaaS, E-Commerce, and Salesforce — backed by a global network across borders.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://teampcn.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

***

Disclaimer. Any views or opinions referenced in this podcast episode are our own, or those of our respective guests, and they do not represent any views, opinions, or statements from our respective employers, or those of our guests. Additionally, any views expressed here are not intended as investment, legal, tax, or financial advice.

In this episode, hosts Grant Evans and Justin Hanna are joined by Nick Dobson, Founder & CEO of Unetix, to explore how businesses can turn payment chaos into clarity — and data into a real growth lever.

Nick shares his journey from payments and data operations to founding Unetix, unpacking why so much of the industry still focuses on the front end of payments, while the real problems — reconciliation, data fragmentation, compliance, and cost leakage — sit firmly in the back office.

The conversation dives into Payments Lifecycle Intelligence, the idea of a “Chief Payments Officer who never sleeps”, and how AI can move payments teams beyond reporting dashboards to actionable intelligence that improves authorisation rates, reduces cost, and strengthens compliance.

They also discuss how payments operations are evolving, why data visibility is becoming a competitive advantage, and where platforms like Unetix fit into the future payments stack.

Plus, Nick steps up for The Payments Shed’s legendary Shelf of Shame — nominating one thing in payments, fintech or business he’d happily banish forever.

***

The Payments Shed Podcast is sponsored by TAMI AI.

TAMI AI is the market intelligence and lead generation platform built for sales and marketing teams who want precision, not guesswork. TAMI helps businesses identify their best-fit prospects, gain deep market insights, and boost revenue growth, and it has become the go-to solution for the payments and fintech industries.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tami.ai/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

***

The Payments Shed Podcast is supported by PCN.

PCN is a boutique recruitment agency rooted in Amsterdam, driven by a singular mission: connecting top talent with industry leaders.

PCN specialises in five core pillars — Fintech, Cybersecurity, SaaS, E-Commerce, and Salesforce — backed by a global network across borders.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://teampcn.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

***

Disclaimer. Any views or opinions referenced in this podcast episode are our own, or those of our respective guests, and they do not represent any views, opinions, or statements from our respective employers, or those of our guests. Additionally, any views expressed here are not intended as investment, legal, tax, or financial advice.

In this episode, hosts Grant Evans and Justin Hanna are joined by Sara Savidge, CEO at Fexco International Payments, for a wide-ranging conversation on payments strategy, leadership, and diversity.

Sara shares her career journey from global banking to CEO, reflecting on the moments and mentors that shaped her leadership style and what truly changes when you step into the top role. The discussion explores the direction of change in payments, the forces driving transformation, and where the biggest opportunities — and challenges — lie ahead.

The episode also dives into what makes a great leader in business today, how to build trust and motivate teams, and why diversity, equity, and inclusion must move from intent to action across the fintech industry.

Plus, Sara takes on The Payments Shed’s legendary Shelf of Shame — nominating one thing in payments or business she’d happily banish forever.

***

The Payments Shed Podcast is sponsored by TAMI AI.

TAMI AI is the market intelligence and lead generation platform built for sales and marketing teams who want precision, not guesswork. TAMI helps businesses identify their best-fit prospects, gain deep market insights, and boost revenue growth, and it has become the go-to solution for the payments and fintech industries.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tami.ai/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

***

The Payments Shed Podcast is supported by PCN.

PCN is a boutique recruitment agency rooted in Amsterdam, driven by a singular mission: connecting top talent with industry leaders.

PCN specialises in five core pillars — Fintech, Cybersecurity, SaaS, E-Commerce, and Salesforce — backed by a global network across borders.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://teampcn.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

***

Disclaimer. Any views or opinions referenced in this podcast episode are our own, or those of our respective guests, and they do not represent any views, opinions, or statements from our respective employers, or those of our guests. Additionally, any views expressed here are not intended as investment, legal, tax, or financial advice.

In this episode, hosts Grant Evans and Justin Hanna are joined by Omar Rafii, CEO & Co-Founder of Krowd, and Jonny Fox, Partnerships Director of Krowd, to explore how loyalty is being reimagined at the intersection of fintech, payments, and hospitality.

The conversation traces Krowd’s origin story, the challenges of modernising loyalty in financial services, and why traditional rewards programs are increasingly failing to reflect real customer behaviour. Omar and Jonny unpack how partnerships between banks, fintechs, and merchants are unlocking new models for engagement and growth.

The episode also introduces Krowd’s latest product launch — Dynamik Rewards & Loyalty — an industry-first platform that enables real-time, frictionless rewards at the point of payment, delivering richer data for merchants and more seamless experiences for consumers.

Looking ahead, the group discusses where loyalty is heading next, how embedded finance is reshaping customer engagement, and what financial institutions must do to move beyond outdated reward structures.

