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Welcome back to Not Fintech Investment Advice, where Simon Taylor and I talk about fintech companies that we're definitely not giving investment advice on! We kick things off with Nekuda. Human-not-present is the new card-not-present. Nekuda's building SDKs (software development kits) for agentic checkout, so your AI assistant can securely store and inject payment credentials at just the right moment. This is Visa's “agent on file” era. We've spent a decade trying to keep bots out of commerce. Now we're figuring out how to let the right ones in (without blowing up the fraud model). What happens to trust, attribution, and liability when no human's at the checkout? Next is Vontive. Call them embedded mortgage lending for investment properties (basically, BNPL for real estate investors).They raised $135M in 2022, just added fresh equity from Citi, and secured a $150M revolving securitization shelf. They connect proptech platforms, banks, and marketplaces with private credit, so those platforms can embed short-term bridge loans or long-term rental mortgages directly into their UX. They don't hold the loans, but they do centralize underwriting across a very regionally variable asset class. And that can get risky fast. Then, there's Atticus, a stablecoin neobank in extreme stealth mode (with Palmer Luckey reportedly leading a new round at a $2B valuation). So naturally, we speculated: is Atticus a stablecoin bank with Fed access? A defense-industrial banking layer with regulatory immunity? If the GENIUS Act passes, this could be the first stablecoin issuer with full access to traditional rails. Finally, there's Affiniti. Embedded, vertical-specific SMB credit cards. Affiniti partners with trade associations (pharmacists, HVAC techs, auto dealers) to co-brand its SMB credit cards and distribute to pre-qualified member bases. They hit $5.5M ARR in year one and are on pace for $1B in transaction volume this year. Their edge is twofold: tailored underwriting based on industry norms, and an AI-powered CFO agent that flags anomalies, forecasts bills, and suggests vendor strategies. It's Ramp-as-a-service for the parts of the market that Ramp and Brex won't touch. The scaling question then becomes: choose depth (more products) or breadth (more industries)? We'll be watching. Plus, a manifestation: can someone please build a model that uses cashflow data to detect early signs of gambling addiction? It's doable, valuable, and might just save lives. This episode is brought to you by: Newline™ by Fifth Third is an innovative, API-first platform that enables fintechs to launch embedded payment, card and deposit solutions directly with Fifth Third Bank. Visit Newline53.com to see how Newline can elevate your business. Sign up for Alex's Fintech Takes newsletter for the latest insightful analysis on fintech trends, along with a heaping pile of pop culture references and copious footnotes. Every Monday and Thursday: https://workweek.com/brand/fintech-takes/ And for more exclusive insider content, don't forget to check out my YouTube page. Follow Simon: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sytaylor/ Substack: https://sytaylor.substack.com Follow Alex: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson Companies featured: https://nekuda.ai/ https://www.vontive.com/ Atticus (extreme stealth mode is right) https://affiniti.finance/
In this week's episode of Fintech Recap, Jason Mikula and I break down a surprisingly busy run of headlines. The IPO window is open after all: eToro priced above its range, Circle (the issuer of the USDC stablecoin) is eyeing a debut, and we can't not dig into Chime's S-1. First up: the S-1 heard round the world. Chime has finally filed to go public, and it's … complicated. Is it a payments company? A bank in denial? We unpack the Rorschach test (Alex's gloss) that is Chime's business model. Plus, a look into Chime's $1.5B in marketing spend and the real question that's not really a question but a comment: Chime still hasn't cracked credit in a compelling way? Next, it's the open banking implosion no one saw coming. The CFPB's open banking rule (Section 1033) could be overturned (yes, everything the CFPB has done since 2022 could be wiped off the map, including 1033). Jason and I walk through how the legal and regulatory whiplash could kill the broader API economy, spark a screen scraping renaissance, and more. Then, stablecoin legislation enters the chat. The GENIUS Act (yes, that's the real name) is gaining steam in Congress, but the fine print matters. We dig into what the bill actually allows (yield or no yield?), what banks are really scared of, and why the next few years could make or break trust in digitally-issued (nonbank) monies. Plus, we can't let go of the recent NYC crypto kidnapping straight out of Law & Order. When you're self-custodying and everyone knows what your “bank” holds, well … maybe the next era of crypto will finally learn what old money always knew: real wealth whispers. This episode is brought to you by: Newline™ by Fifth Third is an innovative, API-first platform that enables fintechs to launch embedded payment, card and deposit solutions directly with Fifth Third Bank. Visit Newline53.com to see how Newline can elevate your business. Sign up for Alex's Fintech Takes newsletter for the latest insightful analysis on fintech trends, along with a heaping pile of pop culture references and copious footnotes. Every Monday and Thursday: https://workweek.com/brand/fintech-takes/ And for more exclusive insider content, don't forget to check out my YouTube page. Follow Jason: Newsletter: https://fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmikula/ Follow Alex: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson
Paying for goods and services in today's modern world is as easy as swiping your credit card, tapping your phone, or even waving your smart watch. It looks so simple! But, the merchant services infrastructure and technology that enable electronic payments require substantial setup, careful attention, and ongoing coordination. Keeping your customers' experience both convenient and secure can be a daunting task for small business owners without the right merchant services provider by their side. In this episode, we're talking to Regional Sales Manager Cris Agenter from Worldpay, a global payments leader trusted by more than one million merchants and counting. Together, we'll explore questions like: What are merchant services and what do they entail? Why are merchant services important for small businesses? What is the process for setting up a merchant services account? What factors should business owners consider when selecting a merchant services provider? What does it cost to maintain a merchant services account? Are you ready to take control of your future and start building your legacy? Visit getprovide.com. Provide is a division of Fifth Third Bank, National Association. All opinions expressed by the participant are solely their current opinions and do not reflect the opinions of Provide, its affiliates, or Fifth Third Bank. The participant's opinions are based on information they consider reliable, but neither Provide, its affiliates nor Fifth Third Bank warrant its completeness or accuracy and should not be relied upon as such. This content is for informational purposes and does not constitute the rendering of legal, accounting, tax, or investment advice, or other professional services by Provide or any of its affiliates. Please consult with appropriate professionals related to your individual circumstances. All lending is subject to review and approval.
Welcome back to the Fintech Takes podcast. I'm your host, Alex Johnson, and today we're digging into one of the most urgent (and underdiscussed) financial issues in America: gambling. My guest is Alex DeMarco, founder and CEO of MoneyStack, who's helping reframe gambling addiction not just as a behavioral health issue, but as a financial systems crisis. Since 2018, when the Supreme Court cracked open the door to state-by-state legalization of mobile sports betting, we've seen a gold rush in gambling. Operators are now pulling in more than $70B annually (ads are everywhere, the apps are engineered for nonstop engagement, and the harm is rising fast). In NJ, one of the first states to legalize, 6% of adults are already experiencing moderate to severe gambling-related issues (double the national average). We connect the dots between gambling and familiar fintech business models: the same behavioral nudges, same VIP economics, the same revenue dependence on a vulnerable sliver of power users. If overdraft fees and gamified trading feel predatory, this is that (but on steroids). We unpack: Why sports betting apps now hold three times more per wager than old-school sportsbooks How engagement tactics mimic (and often outstrip) the most addictive elements of gamified finance Why we're watching investing and gambling blur into one screen (and one behavior) What proactive financial intervention might look like, and why most help comes too late How banks and fintechs can step up (detecting risk early, training advisors, and supporting families in recovery) We close with this big question: when gambling is mobile, funded from a checking account, and styled like Robinhood … can the financial industry really say it's not their problem? This episode is brought to you by: Newline™ by Fifth Third is an innovative, API-first platform that enables fintechs to launch embedded payment, card and deposit solutions directly with Fifth Third Bank. Visit Newline53.com to see how Newline can elevate your business. The world needs MoR. With Paddle as your Merchant of Record (MoR), the global growth is yours. The risk, compliance and accountability are ours. Simple. Paddle offers all the benefits of an enterprise-grade billing system but with MoR flexibility, MoR control, and MoR focus on your core product. Visit paddle.com to learn more. Sign up for Alex's Fintech Takes newsletter for the latest insightful analysis on fintech trends, along with a heaping pile of pop culture references and copious footnotes. Every Monday and Thursday: https://workweek.com/brand/fintech-takes/ And for more exclusive insider content, don't forget to check out my YouTube page. Follow Alex (DeMarco): LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexdemarco/ MoneyStack: https://www.linkedin.com/company/moneystack/ Follow Alex (Johnson): YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson X: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson
Welcome back to Not Fintech Investment Advice, the podcast where Simon Taylor and I (Alex Johnson) talk through fintech companies we're intrigued by, puzzled by, and occasionally want to manifest into existence (but definitely not invest in). First up is Cardamon, the cozy-sounding AI copilot tackling the cold, hard world of compliance. They're building a regulatory assistant to speed up product launches (a direct threat to $500/hr law firms and a clever way to navigate the compliance iceberg). Their bet is that if you structure regulatory knowledge right, it can accelerate innovation. Which brings us to this question: What if compliance is actually the best place to start when designing financial products? Next is Sprive, a UK app helping homeowners pay off their mortgage faster by redirecting cashback and round-ups toward debt repayment. It's clever. It's elegant. But it also risks falling into what Simon calls the “PFM ditch” (the only people who use the tool are the ones already inclined to do the behavior anyway). But is mortgage payoff the product, or a feature? And if the real value is in rerouting savings wherever they matter most, maybe Sprive isn't a mortgage app at all? Then comes Figg Wealth, the most complete “dashboard of dashboards” net-worth tracker we've seen in the UK. It pulls in everything (cars, property, crypto, stocks, bank accounts) and auto-values it all. The real unlock may be pairing that aggregation with AI-driven advice. If AI can widen both the top and bottom of the funnel, Figg might just make wealth management scalable. Last is Glide, which began life as a neobank but pivoted to selling onboarding and lending infrastructure to community banks and credit unions.Now they sit in the middleware layer. But here's the big question: what can vendors build beyond table stakes that offers these smaller institutions a real shot at differentiation? No end-of-show manifestation this time, unless you count my dream of having agentic private bankers before we have agentic commerce! 00:02:30 – Cardamon 00:17:43 – Sprive 00:29:03 – Figg Wealth 00:40:43 – Glide This episode is brought to you by: Newline™ by Fifth Third is an innovative, API-first platform that enables fintechs to launch embedded payment, card and deposit solutions directly with Fifth Third Bank. Visit Newline53.com to see how Newline can elevate your business. The world needs MoR. With Paddle as your Merchant of Record (MoR), the global growth is yours. The risk, compliance and accountability are ours. Simple. Paddle offers all the benefits of an enterprise-grade billing system but with MoR flexibility, MoR control, and MoR focus on your core product. Visit paddle.com to learn more. Sign up for Alex's Fintech Takes newsletter for the latest insightful analysis on fintech trends, along with a heaping pile of pop culture references and copious footnotes. Every Monday and Thursday: https://workweek.com/brand/fintech-takes/ And for more exclusive insider content, don't forget to check out my YouTube page. Follow Simon: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sytaylor/ Substack: https://sytaylor.substack.com Follow Alex: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson Companies featured: https://cardamon.ai/ https://sprive.com/ https://figgwealth.com/ https://withglide.com/
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. Follow us on popular podcast services to never miss an episode.A look at the latest happenings in NuLu, a little pickleball, a little golf and even a small restaurant recap.All of the above are topics in a loaded edition of the Access Louisville podcast. LBF Reporter Michael L. Jones is on the show to discuss how Gravely Brewing Co. shook the local brewery scene by announcing that it would be moving its taproom from Phoenix Hill to 905 E. Main St. in NuLu. Gravely Brewing opened at 514 Baxter Ave., near Hull Street, in 2017. The taproom has been a community staple ever since. Yours truly will also talk about my initial observations after I visited Fifth Third Bank's new office in NuLu for a sneak peek. The 10,000-square foot space is on the fourth floor of the NuLu Yard development, a $115 million project being overseen by Weyland Ventures.Zak Owens, our digital editor, is also on hand to discuss how the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office has signed a lease to move into 47,000 square feet of space at 515 W. Market St., a building owned by the University of Louisville Foundation, as reported by Senior Reporter Joel Stinnett.Owens will also talk about how Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg recently pulled the plug on a $65 million project for a large pickleball facility in Joe Creason Park in response to an outpouring of public outcry.Staying on the sports theme, I will talk about PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan visiting town earlier this month for the Kentucky Derby. He and another member of the PGA Tour leadership team were Derby guests of Jimmy Kirchdorfer, the CEO/chairman of ISCO Industries who is also a co-owner of Valhalla Golf Club. I spoke with Monahan and Kircdorfer before they teed off for a round at Valhalla. The main topic of conversation was how the PGA Tour is fully committed to having the ISCO Championship in Kentucky, which will take place in July. It will be at Hurstbourne Country Club for the next three years, with options to move the tournament to other courses in Kentucky. Monahan also said that he thought it was “when not if” Louisville will be able to host another major golf tournament after last year's PGA Championship took place at Valhalla. Keep in mind that the ultimate decision is made by the PGA of America, not the PGA Tour.I will also talk about how the ISCO Championship has already sold out of its 18th green hospitality suites with the event still two months away.And finally, we will top the podcast off with Jones talking about two of his recent headlines. The first is the future opening of Gaucho Urban Brazilian Steakhouse at 2013 S. Hurstbourne Parkway. Jones will also share the latest on Tavern To-Go, located at 111 E. Hill St.
