Podcasts about Credit Karma

BOSSes Anne Ganguzza and Tom Dheere, your "real bosses" and co-hosts, connect to dive deep into the critical world of online security and scam prevention for voiceover professionals. They unpack Tom's recent harrowing experience with an AI voice cloning scam, offering a candid look into the crucial insights needed to navigate digital threats and build a truly secure business in today's landscape. Listeners will discover the essential role of vigilance and proactive measures in protecting their assets, gain an understanding of emerging scam tactics, and appreciate the power of community in safeguarding their careers. Anne and Tom also discuss practical pathways for secure transactions and the evolving nature of digital defense.   00:01 - Anne (Host) Hey guys, it's Anne from VO BOSS here.  00:04 - Speaker 2 (Announcement) And it's George the Tech. We're excited to tell you about the VO BOSS. Vip membership, now with even more benefits.  00:10 - Anne (Host) So not only do you get access to exclusive workshops and industry insights, but with our VIP plus tech tier, you'll enjoy specialized tech support from none other than George himself.  00:22 - Speaker 2 (Announcement) You got it. I'll help you tackle all those tricky tech issues so you can focus on what you do best Voice acting. It's tech support tailored for voiceover professionals like you.  00:32 - Anne (Host) Join us guys at VO BOSS and let's make your voiceover career soar. Visit voboss.com slash VIP-membership to sign up today.  00:45 - Speaker 3 (Announcement) It's time to take your business to the next level, the boss level. These are the premier business owner strategies and successes being utilized by the industry's top talent today. Rock your business like a boss, a VO boss. Now let's welcome your host, Anne Ganguzza. Hey, hey, everyone, welcome to the VO BOSS Podcast.  01:04 - Anne (Host) I'm your host, Anne Ganguzza. Hey, hey everyone, welcome to the VO BOSS Podcast. I'm your host, Anne Ganguzza, and I'm here with my real boss, Tom Deere. I had to think about that, Tom. We've been together so long. I was like what is our subtitle here? We are real bosses.  01:20 - Tom (Host) Yeah, we're real bosses. Thanks for having me back, Anne.  01:23 - Anne (Host) How are you doing, Tom, my real boss? Co-host.  01:26 - Tom (Host) All things considered, I'm doing okay, I had a weird experience recently which it seems like a lot of voice actors are experiencing. I got an email from someone expressing interest in wanting to cast me for a voiceover project. Oh yes, I looked at it and it was this long-form project, something like 9,000 and change words. And I looked at it and I'm like and you know I was reading the ins and outs of it and I'm like, huh, like my spider sense was tingling a little bit, but I'm looking at, I'm like this one is worth replying to and getting some information about.  02:00 So there was a little bit of back and forth about it.  02:03 - Anne (Host) So you did reply, and then there was.  02:05 - Tom (Host) There was more conversation.  02:06 - Anne (Host) Yeah, there was more conversation, which is what I always do when I'm trying to find out more information about a job to make sure it's legit.  02:12 - Tom (Host) Right Now, around the same time, maybe a couple of days after that, someone posted on a Facebook group hey, I got this email. It was saying this and this Did anyone else get it? Does it seem legit? And it looked like it was the same email that I had gotten, so I was following that it turns out.  02:28 It was posted by our friend, bridget Real, who is the co-founder of VA for VO, the virtual assistant site that helps voice actors, and we talked about it a little bit and we're both like, yeah, we're going to keep digging a little bit and see what's going on. And then her business partner, lynn, also got the email and I was getting ready to accept it just to see what would happen. And that morning I got a message from her saying hey, did you accept this project? Yet I'm like no, why? And she said because both of us accepted the project. We both got cast for the same exact project. We both got the same exact script. They sent me the script.  03:00 So then I did this. I went to Gemini, google Gemini, which is my AI bot of choice, and I did the prompts. I said you are an expert at detecting scams. Please analyze this script and let me know if you think that this script could be used to harvest a voice actor's voice to clone it. A voice actor's voice to clone it. And it did its analysis and I've got like the 2.5 advanced. So it takes a little time. And it wrote back oh, yes, it does. And here are all the reasons why this, this, this, this, this, this and this. And then I sent that information to Bridget and Lynn and they're like we knew it. We knew it. So then she created a wonderful post on LinkedIn talking about it. And then I wrote a blog with all the information and, like what happened, it was the most read blog I've had in like three years or something like that.  03:52 Yeah, it was crazy.  03:53 - Anne (Host) What's so interesting is it could have been a legit job, like for payment. You would have done it, they would have paid you for it, but they would have used your voice as an AI voice.  04:05 And so therefore, legally right in the end. Right, if you found out later on they could say, oh no, no, no, we paid you. I mean, it was a job that we paid you for and there was no extenuating circumstances or contracts to be signed which, by the way, I'm going to bring up Nava and the AI writer For all your jobs. You should be attaching that AI writer so that your voice is not going to be used as an AI voice, for sure, for sure.  04:37 - Tom (Host) So, to let everybody know, the website was GigLumin G-I-G-L-U-M-I-N. And if you do a Google search of GigLumin and this is what Bridget had figured out is that the website was only a month or two old. And there's these scam websites that you can enter the URL of a website in and it can tell you how likely that's a scam. It checked every red flag, every box, every single box.  04:56 - Anne (Host) So, yes, vo people, bosses, beware, right. So beware of emails. And you know, it's funny because it's lately, just because of the whole AI thing. Anytime I get an email with a job from someone that I don't know, right, that is just out of the blue, that I didn't audition for, where they have large amounts of words, the hairs on the back of my neck kind of stand up and I immediately, immediately check into it. And I think this really warrants a discussion, bosses, because it's very timely that you want to make sure that these jobs are legitimate. So the more research you can do. And I love, Tom Dheere, how you used AI to fight AI Again.  05:37 We had our previous episode on tools that we use. I mean, we are utilizing it as a tool to help us in our day-to-day jobs, and so I think, being aware of possible scams out there, we absolutely have to be, and I'll tell you if it's somebody that I've never heard of and they don't have a signature file. I've gotten to the point where I don't even like and it's not like from a company.com. I don't even literally take it seriously anymore. I don't know about you, Tom, what do you think?  06:05 - Tom (Host) Yes, I'm equally skeptical these days but, I, really like what you said about when you receive the email, check to see if there is a signature at the Tom of it with the company logo, website and contact information. That is one of many red flags and I don't know how much you've noticed lately, Anne, but since I would say about early April, there has been an explosion of scam attempts going on in the voiceover industry. We've had the overpayment scam. That's been going on for at least 10 or 15 years.  06:37 - Anne (Host) Gosh, at least, and bosses. If you haven't heard about it, Tom, let's talk about the overpayment scam for just a minute. Yeah, yeah, Okay so what happens is it's very common.  06:45 - Tom (Host) It's very common. It's been going on for a really long time. So basically they email you and say hey, we've got a project for you, da-da-da-da-da-da. The classic one was the game show host voiceover.  06:55 - Anne (Host) It has since evolved.  06:56 - Tom (Host) And basically they say that we've booked a studio in the area nearby. We're going to get paid or pay for the studio and then send us back the difference and something like that. And it's never a gig.  07:12 - Speaker 2 (Announcement) All they're trying to do is get you to cash that check and send them money, which is fraudulent, by the way.  07:18 - Anne (Host) And, by the way, I've gotten to the point where, if I have a new client, the only way they can really pay me is electronically.  07:25 And I figure, if you don't have electronic means to pay me immediately before the job and it's even in my terms and I've done this for years, Tom, I always have payment in full prior to job start is appreciated and other options available upon request.  07:39 But if it's a new client, I'll take that out because I must have that money in my bank account before I will even consider finishing that job or sending a file. And I'll tell you what, Tom for all of my career it's worked for me Because if people are serious about hiring you, they know that you're a professional, they know that you're going to get the job done. Of course they have to put their faith in you. But in reality and I'll even say because you're a new client I require payment up front electronically. And here are the ways that you can pay me. And so I'll send them, like a QuickBooks invoice, or I'll give them a PayPal account or however that works, and I expect that money in the account and I wait for that money and I make sure that I have the money and then I'll proceed with the job.  08:21 - Tom (Host) That's a really good idea. There's nothing wrong with even asking for 50% or 25% or just some percentage of it. The fact that they're actually going to fork over money with no expectation of an overpayment or getting it back or disputing the payment or anything like that.  08:37 Once it clears, you know that they're serious. And there's a bunch of like. I use Wave apps, for example. That's a great way to do it and I'm pretty sure they can do a partial payment. Or you can just make one invoice just for the deposit and then issue another invoice for the balance If they're a legitimate client that actually has money that they're planning on paying you with, they would have no problem with paying at least a portion of it up front.  08:59 - Anne (Host) Yeah, a lot of my clients nowadays the larger clients that used to like work off of purchase orders, and then it would be like 90 days after the job has been submitted. We'd have to wait for that check, they'd have to generate the PO and everything. You'd sign contracts like vendor contracts and that sort of thing, which I've done a lot, and so if they've got a contract for you to sign, that's vendor, nda, that sort of thing, and you know the company. It's like a well-known company. They're on the web. They've been on the web for years. I mean you can pretty much trust in that where I'll do the job and then I'll get paid. If I've worked with them before, I know that's typically how larger companies work and so that's when I'll accept a check. But even now most of those companies they're going to electronic deposit, like ACH they call it.  09:42 ACH, yeah, so it's direct deposit to your bank and most of the companies I know will do that and that's a form of payment that I trust and that would be a client that I would trust. So if it's a larger company that I know they exist on the web and they talk about, well, you're going to have to do the job first and then we'll be able to pay you once the purchase order is created, blah, blah, blah, blah, and you sign these contracts. I feel fairly good about that and I don't have to think, oh, this is a scam. But whenever I get an email without an actual signature file that comes from an address that isn't companycom, right, if it's a Gmail or a Yahoo or whatever, even a Microsoft what is the free Microsoft one?  10:20 Hotmail, hotmail, yeah, even if it's Microsoftcom, I feel like there's some sort of free sort of Microsoft. You know what I mean Like email that says that I just don't trust it and I'll immediately. The first thing I'll do is look for a website and when I get to the website I'll look for a phone number and then I'll actually try to call that phone number. What are the steps that you take, Tom, to ensure that your job is legit?  10:41 - Tom (Host) Everything that you just said. I also, by the way, I do love the ACH direct deposit because there's no fee. When PayPal, there is a fee, or wire transfer. That's really nice. Here's one thing that I've been doing lately is, if I get a we'll call it a solicitation, for lack of a better term from a company saying hey, and it'll most often be we found you on Google, we found you on Voice123 or some other front-facing thing. You know what's an interesting thing to do? Go look for them on LinkedIn.  11:11 Look for them on LinkedIn. Look for the company and look for the individual and see if you have any mutual connections. I mean, it could be anybody, whether it's a voice actor or somebody in some other profession, and you can reach out on LinkedIn and say, hey, I got an email from this company and you have a connection with them on LinkedIn. What's your experience with them? And that could give you some really quick insight. Sometimes it's just like, oh, I've been working with them for years, or it's oh, they're a huge scam. I forgot to disconnect with them. Run, run, run. Or I'd sent a rando invite, or they sent a rando invite and I don't have any information for you. But it could increase your chance of vetting them a little bit better. Another thing is that I keep an eye out, for is if they ask me to send them a W-9, the more likely that they are legitimate.  12:00 Yeah, yeah, absolutely, which I find interesting because if they were a real, true scam artist, they would want that W-9, because now they would have your social security number and now they can steal your identity too.  12:11 - Anne (Host) Well, oh my gosh, Tom, and that's scary actually, but that's why you don't put your social security number. You put your EIN number, because you're a company right, and you don't have to give up your EIN number, which is, by the way, one thing. I'm glad you mentioned that like we should all be having an EIN number. I'm glad you mentioned that, like we should all be having an EIN number.  12:30 - Tom (Host) Yes, it's very, very simple to get. It takes very, very little time. So it's a very easy get. I just reminded myself and we just talked about identity theft is that I almost had my identity stolen yesterday.  12:43 - Anne (Host) Whoa, that's scary. Yes.  12:45 - Tom (Host) How do you?  12:46 - Anne (Host) know like what happened.  12:51 - Tom (Host) Okay, so it was about a little after 10 am yesterday is when things started happening, so within a few minutes of each other, I got an email from Credit Karma, norton which, because I have my Norton 360 antivirus software package, I pay a subscription through that and Experian. For those of you who don't know, there are three major credit bureaus there's Experian, there's TransUnion and there's Equifax. I have a free account with Experian and I have a free account with Credit Karma. All three of them, within a few minutes of each other, messaged me and said that there was a hard inquiry.  13:30 - Anne (Host) Yeah.  13:30 - Tom (Host) So what that means is if you are applying for a loan, a mortgage, a credit card or something like that, the company that you're applying to will do a credit check. So they will check your credit and see if you are a safe credit risk to make the loan or to get the credit card, for this was a hard inquiry. If you get enough hard inquiries on your credit, your credit will go down.  13:55 - Anne (Host) Yeah, absolutely. I know that because I'm a stickler about my credit.  