Plus, Omar and Jonny step up for The Payments Shed’s legendary Shelf of Shame — to nominate what they’d banish forever from fintech, payments, or business.

***

The Payments Shed Podcast is sponsored by TAMI AI.

TAMI AI is the market intelligence and lead generation platform built for sales and marketing teams who want precision, not guesswork. TAMI helps businesses identify their best-fit prospects, gain deep market insights, and boost revenue growth, and it has become the go-to solution for the payments and fintech industries.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tami.ai/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

***

The Payments Shed Podcast is supported by PCN.

PCN is a boutique recruitment agency rooted in Amsterdam, driven by a singular mission: connecting top talent with industry leaders.

PCN specialises in five core pillars — Fintech, Cybersecurity, SaaS, E-Commerce, and Salesforce — backed by a global network across borders.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://teampcn.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

***

Disclaimer. Any views or opinions referenced in this podcast episode are our own, or those of our respective guests, and they do not represent any views, opinions, or statements from our respective employers, or those of our guests. Additionally, any views expressed here are not intended as investment, legal, tax, or financial advice.

In this episode, hosts Grant Evans and Justin Hanna sit down with Steffen Vollert, CEO of Volt, for a deep dive into the future of real-time payments and the rapidly converging worlds of fiat and crypto.

Steffen walks the hosts through the current state of real-time payment rails around the world — and why, despite progress, global merchants still face major friction when moving money across borders. From marketplace payouts to international freelancer networks, he breaks down the real operational challenges enterprise merchants face with fees, FX, fragmentation and compliance.

Grant, Justin and Steffen explore where traditional fiat rails fall short, and how stablecoins are emerging as a powerful complement — not a replacement — to existing infrastructure. They discuss how stablecoins could redefine what “real-time” truly means, the role they may play in liquidity and treasury, and why a hybrid model of fiat and crypto rails is becoming increasingly compelling for global merchants.

The conversation then turns to Volt’s perspective. Steffen shares how Volt is responding to these macro shifts, the products and innovations supporting merchants today, and why the company is leaning into a future where real-time means something far more universal, reliable and borderless than what exists today.

Finally, Steffen joins the hosts for The Payments Shed’s legendary Shelf of Shame to nominate something he’s ready to banish from the payments industry once and for all.

***

The Payments Shed Podcast is sponsored by TAMI AI.

TAMI AI is the market intelligence and lead generation platform built for sales and marketing teams who want precision, not guesswork. TAMI helps businesses identify their best-fit prospects, gain deep market insights, and boost revenue growth, and it has become the go-to solution for the payments and fintech industries.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tami.ai/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

***

The Payments Shed Podcast is supported by PCN.

PCN is a boutique recruitment agency rooted in Amsterdam, driven by a singular mission: connecting top talent with industry leaders.

PCN specialises in five core pillars — Fintech, Cybersecurity, SaaS, E-Commerce, and Salesforce — backed by a global network across borders.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://teampcn.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

***

Disclaimer. Any views or opinions referenced in this podcast episode are our own, or those of our respective guests, and they do not represent any views, opinions, or statements from our respective employers, or those of our guests. Additionally, any views expressed here are not intended as investment, legal, tax, or financial advice.

In this episode, hosts Grant Evans and Justin Hanna sit down with Leda Glyptis — founder, author and one of fintech’s most distinctive and outspoken voices — for a wide-ranging conversation on the state of banking, the rise of challengers and the power of ideas to reshape an industry.

Leda takes the hosts through her journey from senior leadership roles inside major banks to becoming a global commentator on transformation, culture and what truly holds incumbents back. She unpacks the lessons learned from life inside big institutions, the moment she realised she needed to challenge the status quo, and the experiences that shaped her perspective on what real change looks like.

Grant, Justin and Leda dive into the challenger bank revolution, exploring where Starling, Monzo, Revolut and others have genuinely shifted the competitive landscape — and whether legacy banks are actually capable of catching up. They discuss the strengths incumbents still possess, the cultural blockers that slow innovation, and the single biggest thing a big bank must do if it wants to compete.

The conversation also turns to Leda’s work as an author and thinker. She shares what pushed her to write her two books to date: Beyond Resilience & Bankers Like Us, how writing became a way to challenge industry narratives, and the surprising reactions she’s received along the way.

Finally, the group looks ahead at what the next decade holds for banking — from regulation and convergence to customer trust and the future role of technology — before Leda steps up to The Payments Shed’s infamous Shelf of Shame to banish something from the industry for good.

Content Warning: This episode includes a brief reference to suicide which some listeners/viewers may find distressing. If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available.

In the UK: You can contact Samaritans anytime on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org for confidential support.

In the US: You can call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or visit 988lifeline.org.

International: You can find crisis helplines worldwide at iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres.

You’re not alone, and help is always available.