Welcome back to Fintech Takes. I'm your host, Alex Johnson, and joining me for his second spin on the podcast merry-go-round is Rob Blackwell (Chief Content Officer at IntraFi and host of the Banking With Interest podcast). There's a whole lot of what the hell is going on in D.C. right now, so we're officially codifying this recurring segment as What the Hell Is Going On, where I throw all my burning questions at Rob Blackwell and he tries to make sense of the madness. First up, the flaming hot potato throw is aimed squarely at D.C. bank regulation, the Treasury power grab under Scott Bessant. Most Treasury Secretaries stay above the regulatory fray, but Bessant? He came armed. Rob breaks down why this Treasury Secretary is ditching the playbook, diving into the weeds, and maybe signaling the end of the “independent agency” era altogether. Then we dig into the stablecoin curveball derailing bipartisan progress: why Democrats are hitting the brakes, what Trump's meme coin has to do with it, and whether $1 trillion in deposits could vanish into the arms of Amazon, Meta, or anyone else turning payments into loyalty programs. And finally, we dig into open banking and ask whether the CFPB is about to walk back its most important rule in years…plus what that means for competition, community banks, and everyone not named JPMorgan. Plus, a lightning round that includes policy and Star Trek (spoiler: Rob's a cat guy, and a Wrath of Khan guy)...which ends in a very serious debate about fries. This episode is brought to you by: Newline™ by Fifth Third is an innovative, API-first platform that enables fintechs to launch embedded payment, card and deposit solutions directly with Fifth Third Bank. Visit Newline53.com to see how Newline can elevate your business. The world needs MoR. With Paddle as your Merchant of Record (MoR), the global growth is yours. The risk, compliance and accountability are ours. Simple. Paddle offers all the benefits of an enterprise-grade billing system but with MoR flexibility, MoR control, and MoR focus on your core product. Visit paddle.com to learn more. Sign up for Alex's Fintech Takes newsletter for the latest insightful analysis on fintech trends, along with a heaping pile of pop culture references and copious footnotes. Every Monday and Thursday: https://workweek.com/brand/fintech-takes/ And for more exclusive insider content, don't forget to check out my YouTube page. Follow Rob: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-blackwell-63884826/ X: https://x.com/robblackwellAB Follow Alex: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnsonX: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson
Interview with Pamela Rincones, First Executive Director of the Hispanic Chamber Cincinnati USA (HCCUSA). In an interview with Lorena Mora-Mowry, Rincones discusses her feelings about being the first Executive Director of HCCUSA. She also shares her upbringing and how her leadership style aligns with the organization's values. Additionally, she discusses the factors that have inspired her to pursue this path. Rincones outlines her professional journey, highlighting her extensive leadership experience and a proven track record of empowering diverse communities through economic opportunity and innovation. She has worked in corporations, nonprofit organizations, and community sectors, and she emphasizes how her diverse experiences will be valuable in her new role to support HCCUSA's mission of assisting Hispanic businesses across the Greater Cincinnati region. Rincones expresses optimism about the opportunities that lie ahead for the Hispanic Chamber in the upcoming years. She concludes the interview by addressing the Hispanic/Latino community in the Greater Cincinnati area. “I am honored to join HCCUSA and to help build a stronger platform for Hispanic businesses and entrepreneurs across the region,” said Pam Rincones. “Together, we can amplify opportunities, create meaningful change, and celebrate the vibrant spirit of our community.” Pam stated Pam Rincones possesses extensive expertise in inclusive leadership and human capital strategy. With over three decades of experience advising Fortune 500 companies and nonprofit organizations, she has guided leaders through transformative initiatives to cultivate inclusive and high-performing cultures. A Track Record of Recognized Impact: As former Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at Fifth Third Bank and current consultant with Pope Consulting and Blue Circle Leadership Institute, Pam has led nationally recognized programs that have elevated engagement, fostered innovation, and enhanced talent development. A Passion for Purpose-Driven Community Engagement: Recognized for her ability to build collaborative partnerships and champion underrepresented voices, Pam employs a visionary approach to unlocking the potential of individuals and teams alike.
Welcome back to Fintech Takes. I'm Alex Johnson, joined by Jason Mikula, and we are once again unable to resist the siren call of Bass Island. Tour we must. First up on BaaS Island, Increase is trying to buy a tiny Washington state bank to build the BaaS Warp Core of the future: tight tech + charter in one stack. We explore what this means for infrastructure players trying to outgrow their middleware roots. Next, California drops a consent order on Hatch Bank…without the FDIC. Are states taking the lead on BaaS enforcement, or is this just D.C. chaos fallout? Meanwhile, the cracks keep spreading. We tour banks that bet on building their own stacks and lost—just as Fiserv quietly deepens its reach into embedded finance via Thread Bank and its Finxact core. Is BaaS headed toward a two-lane future: tech-forward banks vs. core providers? Then it's time for a Vegas flashback: Ryan Breslow's latest Bolt reboot is here. The payments super app now offers crypto, debit rewards, peer-to-peer payments, ecomm tracking (and a sweet Spotify playlist). We're getting serious Echo déjà vu. Do we need this? And finally, the weirdest fintech lawsuit yet: TomoCredit doctored blog posts to claim a trademark on “cash score”, a term Prism (a Petal spinout) was actually applying for. Prism caught them. Tomo admitted it. It's part fraud, part farce, and a reminder that fintech grift is alive and well.. Rants, recaps, and a little righteous fury…just how we like it! Newline™ by Fifth Third is an innovative, API-first platform that enables fintechs to launch embedded payment, card and deposit solutions directly with Fifth Third Bank. Visit Newline53.com to see how Newline can elevate your business. The world needs MoR. With Paddle as your Merchant of Record (MoR), the global growth is yours. The risk, compliance and accountability are ours. Simple. Paddle offers all the benefits of an enterprise-grade billing system but with MoR flexibility, MoR control, and MoR focus on your core product. Visit paddle.com to learn more. Sign up for Alex's Fintech Takes newsletter for the latest insightful analysis on fintech trends, along with a heaping pile of pop culture references and copious footnotes. Every Monday and Thursday: https://workweek.com/brand/fintech-takes/ And for more exclusive insider content, don't forget to check out my YouTube page. Follow Jason: Newsletter: https://fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmikula/ Follow Alex: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson
Welcome back to the Fintech Takes podcast. I'm your host, Alex Johnson, and today, one of our favorite guests is making a triumphant return visit—Frank Rotman, founding partner and CIO at QED Investors. Frank has a theory: in his words, the game of life is getting “harder to win.” Debt is piling up, wages are stagnant, and folks are being told they're the only ones to blame for their financial struggles. His observation is that more people see themselves as playing PvE (Player vs. Everyone), prioritizing personal survival over collective outcomes. In a world where following the rules doesn't pay off, so-called "irrational" moves like crypto gambles start making a lot more sense. We unpack what this shift means for finance, behavior, and the economy. Then, we take on a big question: is traditional financial theory broken? The old "work hard, save, invest in a 60/40 portfolio" model no longer delivers retirement security, and that's because rising costs, debt, and economic shifts have eroded its effectiveness. So, what might replace it? And how can avoiding financial mistakes be just as important as making smart investments? And finally, we explore how AI is rewriting the future of finance. Instead of generic, one-size-fits-all advice, AI-powered financial guidance could be real-time, scenario-based, and deeply personalized (aka imagine a 150-IQ financial strategist that can help you make smarter decisions on the fly...by actually talking to it? That future's not so far away). Instead of shopping for financial products, what happens when AI can custom-build financial products to fit our specific needs? Would that create a system that works for everyone—or just make it even more complex? Join us for a deep, challenging, and necessary conversation about the future of money, markets, and human behavior. Newline™ by Fifth Third is an innovative, API-first platform that enables fintechs to launch embedded payment, card and deposit solutions directly with Fifth Third Bank. Visit Newline53.com to see how Newline can elevate your business. The world needs MoR. With Paddle as your Merchant of Record (MoR), the global growth is yours. The risk, compliance and accountability are ours. Simple.Paddle offers all the benefits of an enterprise-grade billing system but with MoR flexibility, MoR control, and MoR focus on your core product. Visit paddle.com to learn more. Sign up for Alex's Fintech Takes newsletter for the latest insightful analysis on fintech trends, along with a heaping pile of pop culture references and copious footnotes. Every Monday and Thursday: https://workweek.com/brand/fintech-takes/ And for more exclusive insider content, don't forget to check out my YouTube page. Follow Frank: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-rotman/ X: https://x.com/fintechjunkie Follow Alex: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson X: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson
The old saying is “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” So when the time comes to design your office and build your brand, it's important to consider more than just your color scheme and furniture. You need a deep understanding of your customers and employees, how they will use the space, and what story you're telling them. And that's where the practice of experiential design comes into play. In this episode, we're speaking with Alicia Orlando, the director of experiential design at MA Design. With a background spanning advertising, marketing, and environmental graphics, she has worked with clients like Bed Bath & Beyond, the University of Georgia, and White Castle. She focuses on creating designs that resonate on a human level by crafting thoughtful, purposeful environments that inspire and leave lasting emotional connections. Together, we'll discuss things like: How is experiential design different from regular office design? How can small business owners utilize experiential design to create a strong first impression on customers? Why is the atmosphere of an office space crucial for employee morale and productivity? How can small business owners enhance their office's welcoming energy on a budget? What are some measurable impacts that small business owners can look for after implementing experiential design? Are you ready to take control of your future and start building your legacy? Visit getprovide.com. Provide is a division of Fifth Third Bank, National Association. All opinions expressed by the participant are solely their current opinions and do not reflect the opinions of Provide, its affiliates, or Fifth Third Bank. The participant's opinions are based on information they consider reliable, but neither Provide, its affiliates nor Fifth Third Bank warrant its completeness or accuracy and should not be relied upon as such. This content is for informational purposes and does not constitute the rendering of legal, accounting, tax, or investment advice, or other professional services by Provide or any of its affiliates. Please consult with appropriate professionals related to your individual circumstances. All lending is subject to review and approval.