13:59 - Tom (Host) Me too. My credit rating, oh my gosh. If mine isn't at least 800, something I freak out, oh my gosh.  14:04 - Anne (Host) Yeah, no, mine has to be like almost close to perfect, and when it goes down like two points, I'm like wait why? Why did that happen? Right? And it's just because you put a charge on it for a few hundred dollars, and then you pay it off next week and then everything's fine, so that's normal.  14:18 - Tom (Host) So all three of them told me at roughly the same time that there was a hard inquiry. So I clicked on all the emails and all three of them said that somebody was applying for a Discover credit card, I think in Salt Lake City, and someone was applying for a Capital One credit card in Delaware, and I was in New York City neither applying for a Discover credit card or a Capital One credit card. I certainly wasn't in Salt Lake City or Delaware at the same exact time.  14:49 - Anne (Host) You know, what's so interesting, Tom, is that, like I don't know, a few months ago I don't know if there was a discussion circulating or maybe I got an email but somebody said, and like I should have done this years ago, I mean you can freeze your account so that if you don't open up a credit card every other day which I'm certainly not right Because again, it affects my credit rating and I'm anal about that and so I'm like well, I don't need to apply for any other credit cards, so you can go and freeze that, so that you can actually reduce the risk of somebody trying to open up credit cards or identity theft.  15:19 So and it's super simple to do it, as I said, everybody should have that free account. You should log in, you should check your credit scores regularly I think they allow you once a month, I think even my credit cards. My American Express will tell me oh, your FICO score has changed, right, so they're monitoring it too, and so literally, I get lots of notifications when that rating goes up and down. But I know that I've reduced my chances of identity theft, which is a very scary thing, by freezing those accounts and it's very simple to unfreeze. So, if you know you want to apply for a credit card. You just got to go and unfreeze it for a certain amount of time so you can apply for it and then freeze it back up again. So that way it reduces the risk.  15:57 - Tom (Host) And all those emails that I got, all those notifications did give me the option to do that. I was also able to say this because it, literally, when Norton 360 popped up and it took me to their website, it literally said is this you and you can check yes or no? And I wrote no and then the whole screen turned red saying okay, we know this is a problem, we will look into it.  16:17 It did it with all those and then I called Capital One Bank. It took me a few people. It had to get escalated a couple of times to the credit card fraud department.  16:25 - Anne (Host) Well, don't you say, they give you a special number, right?  16:27 - Tom (Host) They say call this number if it's not you, or you can call this number. I just called the general number because all that was on the notification, I think, was the Capital One in Salt Lake City or something like that. So I called directly and said please state your problem. I'm like I think I'm getting my identity stolen. And then it got up there and then they manually rejected the credit card application at least for the Capital One.  16:50 And then this morning I got another Credit Karma email saying that there was a check on my Equifax report not the Experian one and I looked at the date of it. It also said yesterday. So that means Credit Karma had my back twice and Experian had my back and Norton had my back twice. Right, right, and Experian had my back and Norton had my back and everybody bosses. This is the takeaway. Creditkarmacom is free, having an account with Experian is free, it doesn't cost you a nickel.  17:18 - Anne (Host) All of them TransUnion, they're all free TransUnion, Equifax, they're all free.  17:23 Exactly and you can check your scores and, like I said, a lot of banks and a lot of credit cards are actually adding that on as like a value add kind of service, but you don't have to pay anything for it. I think there's a lot of it going on, Tom, which is kind of scary. We got to be careful about scammers, that's for sure. And anytime, even in your email, right, if you get like again, if I find something that doesn't have a signature and then they have an attachment like PayPal has been well-known scams where you get like oh, you've got a PayPal invoice, right, and you have to pay this amount and it looks legit. I mean, they've got like the PayPal logo. I've gotten quite a few of those over the last six months.  18:01 - Speaker 2 (Announcement) And.  18:01 - Anne (Host) I just ignore anything. Just remember that most financial institutions will never email you for information and they'll never text you necessarily for that information either, and you should also, Tom. We should have a big discussion on having multi-factor authentication.  18:19 - Tom (Host) Yes.  18:19 - Anne (Host) This is extremely important.  18:21 - Tom (Host) It's annoying as hell or two-factor, two-factor authentication For every account that you have, especially the financial ones, you should have two-factor authentication, which means either they send you a text message and you just click on the link and you're good to go, or it sends you an email and it'll usually give you a passcode of some sort and then you go to the website. When you're trying to log on, you enter that passcode and then it'll let you do it, and most of them are only good. Some of them are only good for 30 days. Sometimes you can check a box saying this is my private computer. It's okay for a certain amount of time, or they make you do it every single time, which isn't the worst thing in the world. Yes, it's annoying.  18:55 - Anne (Host) You know what I just thought about. It is annoying but it keeps you safe. It's funny how much like value you put in that number, that phone number, in this phone which, by the way, I just got a new phone but in this number for the two-factor authentication, right Like text me at this number. So think of the power that these phone companies have right, and that is scary. I mean it used to be a thing where I always thought like the large scale communication companies were a little bit of a monopoly, depending on the area that you're in. I mean, when I lived in the East Coast it was always Verizon right, verizon everything, verizon this, verizon that. Out here it's a couple of different companies but still, if you think about it, I mean I'm glad to have the two-factor authentication and it's super convenient on the phone.  19:39 But, it's interesting to know that you wouldn't want the hackers to get smart right and then start really infiltrating the phone, you know, and impersonating a phone number.  19:50 - Tom (Host) There's a couple of things about that is that, when it comes to authentication, when you're logging on your phone, I've got it set up where I just use my thumbprint for a lot of it.  19:59 - Anne (Host) I love that, or Face ID yeah the Face ID is a great one.  20:05 - Tom (Host) There's also a thing for a lot of the websites where I have a personal PIN that has nothing to do with the PIN or the password to access the site itself. If I am using my phone to log in somewhere, I can enter a four-digit PIN that's different from everything else, so it also increases the chance of having a secure whatever. Also, just as a rule, I don't do anything financial on my phone, with the exception of like Venmo Well, I have mobile banking If I'm like sending money if, like me, and the guys are having pizza, you know what I mean.  20:31 - Anne (Host) I have mobile banking and I do have Apple Pay.  20:35 - Tom (Host) Well, I have GPay too.  20:36 - Anne (Host) Yeah, so.  20:36 - Tom (Host) I'm a Google guy but like I will unless to my bank accounts online or Wave app or Wise or PayPal on the phone, unless I absolutely have to.  20:49 - Anne (Host) Interesting. I go to them quite a bit. Actually, you're probably fine because of all the precautions that you're taking, but I'm just a little extra neurotic about it. Oh, it's constantly got multi-factor authentication, but I get that. I totally get that. Wow, yeah, being careful, and you know what.  21:02 What's interesting is, back in the day and I'm going to date myself when I was working at the school and we had text-based email okay, and text-based email, I could have something and it was all based on like the Unix systems and so like hacking into a text-based, like I don't know how to say this, but hacking into a system like that, like a Unix system, and reading your email with text-based, you didn't always have like the conditions of people attaching things that could be viral, loading a virus on your computer. So I was always proud to say that I used text-based email and I used something called a PGP signature, which was a digital signature at the time, which meant that when I sent mail out, my PGP signature, it would actually negotiate and verify with the person that I would send it to so that it could be a verified digital signature. That indeed, yes, this mail did come from me, and I think that Norton probably has something like that now right. Is that with your email or no?  21:59 - Tom (Host) Yeah, it has all kinds of functions.  22:01 And it works on my desktop and it works on my laptop and it works on my phone. The most important function that it has is when I'm not home and I'm on my phone or my laptop or my tablet is the VPN when you can turn it on to make sure that if you're using Wi-Fi at a cafe or something like that, that it's secure, because apparently there are people who just like sitting around at a Panera or a Starbucks with their laptop and just waiting for someone to have an insecure Wi-Fi connection and they can just steal their life right there through their own laptop.  22:31 - Anne (Host) Well, it's funny how this conversation has turned into a big security conversation, starting off with scamming. Which guys you got to be aware? It's one of the reasons why, for all of my years and because of my years working in technology, I like wired connections. I mean Wi-Fi. I mean it's a wonderful technology and it's convenient as anything. However, it's not as secure as a wired connection, because a wired connection is basically, you know, your digital numbers flowing back and forth along a wire, versus all this information out in the air where, if somebody is sitting outside of my home, they can possibly hack into my wireless network and then they can run some sort of a tracer to see and to actually get my passwords, which is something that you don't really want that to happen. So you should really be cautious, guys, and I think it's always a good idea that, if you are working from home, if you have the opportunity to have a wired connection to your router, I think that that's better rather than using Wi-Fi. Number one it's more stable, right, it's faster and it's also more secure.  23:32 - Tom (Host) I agree. If you have a desktop at home and you are doing any kind of recording or you're doing basically anything, you should have an ethernet connection. That yellow wire with the big old phone jack that plugs right into the back of your computer and plugs into your Wi-Fi router.  23:47 - Anne (Host) And it sounds old school, but it's still the most secure method of data transfer.  23:51 - Tom (Host) Without question so if you are recording from home. If you're doing whatever from home, you have a desktop ethernet. If you have a laptop, I are recording from home. If you're doing whatever from home, you have a desktop Ethernet. If you have a laptop, I think the newer laptops don't even have an Ethernet connection. I have to think about my laptop and whether I even have one anymore, and here's the simple reason.  24:06 - Anne (Host) Think about it. It's a wire, guys. It's a wire. It's not like data floating around in the air which people can listen to. Somehow the frequency of the data traveling in the air right? Wi-fi works on frequencies when your data is traveling via a wire like a physical cable, unless somebody like I don't even know, unless they tap into that wire, right, somehow.  24:26 I don't know how they do that, and we're talking about your wire in your house going from your computer to your router. Right, that's as secure as it gets, right, unless somebody's coming into your house and hacking into the wire and tapping into it.  24:38 - Tom (Host) You've got some foreign embassy bugging your home.  24:41 - Anne (Host) Yeah, yeah, doing some fancy work, you're not going to have to worry about your data being transferred. So if you're working on the internet right, at least the data that's transferring from your house to your router is absolutely secure. And then it's up to your internet provider right on the router, to their routers, to make sure that things are encrypted, things are secure and for the most part I mean that's been handled right. I mean there are hackers out there that they can hack into networks. They can hack into things like that, but you want to be as safe as you possibly can, so wired is best.  25:14 - Tom (Host) Yes, it's fascinating. We talk about hard security and soft security, yes, that's hard security, that's hard security.  25:20 - Anne (Host) So, if we go back to talking about the scams that are floating around these days, one thing I wanted to mention is I think one of the best applications for groups, facebook groups and social media groups and discussion groups is for that thing, so that you and Bridget were talking to one another about this job that you both got, and then it's really wonderful that we can come together as a community and protect each other right and say, hey, look, watch out for the scam. So it is one of the best advantages, I would say, of being a part of the social media groups in that way. Otherwise, we've talked about how it's hard to sometimes they're toxic, sometimes it's really hard to be on social media. But I would say one of the best reasons to be on social media, in those groups and in those forums, would be because of the protection that you're getting of us banding together and saying, hey, watch out, this is a scam.  26:09 - Tom (Host) Absolutely, it's one of the most important things. Community is more than just about you know rah rah and whoop whoop and you know we support you and feel better if you're feeling down, but like just actual education, along with inspiration and commiseration can literally save your identity Absolutely.  26:27 - Anne (Host) Wow, what a great conversation, Tom. So bosses out there, be aware of scams. Be cautious. Research, research. Take a look at those signatures when you get emails coming in, when you get something that's asking for lots of words and a good price and it seems too good to be true, guess what it might be. So make sure that you're communicating with the community as well, checking those jobs out and attach that AI rider to every one of your jobs. Now, it's simple. It's there at NAVA and it's free. You can attach that rider to every job. If you have a new client, make sure you're very careful with the payment options. You know we spoke about that. I always make sure I get money up front, or partial money up front, first to make sure that it's a legit client. What else did I miss, Tom, in this recap?  27:14 - Tom (Host) Hardware and software VPNs.  27:16 - Anne (Host) EINs yes.  27:19 - Tom (Host) Oh yeah, VPNs, EINs, Two-factor authentication.  27:20 - Anne (Host) I love it. Yeah, Make sure you guys are implementing all of that to keep yourself safe and secure. So great topic, Tom. I like geeking out like this.  27:30 - Tom (Host) Yeah, it's fun and helpful.  27:31 - Anne (Host) Yeah, I'm going to give a great big shout out to my sponsor, IPDTL. You too can connect and network like real bosses. Find out more at IPDTL.com. Guys have an amazing week and we'll see you next week.  27:52 - Speaker 3 (Announcement) Bye. Join us next week for another edition of VO BOSS with your host, Anne Ganguzza, and take your business to the next level. Sign up for our mailing list at voboss.com and receive exclusive content, industry revolutionizing tips and strategies and new ways to rock your business like a boss. Redistribution, with permission. Coast-to-coast connectivity via IPDTL.   