***

The Payments Shed Podcast is sponsored by TAMI AI.

TAMI AI is the market intelligence and lead generation platform built for sales and marketing teams who want precision, not guesswork. TAMI helps businesses identify their best-fit prospects, gain deep market insights, and boost revenue growth, and it has become the go-to solution for the payments and fintech industries.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tami.ai/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

***

The Payments Shed Podcast is supported by PCN.

PCN is a boutique recruitment agency rooted in Amsterdam, driven by a singular mission: connecting top talent with industry leaders.

PCN specialises in five core pillars — Fintech, Cybersecurity, SaaS, E-Commerce, and Salesforce — backed by a global network across borders.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://teampcn.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

***

Disclaimer. Any views or opinions referenced in this podcast episode are our own, or those of our respective guests, and they do not represent any views, opinions, or statements from our respective employers, or those of our guests. Additionally, any views expressed here are not intended as investment, legal, tax, or financial advice.

In this episode, hosts Grant Evans and Justin Hanna sit down with Marie Walker, Global Ambassador at Raidiam and co-founder of Open Future World, to unpack the accelerating evolution of open finance and the emerging wave of open data ecosystems.

Marie shares her journey from ecosystem builder to one of the most recognised voices in global open finance, breaking down how markets are progressing, why account-to-account payments are finally gaining momentum, and where open banking is meaningfully impacting financial inclusion.

Grant, Justin and Marie dive into the critical role of standards, the tension between regulatory direction and industry innovation, and the risks of fragmentation if global alignment doesn’t keep pace. They also look beyond financial services to explore how open data could reshape sectors like healthcare, utilities and telecoms — and what needs to happen before consumers fully embrace an open data economy.

Plus, Marie joins the hosts for The Payments Shed’s legendary Shelf of Shame to banish something from the fintech universe once and for all.

***

The Payments Shed Podcast is sponsored by TAMI AI.

TAMI AI is the market intelligence and lead generation platform built for sales and marketing teams who want precision, not guesswork. TAMI helps businesses identify their best-fit prospects, gain deep market insights, and boost revenue growth, and it has become the go-to solution for the payments and fintech industries.⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tami.ai/⁠⁠⁠⁠

***

The Payments Shed Podcast is supported by PCN.

PCN is a boutique recruitment agency rooted in Amsterdam, driven by a singular mission: connecting top talent with industry leaders.

PCN specialises in five core pillars — Fintech, Cybersecurity, SaaS, E-Commerce, and Salesforce — backed by a global network across borders.⁠⁠⁠⁠https://teampcn.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

***

Disclaimer. Any views or opinions referenced in this podcast episode are our own, or those of our respective guests, and they do not represent any views, opinions, or statements from our respective employers, or those of our guests. Additionally, any views expressed here are not intended as investment, legal, tax, or financial advice.

In this episode, hosts Grant Evans and Justin Hanna sit down with Alexander (Xander) Hastings, Head of Channel Partnerships at Rail, to explore how Rail is redefining cross-border payments by bridging the gap between traditional banking infrastructure and stablecoin networks.

With Rail powering roughly 10% of all global B2B stablecoin payments — about $3.6B annually — the conversation unpacks how the company is building the connective tissue for a more reliable, transparent, and compliant global payments ecosystem.

Grant, Justin, and Xander dive into the evolution of stablecoins as payment rails (not speculative assets), the importance of multi-bank redundancy, and how hybrid infrastructure is transforming the speed and efficiency of international money movement.

They also discuss Ripple’s recent investment in Rail, what it means for corridor expansion, liquidity access, and the broader shift toward collaboration between established players and fintech innovators.

Plus, Xander joins Grant and Justin for The Payments Shed’s legendary Shelf of Shame — to nominate something he’s ready to banish forever.

***

The Payments Shed Podcast is sponsored by TAMI AI.

TAMI AI is the market intelligence and lead generation platform built for sales and marketing teams who want precision, not guesswork. TAMI helps businesses identify their best-fit prospects, gain deep market insights, and boost revenue growth, and it has become the go-to solution for the payments and fintech industries.⁠⁠⁠https://tami.ai/⁠⁠⁠

***

The Payments Shed Podcast is supported by PCN.

PCN is a boutique recruitment agency rooted in Amsterdam, driven by a singular mission: connecting top talent with industry leaders.

PCN specialises in five core pillars — Fintech, Cybersecurity, SaaS, E-Commerce, and Salesforce — backed by a global network across borders.⁠⁠⁠https://teampcn.com/⁠⁠⁠

***

Disclaimer. Any views or opinions referenced in this podcast episode are our own, or those of our respective guests, and they do not represent any views, opinions, or statements from our respective employers, or those of our guests. Additionally, any views expressed here are not intended as investment, legal, tax, or financial advice.