First-quarter bank earnings highlighted mixed results as some banks saw an uptick in originations and leasing volume, while credit performance largely improved. Ally Financial's auto originations increased 4.1% year over year as lease originations were up 28.6% YoY. The bank's retail auto delinquencies declined 9 basis points (bps) YoY to 3.79%. Across the regional banks, Huntington Bank's auto originations rose 25% YoY, while U.S. Bank's indirect loan and lease originations were down 27.3% YoY. Fifth Third Bank, PNC Financial and Truist joined several auto lenders in reporting declines in delinquencies and credit losses in Q1. Meanwhile, new-vehicle affordability hit the best level in 45 months in March but auto tariffs are expected to lead to price increases and contribute to lower sales in the coming months. Prolonged tariffs are also projected to contribute to a decline in auto asset-backed securitization volume and increased delinquencies across securitized auto loans. In this episode of “Weekly Wrap,” Auto Finance News Editor Amanda Harris and associate editor Aidan Bush discuss Q1 bank earnings and top trends across affordability and consumer health for the week ended April 18.
The White House clarifies the President's social media posts saying Fed Chair Jerome Powell's "Termination cannot come fast enough." A senior White House official telling CNBC Trump's Truth Social post today should not be seen as a threat to fire Powell. JPMorgan Chief U.S. Economist responds. Then The CEO of Fifth Third bank joins the show after reporting results. Why he's more optimistic about unemployment than many are predicting. Plus a look at Netflix, a rare tech stock in positive territory this year, ahead of its results after the market close.
Welcome back to Not Fintech Investment Advice, where Simon Taylor and I talk about fintech companies that we're definitely not giving investment advice on! The theme of this episode is infrastructure galore. We kick things off with Ubyx, who are essentially building the Visa for stablecoins–a network of merchants, issuers, and acquirers with a standardized incentive and legal structure that could help stablecoins finally qualify as cash equivalents. We're not yet at the Visa moment of mass merchant adoption and real interoperability pain (all pain points are still mostly theoretical), but Ubyx is betting that moment's coming fast. They're one to watch, especially if you love good nerdy whitepaper... Next up, Codex. They recently raised a seed round (with participation from Coinbase and Circle, among others) to build a layer 2 blockchain network specifically for stablecoins. Codex wants to be the sleek payments rail for stablecoins, and while “just another blockchain” fatigue is real, there's logic in going vertical. They're also pitching themselves as a liquidity hub, which, if it works, could be a major edge in reducing fragmentation. Then, there's Agent AV, which is basically Shopify for AI agents. They're tackling the wild west of agentic commerce, where bots now shop on our behalf. E-commerce was built to keep bots out—but now, humans are deploying bots on their behalf. The challenge, then, is separating the good bots (authorized agents) from the bad. That's why a two-sided mode, building for both agents and merchants, makes a lot of sense. It's early days, but they might be laying rails for a whole new kind of shopping experience. And finally, the dark horse of the episode: Experian. Yes, that Experian. They just launched a new cashflow-based credit score and, in a twist, are skipping the bottom of the data stack to go full-FICO. In an open banking world, they don't want to be the bureau—they want to be the scorer. No end-of-show manifestations on this go-around; Simon already manifested the biggest fintech nerd gathering ever, Fintech NerdCon, so Alex is manifesting an excellent inaugural NerdCon in Miami come November. 00:02:36 - UBYX 00:16:25 - Codex 00:30:05 - Agent AV 00:41:14 - Experian Newline™ by Fifth Third is an innovative, API-first platform that enables fintechs to launch embedded payment, card and deposit solutions directly with Fifth Third Bank. Visit Newline53.com to see how Newline can elevate your business. The world needs MoR. With Paddle as your Merchant of Record (MoR), the global growth is yours. The risk, compliance and accountability are ours. Simple. Paddle offers all the benefits of an enterprise-grade billing system but with MoR flexibility, MoR control, and MoR focus on your core product. Visit paddle.com to learn more. Sign up for Alex's Fintech Takes newsletter for the latest insightful analysis on fintech trends, along with a heaping pile of pop culture references and copious footnotes. Every Monday and Thursday: https://workweek.com/brand/fintech-takes/ And for more exclusive insider content, don't forget to check out my YouTube page. Follow Simon: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sytaylor/ Substack: https://sytaylor.substack.com Follow Alex: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson Companies featured: https://www.ubyx.xyz/ https://www.codex.xyz/ https://www.experian.com/
Welcome back to the Fintech Takes podcast. I'm Alex Johnson, and as always, I'm joined by my partner-in-crime, Jason Mikula. Today, we're unpacking Klarna's public debut, the growing rift between Mercury and Evolv, and why getting wrecked might just be the best education in lending First up, the BNPL giant Klarna has finally gone public, filing an F1 as a foreign entity. Now as a public company, we'll get to see their actual numbers. With 93M active consumers, Klarna isn't small, but its path to profitability is still a question mark. The key stat? Transaction margins. Klarna's European banking license gives it an advantage in low-interest rate markets, but as it pushes deeper into the U.S., credit losses are an issue. The big question: can Klarna mature fast enough to bring those losses down? Next, we're diving into the fallout between Mercury and Evolv. Mercury has stopped onboarding customers through Evolv and is actively shifting accounts elsewhere—publicly, at that. Meanwhile, Evolv seems caught off guard for Mercury's departure, with mixed signals on whether this was a surprise or a slow-moving train wreck. So, what really happened? And what does it say about the state of fintech-banking relationships? And finally, is taking a beating the only way to master lending? We think so. The right order? Start with lending, get punched in the face by risk, and then consider a bank charter. Doing it the other way around? Painful. Avoidable. And yet...it keeps happening. Please stop! Newline™ by Fifth Third is an innovative, API-first platform that enables fintechs to launch embedded payment, card and deposit solutions directly with Fifth Third Bank. Visit Newline53.com to see how Newline can elevate your business. The world needs MoR. With Paddle as your Merchant of Record (MoR), the global growth is yours. The risk, compliance and accountability are ours. Simple.Paddle offers all the benefits of an enterprise-grade billing system but with MoR flexibility, MoR control, and MoR focus on your core product. Visit paddle.com to learn more. Sign up for Alex's Fintech Takes newsletter for the latest insightful analysis on fintech trends, along with a heaping pile of pop culture references and copious footnotes. Every Monday and Thursday: https://workweek.com/brand/fintech-takes/ And for more exclusive insider content, don't forget to check out my YouTube page. Follow Jason: Newsletter: https://fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmikula/ Follow Alex: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson
WYCE's Community Connection (*conversations concerning issues of importance in West Michigan)
On this week's episode, we welcome John VanderHaagen - Director of Communications, with Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.John provided us with a timely update on some important and newsworthy happenings at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.As the curtain falls on another long West Michigan winter, it's that time of year again when the Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory comes alive with the return of Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming!The annual Butterflies are Blooming exhibit continues through April 30, 2025.John reminded us that the butterfly exhibit is the largest temporary tropical butterfly exhibition in the United States.Meijer Gardens is also offering three after-hours events for our community members with disabilities. John told us that the gardens will be offering complimentary after-hours access for visitors with autism or other sensory processing needs, visitors who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH), and visitors who are blind or have low vision.We also previewed the dates for the upcoming Fifth Third Bank summer concert series, as well as the free Tuesday night concerts as a part of the Tuesday Evening Music Club.Finally, John reminded us of the opening of a new exhibit, BUSTED: Contemporary Sculpture Busts.BUSTED opened in early April and runs through September 20, 2025.It showcases the ancient sculpture genre as radically transformed by 21st-century artists. Throughout history, sculpted busts have served to commemorate and preserve the likeness of distinguished individuals, and to celebrate divinity or nobility.Online: Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.
They'd rather put money in savings than see a concert. They expect brands to share their worldviews. They will forgive mistakes, but NOT inauthenticity. These are just a few of the broad generalizations that Dr. Corey Seemiller has found in her studies of Gen Z. A professor and researcher at Wright State University, her insights have been featured in NPR, The New York Times, and Time Magazine, and she has published numerous works, including the acclaimed books Generation Z Goes to College and Generation Z Leads. In the global Gen Z study she led, Dr. Seemiller and her team engaged over 30,000 participants from 81 countries, making it one of the largest studies on this demographic. Typically defined as those who were born between 1995-2010, these young people aged 15-30 constitute a growing percentage of consumer spending. And, as Gen Z comes of age, small businesses must tailor their marketing and branding to court this demographic. In this episode, we'll ask Dr. Seemiller: What are the core values and beliefs that define Gen Z? How does technology impact Gen Z's interactions with brands? How can small businesses create memorable interactions that foster loyalty? How should brands approach issues that are important to Gen Z? How will Gen Z evolve as consumers in the years ahead? Are you ready to take control of your future and start building your legacy? Visit getprovide.com. Provide is a division of Fifth Third Bank, National Association. All opinions expressed by the participant are solely their current opinions and do not reflect the opinions of Provide, its affiliates, or Fifth Third Bank. The participant's opinions are based on information they consider reliable, but neither Provide, its affiliates nor Fifth Third Bank warrant its completeness or accuracy and should not be relied upon as such. This content is for informational purposes and does not constitute the rendering of legal, accounting, tax, or investment advice, or other professional services by Provide or any of its affiliates. Please consult with appropriate professionals related to your individual circumstances. All lending is subject to review and approval.