In this episode of THE MORTGAGE SHOW, Randy and Chris talk through what's happening in the mortgage world, including the latest Fed meeting, where interest rates are heading, and why rates might react to economic news more than most people realize. They cover rising purchase demand, a jump in refinance applications, and explain trigger leads, credit score confusion, and why sites like Credit Karma don't match what lenders see. They also highlight some big updates at CMG, including the upcoming launch of CMG Bank, a new 10% down jumbo loan up to $3 million, expanded non-QM loan options, and new RD loan guidelines for mobile homes. It's a helpful, casual update packed with good info for homebuyers, realtors, and anyone in the mortgage space.

Send us a textSupport the showhttps://chat.openai.com/g/g-8E47AuJfB-life-points-assistanthttps://FaceBook.com/Lifepointswithronda1https://youtube.com/@lifepointswithronda2968https://TikTok.com/@lifepointswithrondahttps://Instagram.com/@lifepointswithrondahttps://Patreon.com/@lifepointswithrondahttps://Lifepointswithronda.com

Patrick Brenner from the Southwest Public Policy Institute gives his "Swipe Right" report about Nerdwallet and Credit Karma on News Radio KKOBSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Julien Guiot sits down with Ryan Graciano, Co-Founder and Head of Product at Credit Karma to discuss the story behind Credit Karma, exploring how the company disrupted personal finance by offering free credit scores and personalized financial insights. We dive into the challenges and opportunities of building trust in the finance sector, Credit Karma's innovative approach to user-centric design, and their strategy for scaling a fintech business sustainably. Key questions include how to effectively balance user experience with data privacy and what future trends might shape personal financial management. Tune in for valuable insights into the evolution and future of fintech from one of the industry's pioneering companies.

Sponsored by; Dalia: https://www.dalia.co/rectechcrm Jobcase: http://jobcase.com/hire Intuit Inc. the global financial technology platform that makes Intuit TurboTax, Credit Karma, QuickBooks, and Mailchimp, today announced it has signed an agreement to acquire GoCo, a leading provider of modern HR and benefits solutions for small and mid-market businesses. With GoCo, Intuit will deliver a comprehensive Human Capital Management (HCM) solution to help businesses hire the right employees and manage their workforce effectively, all in one place. https://hrtechfeed.com/intuit-to-acquire-hr-platform-goco/ SAN DIEGO — HelloSky (formerly Skyminyr), the only talent intelligence platform purpose-built for the executive search industry, today announced the close of a $5.5 million oversubscribed seed round. The raise includes participation from Caldwell Partners, Karmel Capital, True Capital Partners, Hunt Scanlon Ventures and prominent angel investors from Google and Cisco Systems. https://hrtechfeed.com/hellosky-announces-5-5m-seed-round/ HireClix, a recruitment marketing services company, launched JobFlow SEO, a recruitment marketing technology solution that enables organizations to optimize their open job postings and be easily found on Google and other search engines. https://hrtechfeed.com/hireclix-launches-jobflow-to-imprive-employer-job-posting-seo/ NEW YORK — Greenhouse, the leading hiring platform, today announced the appointment of its new Chief People Officer, Paaras Parker. With over 15 years in HR leadership in retail and technology enterprises, including industry-leading companies like Kroger and Macy's, Paaras brings extensive experience growing high-performing people teams, building strong workplace culture, and navigating an ever-evolving workplace landscape. https://hrtechfeed.com/greenhouse-software-welcomes-new-chief-people-officer/ LinkUp released their March job numbers report; The number of active job listings rose slightly by 0.4% to 7.31 million in Q1 2025, following a steep 8.3% decline in Q4. While modest, this uptick may reflect early stabilization efforts as firms cautiously resumed hiring. https://hrtechfeed.com/u-s-job-postings-up-slightly/  

Join us for Driving Business Impact with AI: A Conversation with Maddie Daianu of Credit Karma. In this episode of the Data Science Salon Podcast, host Anna Anisin sits down with Maddie Daianu, Head of Data & AI at Credit Karma and former executive at Meta, to explore how AI, machine learning, and data-driven strategy can fuel enterprise-wide transformation. With a proven track record of driving revenue growth and innovation through AI, Maddie shares her approach to aligning ML initiatives with business outcomes, scaling high-performing teams, and influencing executive stakeholders around data-led opportunities. This conversation covers everything from monetization and predictive analytics to building a collaborative culture between technical and non-technical teams. Maddie also offers practical advice for data leaders navigating complex industries like fintech, and her perspective on the trends shaping the future of AI in business. Whether you're leading a data team or just beginning to build one, this episode offers actionable insights on harnessing the power of AI to drive meaningful impact at scale. Tune in to gain leadership insights from one of the data industry's most influential figures and learn how you can contribute to a more diverse and inclusive data science landscape. Learn more about ML/AI in Finance at DSS NYC on May 15: https://www.datascience.salon/newyork/

Is fixing your credit really that hard—or are scammers just making a fortune convincing you it is? In this episode, Steve Rhode, the original Get Out of Debt Guy, and Damon Day, the new Get Out of Debt Guy, break down the surprisingly simple truth about credit repair—and the dangerous line where it crosses into credit fraud. From bogus CPNs to sketchy piggybacking services, we're calling out the tricks that cost people billions every year.You'll learn what actually works to improve your credit score, why your Credit Karma number might not matter, how to legally clean up errors, and why no one needs to spend a fortune to get their financial life back.

Send us a textMiguel Armaza interviews Ryan Graciano, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Credit Karma, one of the most successful fintech companies serving over 130 million customers. Credit Karma was bought by Intuit for $7.1bn in 2020, marking one of fintech's largest acquisitions ever. Ryan began his journey as CTO after a brief stint at IBM and helped build Credit Karma from the ground up since 2007.In this episode, we discuss:Key technical decisions that shaped Credit Karma's successRyan's vision for the future of AI in personal financeLessons from raising capital and building the company during the global financial crisisHow to create excitement and drive organizational transformation... and a lot more!Want more podcast episodes? Join me and follow Fintech Leaders today on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app for weekly conversations with today's global leaders that will dominate the 21st century in fintech, business, and beyond.Do you prefer a written summary? Check out the Fintech Leaders newsletter and join 70,000+ readers and listeners worldwide!Miguel Armaza is Co-Founder and General Partner of Gilgamesh Ventures, a seed-stage investment fund focused on fintech in the Americas. He also hosts and writes the Fintech Leaders podcast and newsletter.Miguel on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nKha4ZMiguel on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Jb5oBcFintech Leaders Newsletter: bit.ly/3jWIp

Tim and David discuss the NEW MyMac.com, Credit Karma, Captain America Brave New World, and part two of our 80s movie FaceOff!

Tim and David discuss the NEW MyMac.com, Credit Karma, Captain America Brave New World, and part two of our 80s movie FaceOff!

