For Fintech's Sake

I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Kamran Ansari, Partner at Headline Ventures. We talk about public markets, private markets, why he's convinced Stripe isn't going public in 2024, and some other smokin' hot takes. Enjoy and remember to subscribe to us on YouTube!!!!Links:Kamran on LinkedInHeadline Sponsor:SkipfyTopics:(00:00:00) - Intro(00:01:27) - Kamran's journey into VC(00:05:05) - The early days of Venmo(00:11:52) - Working in corporate development with Pinterest(00:15:14) - The importance of people and recruiting(00:25:04) - Stripe will not IPO in 2024 PERIOD(00:32:43) - Predictions for NeoBanks(00:35:16) - Chime(00:40:40) - SPACs and Better(00:46:02) - The Capital One/Discover deal(00:54:37) - How do you start a bank?(00:56:56) - Kamran's day-to-day life and work**note on Venmo: The deal happened before Kamran joined. He ended up finding deep alignment with the founders and ended up working closely with the team as a Board Observer as well as a Leader and Advisor in many capacities.

We have a VERY Special episode for y'all, I sat down with not one…but THREE amazing women in Fintech to discuss the world of PR and Comms for our industry. Erin Bruehl, VP of Comms at Current, Meg Stinson, Co-Founder of CMAND, and Kelly Soderlund, Head of Comms at Navan all give the what's what on how to succeed in this world. Enjoy!!Links:Kelly on XErin on XMeg on XSponsor:SkipifyTopics:(00:00:00) - Intro(00:03:16) - Introducing the housewives & Vegas gossip(00:10:28) - What do good and bad pitches look like?(00:32:10) - How important are tech journalists vs. micro-influencers?(00:45:15) - How much are we supposed to answer reporters?(00:54:19) - Building incentive alignments(00:57:26) - Dealing with internal conflicts of interest, communicating with reporters, and the reality of PR life(01:11:24) - Are press releases dead?(01:21:16) - Wrap up

We bring back a fan-favorite of the show: Alex Johnson. But this time we don't chat over Zoom, we had to do this Podcast face-to-face. Because I needed Alex to deep-dive into how the credit world works…Enjoy!Links:Fintech TakesAlex on XSponsor:SkipifyTopics:(00:00:00) - Intro(00:03:40) - Alex's career in the credit world(00:16:38) - The year banking changed forever(00:19:31) - Federally chartered banks(00:23:58) - How has credit scoring kept up with innovation?(00:39:34) - Credit building theory & Buy Now Pay Later(00:44:30) - Do we need another credit bureau? (00:467:11) - Where would you build within the credit scoring industry if you were a founder?

Welcome back to a very special BONUS episode! Today on the episode we welcome Matt Marcus and Dimitri Dadiomov, both Co-Founders of Modern Treasury, to discuss the upcoming Transfer Conference on May 15th, new product offerings at MT, and some hot takes on AI's applications in fintech and payments. Enjoy! Remember, you can watch our beautiful faces doing the video show over on YouTube! Links:Transfer Conference on May 15thModern TreasuryDimitri on LinkedinMatt on LinkedinSponsor:SkipifyTopics:(00:00:00) - Catch Up on Life & MT's Focus(00:06:45) - Defining Reconciliation in the Payment Arena(00:10:32) - Defining Reconciliation For Companies that Move a Lot of Money(00:21:30) - Addressing Real Customer Problems(0:25:37) - Building a Communicative Culture and Feedback Loop(00:37:21) - The Potential of AI

Welcome back!Continuing our epic run of in-person recordings brings us face-to-face with TWO fan favorites of the show in an epic return to form with our Are You Human Series. Kristen Anderson joins me as we pull back the curtain to discover whether Drew Glover (From our episode back in August) is actually a human. Drew is a Founding Partner of Fiat Growth and a General Partner at Fiat Ventures. He is no stranger to the world of growth, technology, and marketing. From his time at Steady where he led marketplace development and growth to Namely, Fjord, and Portal A, he navigated the ins and outs of Go-to-Market strategies and user acquisition. He has helped companies like Root, JP Morgan Chase, Adidas and Nike bring award-winning services and partnerships to market.Remember, you can watch our beautiful faces doing the video show over on YouTube! Links:Drew on XFIAT VenturesSponsor:SkipifyTopics:(00:00:00) - Intro(00:01:18) - Welcome!(00:03:25) - Introducing Drew(00:05:33) - Drew's upbringing and the “importance” of school(00:28:19) - Drew's sporting history(00:33:58) - Are you frugal?(00:50:28) - What's the meaning of life?

Welcome back!Today on the episode we welcome Itai Damti, CEO of Unit. If you're in the know, you're probably aware of alllll the drama going on in BaaS, and if you're finding for more on what's happening. You've come to the right place. Enjoy! Remember, you can watch our beautiful faces doing the video show over on YouTube! Links:UnitItai on LinkedInSponsor:SkipifyTopics:(00:00:00) - Intro(00:01:53) - Itai's journey in embedded finance(00:04:56) - Learning experiences from past startups(00:08:29) - How Unit was built & inside the crazy world of banking regulations(0:35:15) - Embedded Finance theories(00:40:22) - Will embedded finance move in a RegTech direction?(00:44:51) - Has the conversation cadence between regulators and partners increased?(00:51:26) - What is the most exciting future for Fintech?(00:58:57) - What has it been like emotionally going through the ups and downs of running a business in embedded finance?(01:09:46) - How do you stay functional in such a complex industry?

It's time to welcome another member to the Fintech Familia! Today I'm joined by Trevor Tanifum, Principal at a long-time friend of the show: FS Vector. Trevor guides financial technology companies through regulatory, risk management, and strategic challenges. We talk about Trevor's journey to FS Vector, what the heck he does there, AI's impact on the industry, what folks should be focusing on in Fintech, and whether or not the industry itself is bi-partisan.Enjoy!Links:FS VectorTrevor on LinkedInNew York Fintech WeekSkipify(00:00:59) - Nous parlons français et l'enfance de Trevor(00:05:32) - How did you end up at FS Vector?(00:10:05) - New York Fintech Week Ad(00:11:08) - Thoughts on AI(00:15:26) - FS Vector and Trevor's work there(00:26:25) - Skipify Ad(00:28:00) - How big is this market?(00:36:16) - What should companies be focused on right now in Fintech?(00:44:33) - Drama vs. use-cases(00:50:45) - Has the industry been through a full economic cycle?(00:59:13) - Is Fintech bi-partisan?