This week on Power House, Diego sits down with Jay Plum, a 35-year banking veteran and the EVP of Consumer Lending at Fifth Third Bank. As the 10th largest bank servicer in the country, Fifth Third Bank has over a thousand branches and $200 billion in assets. Today's conversation is all about mortgage lending. Jay and Diego talk about Basel III and its impact on warehouse lending, and the important role that the affordability programs like downpayment assistance play in increasing homeownership. They also talk about Fifth Third's focus on MSRs and home equity products, and what they're doing to increase market share in a high-rate environment. Here's what you'll learn: Fifth Third has many mortgage channels, including retail and correspondent. Regulatory changes, such as Basel III, significantly impact the mortgage industry. Affordability remains a key concern for potential homebuyers in a high-rate environment. Fifth Third engages in community initiatives to promote homebuyer education and assistance programs. Servicing mortgages allows Fifth Third to offer additional consumer lending products. Related to this episode: Fifth Third Bank Home Lending | Fifth Third Bank Jay Plum | LinkedIn HousingWire | YouTube Enjoy the episode! The Power House podcast brings the biggest names in housing to answer hard-hitting questions about industry trends, operational and growth strategy, and leadership. Join HousingWire president Diego Sanchez every Thursday morning for candid conversations with industry leaders to learn how they're differentiating themselves from the competition. Hosted and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Brad Binder is an accomplished professional in the real estate and mortgage banking sectors, currently serving as a Founding Partner at AskLocal Marketplace since January 2022, where expertise is focused on empowering real estate agents, vendors, and consumers through a free user-access network. Prior experience includes notable roles such as Managing Partner and Chief Executive Officer at AskLocal Real Estate, as well as serving as Branch Manager at Revolution Mortgage. Brad Binder has held various positions in mortgage consulting and banking with First Commonwealth Bank, Fifth Third Bank, First Federal Lakewood, JPMorgan Chase, MLD Mortgage Inc., and Wholesale Mortgage Group, specializing in diverse lending options including construction and renovation loans. Brad Binder holds a Master's degree in Residential Lending and has a strong foundation in real estate expertise. What You Will Learn: Who is Brad Binder? How does Brad Binder differentiate himself from other lenders? What challenges does Brad mention regarding the current lending and real estate environment? How did Brad get started in the real estate and lending business? What is Ask Local, and how does it serve the real estate market? What benefits does Ask Local offer in terms of transparency and engagement for consumers? How does the platform ensure that all parties involved in a transaction are informed and aligned? How does Brad feel about his transition into technology and software development within the real estate industry? What features does Ask Local provide to ensure timely communication and updates during the transaction process? How does Ask Local help streamline the roles of agents, lenders, and title companies in real estate transactions? How does the Ask Local platform aim to improve communication between home inspectors and clients? What does Brad believe is the fastest way to build trust in the real estate industry? How does Ask Local provide a roadmap for clients during real estate transactions? What kind of technology does Ask Local utilize to streamline the real estate process? What types of professionals does Brad mention could benefit from using Ask Local? How does Ask Local ensure privacy and security for users in different transactions? What advantages does Ask Local offer in dealing with title companies during real estate transactions? How does the platform handle state-specific requirements and regulations for real estate transactions? What is the overall goal of Ask Local in terms of improving efficiency and reducing stress in real estate? How can agents and consumers get in touch with Ask Local for further information? What does Brad say about the importance of transparency in real estate transactions? How does the Ask Local app improve the user experience for busy professionals, such as pilots and engineers? How does Brad describe his approach to customer service in the mortgage industry? Brad shares how everyone can contact him. Additional Resources from Brad Binder: Website: http://www.asklocal.com/ Email: Support@Asklocal.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-binder-aa31713b/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AskLocalRealEstate/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asklocalmarketplace/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@asklocalmarketplace X: https://x.com/asklocalmarketplace Attention Investors and Agents Are you looking to grow your business? Need to connect with aggressive like-minded people like yourself? We have all the right tools, knowledge, and coaching to positively effect your bottom line. Visit:http://globalinvestoragent.com/join-gia-team to see what we can offer and to schedule your FREE consultation! Our NEW book is out...order yours NOW! Global Investor Agent: How Do You Thrive Not Just Survive in a Market Shift? Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/3SV0khX HEY! You should be in class this coming Monday (MNL). It's Free and packed with actions you should take now! Here's the link to register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_sNMjT-5DTIakCFO2ronDCg
Whether it's the launch of a second location or a new budgeting system, implementing change in any small business can feel daunting. Institutional inertia is real, and not everyone might be on board with your vision at first. So, it's absolutely imperative that business owners rely on tried-and-true techniques in planning, communicating, and implementing change. In this episode, we're talking to Dr. Scott Leune, the founder of scottleune.com. He's a trailblazer in the field of dentistry, with a remarkable career in opening, building, and selling numerous dental practices and businesses. He has played a pivotal role in launching over 200 startups nationwide and has provided invaluable purchasing, marketing, and consulting support to more than 20,000 dentists. His highly acclaimed seminars serve as a source of advanced practice management insight for dentists across North America. We'll discuss: How to plan for major and minor changes within a small business Why communication is critical in change management What to do if there is organizational pushback to change How to track and measure the success of business change What resources business owners can use to plan for change Are you ready to take control of your future and start building your legacy? Visit getprovide.com. Provide is a division of Fifth Third Bank, National Association. All opinions expressed by the participant are solely their current opinions and do not reflect the opinions of Provide, its affiliates, or Fifth Third Bank. The participant's opinions are based on information they consider reliable, but neither Provide, its affiliates nor Fifth Third Bank warrant its completeness or accuracy and should not be relied upon as such. This content is for informational purposes and does not constitute the rendering of legal, accounting, tax, or investment advice, or other professional services by Provide or any of its affiliates. Please consult with appropriate professionals related to your individual circumstances. All lending is subject to review and approval.
Regina Carswell Russo is Founder/CEO of RRight Now Communications, a strategic communications firm. Regina helps clients remove barriers to effective communication. With more than 30 years of communications, journalism, and media relations experience, Regina's clients include Duke Energy, Fifth Third Bank, United Way of Greater Cincinnati, The Port, Procter & Gamble, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the City of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Public Schools. After retiring from broadcast journalism after 23 years, 15 years here in Cincinnati at FOX19, Regina transitioned to arts marketing as Director of Communications and Marketing at the Cincinnati Art Museum and Chief of Communications at the Contemporary Arts Center, where the Cincinnati Business Courier recognized her accomplishments with a C-Suite Award. Regina brings innovation and creativity to solve complex communication problems for her clients in crisis communication, media relations, media interview coaching, brand reputation, and multicultural stakeholder engagement. RRight Now Communications' fastest growing client base is C-Suite women, helping them craft and elevate their authentic voice in their corporate leadership. Regina's vast number of Board appointments and awards include:• National Association of Television Arts and Sciences Emmy Nominee• Five Associated Press and Michigan Association Broadcaster Awards• Cincinnati Magazine/ 2021, 2022, 2023 Power 300-Most Powerful Business Leaders• 2022 YWCA Career Woman of Achievement• Board Trustee, Cincinnati Opera (Executive Committee, Nominating Commitee)• Ragan Communication/ PR Daily Communicator of the Year Award 2021 Regina is a native of Detroit, and lives in Cincinnati with her husband and two sons.
In this episode of The Industrialist, Jeremy Mercer sits down with Michael Khoury, the Senior Vice President and Team Lead of Fifth Third Bank's Dallas Middle Market team.A Dallas native, Michael brings a wealth of knowledge from his 19 years in commercial banking. He shares insights from his previous leadership roles at Wells Fargo and First Citizens Bank and discusses his plans to build and lead a dynamic team to support North Texas.Tune in to discover the strategies behind his successful career and his vision for the future of banking in Dallas.
We've all heard the news stories about massive cybersecurity breaches costing big companies millions of dollars. However, the majority of cybersecurity attacks each year actually target small businesses. If you don't have a cybersecurity plan in place or know how to properly protect your data, you and your staff are easy marks for hackers to target. In this episode, we're speaking with Jim Bennett, CTO at Legend Networking, where they specialize in small business IT needs, from turnkey network infrastructure, network security, data backup and recovery, and more. We'll discuss: How the digital landscape has evolved to make cybersecurity a top issue for small business owners Which cybersecurity threats can affect small business owners What tools are available to help small business owners manage cybersecurity How small business owners can evaluate their cybersecurity risks How small business owners can create strong passwords to protect their data Are you ready to take control of your future and start building your legacy? Visit getprovide.com. Provide is a division of Fifth Third Bank, National Association. All opinions expressed by the participant are solely their current opinions and do not reflect the opinions of Provide, its affiliates, or Fifth Third Bank. The participant's opinions are based on information they consider reliable, but neither Provide, its affiliates nor Fifth Third Bank warrant its completeness or accuracy and should not be relied upon as such. This content is for informational purposes and does not constitute the rendering of legal, accounting, tax, or investment advice, or other professional services by Provide or any of its affiliates. Please consult with appropriate professionals related to your individual circumstances. All lending is subject to review and approval.
Optimal Health Series Central Ohio is growing rapidly, and the region's four major hospital systems are following suit. Each of Columbus' “Big Four” systems – OhioHealth, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Mount Carmel Health System, and Nationwide Children's Hospital – are expanding rapidly, constructing new facilities and scrambling to hire legions of qualified healthcare professionals. With the region's population expected to grow by 30% in the next 25 years, that may translate into 730,000 new residents – all of whom will require access to healthcare. Can Central Ohio's biggest healthcare players keep pace with demand? This forum features an extraordinary panel featuring the CEOs of all four of the region's major hospital systems for an in-depth exploration of the present and future of healthcare in Central Ohio. Featuring panelists: Dr. Stephen Markovich, President and Chief Executive Officer, OhioHealth Timothy Robinson, Chief Executive Officer, Nationwide Children's Hospital Dr. John Warner, Chief Executive Officer, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and Executive Vice President, The Ohio State University Tauana McDonald, President and Chief Executive Officer, Mount Carmel Health System The host is Greg Moody, Director of Professional Development and the State of Ohio Leadership Institute, John Glenn College of Public Affairs, The Ohio State University. The presenting sponsors of CMC's long-running Optimal Health Series are The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, OhioHealth, and Nationwide Children's Hospital. This forum was also sponsored by AstraZeneca, Cardinal Health, Fifth Third Bank, The Healthcare Career Collaborative of Central Ohio Powered by Aspyr, Mount Carmel Health System, and CK Construction. The presenting sponsor of the CMC livestream was The Center for Human Kindness at the Columbus Foundation. CMC's livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch. This forum was also supported by Vue Columbus. This forum was recorded before a live audience at Vue Columbus in Columbus, Ohio's historic Brewery District on January 22, 2025.