Alicia is joined by guest co-host Margie Remmers-Davis to explore the latest QuickBooks Online updates, from major developments like the new Amazon seller integration to small but impactful changes like the ability to print bills. They discuss exciting improvements to payroll features, including inline PTO balances and class assignments, as well as developments in e-commerce integrations and Credit Karma financing options.Send your Questions/Comments (we could read/answer them on air) unofficialquickbookspodcast@gmail.comLinks/Apps Mentioned in this episode:http://royl.ws/yearendhttp://royl.ws/QBO1099https://learn.royalwise.com/visitor_catalog_class/show/1673087/Converting-QuickBooks-Desktop-to-QuickBooks-Onlinehttps://royalwise.com/https://akadian.com/Sign up to Earmark to earn free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://www.earmark.app/onboarding (00:00) - Welcome to the Unofficial QuickBooks Accountants Podcast (00:49) - Margie's Background and Journey (05:19) - Biometric Logins and Modern Report View (07:12) - Add a Note in Modern Report View (09:59) - Payroll Updates and Enhancements (16:06) - E-commerce and Inventory Integrations (21:14) - PayPal Integration and App Transactions (24:45) - Limitations of Current System (25:47) - Exciting New Feature: Printing Bills (26:17) - Expense Claims and Bill Pay Updates (30:15) - QuickBooks Time Settings (33:45) - Financing Options with Credit Karma (44:05) - New Features and Updates Recap

Worried that past credit mistakes might keep you from buying a home? David breaks down how credit scores actually work for mortgages, sharing practical steps to improve your score and explaining why that forgotten $12 water bill from three apartments ago might be more important than you think. He also covers major changes coming in 2025 that could give millions of Americans a fresh start by removing medical debt from credit reports.Quote"Time with credit score is everything. The sooner you begin, the better your results. Don't bury your head in the sand—it's all fixable."Key HighlightsCould your rental payments actually boost your credit score? Discover how to leverage your biggest monthly payment to improve your creditworthinessWhat if you could "borrow" decades of credit history instantly? Learn about the authorized user "magic trick" that raised the host's score by 40 points in two weeksIs a 760 credit score the same as an 820 for home loans? Understand how mortgage lenders actually view your score in 20-point tiersWhy are you losing thousands by waiting to check your credit? The truth about hard pulls and why timing is crucialCould the 2025 medical debt removal boost your score by 20+ points? New regulations affecting $49 billion in medical debtReferenced EpisodesCredit Score Deep Dives: Episodes 3, 8, 56, 61, 64, 90, 199PMI Episodes: 198 ("PMI is a Privilege"), 216 ("PMI is a Privilege and Still Not the Devil")Credit Professional Interview: Episode 164Important Tips for First-Time BuyersStart Early: Credit improvements take 60-90 days to reflect. Begin working on your score 1-2 years before buying.Check Real Reports: Use AnnualCreditReport.com, not Credit Karma. Credit professionals have never seen a report without mistakes.Strategic Credit Use: Keep card utilization at 7% (not 0% or 100%) for optimal scores.Medical Debt Relief: New 2025 CFPB regulations remove $49 billion in medical debt from credit reports.Down Payment Strategy: Don't wait to save 20% if it means years of extra rent. A good credit score can make PMI more affordable.Connect with me to find a trusted realtor in your area or to answer your burning questions!Subscribe to our YouTube Channel @HowToBuyaHomeInstagram @HowtoBuyAHomePodcastTik Tok @HowToBuyAHomeThis podcast was created for YOU - to cut through the confusion and empower you to buy your first home. Let's change how the real estate industry treats first-timers, one buyer at a time- starting with YOU!Visit our Resource Center to "Ask David" AND get your FREE Home Buying Starter Kit!David Sidoni, the "How to Buy a Home Guy," is a seasoned real estate professional and consumer advocate with over 18 years of experience helping first-time homebuyers navigate the real estate market. His podcast, "How to Buy a Home," is a trusted resource for anyone looking to buy their first home. It offers expert advice, actionable tips, and inspiring stories from real first-time homebuyers. With a focus on making the home-buying process accessible and understandable, David breaks down complex topics into easy-to-follow steps, covering everything from budgeting and financing to finding the right home and making an offer. Subscribe for regular market updates, and leave a review to help us reach more people. Ready for an honest, informed home-buying experience? Viva la Unicorn Revolution - join us!

If there is one thing that the last decade of fintech innovation has achieved, it is more awareness around consumer credit scores. The majority of the population know their approximate score and even teenagers are talking about it. For better or worse (I think it almost uniformly positive) consumers look at the score as a measure, maybe even the measure, of their financial health.My next guest on the Fintech One on One podcast is Adrian Nazari, the CEO and Founder of Credit Sesame. It is companies like Credit Sesame that have been at the forefront of the increased awareness of credit scores. Now, with a new B2B offering they are poised to reach even more consumers than ever before.In this podcast you will learn:Why he decided to start Credit Sesame.What is still missing to help consumers manage their credit.What Credit Sesame offers for consumers today.The various ways they are using AI at Credit Sesame.Why they are exclusively focused on credit for financial wellness.Why they decided to start a B2B offering.Who they are focused on with this product.How Adrian is managing both a direct to consumer and a B2B offering.Why he thinks the B2B side will be the growth driver moving forward.How they are working with lenders to improve the borrower experience.How they are different to Credit Karma.The state of the US consumer today when it comes to their credit score.His vision for Credit Sesame.Connect with Fintech One-on-One: Tweet me @PeterRenton Connect with me on LinkedIn Find previous Fintech One-on-One episodes

Mark Fiske, seasoned marketeer and master of digital, is Operating Partner and Head of Digital Transformation at H.I.G. Capital, one of the largest and most influential private equity firms in the middle market, managing $65 billion in capital across a portfolio of over 100 companies. In his role, Mark drives the digital transformation strategy and co-leads the Generative AI practice, partnering with portfolio management to accelerate value creation. Before making his mark in PE, Mark led the marketing teams at fast-growing powerhouse brands like Ancestry and Credit Karma. In our latest episode of the Brilliant People Podcast, Mark joins host Linnea Jungnelius, Global Head of Marketing & Strategy at Acertitude, to explore: -The evolution of the operating partner role and its impact on growth -Proven marketing strategies for driving scale and success -Navigating the shifting landscape of the modern CMO -Harnessing Generative AI as a powerful tool for value creation

Is the insurance industry finally ready to move beyond buzzwords to meaningful AI implementation? How are innovative companies translating data into actionable insights? In this special episode of our ITC series, we explore how three companies are taking different approaches to harnessing AI and analytics to solve real industry challenges. Our conversations with Leandro DalleMule of Planck, Sean Merat of Owl.co, and Dennis Ellis of Credit Karma reveal how mature AI solutions are finally addressing longstanding operational challenges in insurance. Their approaches demonstrate that success with AI isn't about the technology itself—it's about solving specific business problems and delivering measurable outcomes.   Key Insights: - The evolution of AI in insurance from experimental to practical - How companies are moving beyond data collection to actionable insights - The critical balance between automation and human judgment - The role of domain expertise in building effective AI solutions - Importance of focusing on business problems rather than technology   Featured Conversations:   Sean Merat, CEO of Owl.co [01:50] Journey into insurance technology [02:46] Owl.co's claims insights engine approach [03:34] The human element in AI-driven decisions [04:14] Focus on bodily injury claims processing [05:46] Compliance and ethical considerations in claims data   Notable Quote: "We are big ambassadors into the thought process that there should always be a human in the loop. Even though we're an AI company, we think that AI should be working on mundane aspects of the day-to-day lives of claims professionals, but the decisioning should always be on the human."   Dennis Ellis, General Manager of Insurance at Credit Karma [01:50] Transition from Zendrive to Credit Karma [09:22] Creating frictionless insurance experiences [13:09] First 90 days leading post-acquisition integration [15:23] Building awareness for insurance offerings [23:01] Connecting credit data with insurance opportunities   Notable Quote: "What we focus on in all of our products, but in insurance especially, is how do we create a marketplace that allows people to have kind of frictionless certainty?" Leandro DalleMule, Global Head of Insurance at Planck [01:35] Background in insurance analytics [02:17] Evolution from data management to AI solutions [07:47] Product market fit journey [08:16] Early adoption of AI in insurance [09:48] Focus on solving underwriting pain points   Notable Quote: "We never really framed it as, you need AI. We always try to frame it in terms of your pain points from an insurance, very specific carrier point of view." Key Themes:   AI Implementation Strategy - Moving beyond buzzwords to practical solutions - Focus on specific business problems and outcomes - Balance between automation and human judgment   Data Analytics Evolution - Transition from data collection to actionable insights - Integration of multiple data sources - Importance of compliance and ethical considerations   Market Education - Building understanding of AI capabilities - Demonstrating concrete business value - Setting realistic expectations for AI implementation   Digital Transformation - Creating seamless user experiences - Integrating technology with existing workflows - Measuring and proving ROI   About Our Guests:   Leandro DalleMule leads Planck's global insurance initiatives, bringing extensive experience from roles at AIG and other major financial institutions. His background in data analytics and insurance operations provides unique insights into practical AI implementation. Sean Merat co-founded Owl.co, which works with 16 of the top 20 largest carriers to enhance claims processing through AI-driven insights. His focus is on making claims decisioning faster and more effective while maintaining human oversight. Dennis Ellis serves as General Manager of Insurance at Credit Karma, following their acquisition of Zendrive. He focuses on creating frictionless insurance experiences that leverage both credit and behavioral data.   Resources: Sean Merat & Owl.co - https://www.owl.co - LinkedIn: [Sean Mehrat](https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanmerat/)   Dennis Ellis & Credit Karma - https://www.creditkarma.com/insurance - LinkedIn: [Dennis Ellis](https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennis-ellis)   Leandro DalleMule & Planck - https://www.planckdata.com - LinkedIn: [Leandro DalleMule](https://www.linkedin.com/in/leandrodallemule/)   This episode launches our exploration of how AI and analytics are transforming various aspects of insurance operations, from underwriting to claims to customer experience. Stay tuned for upcoming episodes focusing on distribution, collaboration, innovation, and leadership.  