Money 20/20 roll call! It's dawned on me that while I come to you as a humble podcast host, you're all constantly hearing me talk about this Money20/20 thing…And based on what I see in the comments, most people are wondering:What the hell is even a content director??So, on this episode, not only do I deep dive into what life is like in this role, but I also had a chance to get the Euro perspective from our guest, Micky Tesfaye, the Content Lead for Europe!We give the inside scoop of what we deal with, how we manage stress, judging the success of a show, and even go in on the toll this kind of job can take on a human. Enjoy!We are also SO excited to welcome our new sponsor of Fintech Family Hour: Skipify.com Skipify's Connected Wallet is a next-gen digital wallet that connects Merchants, Shoppers, and Financial Institutions into the moment of purchase for the very first time.Links:Micky on LinkedInMoney20/20Skipify.comTopics:(00:00:00) - Intro(00:01:52) - Catching up(00:03:52) - What the heck do we even do at Money20/20??(00:08:54) - Experts vs. lighthouses (00:17:08) - The call for content(00:20:30) - Having to sit on market-moving information(00:26:59) - Allow dumb questions(00:28:26) - Skipify.com(00:32:12) - The toll of the job(00:36:12) - Mickey's hesitation toward IV businesses, Ice & cold brew(00:46:20) - Managing stress(00:50:54) - Judging the success of a show

Is this the “We're Back” department?I'd like to file a claim. We're kicking off 2024 with one of the wisest guests in the history of the show: Alan Patricof. Alan is responsible for raising one of THE FIRST Venture Capital funds all the way back in the late 60's. He's currently the Chairman Emeritus of Greycroft, which has over $2 billion in capital invested across a variety of companies, including Venmo, Acorns, Axios and more!We discuss Alan's career, his problem with ageism, how to wake up happy, and some great stories about meeting some of the world's greatest people like Warren Buffet. Enjoy and Happy New Year!Links:No Red Lights: Reflections on Life, 50 Years in Venture Capital, and Never Driving Alone by Alan PatricofTopics:(00:00:00) - Intro(00:01:06) - How to wake up happy and act decisively(00:04:42) - Alan's nontraditional investing portfolio & career(00:10:26) - Separating the individual from the career(00:15:06) - Raising one of the very first VC funds(00:20:44) - Alan's reaction to seeing the growth of VC(00:21:50) - Do the muscles you used in early VC still work today?(00:25:26) - The thesis behind Primetime(00:31:50) - The problem with ageism(00:33:32) - The swinging pendulum of the human race(00:38:01) - Who's the most interesting person you've met?(00:41:15) - Meeting Warren Buffet (00:43:15) - Sitting on the board of SIPC

Ladies and Gentlemen: We're back.Well, the show is, however I won't be around til the NEXT episode, I got obliterated by food poisoning at the time of this recording.But, you're all in the very capable hands of our very own Kristen Anderson as she recorded an ‘Are You Human?' episode with Jane Barratt of MX live at Money 20/20!Jane and Kristen discuss Jane's upbringing before deep diving into the power of travel, food, and motherhood. They also try to find out if Jane is in fact frugal, some management lessons learned over her amazing career and more.Enjoy!!Links:Jane on LinkedInKristen on LinkedInTopics:(00:00:00) - Intro(00:02:46) - Introducing Jane, diving into her upbringing, and the power of travel(00:15:24) - Thoughts on pets, and scary spider stories!(00:23:37) - Jane's Food Corner & motherhood(00:36:11) - Are you frugal?(00:43:24) - Management lessons learned(00:59:43) - Why are we all here?

Don't hate: Automate!For our final episode before Money 20/20, we have on the man who perhaps personifies the world of Fintech itself: Simon Taylor. Simon is the brains behind the Fintech Brain Food newsletter as well as Head of Strategy & Content at Sardine.We took a quick dip into Simon's brain to find out if he truly is human. Along the way we made some amazing discoveries like the importance of exercise, philosophies around money, and the true secret behind his success: a Charlie Munger-like consumption of Pepsi Max!Enjoy!Links:Simon on TwitterFintech Brain FoodSardineTopics:(00:01:12) Introducing Simon(00:05:52) Simon's upbringing & career(00:11:44) Philosophies around money & investing(00:16:42) Simon's inherent curiosity, stories of getting embarrassed at work, and dealing with cancer(00:31:10) The importance of exercise(00:32:52) Is Simon frugal?

Question for the audience: What comes to your mind when you hear the phrase: “Vest in Peace”?While you chew on that, I want to introduce you to Immad Akhund: Founder and CEO of Mercury and our esteemed guest this week on the show. We spend a lot of time talking about Mercury's amazing growth trajectory, the harsh realities of being a founder, Immad's passion (or lack thereof) for investing, the importance of having a network in San Francisco, Mercury Raise and more. Please note that Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group and Evolve Bank & Trust, Members FDIC. Enjoy!!Links:MercuryMercury RaiseImmad on LinkedInOpen by Andre AgassiOn Writing by Stephen KingTopics:00:01:30) It's called a Zoom!(00:02:54) The industry avoids talking about SVB(00:06:54) Mercury's explosive growth(00:16:55) Immad's rolling fund and passion for investing(00:23:27) The harsh reality of being a founder(00:35:42) Immad's north star(00:39:51) The importance of having a San Francisco network today(00:43:27) Mercury Raise(00:46:35) Multi-product strategies(00:49:26) How much time do you spend thinking about Fintech?