To kick off year six of the Investors First Podcast, today's guest is Tom Lee. Tom is the Managing Partner and Head of Research at Fundstrat Global Advisors, with over 25 years of experience in equity research. Formerly J.P. Morgan's Chief Equity Strategist, he is a top-ranked strategist and you will frequently find him on CNBC. Lee holds a BS in Economics from the Wharton School and is a CFA charter holder. In this episode, we discuss where the S&P 500 will end up in 2025 and areas of the market Tom likes in 2025. Tom discusses bitcoin and how it should be valued relative to gold. We talk about AI and its impact on the market, but more importantly, the importance of ethics as it relates to AI. We also discuss DOGE (which hasn't been discussed since Truman in the 40's), why more basketball players should shoot free throws underhand, and how he developed the granny shots strategy. Today's hosts are Steve Curley, CFA (Co-Managing Principal at 55 North Private Wealth) & co-host Drew Papke, CFA (Director, Private Bank Investments at Fifth Third Bank). Please enjoy the episode. You can follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn or at investorsfirstpodcast.com Show Notes: · FundSrat: https://fundstrat.com · Complimentary Research: fsinsight.com · Granny Shots: https://fsinsight.com/members/stock-lists/?category=granny-shots-stock-list · Book rec: The Coming Wave (By: Mustafa Suleyman)
Most entrepreneurs begin their ownership journey with a business plan. The effectiveness and specificity of that plan can vary greatly, frequently reflecting a lack of clarity or insight. Common pitfalls include attempting to cater to a broad audience, harboring excessive optimism, or failing to thoroughly research the target market. Ultimately, a well-defined business plan is critical to establish the trajectory of your future, including influencing your financing options. In this episode, we'll help you craft an effective business plan alongside Sean Simon, head of credit, Provide and small business. He has over a decade of experience in small business financing, both for startups and established healthcare practices, including acquisitions, additional locations, and more traditional small business financing. We'll discuss: What purposes a business plan should serve How often you should be checking and adjusting your business plan What sort of market research you should conduct What tools and resources can help you draft a business plan Why it's crucial to identify a unique value proposition, and how to do it Are you ready to take control of your future and start building your legacy? Visit getprovide.com. Provide is a division of Fifth Third Bank, National Association. All opinions expressed by the participant are solely their current opinions and do not reflect the opinions of Provide, its affiliates, or Fifth Third Bank. The participant's opinions are based on information they consider reliable, but neither Provide, its affiliates nor Fifth Third Bank warrant its completeness or accuracy and should not be relied upon as such. This content is for informational purposes and does not constitute the rendering of legal, accounting, tax, or investment advice, or other professional services by Provide or any of its affiliates. Please consult with appropriate professionals related to your individual circumstances. All lending is subject to review and approval.
Today, Gallup reports that only 21% of American workers strongly agree that they trust their organization's leaders, down from 24% in 2019. These figures reflect the shift in workplace dynamics from the onset of the pandemic to the present day, indicating that new ways of working—and their associated challenges—have contributed to growing feelings of distrust. So, how can leaders work to regain the confidence of their workforce? Roy Reid is a prominent authority in public relations, business communications, and marketing with extensive experience in the healthcare sector. He advises business leaders and organizations as a counselor, strategist, and coach to grow, maintain, and protect their interests. Trust Across America, Trust Around the World has recognized him as one of the top 100 thought leaders influencing trust in business behavior. Roy is a Senior Fellow with The Stockworth Institute and the Founder of Walk With You, his coaching and executive communications consultancy. He has collaborated with Fortune 500 companies, healthcare organizations, entrepreneurs, professional service firms, and public agencies. His notable clients include leading brands such as AdventHealth, Walmart, Walt Disney Resorts, Fifth Third Bank, CSX Transportation, Tavistock Group, Lake Nona, Duke Energy, and Burger King. Roy is also a sought-after speaker and co-author of "The Trust Transformation," a program that offers a framework for enhancing results by fostering better relationships through a focused approach to earning, cultivating, and restoring trust. He holds a degree in Business Administration with a minor in Communications from the University of Central Florida, where he served as student body president. In 2007, he was named Alumni of the Year by the College of Business, and in 2010, he was inducted into the Nicholson School of Communications Hall of Fame. Roy is a Master Certified Professional Coach (MCPC) and is Accredited in Public Relations (APR). He is an active member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and holds the title of Certified Public Relations Counselor (CPRC) from the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA). Additionally, he is a student and instructor of martial arts, holding a Master's Certification and a fifth-degree black belt in Taekwondo. “Roy brings 25 years of martial arts training and discipline to the stage, the classroom, or the boardroom to help you achieve better results.” For more information: https://www.roywreid.com/
In this Gartner Talent Angle episode, author and banker Jeff Korzenik shares insights about the second-chance talent pool—that is, reemploying candidates with criminal records. He offers practical advice on tapping into non-traditional sources of talent by differentiating between felony types, partnering with nonprofits and reevaluating legacy talent policies and processes. Jeff Korzenik is Chief Investment Strategist for Fifth Third Bank, one of the nation's largest banks. He is the author of the book “Untapped Talent: How Second-Chance Hiring Works for Your Business and the Community” on the business case and best practices for hiring people with criminal records. *This episode is an excerpt taken from our 2021 interview.
Practicing dentistry can be a challenging pursuit under any circumstances. Practicing dentistry for the U.S. Army in Iraq, however, is another level of challenging. Dr. Benjamin Taylor shares how his experience as a combat dentist forged him into the professional servant-leader he is today and prepared him for the daily demands small business owners can face. Dr. Taylor is a general dentist and has owned Dunwoody Dental Care in Dunwoody, Georgia, for nearly three years. In this episode, we're going to explore some of the lessons he's learned throughout his unique experience like: How the military influences his approach to problem-solving Strategies and frameworks that shape his approach to running a business Key lessons other entrepreneurs can incorporate from the world of military service Where small business owners can look for peer support How small business owners can learn from their mistakes Are you ready to take control of your future and start building your legacy? Visit getprovide.com. Provide is a division of Fifth Third Bank, National Association. All opinions expressed by the participant are solely their current opinions and do not reflect the opinions of Provide, its affiliates, or Fifth Third Bank. The participant's opinions are based on information they consider reliable, but neither Provide, its affiliates nor Fifth Third Bank warrant its completeness or accuracy and should not be relied upon as such. This content is for informational purposes and does not constitute the rendering of legal, accounting, tax, or investment advice, or other professional services by Provide or any of its affiliates. Please consult with appropriate professionals related to your individual circumstances. All lending is subject to review and approval.
Recording the day after the election, vibes are strange, and the future's a question mark—but fintech regulation? Still full steam ahead. This week on Bank Nerd Corner, Kiah and Alex welcome special guest Evan Weinberger, Bloomberg Law's banking and fintech regulatory correspondent, to break down the latest from the CFPB. Together, they dig into comment letters from banks and fintechs alike (Kiah takes the bank letters; Alex, the fintech ones), shedding light on why traditional banks are pushing for tighter fintech regulations as fintechs like Mercury make their case. Both banks and consumer advocates agree that regulators *can* police fintechs under the Bank Service Company Act, but there's a catch: the Act is vague, resources are thin, and regulators are swamped. It's a tug-of-war over control of your deposits. Not to mention, they tackle recent CFPB orders exposing cracks in fintech-bank partnerships—from Goldman-Apple's costly fumbles to VyStar's tech mess with Nimbus. And to wrap it up, Kiah, Alex, and Evan play "Bank Nerd Draft," sharing their all-time favorite moments in CFPB history. Ah, fintech regulation—here's lookin' at you, kid. Raising the standard of quality for embedded finance infrastructure, Newline™ by Fifth Third is an API platform that enables enterprises to launch and scale payment, card and deposit products directly with Fifth Third Bank. Learn more at newline53.com Sign up for Alex's Fintech Takes newsletter for the latest insightful analysis on fintech trends, along with a heaping pile of pop culture references and copious footnotes. Every Monday and Thursday: https://workweek.com/brand/fintech-takes/ And for more exclusive insider content, don't forget to check out my YouTube page. Follow Evan: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evan-weinberger-3746aa4/ Follow Kiah: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaslett/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/khaslett Follow Alex: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson
By now, we've all seen videos about artificial intelligence (AI) writing poems, musing about philosophy, or even hosting podcasts. This made us wonder, what are the possible implications for small business owners? Are these AI chatbots just a new trend, or are there some capabilities that can be leveraged to make small businesses more productive? In this episode, we're hearing from Joseph Ours, leader of the AI Strategy Practice at Centric Consulting. He is a technology futurist, passionate about driving innovation and digital transformation to his clients with speed and scale. He's going to explain what small business owners need to know about AI and answer questions that we've received from customers like: What considerations should small business owners have when deciding whether they should implement AI tools in their businesses? What are some concrete examples of AI increasing business productivity? How should business owners weigh the potential cost versus benefit of AI tools? What resources are available to help train employees to use AI tools? What are some common challenges small business owners face when integrating AI tools? Are you ready to take control of your future and start building your legacy? Visit getprovide.com. Provide is a division of Fifth Third Bank, National Association. All opinions expressed by the participant are solely their current opinions and do not reflect the opinions of Provide, its affiliates, or Fifth Third Bank. The participant's opinions are based on information they consider reliable, but neither Provide, its affiliates nor Fifth Third Bank warrant its completeness or accuracy and should not be relied upon as such. This content is for informational purposes and does not constitute the rendering of legal, accounting, tax, or investment advice, or other professional services by Provide or any of its affiliates. Please consult with appropriate professionals related to your individual circumstances. All lending is subject to review and approval.