Is the insurance industry finally ready to move beyond buzzwords to meaningful AI implementation? How are innovative companies translating data into actionable insights? In this special episode of our ITC series, we explore how three companies are taking different approaches to harnessing AI and analytics to solve real industry challenges. Our conversations with Leandro DalleMule of Planck, Sean Merat of Owl.co, and Dennis Ellis of Credit Karma reveal how mature AI solutions are finally addressing longstanding operational challenges in insurance. Their approaches demonstrate that success with AI isn't about the technology itself—it's about solving specific business problems and delivering measurable outcomes.   Key Insights: - The evolution of AI in insurance from experimental to practical - How companies are moving beyond data collection to actionable insights - The critical balance between automation and human judgment - The role of domain expertise in building effective AI solutions - Importance of focusing on business problems rather than technology   Featured Conversations:   Sean Merat, CEO of Owl.co [01:50] Journey into insurance technology [02:46] Owl.co's claims insights engine approach [03:34] The human element in AI-driven decisions [04:14] Focus on bodily injury claims processing [05:46] Compliance and ethical considerations in claims data   Notable Quote: "We are big ambassadors into the thought process that there should always be a human in the loop. Even though we're an AI company, we think that AI should be working on mundane aspects of the day-to-day lives of claims professionals, but the decisioning should always be on the human."   Dennis Ellis, General Manager of Insurance at Credit Karma [01:50] Transition from Zendrive to Credit Karma [09:22] Creating frictionless insurance experiences [13:09] First 90 days leading post-acquisition integration [15:23] Building awareness for insurance offerings [23:01] Connecting credit data with insurance opportunities   Notable Quote: "What we focus on in all of our products, but in insurance especially, is how do we create a marketplace that allows people to have kind of frictionless certainty?" Leandro DalleMule, Global Head of Insurance at Planck [01:35] Background in insurance analytics [02:17] Evolution from data management to AI solutions [07:47] Product market fit journey [08:16] Early adoption of AI in insurance [09:48] Focus on solving underwriting pain points   Notable Quote: "We never really framed it as, you need AI. We always try to frame it in terms of your pain points from an insurance, very specific carrier point of view." Key Themes:   AI Implementation Strategy - Moving beyond buzzwords to practical solutions - Focus on specific business problems and outcomes - Balance between automation and human judgment   Data Analytics Evolution - Transition from data collection to actionable insights - Integration of multiple data sources - Importance of compliance and ethical considerations   Market Education - Building understanding of AI capabilities - Demonstrating concrete business value - Setting realistic expectations for AI implementation   Digital Transformation - Creating seamless user experiences - Integrating technology with existing workflows - Measuring and proving ROI   About Our Guests:   Leandro DalleMule leads Planck's global insurance initiatives, bringing extensive experience from roles at AIG and other major financial institutions. His background in data analytics and insurance operations provides unique insights into practical AI implementation. Sean Merat co-founded Owl.co, which works with 16 of the top 20 largest carriers to enhance claims processing through AI-driven insights. His focus is on making claims decisioning faster and more effective while maintaining human oversight. Dennis Ellis serves as General Manager of Insurance at Credit Karma, following their acquisition of Zendrive. He focuses on creating frictionless insurance experiences that leverage both credit and behavioral data.   Resources: Sean Merat & Owl.co - https://www.owl.co - LinkedIn: [Sean Mehrat](https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanmerat/)   Dennis Ellis & Credit Karma - https://www.creditkarma.com/insurance - LinkedIn: [Dennis Ellis](https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennis-ellis)   Leandro DalleMule & Planck - https://www.planckdata.com - LinkedIn: [Leandro DalleMule](https://www.linkedin.com/in/leandrodallemule/)   This episode launches our exploration of how AI and analytics are transforming various aspects of insurance operations, from underwriting to claims to customer experience. Stay tuned for upcoming episodes focusing on distribution, collaboration, innovation, and leadership.  

Is the insurance industry finally ready to move beyond buzzwords to meaningful AI implementation? How are innovative companies translating data into actionable insights? In this special episode of our ITC series, we explore how three companies are taking different approaches to harnessing AI and analytics to solve real industry challenges. Our conversations with Leandro DalleMule of Planck, Sean Merat of Owl.co, and Dennis Ellis of Credit Karma reveal how mature AI solutions are finally addressing longstanding operational challenges in insurance. Their approaches demonstrate that success with AI isn't about the technology itself—it's about solving specific business problems and delivering measurable outcomes.   Key Insights: - The evolution of AI in insurance from experimental to practical - How companies are moving beyond data collection to actionable insights - The critical balance between automation and human judgment - The role of domain expertise in building effective AI solutions - Importance of focusing on business problems rather than technology   Featured Conversations:   Sean Merat, CEO of Owl.co [01:50] Journey into insurance technology [02:46] Owl.co's claims insights engine approach [03:34] The human element in AI-driven decisions [04:14] Focus on bodily injury claims processing [05:46] Compliance and ethical considerations in claims data   Notable Quote: "We are big ambassadors into the thought process that there should always be a human in the loop. Even though we're an AI company, we think that AI should be working on mundane aspects of the day-to-day lives of claims professionals, but the decisioning should always be on the human."   Dennis Ellis, General Manager of Insurance at Credit Karma [01:50] Transition from Zendrive to Credit Karma [09:22] Creating frictionless insurance experiences [13:09] First 90 days leading post-acquisition integration [15:23] Building awareness for insurance offerings [23:01] Connecting credit data with insurance opportunities   Notable Quote: "What we focus on in all of our products, but in insurance especially, is how do we create a marketplace that allows people to have kind of frictionless certainty?" Leandro DalleMule, Global Head of Insurance at Planck [01:35] Background in insurance analytics [02:17] Evolution from data management to AI solutions [07:47] Product market fit journey [08:16] Early adoption of AI in insurance [09:48] Focus on solving underwriting pain points   Notable Quote: "We never really framed it as, you need AI. We always try to frame it in terms of your pain points from an insurance, very specific carrier point of view." Key Themes:   AI Implementation Strategy - Moving beyond buzzwords to practical solutions - Focus on specific business problems and outcomes - Balance between automation and human judgment   Data Analytics Evolution - Transition from data collection to actionable insights - Integration of multiple data sources - Importance of compliance and ethical considerations   Market Education - Building understanding of AI capabilities - Demonstrating concrete business value - Setting realistic expectations for AI implementation   Digital Transformation - Creating seamless user experiences - Integrating technology with existing workflows - Measuring and proving ROI   About Our Guests:   Leandro DalleMule leads Planck's global insurance initiatives, bringing extensive experience from roles at AIG and other major financial institutions. His background in data analytics and insurance operations provides unique insights into practical AI implementation. Sean Merat co-founded Owl.co, which works with 16 of the top 20 largest carriers to enhance claims processing through AI-driven insights. His focus is on making claims decisioning faster and more effective while maintaining human oversight. Dennis Ellis serves as General Manager of Insurance at Credit Karma, following their acquisition of Zendrive. He focuses on creating frictionless insurance experiences that leverage both credit and behavioral data.   Resources: Sean Merat & Owl.co - https://www.owl.co - LinkedIn: [Sean Mehrat](https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanmerat/)   Dennis Ellis & Credit Karma - https://www.creditkarma.com/insurance - LinkedIn: [Dennis Ellis](https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennis-ellis)   Leandro DalleMule & Planck - https://www.planckdata.com - LinkedIn: [Leandro DalleMule](https://www.linkedin.com/in/leandrodallemule/)   This episode launches our exploration of how AI and analytics are transforming various aspects of insurance operations, from underwriting to claims to customer experience. Stay tuned for upcoming episodes focusing on distribution, collaboration, innovation, and leadership.  

Willie Macc, a breakout from the hit BET show 'College Hill: Virgin Island,' has transitioned seamlessly from reality TV stardom to an accomplished Hollywood actor and comedian. With over 100 million views on his stand-up and comedy videos across various social media platforms, Willie's humor resonates globally. He's graced screens in over 50 national commercials for brands like Kia, Verizon, Credit Karma, Progressive, Snapple, and more. Beyond commercials, Willie Macc has made notable appearances on shows like CSI, Hulu's 'Casual,' ABC's 'The Goldbergs,' and more. He's taken his comedic talent worldwide, entertaining the US Military abroad and headlining stand-up shows internationally. His stand-up has been featured on Netflix as a Joke Radio, TruTV's LaffMobb LaffTracks, and his Don't Tell Comedy performance has accumulated over 45 million views online. Alongside his thriving comedy career, catch Willie Macc and co-host Danny Plom on their podcast 'Afronoodles,' available on TikTok and Instagram. Join our funny-spooky episode, co-hosting Belgica Rodriguez! Watch the weekly LIVE stream on ⁠⁠BraveMaker ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow BraveMaker on social media: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bravemaker/support

Send us a textMiguel Armaza travels to Alexandria, Virginia for an in-person interview with a fintech legend: Nigel Morris, Co-Founder of QED and Capital One. QED is a global fintech venture capital firm that has backed numerous amazing companies, including Credit Karma, Nubank, Avant, SoFi, and Klarna. They currently have over $4.0 billion in AUM.Prior to QED, Nigel co-founded Capital One in 1994. The bank today is amongst the 10 largest banks in the US with almost $500 billion in assets. They are also one of the most innovative financial institutions that have inspired countless of entrepreneurs worldwide.In this episode, we discuss:Building Capital One and the principles and innovations that shaped the success of the bankNigel started investing in venture capital 17 years ago – what has he learned about backing great founders?Why Nigel is still very bullish about the future of fintechWhat makes an effective board meeting, a day in the life of Nigel… and a lot more!Want more podcast episodes? Join me and follow Fintech Leaders today on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app for weekly conversations with today's global leaders that will dominate the 21st century in fintech, business, and beyond.Do you prefer a written summary? Check out the Fintech Leaders newsletter and join ~70,000+ readers and listeners worldwide!Miguel Armaza is Co-Founder and General Partner of Gilgamesh Ventures, a seed-stage investment fund focused on fintech in the Americas. He also hosts and writes the Fintech Leaders podcast and newsletter.Miguel on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nKha4ZMiguel on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Jb5oBcFintech Leaders Newsletter: bit.ly/3jWIp

In this episode, host Ashish Rajan sits down with Prahathess Rengasamy, a cloud security expert with extensive experience at companies like Credit Karma, Block, and Apple. Together, they explore the challenges and best practices for scaling cloud security, especially in the complex scenarios of mergers and acquisitions. Starting with foundational elements like CSPMs and security policies, Prahathess breaks down the evolution of cloud security strategies. He explains why cloud security cannot succeed in isolation and emphasizes the need for collaboration with platform and infrastructure engineering teams. The conversation delves into real-world examples, including managing AWS and GCP security post-acquisition and navigating the cultural and technical challenges that come with multi-cloud environments. Guest Socials:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Prahathess's Linkedin Podcast Twitter - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@CloudSecPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you want to watch videos of this LIVE STREAMED episode and past episodes - Check out our other Cloud Security Social Channels: - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cloud Security Podcast- Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cloud Security Newsletter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cloud Security BootCamp Questions asked: (00:00) Introduction (02:02) A bit about Prahathess (02:36) How does Cloud Security Scale? (07:51) Where do we see just in time provisioning? (10:05) Cloud Security for Mergers and Acquisitions (14:31) Should people become MultiCloud Experts? (15:28) The need for data insights (16:54) Data sources to have as part of data insights (21:06) Benefits of Data insights for Cloud Security Teams (21:30) How to bring the new team along the cloud security journey? (24:29) How to learn about data insights? (26:35) How to maximize security efforts with data? (36:21) The Fun Section

Richard Mathera is a Managing Director at Irrational Labs. He leads Irrational Labs' healthcare practice and formerly led its financial decision-making work. Richard has overseen dozens of behavioral economics projects and experiments with commercial clients. A few of these include: One Medical, TytoCare, Neugen, Vouchers 4 Veggies, Steady, Beneficial State Bank, Simple, and Credit Karma. Prior to joining Irrational Labs, Richard was a Senior Behavioral Scientist at the Common Cents Lab, a Duke University initiative which leverages behavioral economics to improve the financial well-being of low and moderate income Americans, where he designed and launched numerous behaviorally-informed products, features, initiatives, and experiments. Formerly Richard has applied behavioral economics at ideas42 and developed randomized controlled trials at Innovations for Poverty Action in Morocco. He has also served as a Team Lead/Senior Investment Officer and a Senior Advisor at USAID's Office of Development Credit and worked at Cornerstone Research, an economic and financial consulting firm specializing in complex commercial litigation. Richard holds a Master's degree from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, where he studied Advanced Policy and Economic Analysis and a Bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia, where he studied economics, Spanish, and French, graduating Phi Beta Kappa. For more information, you can email Richard at richard@irrationallabs.com or visit his website at https://irrationallabs.com/.