Can you smell it? There's Money(20/20) in the air…On this episode we are blessed with the presence of Ariel Cohen, CEO of Navan, and not only is he a wonderful guest for the show: He will also be a speaker alongside Ben Horowitz in Las Vegas for Money 20/20!We have an amazing conversation deep diving into Ariel's upbringing and we find a mutual love for basketball before going into more detail on Navan's insane growth trajectory, developing strengths and weaknesses, navigating a wartime economy, the art of having hard conversations and so much more.This is an incredible hour and I hope you enjoy!Links:Ariel on TwitterNavanTopics:(00:00:00) Intro(00:02:07) Ariel's upbringing, competition, and leadership(00:15:07) The Navan Team(00:16:39) Strengths vs. weaknesses(00:22:34) Would you say we are in peacetime or wartime right now?(00:28:55) What was it like with Ben Horowitz during Covid?(00:34:01) The art of having hard conversations(00:37:13) How are you segmenting your thinking and energy throughout the day?

Community is about having people in your corner, and at Fintech Family Hour we are all about building our corner in the industry.On episode 101, we grow that corner by launching our first ever Co-Cast! Nicole Casperson of Fintech is Femme and I recorded an amazing conversation and have half on this feed and half on hers, which you can find on Humans of Fintech.On my side of the mic, we cover Nicole's process for creating content, breaking the glass ceiling in Fintech, how to build a community, her fashion inspo, and a ton more.Enjoy!Links:Fintech is FemmeNicole on IGNicole on LinkedInNicole on TwitterTopics:(00:01:16) Everything is content(00:05:48) Nicole's process for writing her newsletter(00:09:36) Did you have a glass ceiling to break through?(00:15:00) Making feminine content appealing to all (00:19:46) Learning how to build community(00:24:51) Do you consider your Real Talkers friends?(00:31:14) What additional value do you create with paid subscribers?(00:39:25) What do you wish men were doing more in Fintech?(00:44:11) Does it ever seem like some men are theatrically feminist?(00:46:00) How do you think about fashion?

We did it! 100 episodes!For such a special occasion, my wonderful co-host, Kristen, pitched the idea for a unique version of our “Are you human?” series where we turn the tables and finally answer the question:Am I human?I won't lie, it was VERY different being on the other side of one of these episodes, and I thoroughly applaud all of the previous guests for giving such amazing answers. We got to touch on a lot of things you all may not know about me. We talk about some childhood stories, bad comedy, first date tactics, conversations with Mike Tyson's tiger, and of course, whether or not I'm frugal. Thank you to everyone who's tuned in to the show over the years, you're the ones who keep us coming back to the mic every week! Here's to the next hundred, enjoy!Links:Kristen on LinkedInAlex on TwitterTopics:(00:01:12) Kristen introduces ZAP(00:03:16) Childhood stories and bad comedy(00:06:15) What assumption did you have as a teenager that was totally wrong?(00:17:14) A story that Zach's mom wouldn't know(00:21:56) The ability to make friends and different levels of friends(00:30:53) Zach's career archetype(00:37:55) First date tactics(00:41:04) What trip most impacted the way you see the world?(00:52:18) What animal would you most like to have a conversation with?(00:56:12) What's one thing you refuse to spend money on?(01:01:19) Is there any luxury item you're currently saving up for?(01:04:35) Are you a big gift giver?(01:14:22) What one trait do you look for in your friends that you think is undervalued?(01:18:24) What is your biggest pet peeve in other people?(01:26:09) What is the meaning of life?

Bem-vindos de volta ao podcast, meus amigos! That's Portuguese for welcome back, because on this episode we're headed to the beautiful beaches of São Paulo, Brazil!I had the immense pleasure to be joined by Jag Duggal, Chief Product Officer at Nubank. Nubank is the largest fintech bank in Latin America with $1.69bn in revenue. Jag and I go deep on their explosive growth, what he learned as a Product Manager for Google, and how Nubank is going to expand outside of Brazil.Enjoy!Links:NubankJag on LinkedInJag's appearance on the 20VC PodcastTopics:(00:01:19) Jag's upbringing and career(00:07:49) Product Management thesis'(00:08:54) Experiences from PM-ing at Google(00:15:56) Lessons learned from the Pandemic & NuBank's explosive growth(00:31:56) Mazlow's hierarchy of Fintech(00:34:48) Nubank's goals for the future(00:38:35) How are you approaching expansion outside of Brazil?

Anyone else noticed that big scary shadow looming at the end of your bed? Turns out that has been the silly SEC this whole time! Thankfully, folks like our guest today are doing the Lord's work in trying to influence them and shape policy to help our Fintech world. Anthony Cimino joins us to discuss his work as head of policy at Carta, new rules that are being implemented by the SEC, the uncertainty for future regulations, and how the everyday fintech-head can get engaged with those influencing policy. Enjoy!Links:Anthony on TwitterCartaCarta's NewsletterTopics:(00:02:07) Anthony's career, policy at Carta, and the philanthropic arm of fintech(00:07:14) Building the policy team at Carta and understanding what policies are being argued today(00:16:19) The prohibition of side-letters and new SEC standards(00:28:42) Uncertainty and worry for future regulations(00:35:59) How people can get engaged with those influencing policy(00:44:44) How much policy affects people day-to-day

Who said only journalists and Mark down at the Dairy Queen get the scoops???We've got a VERY special episode for you all: Vishal Garg, Founder & CEO of Better.com joins us to address the public reaction to their SPAC announcement. I asked some questions, gained some opinions, and I'm curious to see what you all think.Enjoy!Links:Better.comVishal on TwitterSoftBankTopics:(00:02:02) What led to the decision to do the SPAC and to IPO?(00:07:06) Why did you come on the Podcast?(00:08:44) Why did SoftBank pursue the Spac model rather than a private round?(00:10:44) How have you handled the negative media attention?(00:13:41) How is the average American consumer reacting to this?(00:15:36) How much are you originating vs. refinancing?(00:18:44) If you could go back and do this all again, would you?(00:21:33) What are your interactions with Masa like?

We're back with another riveting episode of Are. You. Human? This go-round we're joined by our neighbor from the south! And by south, I mean waaaay south. Like, Australia south. Sasha Pilch is the Co-founder of NYC Fintech Women and Principal at Fin Capital. In addition to finding out if she's human, we hear about her upbringing Down Under, her early career in Finance, what Covid was like in Australia, and the secrets of being a Delta VIP. We also talk about her learnings from working in VC, failing at adulthood and discover the meaning of life. Enjoy!Links:Sasha on TwitterNYC Fintech WomenFin CapitalPinwheelapiTopics:(00:01:12) Sasha's childhood in Australia & early career(00:13:24) Why Sasha chose finance, Covid in Australia, and being a Delta VIP(00:20:06) The 30 hour trip to Australia(00:23:39) Sasha's coffee order(00:29:45) Are you frugal?(00:43:38) Best vacations & dating(00:57:00) Learnings from working in VC(01:03:23) Is there a standard adult expectation you're failing at?(01:11:11) What is the meaning of life?

Fintech Familia, I had a great time catching up with Drew Glover from Fiat Growth last week in San Francisco. After about an hour of solid conversation, we decided to finally hit record and turn this into a Podcast. Fiat Growth has partnered with some standout early-stage brands, rapidly growing tech companies, and well-established Fortune 500 teams, with Fiat helping generate over $1.6B in new revenue.We talked about Drew's upbringing, playing football at Cal with Aaron Rogers and Marshawn Lynch, and his early career before deep diving into Fiat. Drew talks about leveraging the scientific method in marketing, what he sees most often when working with these companies, hiring and a tone more. Enjoy!Links:Drew on TwitterFiat GrowthMarshawn Lynch Press Conference compilationTopics:(00:01:04) Checking in with Drew(00:03:17) Drew's upbringing(00:11:24) Competitive nature & fundraising(00:16:08) Drew's early career and the launching of his growth consultancy(00:29:30) Talking founders out of ego-oriented decisions(00:32:47) Leveraging the scientific method in marketing(00:38:34) Where do you see this going in the next 5-10 years?(00:43:54) What are some things you see most often when working with clients?(00:49:32) Hiring away your problems(00:53:50) Hiring based on resume vs. potential

Fintech Fam! It is time to bring you an interview that I have wanted to do for probably the last 4-5 years. It's a Zach Attack! My guest on this episode is Zach Perret, CEO of Plaid. After solving the Pettet/Perret dilemma, we talk about his early life and career, the early days of building Plaid, how he's scaled himself as an individual and a leader, the Visa transaction and a ton more. Enjoy!Links:Zach Perret on TwitterPlaidTechStars TV seriesZach's Hackathon winning speech!Topics:(00:01:03) Solving the Zach/Zach dilemma(00:02:24) Zach's background and career(00:12:39) An emphasis on humanity in building Plaid(00:14:37) The early days of Plaid(00:22:17) Scaling the individual(00:29:33) Leadership vs. Management(00:32:01) What is your average day looking like?(00:38:22) The Visa transaction(00:50:03) Thoughts on communication cadences(00:50:55) Self-care and surfing(00:52:59) How do you learn?(00:55:20) How much time are you spending consuming non-business content?(00:56:08) What are you most excited about in the future?(00:59:10) Is fintech the right word to use to describe this industry?

We're back with another family episode of Are You Human! This go-round Kristen and I are joined in-studio with Eli “Hard Stop” Wachs, who returns for his second appearance on the show. These are so much fun to do face to face and you'll be able to tell we had a blast recording this for you.Eli is the Co-Founder and CEO of Footprint as well as an avid haberdashery connoisseur. We deep dive into Eli's youth, his first credit card and bank, we find out if he is actually “Fintech”, we test his frugality and find out the happiest day of his life among other things. Enjoy!Links:Eli on TwitterFootprintKristen's PERSONAL PHONE NUMBERCobalt Red by Siddharth KaraTopics:(00:02:49) Introducing Eli and Footprint(00:03:42) Eli's youth(00:18:16) Eli's First credit card and bank(00:20:15) Are you actually fintech?(00:25:43) Are you Frugal?(00:47:11) Eli's standard date night & Doing stand up comedy(00:56:58) Best vacation(00:57:56) What was the happiest day of your life?(01:05:50) Daily Habits(01:07:41) What's the meaning of life?

We tried something a little bit different this episode, and brought back some old friends of the show to ring in the newest addition to the Fintech Family Hour weekly content!Introducing: Are You Human?Kristen Anderson and Alex Johnson return to the Podcast to answer some of the deeper questions the listeners may not know about us. This show is ever-evolving so PLEASE hit us up with any and all feedback you may have. We answered questions like:Fitness routines.Are you frugal?What Fintech apps are you using?What's your go-to credit card and why?Are you the person who's ordering food at the airport and bringing it on the plane??Plus a ton more!This was the most fun I've had recording a podcast and I'm excited to share it with you. Links:Fintech TakesAlex Johnson on TwitterKristen's PERSONAL PHONE NUMBERCelestial Seasonings Tea CompanyDigitTaylor Swift - The ManTopics:(00:01:57) Introducing the crew(00:04:05) Alex's childhood and upbringing(00:13:22) Money mentality as a youth(00:19:07) Coffee orders!(009:27:07) Fitness Routines and Money 20/20 Hoops(00:39:39) Mini-game: Are You Frugal?(00:54:24) What fintech apps do you use?(00:59:47) What's your favorite credit card?(01:07:16) Travel frugality(01:14:38) Weirdest foods!(01:18:26) What is the meaning of life

It's been four months since the madness surrounding Silicon Valley Bank, time flies right?It was fascinating seeing the world react, and while thousands were doing their absolute best, many were running around like chickens with their heads cut off. While the financial world reeled, one company stood out, standing strong and head fully intact: Modern Treasury.This episode features Dimitri Dadiomov, the Co-Founder & CEO, and Julie Mullins, Head of Marketing & Communications, to discuss how they were able to expertly navigate the situation. We talk about the emotions on the ground, how they gather information, and the impact on their internal culture. and we wrap up talking about their Transfer conference they held back in June.Special thanks to our exclusive sponsor: FS Vector - https://fsvector.com/Links:Modern TreasuryDimitri on TwitterWatch the MT Transfer PanelsThe Transfer ConferenceTopics:(00:01:31) Reflecting on the Silicon Valley Bank receivership(00:11:27) Creating status pages during a crisis(00:16:02) Emotions on the ground at MT during the run(00:28:55) Who are the people you're calling at a time like this to develop a point of view and gather information?(00:37:11) The importance of being multi-bank(00:41:14) What has the impact been on internal team culture?(00:45:11) MT's user conference

B2B is not just a thing….it IS the economy!Confused yet? Well, you're in for a treat, fam... Bar Geron joins me on the Podcast to discuss his business, Balance. We start early with Bar's upbringing in Israel, leveraging his Army experience into working for a Defense system company before becoming what I think might be the coolest job title ever: A Decision Scientist. We dive into what that entails before looking at his career in Fintech at PayPal and ultimately as the Co-Founder of Balance where he is building a way for businesses to pay how and when they want while getting the funds instantly and easily as card payments.He answers things like:Why isn't B2B a thing?Why do people buy too much shit?How do you operate a Tank?How can we fix the dumpster fire of e-commerce?Special thanks to our exclusive sponsor: FS Vector - https://fsvector.com/LinksBalanceBar Geron on LinkedInTimestamps(00:01:06) Bar's Upbringing in Israel(00:05:07) Working in a Combat Training Simulator(00:10:57) Becoming a Decision Scientist & breaking down B2B ecommerce(00:28:51) How Balance is fixing the shit show of ecommerce(00:35:19) The early days of Balance(00:46:41) The grand vision for the company

Our guest on Fintech Family Hour is Adam Nash from Daffy. We roll out of the gates talking about Adam's career at NASA, Fintech, and the influence of growing up in Silicon Valley before deep diving into Daffy's mission of being generous more often. Adam breaks down Donor Advise Funds, the founding thesis for Daffy and we wrap up with discovering how to scale the concept of giving. Have a blast!Special thanks to our exclusive sponsor: FS Vector - https://fsvector.com/Links:Adam on TwitterDaffyAdam's Dope ass BlogSomething Ventured DocumentaryTimestamps:(00:01:38) Adam's upbringing in Silicon Valley(00:18:42) Adam's career in Fintech and following the wave of technology(00:25:44) Donor Advise Funds & Daffy(00:41:34) The founding thesis for Daffy: Vitamins & Painkillers(00:53:09) Scaling the concept of giving

We're back! New brand, who dis?For Fintechs Sake is now officially the Fintech Family Hour! Scream it from the rafters! Tell your fintech friends, tell your barista, tell your mom :)We are kicking this re-brand off in the best way possible by sharing a live interview with THE Vinod Khosla. We talk about his work with Sam Altman and solving proof of personhood through their Worldcoin cryptocurrency, abuse he is seeing in Crypto, how to innovate in hard times and we wrap up with Vinod issuing a challenge to the listeners…Enjoy!Special thanks to our exclusive sponsor: FS Vector - Learn more at https://fsvector.com/Links:Vinod on Twitter - https://twitter.com/vkhoslaAnchorage Digital - https://www.anchorage.com/Worldcoin's $115m raise - https://techcrunch.com/2023/05/25/sam-altmans-crypto-project-worldcoin-got-more-coin-in-latest-115m-raise/Khosla Ventures - https://www.khoslaventures.com/Timestamps(00:04:06) Introducing Vinod & discussing Fintech innovation since '15(00:06:53) Identifying abusive uses of Crypto(00:10:59) Anchorage and Lead Bank(00:14:00) Worldcoin and solving proof of personhood(00:20:29) How mainstreaming Crypto and Web3 can improve relations between China and the USA(00:22:15) Innovating in hard times(00:28:45) Vinod's driving inspiration: Working on hard problems

This is a special episode with Jon Zanoff, Founder of Empire Startups & Stella Ventures. New York Fintech Week is next week! We cover what's happening next week, the most exciting events, and have some fun covering the history of New York Fintech. New York Fintech Week Website: https://empirestartups.com/events/fintech-conference/Get 15% off to the Empire Fintech Conference next Wednesday, April 26th using code FFS15.Connect with Zach:ForFintechsake.comFollow Zach on TwitterConnect with Zach on LinkedIn

This is a special episode that was initially recorded for Smart Friends with Eric Jorgenson. The conversation covered enough financial topics that it felt irresponsible not to share it here as well. Simply irresponsible. Thanks, Eric! Check out Smart Friends. Omar ElNaggar is a hedge fund quant and data nerd. He is the founder and CEO of Weavechain. Weavechain is a platform that gives enterprise data new web3 superpowers. The concepts discussed here-in could put an end to fraud as we know it today. Connect with Zach:ForFintechsake.comFollow Zach on TwitterConnect with Zach on LinkedInTopics:(4:21) - Introducing Omar & Zach (nerds) (5:30) - Why will Web3 data take 100% of the market? (7:22) - What are data flows? (14:40) - Does the whole world need to be on Web3 to execute your vision? (18:02) - Is there a gamification to this whole approach? (25:05) - Are you seeing finance being the first industry to adopt Web3 Data flows? (34:29) - CryptoPoops.com (Finest shit on the internet) (36:02) - Being able to verify truth at any point(44:59) - The history of HTTPS (47:41) - The SVB crisis, wire transfers & chainalysis (50:09) - Can we implement something like Weavechain without replacing the skeleton of the current financial system? (1:01:15) - Distribution in Web3/Crypto & how Weavechain works in pharma and insurance (1:14:49) - Decentralized Science (1:17:35) - What is the 50-year vision for Weavechain? (1:25:42) - Who are the best people for you to talk to regarding Weavechain?

This is a special Episode. It's timely and yet it was recorded last October LIVE at Money20/20. Some lessons are Evergreen. Our guests Kaitlin Asrow at NYDFS and John Pitts at Plaid go deep on their personal experience while providing high level lessons we can all apply today in the midst of a strange time for banking. We also have a guest host this week, Ally McCloskey. Ally was the host of The Wharton Fintech Podcast and she's now at Clocktower. We're very aware she's better than our usual host, don't rub it in, please. Helpful Links:Kaitlin Asrow on LinkedIn John Pitts on LinkedIn & TwitterAlly McCloskey on LinkedIn & TwitterNYDFS on Twitter Plaid WebsiteConnect with Zach:ForFintechsake.comFollow Zach on TwitterConnect with Zach on LinkedIn

What a weekend! Kristen Anderson and Alex Johnson join the show to unpack what was, what is, and what will be.Connect with Zach:ForFintechsake.comFollow Zach on TwitterConnect with Zach on LinkedIn

We're coming in hot with an Emergency Pod this week covering the SVB Receivership that has taken over the headlines of the financial world and beyond. Rachel Morrissey, Micky Tesfaye, and Sanjib Kalita join me for this conversation. Don't expect some magical breakdown of events or a crystal ball, though. I think we've all got more questions than answers at this point.Friday felt like a monumental moment in financial history and we wanted to get together for a little therapy session, if nothing else. We weren't sure if we were going to publish it even, but as I was scrolling through my podcasts this morning I simply wanted something about SVB to listen to so I could feel less alone with my concerns and fears. Hopefully this does that for you.Connect with Zach:ForFintechsake.comFollow Zach on TwitterConnect with Zach on LinkedIn

¡Bienvenido de nuevo! I mean, welcome back! This episode we are excited to bring you Andrew Endicott, Co-Founder and General Partner at Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh is an early-stage fintech venture capital fund that invests across the Americas, that's right: THE. Americas. He's also the Co-Founder at Petal, which was created to help more people access and build credit using data from their personal banking history.Andrew and I discuss his early career moving from Arkansas to Harvard Law and ultimately working in New York as a lawyer before his jump into Fintech. Then, we try to imagine how heavy the trillion-dollar coin will be, and we break down cashflow underwriting, FICO, and The FED.Finally, we take the conversation south of the border to discuss the emerging Latin American Fintech Market, and Andrew dishes on how this market is evolving and why Gilgamesh is paying very close attention. Enjoy!Helpful Links:Andrew on LinkedIn & TwitterGilgameshPetalKansas City aka ‘City of Fountains'Fintech Leaders Podcast with Miguel ArmazaConnect with Zach:ForFintechsake.comFollow Zach on TwitterConnect with Zach on LinkedInSupport our Sponsor:Neuro-IDTopics:(1:04) - Growing up in the South, going to Harvard Law, and practicing in New York.(13:26) - How the concept of money changes as you spend time in finance and fintech.(22:13) – How Petal came to be.(29:34) - Cash flow underwriting, FICO, and how Petal works.(47:30) - Neuro-ID Ad read.(49:24) - Building Gilgamesh(1:00:00) - The emergence of Latin America, The FED, and Fintech as a net-positive(1:10:43) - Misconceptions about the Latin American market.(1:16:13) - Do you feel lonely south of the border given the economic environment?(1:24:43) - How can founders get involved with you?

Welcome back! This episode we're stoked to have on Eli Wachs, Co-founder of Footprint, providing frictionless identity verification and PII vaulting. We talk about Eli's love for writing, trying to read history that doesn't make us cry, how he met his co-founder, building Footprint, and fighting fraud.We also go into the fun stuff like Eli's experiences doing stand-up, opening for Sam Morril, the radical honesty of comedy, and how it makes us better people. Jump in!Helpful Links:FootprintEli on TwitterEli on LinkedInEli@onefootprint.comAbundance by Peter H. DiamandisEli's BlogEli's TEDx talk!Sam Morril's latest comedy special: Positive InfluenceConnect with Zach:ForFintechsake.comFollow Zach on TwitterConnect with Zach on LinkedInSupport our Sponsor:NavanTopics:(1:59) - Eli's background (we love Philly!)(14:33) - Life at Stanford and the Big Tech shift(19:37) - Building Footprint: Meeting the Co-founder(24:30) - Eli's investor updates(30:20) - Navan Ad read(31:50) - The Footprint business model, fighting fraud, privacy, and dealing with becoming a behemoth of data (42:05) - How is the competitive landscape of your industry developing?(49:07) - Where is the true growth potential for Footprint?(52:04) - Eli's illustrious Stand-up comedy career and its impact on his business career(1:04:46) - What can we do to help Footprint?

Happy Valentine's Day LOVERS! Kristen Anderson is the only guest we'd allow to go live on this day of adoration, and she didn't disappoint. We cover Kristen's past lives as a cog in the tech machine, Tech layoffs, and the philosophy behind building early stage startups.“But Zach! Why aren't you talking about Fintech??”Because that's what you think about 24/7, Kristen and I decided to discuss money movement, pregnancy brain, scary movies….Okay, we DO talk about Fintech, check the show notes below!Helpful Links:Kristen on LinkedInCatchAre you Garbage PodcastAlloyExtreme Ownership by Jocko WillinkEverything Everywhere All At OnceConnect with Zach:ForFintechsake.comFollow Zach on TwitterConnect with Zach on LinkedInSupport our Sponsor:NavanTopics:(2:42) - Thoughts on the negative aspects of the Tech World.(12:37) - Kristen's career, becoming friends with Zach, and ChatGPT(21:45) - Obsessing over Inputs(23:04) - Building Catch & discussing early stage startups(41:17) - Navan Ad Read(42:47) - Tech Layoffs & more on building Catch(51:52) - Company building before Product Building(1:06:05) - Money movement, pregnancy, and scary movies(1:11:27) - Fintech!

We're back, folks! On this episode we welcome Rishi Khanna, CEO of Stocktwits, to discuss how the company came to be, his experience as CEO, and the challenges within maintaining Stocktwits' unique brand and voice through hypergrowth. Rishi also dishes on the Hedge Fund world, how New York City shaped him into the man he is today. Enjoy!Helpful Links:StocktwitsRishi on TwitterConnect with Zach:ForFintechsake.comFollow Zach on TwitterConnect with Zach on LinkedInSupport our Sponsor:Neuro-IDTopics:(3:15) - Rishi's upbringing and career(7:03) - How has the culture of NYC shaped you?(10:31) - What did you think you wanted to be when you grew up?(19:19) - The importance of having a passion for what you do(24:30) - The Hedge Fund industry is qualitative!(30:28) - Neuro-ID Ad Read(31:37) - The StockTwits story(40:01) - What can I do on Stocktwits?(45:14) - How do you maintain your unique brand and voice as you grow?(49:05) - How do you carry yourself as a leader?(52:18) - Could Stocktwits ever work with Crypto?(57:16) - What can the audience do for you?

Welcome back! On this episode we welcome Lee Taylor, CFO of OnlyFans, to discuss how the company has VASTLY improved relationships with financial institutions and its goal of becoming the world's safest social media platform. We cover why OnlyFans prioritizes safety, influencers vs. creators, content moderation policies, and some fun stuff like Lee's wicked martial arts resume and some parenting talk. Enjoy!Helpful Links:Lee on LinkedInOnlyFans1000 True Fans by Kevin Kelly (Not Paul Graham ☺)Connect with Zach:ForFintechSake.comFollow Zach on TwitterCheck out Money 20/20Support our Sponsor:Neuro-IDTopics:(1:18) - Lee & Zach reflect on their first meeting(3:37) - Do you think being on stage at Money 20/20 contributed to the improved relationships OF has with financial institutions?(10:41) - Influencers vs. Creators(14:43) - Lee's upbringing, career, parenting, and martial arts pursuits(26:15) - Prioritizing safety on OnlyFans(27:56) - Lee on the entire OF team being emotionally invested in the product(29:40) - Neuro-ID Ad read(30:50) - Unpacking being “The safest social media platform”(38:54) - Was Adult Content the focus or a natural use case in the company's early days?(44:45) - OF's KYC process & content moderation(53:57) - What are the perceived risks that banks and financial institutions see in partnering with OnlyFans?

Happy New Year! With the first episode of 2023, we welcome Michael Sindicich, EVP of TripActions Liquid to discuss how the organization has grown from a start up to a major incumbent in our budding universe of Fintech. We cover the nitty gritty of how the product was developed, and how the org was able to maintain it's startup-like culture despite being over 3,000 team members. We dive into the story of TripActions incorporating Liquid into their product, and then wrap up with the fun stuff like Michael's story of learning to fly planes during the pandemic. Enjoy!Helpful Links:TripActionsMichael Sindicich on Twitter & LinkedInModern TreasuryLiquidMichael on Alex Johnson's Podcast - The Fintech FactorConnect with Zach:ForFintechSake.comFollow Zach on TwitterCheck out Money 20/20Support our Sponsor:Neuro-IDTopics:(0:04) - Introduction(1:57) - Michael's upbringing and early career(7:22) - Are there overlaps in your life studying science that carried over into sales?(9:27) - What was the culture like early on in the company's life and how was the product built?(13:20) - How did you identify your now-fianceé was going to be the company's Internal Champion?(15:25) - Was it a deliberate approach to use a usage-based model for charging customers?(17:20) - What happened between TripActions being founded and Liquid being incorporated into the product?(19:23) - Are there people trying to bite your ankles from the startup end or are your competitors the incumbents?(21:20) - Incorporating Liquid(26:23) - Breaking down the mechanics of issuance(27:40) - What's the fundraising journey been like?(32:02) - Neuro-ID Ad read(33:14) - What was your mindset during the pandemic and why did you get so aggressive at a time when everyone was panicking?(39:53) - How have you been able to maintain a startup culture despite this massive growth?(43:16) - Do you have any crazy customer stories?(44:19) - How do you develop the mental model that fintech solutions should come from outside the industry?(47:44) - What do you do with your life outside work?(53:20) - What can our audience do to help you?

This episode was made possible by our friends at Neuro-ID! Go to neuro-id.com to learn more, book a demo, and meet some wonderful humans from Neuro-Id. This week's guest is Wayne Chang. Wayne is a Serial Entrepreneur, Film Producer, and Angel Investor. Wayne is the CEO & Co-Founder of Digits. Helpful links: https://digits.com/ (Digits Website) https://twitter.com/Wayne (Wayne on Twitter) https://chang.com/ (Chang.com) https://www.neuro-id.com/resources/blog/expert-predictions-series-fintechs-fraudrings (Neuro-ID Expert Predictions Series) https://www.neuro-id.com/ (Neuro-ID Website) https://my.captivate.fm/forfintechsake.com (Subscribe to For Fintech's Sake here. )

This episode was made possible by our friends at Neuro-ID! Go to neuro-id.com to learn more, book a demo, and meet some wonderful humans from Neuro-Id. This week's guest is David Ikenna Adams. David is an expert on all things cryptocurrency and cannabis. He runs a Venture Syndicate and he's starting company that's currently still in Stealth. Helpful links: https://www.ifthen.vc/ (If_Then Ventures) https://twitter.com/DavidIkenna (David on Twitter) https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-ikenna/ (David on Linkedin) https://www.neuro-id.com/ffs (Neuro-ID Fraud Ring Report ) https://www.neuro-id.com/ (Neuro-ID Website) https://my.captivate.fm/forfintechsake.com (Subscribe to For Fintech's Sake here. )

This episode was made possible by our friends at Neuro-ID! They've just released a new report on fraud rings. It's an important read! Check it out and learn more in general at neuro-id.com/ffs This week's guestS are Jason Mikula (Fintech Business Weekly) and Alex Johnson (Fintech Takes). They're both out here leading thoughts in the world of fintech. Helpful links: https://newsletter.fintechtakes.com/ (Fintech Takes) https://fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/ (Fintech Business Weekly ) https://www.neuro-id.com/ffs (Neuro-ID Fraud Ring Report ) https://my.captivate.fm/forfintechsake.com (Subscribe to For Fintech's Sake here. )

This week's guest is Dimitri Dadiomov, CEO at Modern Treasury. Modern Treasury's payment operations platform and flexible APIs enable you to add money movement and tracking to your products without the heavy lifting. And ya know, stuff like that. We're welcome a new supporter for this season. Neuro-ID! Go to Neuro-ID.com/ffs to learn more and schedule a demo. Helpful links: https://www.moderntreasury.com/ (Modern Treasury Website) https://www.linkedin.com/in/dadiomov/ (Dimitri on Linkedin ) https://twitter.com/dadiomov (Dimitri on Twitter) https://my.captivate.fm/forfintechsake.com (Subscribe to For Fintech's Sake here. )

This week's guest is Don Muir, CEO at Arc. Arc does full service non-dilutive financing for SaaS companies. Helpful links: https://www.arc.tech/ (Arc Website) https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-muir (Don on Linkedin) https://my.captivate.fm/forfintechsake.com (Subscribe to For Fintech's Sake here. )

This week's guest is Albert Saniger, CEO at Nate. Nate's revolutionizing e-commerce payments in a beautiful way. Helpful links: https://www.nate.tech/ (Nate Website) https://twitter.com/AlbertSaniger?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor (Albert on Twitter) (@AlbertSaniger) https://my.captivate.fm/forfintechsake.com (Subscribe to For Fintech's Sake here. )

Lindsay Davis is back on the show to cover the news, or something like that...ya know, news(ish). In this episode of a show that claims to be somewhat related to fintech news, we cover a multitude of important topics: Fintech Fridays, The Atomic Fundraise, & a Swift Take on Swift Helpful Links: https://techcrunch.com/2022/03/03/payroll-api-provider-atomic-lands-40m-in-series-b-funding/?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAB0yrsjWGRdLSlCojN6VNhvPyUrm4E3zpzHB0vTh7ehtsvfcCHeVXYnLTJJk5ugMl7WhYTgx84TZ7-J3nuCEMVKCg8-EPLsjrNDhXML6ljHUxEqkvF5rpzKSFRN5rvWbO7rEZy-tQWOM6eK4xF5uj9ExACSCyf_t3P-Z6cziPdMh (Atomic Fundraise) https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-crusan-davis/ (Lindsay on Linkedin ) https://atomic.financial/ (Atomic Website) https://us.money2020.com/?utm_campaign=global2022-launch&utm_medium=paid-search&utm_source=google&utm_content=us&utm_term=noterm&ef_id=Cj0KCQiAgP6PBhDmARIsAPWMq6mtY3TX2ktVAoDhkA4KTmgJcW6SNpqGghjceaX24JB94sifVoyjihcaApjuEALw_wcB:G:s&cmpid=610a8b7bf3718300014bede2&sub1={replace}&sub2=money2020&sub3=e&sub4=131361035739&sub5=569959088397&sub6=15586363179&sub7=c&sub8=&sub9=g&sub10=&ref_id=Cj0KCQiAgP6PBhDmARIsAPWMq6mtY3TX2ktVAoDhkA4KTmgJcW6SNpqGghjceaX24JB94sifVoyjihcaApjuEALw_wcB&gclid=Cj0KCQiAgP6PBhDmARIsAPWMq6mtY3TX2ktVAoDhkA4KTmgJcW6SNpqGghjceaX24JB94sifVoyjihcaApjuEALw_wcB (Money2020 Website) https://www.forfintechsake.com/ (Subscribe to For Fintech's Sake here. )

This week's guest is Matthew Spoke, CEO at Moves. Moves is an all-in-one financial app helping gig workers manage their business and get ahead. Helpful links: https://movesfinancial.com/ (Moves Website) https://twitter.com/mattspoke?lang=en (Matthew on Twitter) (@MattSpoke) https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewspoke/ (Matthew on Linkedin) https://my.captivate.fm/forfintechsake.com (Subscribe to For Fintech's Sake here. )

This week's guest is Steve McLaughlin, Founder & CEO at FT Partners. FT Partners was recently recognized as "Dealmaker of the Year"​ and "Investment Banking Firm of the Year"​ by The M&A Advisor. They're damn good at what they do. Helpful links: https://www.ftpartners.com/ (FT Partners Website) https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevemclaughlinftpartners/ (Steve on Linkedin) https://twitter.com/FTPartners (Steve on Twitter) (@FTPartners) https://my.captivate.fm/forfintechsake.com (Subscribe to For Fintech's Sake here. )

This week's guest, Ryan Falvey, Managing Partner at Financial Venture Studio, returns to grace us with his presence for the second time on FFS. Helpful links: https://www.finventurestudio.com/ (FinVenture Studio Website) Ryan on https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-falvey/ (Linkedin) Ryan on https://twitter.com/ryan_falvey (Twitter) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fintech-graduate-school-ryan-falvey-managing-partner/id1456434985?i=1000480833465 (Episode One with Ryan ) https://my.captivate.fm/forfintechsake.com (Subscribe to For Fintech's Sake here. )

Lindsay Davis is back on the show to cover the news, or something like that...ya know, news(ish). We cover a range of topics from NYDIG's BTC Payroll Announcement to making it clear that we had foresight about overdraft fees going the way of steam engine. Helpful Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-crusan-davis/ (Lindsay on Linkedin ) https://atomic.financial/ (Atomic Website) https://us.money2020.com/?utm_campaign=global2022-launch&utm_medium=paid-search&utm_source=google&utm_content=us&utm_term=noterm&ef_id=Cj0KCQiAgP6PBhDmARIsAPWMq6mtY3TX2ktVAoDhkA4KTmgJcW6SNpqGghjceaX24JB94sifVoyjihcaApjuEALw_wcB:G:s&cmpid=610a8b7bf3718300014bede2&sub1={replace}&sub2=money2020&sub3=e&sub4=131361035739&sub5=569959088397&sub6=15586363179&sub7=c&sub8=&sub9=g&sub10=&ref_id=Cj0KCQiAgP6PBhDmARIsAPWMq6mtY3TX2ktVAoDhkA4KTmgJcW6SNpqGghjceaX24JB94sifVoyjihcaApjuEALw_wcB&gclid=Cj0KCQiAgP6PBhDmARIsAPWMq6mtY3TX2ktVAoDhkA4KTmgJcW6SNpqGghjceaX24JB94sifVoyjihcaApjuEALw_wcB (Money2020 Website) https://www.forfintechsake.com/ (Subscribe to For Fintech's Sake here. )

We have two esteemed guests this week: Craig J. Lewis (CEO) & Ethan Austin (CSO) at GigWage, a payments company revolutionizing the way contractors are paid. Helpful links: https://gigwage.com/ (gigwge website) https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrfutureofwork/ (Craig on Linkedin) https://www.linkedin.com/in/fintech-investor/ (Ethan on Linkedin ) Subscribe to For Fintech's Sake here.

My guest this week is Kabir Kumar, Investor at Flourish Ventures. Flourish is a Venture Firm focused on investing in entrepreneurs whose innovations help people achieve financial health and prosperity. Helpful links: https://flourishventures.com/ (Flourish Website) https://www.linkedin.com/in/kabirkumar/ (Kabir on Linkedin) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-better-financial-future-with-emmalyn-shaw/id1456434985?i=1000515967477 (FFS Episode with Emmalyn Shaw)