In this special guest episode, Alex catches up with founder and CEO of Bloom Money, Nina Mohanty, about a pressing yet overlooked issue: first-party fraud. They kick off by exploring the viral "infinite money glitch" trend on TikTok—yep, it's first-party fraud, whether people know it, admit it, or not…and it's on the rise. During the pandemic, neobanks like Chime, PayPal, and Cash App saw explosive growth, but that came with an explosive surge in fraud and disputes, too. In their quest for top-line numbers, many overlooked rising first-party fraud, exploiting gaps like the ACH settlement window. While traditional banks clamped down on this behavior, fintechs allowed it to thrive. This shift in consumer behavior poses major concerns. How do we balance protecting consumers while holding them accountable? What impact does this have on product development, customer communication, and overall trust in fintech? What does it mean for the wider ecosystem when people are being encouraged to engage in first party fraud? Tune in for a candid discussion on fraud and its broader implications for financial services. Raising the standard of quality for embedded finance infrastructure, Newline™ by Fifth Third is an API platform that enables enterprises to launch and scale payment, card and deposit products directly with Fifth Third Bank. Learn more at newline53.com 00:07:29 – Chase ATMs meet the infinite money “glitch” trend 00:20:01 – The explosion of disputed credit card transactions 00:35:31 – Authorized Push Payment (APP) fraud in the UK 00:45:23 – Who bears responsibility: financial services or consumers? Sign up for Alex's Fintech Takes newsletter for the latest insightful analysis on fintech trends, along with a heaping pile of pop culture references and copious footnotes. Every Monday and Thursday: https://workweek.com/brand/fintech-takes/ And for more exclusive insider content, don't forget to check out my YouTube page. Follow Nina: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ninamohanty/ Follow Alex: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson
Welcome back to Not Fintech Investment Advice, where Simon Taylor and I spotlight new and exciting fintechs. This time, we're diving into how AI is shaking up customer service, banking, homeownership, and procurement—and where to draw the line. Because knowing when NOT to use AI in financial services? That's *the* real art. First up: KatoHQ. Their AI-powered voice agents decode customer intent and cut through the IVR hell. No more “Press 1 for misery”—just state your issue, and you're directed to the fix, no shouting required. It's an idea that could even revolutionize collections by reaching pre-delinquent customers before they spiral. Next up: FlowX.AI, automating digital transformation for banks. Their AI agents streamline workflows and build the infrastructure banks need to compete with fintech disruptors like Nubank. After pouring billions into modernization and cloud migration, FlowX.AI might be the boost banks need to fix unit economics and crank up feature velocity. Then there's Mesa, targeting homeowners with a credit card that rewards essential payments like mortgages and utilities. It's like Bilt for homeowners—but can Mesa pull off Bilt's pandemic-era success without the same tailwinds? Homeownership is our biggest asset, yet there's no “operating system” to manage it all. And finally, Cavela: slashing procurement costs with AI-driven sourcing and price negotiation, saving businesses 40% on wholesale goods. An AI agent that finds and seals the deal—no human needed? Yes, please! Plus, how do we ensure AI-driven consumer agents serve user interests while enhancing fairness and explainability? Could Australia's "action initiation" model redefine trust in financial services? Raising the standard of quality for embedded finance infrastructure, Newline™ by Fifth Third is an API platform that enables enterprises to launch and scale payment, card and deposit products directly with Fifth Third Bank. Learn more at newline53.com 00:02:28 - KatoHQ 00:14:02 - FlowX AI 00:24:33 - Mesa 00:37:58 - Cavela 00:46:21 - Manifesting Fintech Ideas Sign up for Alex's Fintech Takes newsletter for the latest insightful analysis on fintech trends, along with a heaping pile of pop culture references and copious footnotes. Every Monday and Thursday: https://workweek.com/brand/fintech-takes/ And for more exclusive insider content, don't forget to check out my YouTube page. Follow Simon: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sytaylor/ Substack: https://sytaylor.substack.com Follow Alex: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson Companies featured: https://katohq.com/ https://www.flowx.ai/ https://www.mesamember.com/ https://www.cavela.com/
Alex teams up with Jason Mikula, now Head of Industry Strategy for Banking & Fintech at Taktile (ooh la la!) to unpack the latest in fintech. The FDIC has proposed a new rule on custodial deposits—the "Synapse Rule." It requires banks to meticulously track custodial account owners and transactions, aiming for crisis prevention, but does it truly plug the gaps exposed by past failures? Will regulators enforce compliance if the rule passes, especially given Evolve's shaky history? As the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) nears finalizing a personal financial data rights rule, the industry braces for a shift from screen scraping to APIs. But can we trust the big banks to play fair? Plus, don't miss the latest installment in the Visa antitrust suit, and don't be fooled: this isn't just a Visa problem. It turns out notions of good vs. evil in the payments space aren't all that black and white. And to top it off? A rant about the CFPB's consent order against TD Bank, a perfect example of “how not to” furnish credit. Plus, a friendly headline tip for Forbes from Alex! What could it be? Tune in to find out. Raising the standard of quality for embedded finance infrastructure, Newline™ by Fifth Third is an API platform that enables enterprises to launch and scale payment, card and deposit products directly with Fifth Third Bank. Learn more at newline53.com 00:03:14 - FDIC's New “Synapse” Rule 00:09:04 - Compliance Conundrums 00:22:13 - Open Banking in the End Zone 00:39:32 - The Visa Antitrust Suit: A “3?-Minute Overview” 00:45:59 - Can't Let It Go Sign up for Alex's Fintech Takes newsletter for the latest insightful analysis on fintech trends, along with a heaping pile of pop culture references and copious footnotes. Every Monday and Thursday: https://workweek.com/brand/fintech-takes/ And for more exclusive insider content, don't forget to check out my YouTube page. Follow Jason: Newsletter: https://fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmikula/ Follow Alex: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson
Fifth Third Bank is addressing critical challenges in revenue cycle management following its acquisition of Big Data Healthcare, a technology solutions provider for healthcare payments and remittance. In this episode of Healthcare Insider, Dee Harding, Chief Product Officer of Fifth Third and Big Data Healthcare, and Connor Craven, Business Analyst, describe how automation is advancing healthcare finance visibility and accuracy. Listen to the full episode below.
David Morton, SVP, Managing Director of Motorsports and Automotive Aftermarket; Alan Sulek, VP, Business Banking Motorsports Relationship Manager and P.J. Parsons, VP, SBA Optimization Lead. Hosted by Jeff Hammond from SiriusXM, Ch. 90, Late Shift. Presented by ARP, Inc., Performance Plus Global Logistics, PEAK, Fifth Third Bank Motorsports, Ferrea Racing Components, & Crower.
Welcome to a special edition of the Fintech Takes podcast. I'm Alex Johnson, here with Colton Pond, Chief Marketing Officer at LoanPro. We're recording live from the Salt Flats outside of Salt Lake City during LoanPro's customer advisory board meeting. I'm excited to dive into one of my favorite topics—loan servicing—and co-interview a few attendees with Colton. In this episode, we'll consider what happens after a customer says “yes.” First up, we speak to Jeff Yim, CFO at Borrowell, one of Canada's largest fintechs, helping 3.5M members navigate credit. In a landscape shaped by rising mortgage rates, Jeff speaks to how stellar onboarding and customer service are essential for a competitive edge. Next, we chat with Jared Jones from Moov, a payment platform that's evolved into both an acquiring and issuing processor. As ACH payments decline, they offer competitive fixed interchange rates for debt repayment, focusing on user-first innovations. Then Nick Pesce from Happy Money, dedicated to unsecured personal loans in partnership with credit unions, shares how they're scaling to meet demand for flexible loans, leveraging personalized approaches and credit union partnerships as credit card debt hits record highs. That's followed by Kamal Rajan and Anthony Navarro, who are building business banking at Golden 1 Credit Union, one of the largest credit unions in the U.S. They reveal how they're overcoming legacy challenges as they prep to launch ten new products. Raising the standard of quality for embedded finance infrastructure, Newline™ by Fifth Third is an API platform that enables enterprises to launch and scale payment, card and deposit products directly with Fifth Third Bank. Learn more at newline53.com 00:10:34 - Jeff Yim, Borrowell 00:24:42 - Jared Jones, Moov 00:41:43 - Nick Pesce, Happy Money 01:00:00 - Kamal Rajan and Anthony Navarro, Golden 1 Credit Union 01:15:54 - Greg [undisclosed] Sign up for Alex's Fintech Takes newsletter for the latest insightful analysis on fintech trends, along with a heaping pile of pop culture references and copious footnotes. Every Monday and Thursday: https://workweek.com/brand/fintech-takes/ And for more exclusive insider content, don't forget to check out my YouTube page. Follow Colton Pond: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colton-pond-469b11ba/ Follow Alex: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson Companies featured: https://www.loanpro.io/ https://borrowell.com/ https://moov.io/ https://www.golden1.com/
Welcome back to Not Fintech Investment Advice, where Simon Taylor and I spotlight new and exciting fintechs, minus the stock tips. First up is Agree. If DocuSign and Stripe had a Gen AI-powered baby, it'd be the e-signature platform Agree. It blends free agreement software with paid invoicing and payments (merging 2 trends: AI-driven law tech with AI-driven finance workflows). Why juggle invoices and contracts when you can reconcile both in one platform? Is this the next big thing in regtech? Next, they dive into Revenew, an all-in-one payment optimization platform for platforms and marketplaces. The platform consolidates payments from various PSPs, tracks metrics and multiple providers to help ramp up profitability. As startups gravitate towards all-in-one solutions and larger firms go modular, where will the future of payment orchestration take us? Simon, fresh from the Saudi desert, spotlights Barq, a Saudi digital wallet that achieved 1M customers in just 21 days, making it the fastest-growing neobank outside China (sorry, Revolut). It's easy to dismiss Barq as a government white elephant, but Simon challenges that notion. Lastly, they mourn Tally (RIP), a fintech that helped users pay down credit card debt—a problem still surging in the US, and now at an all-time high. Was Tally's pivot from B2C to B2B before shutting down too little, too late, or was distribution the real issue? Plus, they're manifesting a fintech future where data infrastructure is collaborative. Why is it single-player by default for companies like Plaid or MX, and how might a multiplayer model transform the landscape? Raising the standard of quality for embedded finance infrastructure, Newline™ by Fifth Third is an API platform that enables enterprises to launch and scale payment, card and deposit products directly with Fifth Third Bank. Learn more at newline53.com 00:01:38 - Agree 00:10:09 - Revenew 00:21:12 - Barq 00:30:11 - Tally 00:43:18 - Manifesting Fintech Ideas Sign up for Alex's Fintech Takes newsletter for the latest insightful analysis on fintech trends, along with a heaping pile of pop culture references and copious footnotes. Every Monday and Thursday: https://workweek.com/brand/fintech-takes/ And for more exclusive insider content, don't forget to check out my YouTube page. Follow Simon: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sytaylor/ Substack: https://sytaylor.substack.com Follow Alex: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson Companies featured: https://agree.com/ https://revenew.co/ https://barq.com/ https://www.meettally.com/ [in memoriam]