Dennis is general manager of insurance at Intuit Credit Karma, where he oversees the company's fast-growing business unit that encompasses auto, life, home and renters insurance for Credit Karma's more than 120 million U.S. members. Dennis joined Credit Karma through the acquisition of Zendrive, which will enable Credit Karma to accelerate Karma Drive, the company's usage-based insurance product. At Zendrive, Dennis served as CEO where he oversaw the team and company strategy in pursuit of making roads safer through the power of data and analytics. Dennis is a seasoned technology professional, having held leadership roles at LiveRamp, Bertram Capital and Google X. Dennis holds an MBA from Stanford Business School and a bachelor's degree from Virginia Tech.  Highlights from the Show Dennis joined Intuit Credit Karma through their acquisition of ZenDrive, where he was CEO With credit being such a huge part of Auto insurance, it makes sense for a business like Credit Karma to be focused on the space, and help consumers manage their auto insurance rates and coverage as their credit score changes Credit Karma is not exclusively set on Auto insurance, but thinks instead of areas where consumer education and support in navigating something complex can yield better outcomes for them, so there are other possibilities for the business in insurance down the road One key thing to manage will be the issue of Privacy, which has been especially fraught in telematics and IoT-based coverage; Credit Karma thinks transparency and clarity are critical to be sure consumers always know where they stand when it comes to their data  This episode is brought to you by The Future of Insurance thought leadership series, available globally from Amazon in print, Kindle and Audible audiobook. Follow the podcast at future-of-insurance.com/podcast for more details and other episodes. Music courtesy of Hyperbeat Music, available to stream or download on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music and more.

Today's episode, well — it's a ride. I'm talking to Intuit CEO Sasan Goodarzi, who's built Intuit into a juggernaut business software company in part through a series of major acquisitions: TurboTax, MailChimp, CreditKarma, and loads more. There's a lot of good Decoder material there, and we get into it.  But it's TurboTax, and the company's tax lobbying efforts to protect it, that really drives a major narrative about Intuit, for better and worse. So you can bet I asked Sasan about all this, and it got a bit contentious. In fact, the company's chief communications officer even demanded we delete a portion of this interview over an exchange with Sasan on TurboTax. Don't worry — we don't do that here at The Verge. So expect to hear that section right up top, with the rest of the interview following after. Links: Inside TurboTax's 20-year fight to stop Americans from filing taxes for free| ProPublica TurboTax deliberately hid free file page from Google Search | ProPublica TurboTax maker Intuit spent millions in record lobbying blitz | OpenSecrets FTC: Intuit's “free” TurboTax ads misled consumers | The Verge TurboTax isn't allowed to say it's ‘free' anymore | The Verge Intuit owes you money if it made you pay for TurboTax “free” | The Verge IRS extends its Free File tax program for five more years | The Verge IRS Direct File set to expand availability in a dozen new states | IRS Mint is shutting down, and it's pushing users toward Credit Karma | The Verge Intuit Mailchimp CEO Rania Succar on Decoder | Decoder Ethics Statement | The Verge Transcript: https://www.theverge.com/e/24037861 Credits:  Decoder is a production of The Verge and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Our producers are Kate Cox and Nick Statt. Our editor is Callie Wright. Our supervising producer is Liam James. The Decoder music is by Breakmaster Cylinder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's guest is Supriya Gupta, General Manager and Vice President of Product at Credit Karma. Credit Karma is a multinational personal finance brand under Intuit that makes products free to consumers and helps them find lenders. Supriya returns to this podcast, straight from her appearance on the AI in Business podcast, to explore the evolving role of personalization and AI in credit workflows. She dives into how Credit Karma is laying the foundation for autonomous finance, a concept aimed at minimizing human intervention in financial decision-making. To access Emerj's frameworks for AI readiness, ROI, and strategy, visit Emerj Plus at emerj.com/p1.

Today's guest is Supriya Gupta, General Manager and Vice President of Product at Credit Karma. Credit Karma is a multinational personal finance brand under Intuit that makes products free to consumers and helps them find lenders. Supriya returns to the platform today to dive deep into the evolving landscape of financial services, highlighting the challenges and opportunities facing the industry today. We explore Credit Karma's journey from its inception as a “born digital” company to its innovative use of generative AI, such as the development of Intuit Assist - an AI-driven tool that acts as a financial co-pilot, offering real-time, personalized financial advice and insights. Supriya offers an insider's look at how these systems go beyond traditional customer service roles to create proactive and context-specific interactions. To access Emerj's frameworks for AI readiness, ROI, and strategy, visit Emerj Plus at emerj.com/p1.

In this episode Hilliard and guest co-host (writer & teamster) Ric Davis sat down in a laugh-out-loud episode with actor/writer/comedian WILLIE MACC!Willie Macc has over 100 million views of his standup and comedy videos across all social media platforms. He is one of the stars from the hit BET show College Hill: Virgin Island. Willie Macc is sold his pilot “My Flipping Familys” on HGTV where he and his brother buy and flip homes around St. Louis. Willie Macc has become one of the few Reality TV stars to transition and make it as working actor and comedian in Hollywood. He has been in over 50 national commercials such as Kia, Verizon, Credit Karma, Progressive, Snapple, and many more. Willie has app teared in tv shows such as CSI, Casual on Hulu, ABCs The Goldbergs, Meet the Spartans with Kevin Sorbo, Carmen Electra and Tiffany Haddish. Willie Macc has recently been featured in Deadline for the Black Boy Writes Program started by showrunner Mike Guayo writer on HBO's Insecure and Netflix's Ginny and Georgia, where, after the program, will staff the cohort on TV shows. Willie Macc started doing stand up in 2009 and now travels as a stand up comic and internationally for the US Military performing for our troops. Willie Macc's stand up has been featured on TruTVs “LaffMobb LaffTracks” and his” Don't Tell Comedy” comedy clips have garnered over 45 million views online! You can see Willie frequently at the Comedy Store and Laugh Factory in Hollywood, CA. Our Motto: "We keep it GAME all day!" NEW WEBSITE:www.screenwritersrantroom.com For information, Merch (T-SHIRTS/HOODIES), and all things Rant Room!Screenwritersrantroom.com Subscribe, like, follow, share & 5-star review!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@Hilliard Guess on all social mediaIG: @ScreenwritersRantRoom WE ARE NOW OPEN TO SPONSORSHIPS AND BRANDING OPPORTUNITIES⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: Screenwritersrantroom@gmail.com We invest countless hours per week to deliver the actionable content that goes into this podcast. We appreciate your support! SCREENWRITER NETWORKS:OBSwriter.comBTFC.org Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/screenwriters-rant-room/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/screenwriters-rant-room/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠PODCASTS WE SUPPORT: 2 Writers Talkin Shit: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/2-writers-talking-shit/id1671253747 Hollywood Confessional: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hollywood-confessional/id1628848064?i=1000630276175 The Qube & Queer News: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/queer-news/id1595777135 A Conversation With Floyd Marshall Jr: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-conversation-with-host-floyd-marshall-jr/id1544499834 THEME SONG: Jack Spade WEBSITE: Abigail Bloom & Laura HuieLOGOS: Rachel Musikanth RANT ROOM TEAM:Richard Scott - Creative ProducerTyler Musikanth - Associate ProducerBrooke Baltimore - Marketing Togo - MarketingJade Hunter Alessandria - BTS --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/screenwriters-rant-room/support

Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech's most innovative B2B founders. In today's episode, we're speaking with Tuck Hauptfuhrer, CEO & Co-Founder of EarnBetter, an AI-powered job search platform that's raised $4.5 Million in funding. Here are the most interesting points from our conversation: Job Search Revolution: EarnBetter is leveraging AI to assist job seekers with resume writing, cover letter drafting, interview preparation, and job tracking—all for free. Tuck emphasizes that the job search is a challenging, unpaid task, and EarnBetter aims to ease this burden by providing comprehensive support. Origin Story: The idea for EarnBetter was born out of Tuck's experience at Credit Karma, where he saw that financial struggles were often tied to career stagnation. The realization that most people navigate their job search alone inspired him to create a free, AI-powered platform to support job seekers. Consumer Focus: Drawing from his experience at Credit Karma, Tuck underscores the importance of being consumer-centric. EarnBetter is committed to providing a 100% free service, driven by user feedback and focused on solving real problems for job seekers. Manual Beginnings to AI Integration: Before any code was written, the EarnBetter team manually helped job seekers to validate their approach. The introduction of generative AI has since accelerated their ability to automate these processes, but the mission to provide free, comprehensive job search support remains unchanged. Business Model Innovation: EarnBetter's business model mirrors the win-win approach seen at Credit Karma. The platform remains free for job seekers, while employers pay for access to qualified candidates. This model supports the company's commitment to offering free services, which sets them apart from competitors. Future Vision: Tuck envisions EarnBetter not just as a job search tool, but as a long-term career partner. The goal is to build a marketplace that enhances the hiring process for both employers and job seekers, raising the industry standard for support provided to job seekers.   //   Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe.  www.GlobalTalent.co

Host of ‘How to Money' on KFI Joel Larsgaard joins the show to talk about a new Credit Karma survey finding more Americans want to rent everything and own nothing, being car-free, and economic proposals from presidential candidates. Selfies can ruin destinations for others, according to research. Host of ‘Later with Mo Kelly' on KFI weekdays from 7pm-10pm wraps the show talking about Janet Jackson revealing her family tree that includes Stevie Wonder, Samuel L Jackson, and Tracey Chapman.

The humble credit score has come a long way. Consumers, particularly younger consumers, are more aware of their credit score today than ever before. Historically, banks and credit unions have been the gatekeepers of our financial lives so it makes sense that they would want to provide information and context around credit scores. At the same time drive their customers to relevant products based on this information. Enter SavvyMoney.My guest today on the Fintech One-on-One podcast is JB Orecchia, the CEO and Founder of SavvyMoney. His team has created a sophisticated platform for banks and credit unions to provide credit score information as well as personalized education and product recommendations. So, a bank's customer doesn't have to go to Credit Karma to learn about their credit score, they can do it right within the banking app.In this podcast you will learn:How his background in lending informed the creation of SavvyMoney.Why consumers are more aware of their credit score today.The types of financial institutions that use SavvyMoney.The ROI for the typical bank or credit union.Why this is most powerful as a retention product.The integrations they have with the major digital banking platforms.What is involved for a new financial institution to onboard SavvyMoney.The tiny fraction of consumers who opt out.The primary product categories their FIs are focused on.How banks can compete with fintechs in customer acquisition.Why their Get My Rate product is such a big deal for FIs.How they are thinking about Generative AI for SavvyMoney.JB's vision for the future of SavvyMoney.Connect with Fintech One-on-One: Tweet me @PeterRenton Connect with me on LinkedIn Find previous Fintech One-on-One episodes

Host of ‘How to Money' on KFI Joel Larsgaard joins the show to talk about a new Credit Karma survey finding more Americans want to rent everything and own nothing, being car-free, and economic proposals from presidential candidates.