Fred DiSanto, Chairman and CEO of Ancora — the Cleveland-based investment firm with nearly $10B in assets under management and over 100 employees — which he's led since 2006!Before Ancora, Fred had an expansive investing career, most recently overseeing investment management, private banking, and Trust and Banking Services at Fifth Third Bank. Fifth Third Bank acquired Maxus Investment Group in 2001, which previously merged with Gelfand Partners Asset Management back in 1997, where Fred served as Managing Partner.Today, Fred sits on the boards of Ampco-Pittsburgh Corporation (AP), The Eastern Company (EML), and Regional Brands, Inc. (RGBD). He is the former Chair of the Board of Regents of St. Ignatius High School in Ohio City, the former Chair and current Trustee of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, and the current Chair of the Board of Trustees at Case Western Reserve University where he also earned his Bachelor's and MBA!This conversation is full of wisdom and amazing stories from Fred — we cover the influence of his competitive spirit, the business of activist investing — specifically exploring Fred's approach through the lens of Ancora's recent campaign to seat directors at Norfolk Southern in the wake of the catastrophic train derailment incident in East Palestine, Ohio — the lost of art of hand-written notes, lessons learned from his mentors, the power of employee ownership and incentives in driving behavior and outcomes, the importance of dot connecting, effective deal-making, and so much more!-----LINKS:https://ancora.net/https://www.linkedin.com/in/freddisanto/-----SPONSORS: John Carroll University Boler College of Business || Impact Architects & NinetyJohn Carroll University Boler College of Business: https://business.jcu.edu/ As we've heard time and time again from entrepreneurs on Lay of The Land — many of whom are proud alumni of John Carroll University — success in this ever-changing world of business requires a dynamic and innovative mindset, deep understanding of emerging technology and systems, strong ethics, leadership prowess, acute business acumen… all qualities nurtured through the Boler College of Business!With 4 different MBA programs of study — spanning Professional, Online, Hybrid, and 1-Year-Flexible — The Boler College of Business provides flexible timelines and various class structures for each MBA Track — including online, in-person, hybrid and asynchronous — to offer the most effective options for you, in addition to the ability to participate in an elective International Study Tour, providing unparalleled opportunities to expand your global business knowledge by networking with local companies overseas and experiencing a new culture.The career impact of a Boler MBA is formative and will help prepare you for this future of business and get more out of your career. To learn more about John Carroll University's Boler MBA programs, please go to business.jcu.eduThe Boler College of Business is fully accredited by AACSB International, the highest accreditation a College of Business can have.Impact Architects & NinetyLay of The Land is brought to you by Ninety. As a Lay of The Land listener, you can leverage a free trial with Ninety, the platform that helps teams build great companies and the only officially licensed software for EOS® — used by over 7,000 companies and 100,000 users!This episode is brought to you by Impact Architects. As we share the stories of entrepreneurs building incredible organizations throughout NEO, Impact Architects helps those leaders — many of whom we've heard from as guests on Lay of The Land — realize their visions and build great organizations. I believe in Impact Architects and the people behind it so much, that I have actually joined them personally in their mission to help leaders gain focus, align together, and thrive by doing what they love! As a listener, you can sit down for a free consultation with Impact Architects by visiting ia.layoftheland.fm!-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here.Past guests include Justin Bibb (Mayor of Cleveland), Pat Conway (Great Lakes Brewing), Steve Potash (OverDrive), Umberto P. Fedeli (The Fedeli Group), Lila Mills (Signal Cleveland), Stewart Kohl (The Riverside Company), Mitch Kroll (Findaway — Acquired by Spotify), and many more.Connect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Jeffrey Stern on X @sternJefe — https://twitter.com/sternjefeFollow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours' faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Michael Ho. We talk with Ho about his background, what led him to Darden, his mergers and acquisitions elective, how his work at Fifth Third Bank informs his classes at Darden and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours' faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Michael Ho. We talk with Ho about his background, what led him to Darden, his mergers and acquisitions elective, how his work at Fifth Third Bank informs his classes at Darden and more. For more insights, tips, and stories about the Darden experience, be sure to check out the Discover Darden Admissions blog and follow us on Instagram @dardenmba.
A major regional bank has agreed to resolve claims that it harmed thousands of customers by opening fake accounts, and charging for unnecessary insurance tied to car and truck loans. Fifth Third Bank will pay millions of dollars and is labeling these “legacy issues.” We’ll unpack. Then, we’ll also do some bond and stock markets Powell-parsing, and visit a Danish town where Novo Nordisk is racing to boost weight-loss drug production.
A major regional bank has agreed to resolve claims that it harmed thousands of customers by opening fake accounts, and charging for unnecessary insurance tied to car and truck loans. Fifth Third Bank will pay millions of dollars and is labeling these “legacy issues.” We’ll unpack. Then, we’ll also do some bond and stock markets Powell-parsing, and visit a Danish town where Novo Nordisk is racing to boost weight-loss drug production.
Welcome to the Hey Docs! Podcast with your host, Jill Allen. Today, Steve Steinbrunner from Provide is joining me back on the show. In this episode, we cover all things loan, from what you need to do before you start the loan process to the details when it comes to getting approved and even the nuance of land and property loans. No matter where you are in your practice journey, there is something in this episode for you. Let's dive in! Summary In this conversation, Steve Steinbrunner, Director of Practice Finance at Provide, discusses the lending process for dental practices. He emphasizes the importance of preparing in advance for a practice loan, including maintaining a good credit score and having sufficient liquidity. He also advises against paying off student loan debt before starting a practice, as cash flow and liquidity are more important. Steinbrunner addresses common pitfalls, such as lack of vision and tax obligations, and highlights the increasing size of loans due to rising construction costs. He encourages dentists to seek dental-specific contractors and understand the cost per square foot for construction in their area. In this conversation, Steve Steinbrunner and Jill discuss the financial aspects of starting a dental practice. They cover topics such as the cost of starting a practice, the role of loans in financing the practice, the importance of budgeting, and the option of buying a building or land. Steve emphasizes the need for a team of advisors and experts to guide the process and make informed decisions. He also highlights the importance of asking the right questions and choosing a lender that aligns with the dentist's long-term goals. https://www.getprovide.com/https://www.facebook.com/GetProvide/ https://www.instagram.com/getprovide/https://www.linkedin.com/company/getprovide/https://www.tiktok.com/@thepathtoowningithttps://www.youtube.com/@getprovide TakeawaysPrepare in advance for a practice loan by maintaining a good credit score and having sufficient liquidity.Avoid paying off student loan debt before starting a practice, as cash flow and liquidity are more important.Be aware of common pitfalls, such as lack of vision and tax obligations.Understand that the size of loans has increased due to rising construction costs.Seek dental-specific contractors and understand the cost per square foot for construction in your area. Starting a dental practice can cost around $700,000 to $800,000, with construction costs being a significant factor.It is important to work with a team of advisors, including a lender, realtor, and contractor, to make informed decisions and ensure the success of the practice.When considering a loan, it is advisable to leverage the bank's financing and save personal funds for other expenses or investments.Buying a building or land for the practice can be a viable option, especially considering high rent rates and the potential for long-term financial benefits.Choosing a lender that aligns with the dentist's future goals, such as multiple practice ownership, is crucial.Excel spreadsheets are a valuable productivity tool for financial planning and budgeting.Asking the right questions and seeking advice from experts are essential skills for navigating the financial aspects of starting a dental practice.Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background04:06 Preparing for a Practice Loan08:27 Pitfalls in the Loan Application Process23:23 The Impact of Rising Construction Costs25:58 Finding Dental-Specific Contractors29:20 Costs and Considerations of Starting a Dental Practice36:18 Building Ownership: Is It Worth It?43:21 The Importance of a Team of Advisors 49:06 Leveraging Bank Financing and Saving Personal Funds52:25 The Role of Excel Spreadsheets in Financial Planning53:26 Asking the Right Questions for Financial Decision-Making Connect With Our Advertisers Kaleidoscope - Orthodontic Digital MarketingSmileSuite - Customizable Presentation Software and Post-Consultation Follow-Up Are you ready to start a practice of your own? Do you need a fresh set of eyes or some advice in your existing practice? Reach out to me- www.practiceresults.com. If you like what we are doing here on Hey Docs! and want to hear more of this awesome content, give us a 5-star Rating on your preferred listening platform and subscribe to our show so you never miss an episode. New episodes drop every Thursday! Episode Credits: Hosted by Jill AllenProduced by Jordann KillionAudio Engineering by Garrett LuceroProvide is a division of Fifth Third Bank, National Association. All opinions expressed by the Provide employee participant are solely their current opinions and do not reflect the opinions of Provide, its affiliates, or Fifth Third Bank. The Provide employee participant's opinions are based on information they consider reliable, but neither Provide, its affiliates nor Fifth Third Bank warrant its completeness or accuracy and should not be relied upon as such. This content is for informational purposes and does not constitute the rendering of legal, accounting, tax, or investment advice, or other professional services by Provide or any of its affiliates. Please consult with appropriate professionals related to your individual circumstances. All lending is subject to review and approval.
In today's rapidly evolving financial landscape, marketing has become a crucial driver of success for banks and credit unions. As consumer expectations shift and digital disruption accelerates, the role of the Chief Marketing Officer has never been more critical – or more complex. Recorded live at the Financial Brand Forum, I am joined on the Banking Transformed podcast by Melissa Stevens, CMO of Fifth Third Bank. We explore the art and science of modern marketing in the banking industry. Melissa also shares her insights on how Fifth Third is reimagining customer engagement, leveraging data analytics to drive personalization, and aligning marketing strategies with broader organizational objectives. Finally, she discusses the challenges of stemming 'silent attrition' in the face of increasing competition from fintechs and digital neobanks.
Shirley Stancato is known for her leadership in Detroit and enduring commitment to social justice. She talks with Denise about the New Detroit coalition, race relations, and dealing with adversity. “Having conversations about race helps leaders in their organizations”. Top down, leaders and educators must set standards for interaction and rules of engagement. For an honest and productive discussion we need a no fault environment and a focus on the issue rather than an individual. She also poignantly reminds us that even if you are alone in your opinion, it doesn't mean that you are wrong. Shirley shares personal stories of growing up and having responsibilities of an adult while still a child herself. Tune in to hear about empathy, ethical decision-making, inclusivity, and a vision for positive change. Shirley Stancato is a seasoned executive, a prominent civic leader, expert on race relations and social justice advocate. She serves on the Board of Governors for Wayne State University as well as on the boards of Fifth Third Bank of Eastern Michigan, Teach for America Detroit, The Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Detroit Zoological Commission. She received her Bachelors and Masters degrees from Wayne State University. In 2017, she received an honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Michigan. Stancato's recent honors include the Champion of Justice Award from the Michigan Delegation of the Congressional Black Caucus, and City Year Detroit's Idealist in Action Award. Additionally, she has been recognized as a Woman of Achievement by the Anti-Defamation League, Regional Power Broker by Crain's Detroit Business and Michiganian of the Year by The Detroit News. Denise Ilitch, an owner of Ilitch Family Companies and President of Ilitch Enterprises, has been a part of Detroit's business and philanthropic community for over 40 years. As a mother, lawyer, entrepreneur, devoted community servant and tireless advocate for women and children, she learned early, from her father, that everyone is worthy of contributing to the world. Her passion for affordable, accessible, quality education stems from her own experience as a first-generation student, earning a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan, where she currently serves on the Board of Regents, and a law degree from the University of Detroit Law School. FOLLOW DENISE @thedeniseilitchshow
In a time of heightened regulatory risk and business challenges, “that's where the risk professionals become very important,” says David Kelly, CERP, who recently retired as chief risk officer at Denver-based FirstBank. “Those relationships across business lines, because the risk will flow across those business lines, and getting stakeholders together to have those conversations.” The latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — sponsored by Alkami — features part one of a two-part conversation with Kelly and Greg Imm, the retired chief compliance officer at M&T Bank and Fifth Third Bank. At ABA's Risk and Compliance Conference in Seattle, Kelly was awarded the Distinguished Service Award for Risk, and Imm was honored with the Distinguished Service Award for Compliance. In part one, Kelly and Imm discuss their experience across different institutions — Kelly spent most of his career at FirstBank, while Imm worked at numerous large and regional banks as well as the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. They also discuss the evolving role of technology in risk and compliance professionals and how soft skills contribute to risk and compliance career development. This episode is presented by Alkami.
In this episode, Rob Aragao and Stan Wisseman look at the intriguing transition from Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) to Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Drawing from a recent sidebar conversation among CISOs and an insightful article from Dark Reading, they examine why this trend is becoming more prominent. With examples from organizations like Bank of America, Fifth Third Bank, and Equifax, Rob and Stan discuss the key attributes that make this career move logical and beneficial.The conversation highlights the importance of collaboration, strategic thinking, and the deep understanding of both technology and business impact that CISOs bring to the table. They delve into how the roles of CISO and CTO overlap, particularly in driving innovation, increasing revenue, and embedding security by design into business solutions.Rob and Stan also consider the broader influence a CTO has on an organization's technology strategy, the operational experience both roles share, and the potential motivations behind CISOs seeking to transition—whether to escape the increasing personal liability associated with security breaches or to pursue new professional growth opportunities.Additionally, the episode touches on the challenges CISOs might face in this transition, such as the need for expertise in product development and the software lifecycle. As discussed in this episode: https://www.darkreading.com/cybersecurity-careers/ciso-as-a-cto-when-and-why-it-makes-senseFollow or subscribe to the show on your preferred podcast platform.Share the show with others in the cybersecurity world.Get in touch via reimaginingcyber@gmail.com
Toyinda L. Smith, MS, is at the helm of The Coaching Seat, LLC, a corporation dedicated to improving employee experiences and boosting organizational performance. She equips professionals with potent strategies for increasing revenue and supplies educational tools that facilitate their certification in coaching, speaking, and facilitating roles. This paves the way for their strategic entry into the industry, enabling them to help others and secure financial stability. Her coaching skills have been imparted across large educational institutions, major corporations, and statewide agencies, certifying over 75 professionals as coaches and facilitators, and training over 400 individuals to confidently articulate their ideas. With a wealth of experience spanning 25 years in education and business, Toyinda effectively harnesses leadership abilities, individual strengths, and team dynamics to drive profitable outcomes. An internationally recognized speaker, Toyinda assists individuals and groups in reshaping their mindset, reigniting their enthusiasm, and realigning their path to success. She has authored three books: The Handbook to Unleash Your Potential, The Handbook to Dominate Your Confidence, and the Handbook to Coach Yourself. Toyinda's expertise is evident in her transformational engagements with high-profile clients, including Syngenta, Amazon, Chick-fil-A, Fifth Third Bank, and Dell Technologies North America. Her portfolio extends to academic institutions like Purdue University, Francis Marion University, and Coker University, as well as non-profit agencies such as The Byerly Foundation, United Way, and South Carolina Children's Trust. Toyinda is the Executive Director and Founder of the 501c3 organization, Legacy of Women, Incorporated, demonstrating her commitment to community service. She is also a proud member of Sigma Gamma Rho, Sorority, Incorporated. Toyinda is a mother of two adult biological children and married to Mr. R.L. Carter, Jr. For more information about Toyinda's services, you are invited to visit her website at www.thecoachingseat.com. Thank you for following Everyday Leaders. If you've been following us since 2018, we appreciate your support and look forward to continuing to add value to you if this is the first time you're finding us, welcome! We are a husband and wife media team based in Indianapolis, IN, and have been helping clients build their marketing and media strategies for over 20 years. I am your host, and my husband Joe, https://Joeakestudios.com, is the producer, director, and editor of the Everyday Leaders media programs, virtual and live event broadcasts, and more. We are excited to bring you a new focus on this platform, celebrating Everyday Business Leaders in our local community. Don't forget to subscribe to our YOUTUBE Channel, turn on notifications, and never miss an episode! Watch the full LIVE in-studio interview here from JPtheGeek Studio in Greenwood, Indiana: https://www.youtube.com/@MelahniAkeEverydayLeaders Everyday Business Leaders is a program dedicated to elevating our business leaders who inspire us to connect and thrive in our local community. A note from Melahni Ake, Founder of Everyday Leaders. When you visit EverydayLeaders.com, you will find valuable resources to become a better leader in your life, including. Women's Leadership Programs, including Top Floor Women Monthly Networking events, corporate workshops, and strategic business coaching services, discover personal development classes and products to develop yourself, including morning leadership devotionals and more. Order one of my inspirational books, sign up for classes, or pick up some gear in the leader store, listen to the Everyday Business Leaders podcast, apply to be a guest in our studio, or sponsor our show with your commercial advertisement. Contact us today at https://www.everydayleaders.com. #everydayleaderschangetheworld #interviews #inspiration #businessleaders #inspiration #jpthegeek #podcast #studiointerview #passiontopurpose #communitybuilding #collaboration #celebration #supportlocal #supportsmallbusiness #maxwellleadership #familybusiness #nonprofit #becauseone #podcast
Summary Hiring and Retention Strategies at Valvoline Michael and Jon discussed the challenges and strategies of hiring and retention in various organizations. Jon shared about the recent transition of their company, Valvoline, from a product business to a retailer, and emphasized the importance of their unique culture in enabling their success. They mentioned that almost all of their management team started as technicians, fostering a growth mindset and that they place a strong emphasis on development and community service. Jon was open to discussing other potential topics. Brand Transformation and Customer Service Michael and Jon had a discussion about the transformative power of a brand, specifically focusing on the automotive sector. Michael shared their personal connection to the brand and expressed admiration for their customer service approach. They emphasized the importance of promoting from within and the positive impact it has on employee morale and customer experience. The conversation concluded with them deciding to start recording their discussion and encouraging each other to guide the conversation as needed. Jon's Professional Journey at Valvoline Michael and Jon had a conversation about Jon's professional journey. Jon, who is the Chief People Officer at Valvoline, has been with the company for about seven years and has held their current role for four years. They shared their professional experience, which includes a 14-year tenure at Fifth Third Bank where they held various HR roles. Jon highlighted the unique challenges and rewards of their career, emphasizing the variety of their roles and the satisfaction of driving and enabling business performance. Additionally, Michael shared their personal connection with Fifth Third Bank. Navigating Covid-19: Teamwork and Guiding Principles Michael and Jon discussed the challenges they faced when Covid-19 hit and how they navigated through it. Jon, who took on a new role in March 2020, emphasized the importance of teamwork and shared that they adhered to certain guiding principles. Their primary focus was to ensure the safety of their employees and guests, and they followed the CDC's guidance. They also adopted a conservative approach, cutting down discretionary spending and increasing communication within the team. Customer-Centric Services in Pandemic: Success Stories Jon shared that their organization had a successful year in 2020 and 2021, being deemed essential and able to maintain focus on their guests and team. Michael emphasized the importance of maintaining customer-centric services within the guidelines of the CDC, ensuring the safety of both their team and customers during the pandemic. They noted the appreciation from customers for the sense of normalcy their services provided, especially in the early days of the pandemic when many other services were limited. Employee Importance and Strategic Alternatives Michael and Jon discussed the importance of their organization's employees during challenging times, including the pandemic. Jon emphasized the crucial role of their employees, whom they refer to as "family," in maintaining operations and serving customers. Michael highlighted the organization's ability to adapt and provide a sense of normalcy during the pandemic. The conversation concluded with Jon announcing their intent to pursue strategic alternatives and separate their business in September 2021. Company's Retail and Product Segments Sold Jon discusses the company's two distinct segments, the retail side of the business, which operates under the brand Valvoline Instant Oil Change, and the product side, which sells base oil, additives, and other products. They have about 1,800 stores across the US and Canada. The company sold its product side to Ramco, a Saudi-owned company that will invest in its growth across the globe. They believe they can grow their retail business to 3,000-5,500 stores over the next five years. Navigating Change: Selling Product Business to Ramco Jon discussed the challenges faced during a 18-month period of significant change, highlighting the importance of effective communication to mitigate uncertainty. They shared that they had put in place programs to support employees and reassure them about their future roles financially. Once the decision to sell the product business to Ramco was made, they were able to fortify leadership structures for both organizations. The guiding principle was to set up both organizations for success by equitably dividing leaders and talent. Jon also mentioned that the move created promotional opportunities and new roles, and established two separate HR, finance, and IT teams. Leadership, Communication, and Culture in Uncertainty Jon and Michael discussed the importance of strong leadership during periods of uncertainty, such as organizational changes. Jon emphasized the role of clear communication and the reassurance it provides to employees. They also highlighted the significance of maintaining a healthy culture and treating people well, which helps navigate such transitions effectively. Michael pointed out that handling these situations can impact the value of a company, suggesting that a thoughtful approach can prevent potential damage. The conversation concluded with Michael expressing admiration for Jon's leadership style and the successful management of the transition. Vehicle Maintenance and Networking Discussion Jon, the representative from invited Michael's listeners to visit one of their 1,800 service centers across the US and Canada. They also encouraged them to connect with them on LinkedIn. Michael, who grew up in Detroit and has family ties to General Motors, emphasized the importance of checking and maintaining vehicle oil. They then thanked Jon for a pleasant conversation and wished them well. At the end of the discussion, Michael pledged to share the interview on their platform once it was live and to circulate it across their network. They also stressed the importance of transparency and communication within organizations to avoid unnecessary anxiety and second-guessing among employees.