Gen Z's debt won't just affect them. It could be a problem for everyone. In the second episode of our three-part series “Gen Z & the Debt Trap,” we talk with TransUnion and Credit Karma experts to discuss potential consequences of Gen Z's debt for past generations and those to come. We'll also get to know 25-year-old Gaia Jacobs, who says she traded her dream career for a steady job in order to pay off her debt. Plus, we talk with a mental-health professional from the American Psychiatric Association to learn how Gen Zers' spending habits could be making the problem worse. Tadeo Ruiz Sandoval hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Miko Love Podcast, Kumiko dives into the growing threat of data breaches and identity theft, a concern that's becoming all too common as companies face increasing security challenges. She shares practical steps to safeguard your money and assets, including freezing your credit, using two-factor authentication, and staying vigilant for signs of compromise. Kumiko also clarifies the difference between a credit freeze and a credit lock, and stresses the importance of regularly checking your credit report. Tune in to learn how to take proactive measures to protect yourself and minimize the impact of potential data breaches. TAKEAWAYSFreeze your credit with all three major credit bureaus to prevent criminals from accessing your financial accounts and opening new ones in your name.Implement two-factor authentication for all your online accounts to add an extra layer of security.Regularly monitor your credit and be vigilant for any signs of compromise, using tools like Credit Karma for notifications and pulling your credit report.Choose a credit freeze over a credit lock, as freezes offer more legal protections and are free of charge.Contact each of the three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — individually to freeze your credit:Equifax: Call the automated line at 800-349-9960 or customer care at 888-298-0045, or go online.Experian: Go online to initiate, or for information call 888‑397‑3742. TransUnion: Call 800-916-8800 or 888-909-8872, or go online. Request copies of your credit report from the main credit reporting agencies – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion  – and examine them for any unexplained accounts opened in your name. You are entitled to order a free copy of your credit report from each of the major credit reporting agencies every 12 months through AnnualCreditReport.com.Get free identity monitoring with Credit Karma here! About Kumiko:Kumiko Love is the creator of The Budget Mom, LLC, a national bestselling author of the book "My Money My Way," and an Accredited Financial Counselor.She is a dedicated mom of two boys, a passionate sourdough baker, and the proud owner of Pine Manor Naturals. With over 2 million followers across social media, Kumiko's expertise and approachable style have been featured in major media outlets such as Forbes, The New York Times, and Good Morning America. As the host of The Miko Love Podcast, Kumiko dives into the exploration of her own passions and a range of captivating topics, offering fresh perspectives and engaging discussions about life. She inspires millions to take control of their financial lives while embracing passionate living and life fulfillment. Thank you for being a part of our community! Contact The Miko Love Podcast Follow me on Instagram @mikolovepodcast Email me at kumiko@mikolovepodcast.com Thanks for listening & keep feeding your curiosity!

In the first episode of our three part-series “Gen Z & the Debt Trap,” we explore a Credit Karma report that found Gen Z is accumulating debt faster than any other generation. To learn more, we'll meet Kyle Dillon, a 22-year-old Gen Zer who after leaving home to pursue higher education, accumulated tens of thousands of dollars in debt. We also look at a TransUnion study to see how Gen Zers' paychecks can't keep up with inflation, creating dependency on using credit cards. Plus, the St. Louis Federal Reserve shares a surprising advantage Gen Z has over other generations. Tadeo Ruiz Sandoval hosts.  Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode discusses a new feature in QuickBooks Online that offers financing options to customers directly through estimates and invoices. The hosts, Alicia and Hector, initially express concerns about privacy and potential predatory lending practices but later discover that the feature is optional and controlled by the business owner. They speculate on Intuit's motivations for introducing this feature, linking it to their acquisition of Credit Karma and the potential for generating revenue through loan commissions. Hector and Alicia emphasize the need for clear communication from Intuit about new features and encouraging users to check their settings to understand how this feature might affect their business interactions.SponsorsBookkeeping Biz Workshops - https://uqb.promo/bbworkshopMelio - https://uqb.promo/melioThe Small Business Research Institute - https://uqb.promo/ceanow(00:00) - Welcome to The Unofficial QuickBooks Accountants Podcast (00:40) - Exploring Credit Karma in QuickBooks Online (02:40) - Factoring vs. Customer Financing (03:58) - Details of the Financing Offer (07:03) - Fine Print and Terms (26:23) - Privacy Concerns and User Permissions (39:09) - Speculations and Future Implications (43:04) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts Send your Questions/Comments (we could read/answer them on air) ask@uqapodcast.comLinks/Apps Mentioned in this episode:Alicia's article on QuickBooks Expert Assisted Bookkeeping - https://royalwise.com/alicias-thoughts-about-qb-expert-assisted-bookkeeping/Hector's App - RightTool www.righttool.appAlicia's Training - RoyalWise http://royl.ws/uqapodcastAlicia's QBO Products, Services, and Inventory Course - http://royl.ws/qbo-InventoryQuickBooks Connect Conference www.quickbooksconnect.comQuickBooks Tricky Situations: http://royl.ws/QBOtricksNext-Level Accounting: http://royl.ws/NextLevelAccountingCheck out Alicia's step-by-step QBO Textbooks at http://www.questivaconsultants.comThe Comprehensive Guide to Converting from QuickBooks® Desktop (QBDT®) to QuickBooks® Online (QBO®) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D8L29Z5LQuickBooks Online: From Setup to Tax Time https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CXZB1R95Sign up to Earmark to earn free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://www.earmark.app/onboardingDownload the Earmark CPE AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

Your credit report is like your financial report card: it can really affect your financial future if you're not acing your credit score. Today, a Money Rehabber who isn't happy with their credit score calls up Nicole to get a strategy to improve it. The result? Nicole shows her a tool that could raise her low credit score by an average of 21 points in just three days.   Join today's Money Rehabber and give your credit score some love! If your credit score is 619 or lower, you can sign-up for Credit Builder from Intuit Credit Karma by visiting creditkarma.com/moneyrehab.   Credit Karma is a sponsor of this podcast episode. Credit Builder plan is serviced by Credit Karma Credit Builder and requires a line of credit and savings account provided by Cross River Bank, Member FDIC. Learn more at creditkarma.com/moneyrehab.

Helping the consumer tackle the financial marketplace for credit cards, auto loans, mortgages, insurance and other financial products is the value that Credit Karma brings to its over 130 million customers, says Ryan Graciano, co-founder and chief product officer of Credit Karma. In this episode of the Tech Disruptors podcast, Graciano sits down with Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Niraj Patel to explain the company's technology, product vision and the competitive landscape. Tune in to learn his view on Gen-AI platforms and what's ahead from Intuit's Credit Karma.

Timothy Davis has led performance marketing for all of Shopify for the past 2.5 years, and as a consultant has helped companies like Pinterest, LinkedIn, Redfin, and Eventbrite kickstart and scale their performance marketing teams. In every one of those cases, he got them so performant at paid growth that they significantly scale spend and investment in these channels. In our conversation, we cover:• When and how to start investing in performance marketing• Common mistakes companies make with paid ads• How to build and structure a performance marketing team• How to get your creatives performing better• Strategies for optimizing workflows and team efficiency• How AI will change performance marketing• Much more—Brought to you by:• BuildBetter—AI for product teams• OneSchema—Import CSV data 10x faster• Eppo—Run reliable, impactful experiments—Find the transcript and references at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/performance-marketing-timothy-davis—Where to find Timothy Davis:• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothypatrickdavis/—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—In this episode, we cover:(00:00) Timothy's background (02:31) Understanding performance marketing (06:31) The importance of paid search (08:39) Identifying growth potential (09:54) Case studies: Hairstory and Ipsy (12:22) Experimenting with new platforms (18:57) Choosing the right platforms (20:23) LinkedIn for B2B marketing (27:56) When to start investing in paid growth (33:33) Common mistakes in performance marketing (37:41) Working with agencies and consultants (40:36) Hiring for performance marketing (47:33) Metrics that matter (54:43) Competitor analysis and CPC insights (56:15) Custom reports and data visualization(56:38) Understanding impression and click share (59:10) True competition metrics (01:02:14) Attribution and incrementality (01:08:52) Building a performance marketing team (01:10:53) Creative and ad copy collaboration (01:15:48) Managing workload and hiring strategy (01:20:52) Training and onboarding new hires (01:24:41) Impact of ATT on performance marketing (01:25:56) The power of creative in ads (01:29:47) Using AI in performance marketing (01:37:16) Lightning round —Referenced:• Shopify: https://www.shopify.com/• What Is Performance Marketing?: https://www.shopify.com/blog/performance-marketing• Google AI: https://ai.google/• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/• Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/• Booking.com: https://www.booking.com/• Credit Karma: https://www.creditkarma.com/• Hairstory: https://hairstory.com/• Google Display Network: https://www.semrush.com/blog/google-display-network/• SoftLayer Becomes Part of IBM's SmartCloud: https://www.datacenterknowledge.com/deals/softlayer-becomes-part-of-ibm-s-smartcloud• Coca-Cola Freestyle: https://www.coca-colafreestyle.com/• Monday.com: https://monday.com/• How to sell your ideas and rise within your company | Casey Winters, Eventbrite: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-sell-your-ideas-and-rise-within• Thinking beyond frameworks | Casey Winters (Pinterest, Eventbrite, Airbnb, Tinder, Canva, Reddit, Grubhub): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/thinking-beyond-frameworks-casey• The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail—But Some Don't: https://www.amazon.com/Signal-Noise-Many-Predictions-Fail-but/dp/0143125087• Courtney Wenneborg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cwenneborg/• PPC Hero: https://www.ppchero.com/• Another Deep Dive into Auction Insights, by Jacob Brown: https://www.ppchero.com/another-deep-dive-into-auction-insights/•Multitouch: https://multitouch.app/• What is time decay attribution?: https://growthmethod.com/what-is-time-decay-attribution/• Linear: https://linear.app/• Consumer Heterogeneity and Paid Search Effectiveness: A Large-Scale Field Experiment: https://faculty.haas.berkeley.edu/stadelis/BNT_ECMA_rev.pdf• ADT: https://www.adt.com/• Shopify Bursts: https://focus.business/blog/shopify-bursts/• The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter: https://www.amazon.com/First-90-Days-Strategies-Expanded/dp/1422188612• Kat Nguyen on Shopify: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katngy/• Dollar Shave Club ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUG9qYTJMsI• The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living: https://www.amazon.com/Daily-Stoic-Meditations-Wisdom-Perseverance/dp/0735211736• Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck—Why Some Thrive Despite Them All: https://www.amazon.com/Great-Choice-Uncertainty-Luck-Why-Despite/dp/0062120999• X-Men '97 on Disney+: https://www.disneyplus.com/series/x-men-97/vc1XIz90ZNH5• RRR on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/81476453• The Playlist on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/81186296• Welcome to Wrexham on Hulu: https://www.hulu.com/series/welcome-to-wrexham-c6906d50-d06c-40d1-a57c-1885d9dc2fef• The Billion Dollar Code on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/81074012• Magic Mind: https://magicmind.com/—Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.—Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed. Get full access to Lenny's Newsletter at www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe

If you were leaving money on the table… wouldn't you want to know? Today, Nicole speaks to a Money Rehabber who feels like she could level-up her credit card game and find the right card for the cash back perks she's looking for. Join today's Money Rehabber and find the right card for your financial life at: creditkarma.com/moneyrehab. Credit Karma is a sponsor of this podcast episode. Credit Karma's Approval Odds is not a guarantee. Credit Karma looks at how your credit profile compares to other Credit Karma members who were approved for the specific card shown or whether you meet certain criteria determined by the lender.

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 2785: Kumiko from TheBudgetMom.com provides a comprehensive guide for managing debt collection. She offers practical steps to assess your financial situation, prioritize payments, and choose the best approach to settle debts. Her advice empowers readers to take control of their finances and work towards rebuilding their credit. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.thebudgetmom.com/has-your-debt-been-sent-to-collections-here-are-your-options/ Quotes to ponder: "You can't build a successful plan to deal with debt collectors until you gather the facts about who you owe money to and how much you owe." "Your best bet is usually to save enough money so that you can try to negotiate a debt settlement on your own." "I know what it's like to feel overwhelmed by debt. Yet even as a single mom with limited income, I was able to take control of my budget and start turning my financial life around." Episode references: Credit Karma: https://www.creditkarma.com/ Experian: https://www.experian.com/ AnnualCreditReport.com: https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey everybody, welcome to the Open Bar Podcast where the conversation is never on the rocks, but it's straight up, no chaser! In this episode, your favorite hosts Tiff and C4 are joined by a special guest, Miss Chal, to dive into a crucial topic: "How to Build Credit Without the BS

Join host Rich Alterman as he chats with Carlos Caro, founder of New Market Growth. Carlos delves into affiliate marketplaces, sharing insights from his journey at Credit Karma and Capital One. Discover how these marketplaces connect consumers with lending products, explore integration strategies, and learn about the opportunities for regional banks and credit unions. Carlos also addresses lenders' concerns about sharing credit policy intellectual property and the rise of emerging credit card issuers. Tune in for a concise guide to optimizing lender models in affiliate ecosystems.

Want to master your sales skills?In this episode of The Business Ownership Podcast I interviewed Amanda Abella. She is a sales expert and the Founder & CEO of Make Money Your Honey. Her clients go from hating sales and marketing to achieving 90% close rates and closing multiple five-figure deals. Her work has been featured in Forbes, Huffington Post, Business Insider, Univision and many more.Prior to teaching marketing and sales, Amanda spent a decade as a financial writer and wrote content for companies like Wells Fargo, Discover, Credit Karma, Santander and more. She's also partnered with companies like Capital One and Transunion in financial education campaigns.She's also the Amazon bestselling author of Make Money Your Honey, a podcast host, award winning content creator, keynote speaker and has created a community of over 60,000 people across social media channels.Learn how to break through traditional barriers and master sales skills. Check this out!Show Links:Free Gift: https://oo229.isrefer.com/go/MichelleNedelecScrip/MichelleNedelec/Make Your Money Your Honey : https://www.amandaabella.com/make-money-your-honey/Amanda Abella LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandaabella/Book a call with Michelle: https://go.appointmentcore.com/book/IcFD4cGJoin our Facebook group for business owners to get help or help other business owners!The Business Ownership Group - Secrets to Scaling: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessownershipsecretstoscalingLooking to scale your business? Get free gifts here to help you on your way: https://www.awarenessstrategies.com/

How do you navigate the complexities of the modern housing market? Join us as we sit down with Brian Vieaux, the President and COO of FinLocker, who shares his remarkable journey from the mortgage industry to leading a cutting-edge SaaS platform designed to simplify the home buying process. Brian reveals how FinLocker seamlessly integrates tools like Mint.com, Credit Karma, Rocket Money, and Zillow, offering a cohesive and branded experience for lenders while making homeownership more accessible and less daunting for consumers. Discover the innovative ways this technology is paving the path for first-time homebuyers.  Have you ever wondered what fuels a career pivot from human resources to a thriving sales role in the mortgage industry? Uncover the story of a mortgage professional whose journey was shaped by supportive mentors, a fear of failure, and a passion for homeownership. From their academic background at Michigan State University to the transformative moment that turned a job into a calling, this episode highlights the profound impact of believing in the economic benefits of homeownership and how it shifts sales from mere transactions to delivering substantial consumer value. What does it take to adapt and thrive in the ever-changing mortgage industry? Learn how trust, referrals, and proactive engagement through financial education and social media are becoming pivotal for sales professionals. Brian shares his insights on leveraging LinkedIn for thought leadership, building a personal brand, and maximizing CRM tools to foster meaningful consumer connections. Whether you're a mortgage industry veteran or simply curious about innovative sales strategies, this episode offers invaluable lessons on navigating market fluctuations and enhancing your approach to consumer engagement.  Brian is passionate about financial literacy and empowering lenders with digital financial tools to attract, engage and retain customers. His 30+ years executive career in mortgage banking has positioned him to help lenders execute an embedded finance strategy, transitioning from a transaction focus to one of continuous consumer engagement. Brian began his mortgage banking career with Source One Mortgage, which was acquired by CitiMortgage.  He went on to hold executive leadership roles at prominent lending institutions, most recently leading the TPO business at Flagstar Bank. In 2005, Brian attained the Mortgage Bankers Association industry designation of Certified Mortgage Banker (CMB). Brian is an alumnus of Michigan State University.  Brian is a former RESBOG member and was co-chair of the MBA Wholesale Executive Forum. Currently, Brian is a board member of the Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program. This non-profit organization has been teaching kids in Detroit's toughest neighborhoods valuable life lessons inside and outside the classroom and boxing ring since 2007.       Quotes: "I'm a huge proponent and fan of the LinkedIn platform. It's worked for me and if you're out there and you're building a sales business as a leader or your job is the frontline sales and especially if you're B2B, I think you need to be on LinkedIn and you need to be, you need to make that part of your job."  "Now, as a loan officer, you have to be really skilled at relationship management, be compassionate and patient and be willing to play a long game of 18 or longer months to earn the right to win the business."  "I don't think there's such thing as a bad CRM. Most of the time when I hear about a bad CRM, it's a bad user of the CRM."    Links: Brian's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianvieauxcmb/ FinLocker - https://finlocker.com Rethink Everything: You "Know" About Being a Next Gen Loan Officer - https://a.co/d/0bMomXF   Get this episode and all other episodes of Sales Lead Dog at https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/ 

Today we're talking to Ryan Graciano, CTO & Cofounder at Credit Karma. We discuss what Ryan's been up to since his first appearance on the podcast, the ways in which Credit Karma is restructuring alongside the rise of AI, and how new technology is revolutionizing the accessibility of financial advisory. All of this right here, right now, on the Modern CTO Podcast!  To learn more about Credit Karma, check out their website here. Have feedback about the show? Let us know here. Produced by ProSeries Media. For booking inquiries, email booking@proseriesmedia.com

Proverbs 27:12 reads, “The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.”The word “insurance” isn't in the Bible, but it does say that it's wise to protect your financial holdings—and insurance is one way to do that.Understanding Essential Insurance PoliciesInsurance is a fundamental aspect of financial planning. For most of us, unless we have vast wealth diversified across numerous investments, insurance serves as a critical safety net. So, what insurance policies are necessary?Auto and Home InsuranceAuto insurance is generally required by law if you own a vehicle. Homeowners insurance is mandatory if you have a mortgage and advisable even if you don't. Bundling these two can save money, and adding an umbrella policy provides extra liability protection for a modest cost.Renters InsuranceRenters insurance is often overlooked but vital for protecting personal property and covering liability. It's affordable, typically under $200 annually.Health InsuranceHealth insurance is a must. Without insurance, the costs of medical care can be astronomical, making health coverage a crucial safeguard.Life InsuranceLife insurance is necessary if someone depends on your income. Consider term life insurance over whole life, especially when downsizing your policy later in life.Long-Term Care InsuranceLong-term care insurance is vital for those in their 50s and beyond. With most seniors needing some form of long-term care, this insurance can prevent financial ruin.Long-Term Disability InsuranceThis insurance protects your income if you're incapacitated. Premiums are typically a small percentage of your annual salary.Insurance to AvoidTitle theft insurance and identity theft insurance can be redundant. Instead, monitor your credit through free services like Credit Karma, Credit Sesame, or AnnualCreditReport.com and freeze it if needed. Title insurance, on the other hand, is crucial when purchasing a home.By strategically selecting the right insurance policies, you can protect yourself and your family against unforeseen events while avoiding unnecessary expenses.On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:My wife and I sold our house in 2018 before the pandemic and we were living overseas for a while. Now that we're back, we're renting a home from some friends at a below-market price of $1100 a month. We have four kids, and it's a bit cramped in the three-bedroom, one-bath house. With the rising housing prices and interest rates, we're not sure if we should keep saving for a larger down payment on a $300,000 home or buy now with the 20% down payment we have. What do you think we should do - keep renting to save more or buy now, even with the high interest rates?I'm 56 years old and currently receiving Social Security disability benefits. Will the monthly amount I receive now change when I turn 67 and start receiving regular Social Security retirement benefits?I purchased a home in Dyer, Indiana, with a balance of $310,000, and I put a substantial amount down, so now I owe $173,338. My current monthly mortgage payment is $577, with $31.92 to the principal and $101.47 to the interest. I have substantial savings to pay off the remaining balance of $173,338. Given that I have the money and the interest rate on the loan is 7%, should I pay off the mortgage now or hold on to the cash for another year?Resources Mentioned:AnnualCreditReport.comCredit KarmaCredit SesameRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA) or Certified Christian Financial Counselor (CertCFC)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on the Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. Visit our website at FaithFi.com where you can join the FaithFi Community and give as we expand our outreach.

In This Episode This week on Breaking Banks, we feature an episode from sister podcast EMERGE Everywhere. Is artificial intelligence the key to providing personalized financial advice for all? While companies like Credit Karma are tapping into AI's vast potential to help customers manage their money, the technology also raises weighty questions about how to use it responsibly. In this episode, Jennifer Tescher, host of EMERGE Everywhere speaks with Credit Karma CEO Ken Lin about how the company has embedded AI into its solutions, the biggest opportunities and challenges right now, and what an AI-enabled future might look like.

A recent study done by Credit Karma found that nearly one-third of Americans grapple with money dysmorphia— a state of distorted perception of one's financial health, caused by the relentless comparison with depictions of wealth online. Today, Nicole unpacks the biggest source of this condition and how we can cure it ourselves.

This week, both of our financial besties are joined by Vivian Tu, who left Wall Street and her role as a JP Morgan trader due to burnout. Embracing a new chapter in the media space, she carried over her financial expertise to build a unique career path. Vivian now offers fun, easily digestible financial advice on social media, aiming to transform "finance into fun-ance" and create an atmosphere where she's simply chatting with friends on a couch. Her engaging approach has led to partnerships with prominent brands like MetLife, Rent the Runway, Credit Karma, Invesco, and Wealthfront. Vivian is represented by WME and is preparing to launch her first book, "RICH AF," with Portfolio in 2024. She was also featured at No. 50 on Forbes' inaugural Top Creators List in 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, both of our financial besties are joined by Vivian Tu, who left Wall Street and her role as a JP Morgan trader due to burnout. Embracing a new chapter in the media space, she carried over her financial expertise to build a unique career path. Vivian now offers fun, easily digestible financial advice on social media, aiming to transform "finance into fun-ance" and create an atmosphere where she's simply chatting with friends on a couch. Her engaging approach has led to partnerships with prominent brands like MetLife, Rent the Runway, Credit Karma, Invesco, and Wealthfront. Vivian is represented by WME and is preparing to launch her first book, "RICH AF," with Portfolio in 2024. She was also featured at No. 50 on Forbes' inaugural Top Creators List in 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices