Podcasts about fintech

Produced by Foundersuite (for startups: www.foundersuite.com) and Fundingstack (for emerging manager VCs: www.fundingstack.com), "How I Raised It" goes behind the scenes with startup founders and investors who have raised capital. This episode is with with Matt Ober of Social Leverage, a San Diego-based venture capital fund that invests in FinTech and Vertcal AI startups. Learn more at https://socialleverage.com/. In this episode, Matt shares his journey from working at a quant hedge fund to becoming a VC, trends in FinTech and Vertical AI, tips for using Claude and MCPs for raising capital, how they use content to attract the best founders, advice for emerging VC managers, tips for founders, and more. How I Raised It is produced by Foundersuite, makers of software to raise capital and manage investor relations. Foundersuite's customers have raised over $21 Billion since 2016. If you are a startup, create a free account at www.foundersuite.com. If you are a VC, venture studio or investment banker, check out our new platform, www.fundingstack.com

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Teri Williams. Thanks! The transcript from this episode of Money Making Conversations Masterclass features a powerful and informative interview with Teri Williams, President, COO, and owner of OneUnited Bank, the largest Black-owned bank in the United States. Here's a breakdown of the key highlights and takeaways:

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Teri Williams. Thanks! The transcript from this episode of Money Making Conversations Masterclass features a powerful and informative interview with Teri Williams, President, COO, and owner of OneUnited Bank, the largest Black-owned bank in the United States. Here's a breakdown of the key highlights and takeaways:

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Teri Williams. Thanks! The transcript from this episode of Money Making Conversations Masterclass features a powerful and informative interview with Teri Williams, President, COO, and owner of OneUnited Bank, the largest Black-owned bank in the United States. Here's a breakdown of the key highlights and takeaways:

Q2 Innovation Studio just marked its fifth anniversary, with more than 90% of Q2 Digital Banking Platform customers now using its SDK and partner ecosystem. Johnny Ola, SVP of Q2 Innovation Studio, shares the origin story, explains how Q2 vets and works with partners, highlights the use cases banks and credit unions are prioritizing today, and previews what's next as Q2 Code opens up new ways to build on the platform. Related Links [News Release] Q2 Innovation Studio Marks Five Years [Webpage] Q2 Innovation Studio [Blog] A Closer Look at Q2 Code [LinkedIn] Johnny Ola

In this week's One Vision Podcast, Theodora Lau hosts Kathryn Outlaw, Co-Founder and COO of Spheros, a B2B SaaS platform that aims to unify client data into a single source of truth, enabling accurate, consented data sharing and supporting reliable AI agents. Kathryn talks about her entrepreneurial journey, the inspiration behind the startup, and the goal of making Spheros as essential as DocuSign for onboarding.

A tongue twister of a move – Bessent's Big Bond Blunder (say that a few times). Bitcoin moving higher – not for the reasons you think. The shine is off the penny – Investors rethinking their tech bets. This week’s guest – all over SpaceX, Tesla and the latest tech is  – Ross Gerber of Gerber Kawasaki. NEW! DOWNLOAD THIS EPISODE'S AI GENERATED SHOW NOTES (Guest Segment)   Ross Gerber is the Co-Founder, President and CEO of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management. Ross oversees Gerber Kawasaki’s corporate and investment management operations as well as serves individual clients. Ross has become one of the most followed investors on social and in traditional media. His investment ideas and advice have made him a regular in the business news and he is featured on CNN, CNBC, Fox Business News, Bloomberg and Reuters as well as a contributing writer for Forbes.com. He has been ranked as one of the most influential investment advisors and Fintech innovators in America. Ross and the Gerber Kawasaki team oversees well over a billion dollars of investments focused on technology, media and entertainment companies for clients and the firm. Gerber Kawasaki has grown to be a leader in Fintech by leveraging technology to work with a younger generation of clients. Ross is an expert in online marketing and social media as well as co-developed the company's app for IOS. Check this out and find out more at: http://www.interactivebrokers.com/ Follow @andrewhorowitz Looking for style diversification? More information on the TDI Managed Growth Strategy – HERE (https://thedisciplinedinvestor.com/blog/tdi-strategy/) Stocks mentioned in this episode: (NVDA), (MSFT), (AMD), (TSLA), (SPCX)

George Kailas joins the show to discuss Fintech, options, and investing strategies that are shaping the landscape of finance. He shares how AI and alternative data are changing investing and leveling the playing field between retail investors and hedge funds. He explains how his company, Prospero, uses AI-powered signals that simplify complex market information, including options sentiment, social sentiment, technical flow, short pressure, and dark pool activity. George discusses the strengths and limitations of using AI for investment research, emphasizing that AI can identify momentum and analyze large amounts of information but may struggle to recognize when a trend is ending or accurately assess risk. He also explains how investors can build a repeatable research process based on their goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance, while using multiple sources rather than relying solely on AI. We discuss...  How AI and alternative data are changing the investment landscape and giving retail investors greater access to sophisticated research. The evolution of hedge fund technology from expensive, exclusive information toward widely accessible AI tools. The strengths and limitations of using large language models for stock research and investment decisions. What investment signals are and how they can simplify complicated market data into easier-to-understand scores. How Prospero uses signals based on options sentiment, social sentiment, technical flow, short pressure, and dark pool activity. How options sentiment can help investors identify institutional positioning and potential changes in market momentum. How AI is used to improve and test signals rather than simply allowing AI to make investment decisions. Why investors should develop a repeatable research process based on their goals, time horizon, available time, and risk tolerance. The importance of using multiple sources of information instead of relying on AI or a single investment signal. How investors can track their decisions and results to determine which signals and strategies actually work for them. George's transition from working with hedge funds to becoming an entrepreneur focused on making financial markets more accessible. Prospero's business model and its long-term plans to build trust, expand into wealth management, and utilize alternative data. The potential for crowdsourced alternative data to create new insights into markets and economic conditions. How simplifying complex options data into standardized signals can make sophisticated market information easier for everyday investors to understand. Today's Panelists: Kirk Chisholm | Innovative Wealth Barbara Friedberg | Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moneytreepodcast Follow LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/money-tree-investing-podcast Follow on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTIPodcast For more information, visit the full show notes at https://moneytreepodcast.com/fintech-options-and-investing-george-kailas-844 

Most people only see the front end of fintech. The app. The card. The payment. But underneath that experience is an enormous amount of infrastructure and some of fintech's biggest opportunities are hiding there.Rory O'Reilly, cofounder and CEO of Knot, joined me on the pod to talk about how Knot is rewiring fintech and transforming financial connectivity.We dive into:Why keeping a card “top of wallet” is harder than it sounds.The infrastructure required to connect financial institutions with thousands of merchants.Why security and compliance are foundational, not afterthoughts, in fintech.Where blockchain and stablecoins could fit into the financial stack.Rory's unconventional path from selling shoes with his family to building fintech companies with his brother.What I particularly enjoyed about this conversation is that Knot is tackling a problem most consumers don't even realize exists. The biggest innovations in fintech may not be the products we see, they may be the infrastructure quietly making everything work.

In this episode Dealsynchq.com founder Shalom Ben Or joins the show to unpack why $1.5 trillion in asset-based lending and roughly $250 billion in B2B trapped capital still moves through emails, PDFs, and meetings. He explains how CFOs are stuck reacting to cash flow problems instead of controlling them, and why traditional revenue-based financing breaks down for AI and outcome-based companies. Shalom walks through how Dealsynchq.com turns complex, non-standard revenue into a financeable asset using AI-driven judgment at the CFO level. The conversation covers market size, early adopters, and what is next for the company's growth. Key Takeaways: 8:19 — What is trapping 20 to 30 percent of B2B revenue in the sales to cash process? 14:05 — How did building a fintech company in Africa shape Shalom's view of broken financing? 22:04 – Who is adopting Dealsynchq.com first, and why? 25:04 — When does Shalom expect Dealsynchq.com to hit its next major milestone? Quote of the Show (21:00):"We want to make sure the CFO can control the cash flow at the onset, not react to problems." — Shalom Ben Or Join our Anti-PR newsletter where we’re keeping a watchful and clever eye on PR trends, PR fails, and interesting news in tech so you don't have to. You're welcome. Want PR that actually matters? Get 30 minutes of expert advice in a fast-paced, zero-nonsense session from Karla Jo Helms, a veteran Crisis PR and Anti-PR Strategist who knows how to tell your story in the best possible light and get the exposure you need to disrupt your industry. Click here to book your call: https://info.jotopr.com/free-anti-pr-eval Ways to connect with Shalom Ben Or:Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shalombenor/ Company Website: https://dealsynchq.com How to get more Disruption/Interruption: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/eccda84d-4d5b-4c52-ba54-7fd8af3cbe87/disruption-interruption Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disruption-interruption/id1581985755 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6yGSwcSp8J354awJkCmJlD YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=disruption+%2F+interuuptionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Maytham speaks to Ferial Haffejee about the Reserve Bank investigation involving DA finance boss Mark Burke and the political fallout for the DA. Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned journalist. His show serves a round-up of local and international news coupled with the latest in business, sport, traffic and weather. The host’s eclectic interests mean the program often surprises the audience with intriguing book reviews and inspiring interviews profiling artists. A daily highlight is Rapid Fire, just after 5:30pm. CapeTalk fans call in, to stump the presenter with their general knowledge questions. Another firm favourite is the humorous Thursday crossing with award-winning journalist Rebecca Davis, called “Plan B”. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Afternoon Drive with John Maytham Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 15:00 and 18:00 (SA Time) to Afternoon Drive with John Maytham broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/BSFy4Cn or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/n8nWt4x Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media: CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nic Carter, general partner at Castle Island Ventures, joins Karol Markowicz to discuss artificial intelligence, the future of work, Bitcoin and crypto, venture capital, Operation Choke Point 2.0 and why he believes money and businesses will increasingly flee blue states for red states. Carter explains his unconventional journey from aspiring journalist to becoming obsessed with Bitcoin, working at Fidelity and ultimately co-founding a venture capital firm focused on blockchain, crypto and financial technology. With AI rapidly transforming white-collar work, what should young people do to prepare? Carter explains why his old advice — prove yourself by writing something great — no longer works the way it once did. Instead, he argues that becoming highly skilled at using AI could provide a major career advantage, while warning that people shouldn't allow artificial intelligence to replace their own critical thinking and cognitive skills. Carter also tells the story behind Operation Choke Point 2.0, the term he coined while investigating what he describes as the Biden administration's debanking of legal crypto companies. His reporting eventually became part of the national political conversation and was embraced by Donald Trump. Finally, Carter makes a major five-year prediction: capital, businesses and productive workers will increasingly migrate from blue states to red states such as Florida and Texas. He explains why taxes, regulation and potential wealth taxes could accelerate that shift — and why once powerful economic network effects begin to break, the exodus could happen quickly. Plus, Carter shares why personal relationships will remain valuable in an AI-driven economy, how X helped build his career and professional network, and his advice for avoiding lifestyle inflation and the pressure to impress other successful people.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steven Song is the founder and CEO of Diald, an AI-powered decision intelligence platform for commercial real estate. Before founding Diald, Steven worked on both the investing and development sides of real estate, and built his career across architecture and urban planning, training at Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pennsylvania. He was a founding principal at SCAAA, a global strategy, planning, and design firm, and is a partner at Axle Companies, a family office focused on real estate investment and social impact ventures. Steven is based in Los Angeles.(02:26) Why CRE Decisions Are Still Judgment-Driven (04:41) The Signal That Killed an Atlantic City Deal (07:44) Contextual Drift: The Risk Nobody Models(10:20) Diald's approach (11:59) AI Token Costs and Asking Better Questions (14:27) Tools vs. Workflows (15:52) Diald's Underwriting (17:58) Killing Bad Deals Earlier (19:18) How AI Upgrades the Analyst Role (20:44) Where General Purpose AI Fails at Underwriting (24:23) Does AI Make CRE More Efficient or More Competitive (26:02) What Underwriting Looks Like in 5 Years (27:14) Where Human Judgment Still Matters (29:06) The Local Signals Investors Miss (31:15) Collaboration Superpower: Denise Scott Brown and Reyner Banham

[REPLAY VIDÉO]Avec ⁠Antoine Grimaud⁠⁠⁠ cofondateur de Payplug, on revient sur une aventure incroyable : celle d'un entrepreneur français aux US qui a dit non à Stripe, avant de bâtir une FinTech en France, rachetée par BPCE.

Carmen Honacker zeigt, wie KI Betrug verändert und warum wirksame Fraud Prevention künftig auf das Zusammenspiel von Mensch und Modell angewiesen ist.

Patrick Larkin, Partner & Practice Leader, Cerity Partners Three years after launching his independent RIA, Patrick Larkin merged with Cerity Partners—but not because that was the original plan. He explains how ownership changed the way he viewed enterprise value, optionality, and the future of his business. In Summary Going independent is often viewed as the destination. Patrick Larkin discovered it was just the beginning. Louis sits down with Patrick, Partner and Practice Leader at Cerity Partners and former founder of Oak Hill Wealth Advisors, to discuss an unconventional journey: leaving Wells Fargo to build an independent RIA, then choosing to merge that business just three years later. Rather than following a predetermined exit strategy, Patrick shares how ownership fundamentally changed the way he thought about enterprise value. A conversation with a prospective acquirer revealed that buyers weren't interested in purchasing a book of business—they were looking for a business. That realization reshaped how he invested, hired, delegated, and ultimately positioned his firm for the future. The conversation from our Build Grow & Transact series also offers a candid look at life after a merger, from evaluating cultural fit and partnership to balancing autonomy with the resources of a larger organization. More broadly, it illustrates how ownership creates optionality—and why the most valuable decision an advisor makes may not be the one they originally envisioned. The Storyline After spending nearly 15 years building a successful practice at AG Edwards, Wachovia, and Wells Fargo, Patrick Larkin launched Oak Hill Wealth Advisors in 2022 with a simple objective: build a business on his own terms. Like many advisors, he expected independence to be the final destination for a long time. But then there was the realization that ownership changes more than economics; it changes perspective. And it became the beginning of an entirely different way of thinking. As acquisition inquiries arrived sooner than expected, Patrick realized something that fundamentally changed his strategy. Sophisticated buyers weren't evaluating his client relationships as a book of business; they were evaluating Oak Hill as an enterprise. That insight shifted his priorities from maximizing short-term profitability to building a business that could thrive beyond its founder. Just three years after launching, Patrick chose to merge with Cerity Partners—not because he was looking for an exit, but because he believed it strengthened the future for his clients, his team, and his family. Louis and Patrick explore what led to that decision, how ownership increased the value of his business almost immediately, why he compares independence to an IPO, and what advisors should consider if they hope to create options for the future—even if they don't yet know what that future looks like. Topics Covered Building enterprise value versus maximizing annual income Creating optionality through ownership Leaving Wells Fargo to launch an independent RIA Why buyers value businesses more than books of business Evaluating strategic partners and acquisition opportunities The economics of independence and business valuation Life after merging with Cerity Partners Balancing autonomy with enterprise-scale resources Leadership, succession, and building beyond the founder Long-term ownership and partnership models > Download a transcript of this episode… Listen and Learn Highlights for Advisors Why did Patrick decide to leave Wells Fargo? (11:07) Patrick explains why growing frustrations around control, firm priorities, and the ability to build his business eventually outweighed the comfort of staying put. How did going independent immediately change the value of his business? (21:42) Patrick introduces one of the episode's biggest ideas: why launching Oak Hill felt like taking a company public and how ownership increased the firm's value almost overnight. Why did Patrick sell only three years after becoming independent? (20:03) An unexpected conversation with a prospective acquirer completely changed how he viewed enterprise value and accelerated his long-term thinking. What separates a business from a book of business? (21:42) Patrick discusses why recruiting advisors, delegating client relationships, and investing beyond himself made Oak Hill more attractive to strategic buyers. Why Cerity Partners? (26:48) Rather than focusing on valuation, Cerity emphasized culture, partnership, and long-term alignment—qualities Patrick says ultimately mattered most. What is life actually like after a merger? (37:57) Patrick offers an unusually candid perspective on autonomy, leadership, and why he says he hasn't second-guessed the decision once. Key Takeaways Ownership creates opportunities that often aren't visible until after independence. Enterprise value is built by creating a business that can thrive beyond its founder. The first acquisition conversation can be valuable even if no transaction occurs. Cultural alignment may ultimately matter more than valuation when selecting a long-term partner. Independence doesn't eliminate future options—it expands them. Strategic transactions can strengthen outcomes for clients, employees, and owners simultaneously. The goal isn't simply to own a business; it's to create choices for what comes next. https://youtu.be/f7FGLGjBbyo Quotable Moments “The day Oak Hill launched felt like the business had gone public.” “Potential acquirers weren't interested in buying a book. They were interested in buying a business.” “Ownership isn't simply about control. It's about creating optionality.” “The fear of leaving is almost always worse than the actual experience of leaving.” FAQs Why did Patrick Larkin merge with Cerity Partners only three years after launching his RIA? Patrick explains that independence changed how he viewed enterprise value. After learning what sophisticated buyers were actually looking for, he intentionally built Oak Hill as a business rather than simply managing for annual profitability. Why does Patrick compare independence to an IPO? Because ownership immediately transformed the economic value of his practice. Rather than participating in an internal succession model, he owned an independent enterprise that carried substantially greater market value. What changed after Patrick became independent? Beyond gaining control, he began making decisions through the lens of enterprise value—investing in advisors, systems, and infrastructure that would make the business less dependent on him personally. What made Cerity Partners stand out? Patrick cites the firm's culture, partnership model, meritocracy, long-term vision, and ability to combine local autonomy with enterprise-level capabilities. Is this episode only relevant for advisors considering selling? No. The broader lesson is that ownership creates flexibility. Whether an advisor ultimately remains independent or joins another organization, understanding how enterprise value is created can influence decisions from day one. What is the biggest lesson Patrick hopes advisors take away? That independence isn't simply about leaving a firm. It's about creating the ability to choose what comes next on your own terms. Patrick explains that independence changed how he viewed enterprise value. After learning what sophisticated buyers were actually looking for, he intentionally built Oak Hill as a business rather than simply managing for annual profitability. Because ownership immediately transformed the economic value of his practice. Rather than participating in an internal succession model, he owned an independent enterprise that carried substantially greater market value. Beyond gaining control, he began making decisions through the lens of enterprise value—investing in advisors, systems, and infrastructure that would make the business less dependent on him personally. Patrick cites the firm's culture, partnership model, meritocracy, long-term vision, and ability to combine local autonomy with enterprise-level capabilities. No. The broader lesson is that ownership creates flexibility. Whether an advisor ultimately remains independent or joins another organization, understanding how enterprise value is created can influence decisions from day one. That independence isn't simply about leaving a firm. It's about creating the ability to choose what comes next on your own terms. Related Resources From Start-Up to $31B Behemoth RIA: The Catalysts Behind the Growth of Mega-Firm Cerity Partners Ownership Matters: What Advisors Need to Know When Evaluating Firms Top Tips for Setting Your Business Up for Success Years Before a Move Patrick LarkinPartner and Practice Leader Patrick is a Partner and Practice Leader in the Lansdowne, VA office. He is a member of the Lansdowne Practice, where he works closely with families, foundations, and non-profits to help them define and achieve their financial goals with clarity and confidence. With a deep specialization in retirement income distribution planning and complex risk and wealth management strategies, Patrick is known for helping clients simplify complicated financial decisions, reduce uncertainty, and build sustainable, long-term plans. His approach emphasizes fiduciary responsibility, transparency, and personalized guidance — ensuring clients always feel informed and empowered. Prior to joining Cerity Partners, Patrick was the founding member of Oak Hill Wealth Advisors, where he built a highly respected independent advisory practice that earned the trust of families, professionals, and mission-driven organizations across the region. His leadership was instrumental in shaping a client-first culture that continues today. Patrick's work is rooted in a passion for long-term relationships — guiding clients not just through markets, but through life's milestones such as retirement, business transitions, philanthropic planning, and wealth transfer across generations. He takes pride in being both a strategic advisor and a steady partner to the people he serves. Patrick lives in Bluemont, VA, with his wife Angela, their two children, Paige and Sean, and their Golden Retrievers, Huckleberry and Genoa. Outside of the office, Patrick and his family enjoy an active lifestyle — whether it's hiking and backpacking on the Appalachian Trail, biking the Great Allegheny Passage, or sailing on the Chesapeake Bay. These experiences reflect his belief in balance, resilience, and enjoying the journey — values he also brings to his work with clients. NOTE: The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Diamond Consultants. Neither Diamond Consultants nor the guests on this podcast are compensated in any way for their participation. View the transcript of this episode… Build, Grow & Transact: From Breakaway to Transaction in 3 Years A conversation with Louis Diamond and Patrick Larkin, Partner & Practice Leader at Cerity Partners.      Louis Diamond: Welcome to the latest episode of our podcast series for financial advisors. Today’s episode is Build, Grow & Transact: From Breakaway to Transaction in 3 Years. It’s a conversation with Patrick Larkin, Partner and Practice Leader at Cerity Partners. I’m Louis Diamond, and this is The Diamond Podcast for Financial Advisors. Mindy Diamond: At Diamond Consultants, we help elite advisors identify the right environment for their businesses to thrive, whether that’s at a wirehouse, boutique, or independent firm. With nearly three decades of experience, we’ve guided thousands of advisors and represented more than a quarter of a trillion dollars in assets transitioned. And each year, one in four advisors managing a billion dollars or more who change firms are our clients. Our process is education-driven and based on building relationships, starting as your strategic partner well before you’re even thinking of a move. To schedule a confidential conversation, call us at 908-879-1002. Wondering why advisors change firms and where they’re headed? Are transition deals going up or down? Those very questions and more inspired us to create our annual Advisor Transition Report. It’s the award-winning, data-driven resource designed for advisors that connects the dots between the motivations around movement and the firm’s appetite for top talent. Arm yourself with the knowledge you need to make smart decisions. Download your copy at diamond-consultants.com/transitionreport. Louis Diamond: Ownership as a way of creating opportunities you can’t always predict. That’s exactly why we created our Build, Grow, and Transact series. Independence isn’t the end of the story. It’s often the beginning of thinking differently about enterprise value, optionality, and what comes next. Today’s guest is Patrick Larkin, Partner and Practice Leader at Cerity Partners, and formerly the founder of Oak Hill Wealth Advisors. Patrick spent nearly 15 years building a successful practice at A.G. Edwards, Wachovia, and eventually Wells Fargo before launching his own independent firm in 2022. Just three years later, he merged that firm into Cerity. At first glance, that timeline might seem surprisingly short, but as you’ll hear, the merger wasn’t a change in direction. It was the result of seeing his business differently once he owned it. Yet, it’s this perspective that really brings that thought home. Patrick said the day Oak Hill launched felt like the business had gone public because overnight, what had been viewed as a book of business became an enterprise with substantially greater value, some four to five times the value of what it was worth at Wells. And that realization changed the way he invested, the way he hired, and ultimately the way he thought about the future. Pat and I also talk about something advisors don’t often discuss candidly, what life actually looks like after a merger. How much control do you give up? What changes day to day? How do you know whether you’re joining a partner or simply selling a business? Whether your long-term plan is to remain independent forever or eventually join a larger organization, Patrick’s experience is a reminder that ownership isn’t simply about control. It’s about creating optionality and putting yourself in a position where the next decision is yours to make. So let’s get to it. Patrick, thanks for coming on our show today. Patrick Larkin: Oh, my pleasure. Nice to meet you, Louis. Louis Diamond: You too. So let’s start off basically how we start every interview. Tell us about yourself, your background, and how you found your way into our industry in the first place. Patrick Larkin: Yeah, thank you for asking. I knew I always wanted to be a financial advisor. That part really wasn’t in question, but upon graduating college and being a 22-year-old, I knew that it was probably not practical to walk in and start advising people my parents’ age with their life savings. Probably wasn’t going to be a recipe for success. So I took a quick tour through the pharmaceutical industry first, which ended up being unexpectedly valuable. My employers there pushed me to think like an entrepreneur and within our territories. And honestly, that mindset never left me. It shaped how I built everything that came after. Eventually, an opportunity presented itself in Loudoun County, Virginia in Northern Virginia, and I became an FA trainee with A.G. Edwards, absolutely fantastic firm to start my career. Now, what drew me to this career was pretty simple. I felt like it was one of the professions that we had an opportunity to do so much good for others while simultaneously also doing well for yourself, and those two things aren’t in conflict. I also really loved the idea that in this profession there was no hiding. You don’t get paid to show up. You get paid for what you actually do. And perhaps for me, what was most important, I loved the weight of responsibility. I loved earning people’s trust. I loved the idea of deserving, being deserving of their trust, and being a steward of what they’ve worked a lifetime to build. I never took that lightly, and I still don’t. Louis Diamond: That’s amazing. Yeah, I mean, the number of people I’ve heard, you talked so fondly about A.G. Edwards and there’s a bunch of other firms that have since been absorbed or emerged that are like the regional firms of old. So not surprised to hear you loved it. A.G. Edwards, obviously, became Wells Fargo Advisors or was acquired or merged with Wells Fargo. So I know you’re at Wells and A.G. Edwards until 2022. So give us a quick version. How’d you build your practice from the pharma world into being in FA? Patrick Larkin: Yeah, so as I started with A.G. Edwards, I came in at really just the perfect time. It was towards the end of the financial crisis. And I built the business the old-fashioned way with a lot of cold calling and eventually did some dinner seminars, which I can tell you is a very expensive way to learn how to speak in front of a room. But I made some progress, and I was also in a great office, small enough that some of the advisors there would hand off some of the smaller accounts that they weren’t interested in working with, and got an opportunity to get a lot of reps in working with real life clients and individuals. I knew early on I didn’t have enough talent to win on talent alone, so I made up for it and compensated for that with really hard work. The real turning point came for me when A.G. Edwards was first acquired by Wachovia Securities, and that was about five years into my career. And at that point, my branch manager, who was eyeing retirement, asked me to step in as her partner, and that changed everything. We eventually moved over to a Wachovia Securities office, another really great local office in Loudoun County, Virginia. And from that office, I worked on and became a CIMA, a CFP, worked with the clients, built a business through referrals. And I found at that point in my career when I would go to a meeting with Wachovia, eventually Wells Fargo, as a young 30-year-old, I would look around the room often and realize that I was the youngest person in the room. The funny thing was 10 years later, I would go into that same room and I’d look around and I still was the youngest guy in that room. And those demographics in our industry, and when I came into our industry, ultimately led that office that I worked in with Wells Fargo Advisors, I eventually was the recipient and party to five different succession plans- Louis Diamond: Wow. Patrick Larkin: … at Wells Fargo Advisors. I hoped that I had built a reputation as somebody that these other advisors would entrust with their clients. And over that time period, really, I would say professionally, one of my accomplishments I’m most proud of is all five of those retired advisors that I used to work with, who had an opportunity to see me work with clients, all became clients of mine, I still continue to work with. And it’s professionally just one of the greatest honors that I’ve ever had. Louis Diamond: I mean, that’s a large number of advisors you helped sunset, but I would agree it’s the ultimate proof of concept that they not only trusted you with their clients and their life’s work, but now also with their family’s wealth. So I like that, kind of the full life cycle there. So I’m curious, though, you stayed at Wells through a really turbulent time through the fake bank scandal. There’s a lot of attrition. I mean, obviously, they’re still a powerhouse to this day, but what kept you at Wells for as long as it did before you left in 2022? Patrick Larkin: You described it as a turbulent time. Pretty turbulent might be an understatement. Even before Wells, the transition to Wells, Wachovia Bank had been the first company that we transitioned to from A.G. Edwards. And we, of course, went through the financial crisis during that time period and handholding our clients and helping them get through that time period and dealing with concerns that we shouldn’t really have to be prepared with. “Is my money safe? It’s not what’s happening to the market, but is my money safe in your institution?” But once things stabilized, I found real purpose in partnering with some of the retiring advisors and opportunities that came up. It was a really wonderful climate and atmosphere in our local office. It was really a family-like atmosphere, and I still had a lot to learn. And all those advisors that I partnered with, I’ve joked I’ve never had an original idea in my entire life. I stole all my good ideas from them. And some of them were really ahead of their time, and I learned, adopted, and built my own philosophies by working closely with them. Ultimately, by the time I left Wells Fargo, I was finishing up the fifth sunset program and had only made my way halfway through the sunset before the opportunity presented itself to create my own practice. Louis Diamond: So I’m curious, when did you first seriously start thinking about leaving and what really tipped the scales for you? What was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back? Patrick Larkin: Yeah, it really was a number of small items and ultimately one big one. But for a long time, I’d been content, but as I tried to grow the business beyond what I could do individually, I felt like I kept running into walls. There were it felt like limitations on how I could build out my team and structure the practice the way I envisioned it. Additionally, there were some new policies that also started to bother me. One of them was the platform advisory fee, which in my eyes was less about client transparency and more about replacing a declining revenue source on the firm’s balance sheet. And after dealing with clients and helping them through the bank scandal at the firm, I was concerned that this would come back and hurt me and the relationships that I had with my clients. Incidentally, I just recently onboarded a new client that transferred to us. And for them, looking at their statement, identifying this platform advisory fee- Louis Diamond: Oh boy. Patrick Larkin: … was the last straw for them before they moved about 15 million of assets to us. Also, I thought I would be I would be a better allocator of resources than Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo retained about half of the revenue that I earned for the business. They seemed to think that the best allocation of that money was additional middle management. Whereas, I thought investment in technology, investment in additional personnel, and an investment in marketing were best places to continue to build out my vision. The final straw, and really a thing that crystallized everything for me was when I read a book in 2021 called The Infinite Game, a book written by Simon Sinek. Chapter eight, the title is Ethical Fading. And it uses the Wells Fargo bank scandal as a case study in what happens when a firm loses its moral compass. I read the chapter and thought, “There it is, I have to do something.” That was really the final push I needed. I mentioned earlier I was very fortunate to start my career with a company called A.G. Edwards, a regional brokerage firm. And while I was at A.G. Edwards, there was a research report that came out on A.G. Edwards as a company. And I’m going to paraphrase a little bit on what was said in that report, but ultimately there was a line in there, and it was a criticism, but I took it as a huge positive as being an employee there. The line said, “While management does not necessarily say it, we believe the client is put ahead of the shareholder.” And that was something I was very proud of. And I just, upon reflecting on it, felt confident those were words that I never was going to see go to print about Wells Fargo. Louis Diamond: So you left Wells in 2022 and founded Oak Hill Wealth Partners in Lansdowne, Virginia. Walk us through that decision. Why go independent rather than going to another firm? Patrick Larkin: I really thought moving to another firm, the things that I had grown frustrated with at Wells Fargo Advisors, I would also find at another wirehouse firm. I was ready, and honestly, the simple answer is I thought I could do better. And I wanted control after having what I felt like was very little control. I had grown frustrated with others making important decisions, and I wanted an opportunity to grab the reins and make decisions on my own. I believe at that time, the future of wealth management was going to be built around fiduciary advice, and I didn’t want to watch that from the sidelines anymore. I was watching what was happening in the industry. And as we were trying to hire new advisors, reaching out to college graduates who were studying CFP programs, identified that they were more inclined to want to start employment with an RIA than a wirehouse. What made the timing work really well was Wells Fargo had actually introduced a program to help advisors in the private client group spin off and establish their own RIAs. Now, whenever I tell this to another advisor, particularly ones that are wirehouses, they can’t understand it. And quite frankly, I don’t understand why they helped us do it, but we were about the 30th practice that they helped us through this process and they provided real support. They hired consultants, made vendor recommendations, even referrals to financing so I could pay off my last succession plan before I left. The only really upside for Wells Fargo was that the ask was that we continue to use First Clearing as the custodian. And one of the downsides for me was I was going to leave all of my deferred comp behind with Wells Fargo. Now, all clients had to do to join me was sign a positive consent. And on May 9th, 2020, we turned on our computers in our new office and our clients were already there. That same day, we launched and started a relationship with Charles Schwab. And it was so exciting to be able to start shopping for what I thought was the best FinTech, really feeling like I was stuck with proprietary tools that Wells Fargo advisors had offered. I felt like I was a kid in a candy store. And if there was a cool tool that I identified that would help us serve our clients better, I was all in and I was buying it. I really feel that some of the technology that Oak Hill eventually bought into and some of the tools we’re using now are going to take years and years before they eventually trickle down to where the wirehouses are, if ever. Louis Diamond: Interesting. So it was really it was for the most part an internal move from one- Patrick Larkin: It was- Louis Diamond: … channel to the other. Patrick Larkin: … it was an internal move, but there was no requirement to stay at First Clearing. As a fiduciary, they couldn’t make those demands. And again, they helped us with the financing, which is really unusual that they helped us secure a loan so I could pay off the last retiring advisor. It’s really unusual that a bank will loan money where there is no business at the time, but because of previous experience that financial institution had working with Wells, they helped us facilitate the transaction. And the program is still in place at Wells Fargo, which is absolutely amazing to me after the experience that I’ve just had myself. Louis Diamond: Yeah, it’s interesting. I mean, does it cannibalize a more profitable revenue source? Sure. But if the alternative was all the assets go to Schwab or Fidelity, to me, honestly, it’s smart. I think they played the long game by not being adversarial on it. Patrick Larkin: I think they played a long game and they took the philosophy, and I think they use it as a recruiting tool that if you love them, set them free. And that’s exactly what they did. Louis Diamond: So for the rest of the episode, I want to talk about your eventual, and not that long period of time, transaction or decision to merge Oak Hill with Cerity Partners. This is our Build, Grow, Transact subseries. And I was really struck by your story because you were three years or so into running Oak Hill, and then your merger with Cerity Partners, an amazing RIA closed. That’s a fairly short runway. Usually when I see folks go independent for the first time, it’s 10, 15, 20 years, maybe never, that they decide to merge or sell. I’m curious to understand your thinking about the transaction. Were you looking to do something? Or was it just like right place, right time and the opportunity presented itself? Patrick Larkin: I had started Oak Hill with the intent of eventually down the road, much closer to retirement, looking for a partner. The opportunity and what I learned early on helped change that idea and philosophy, and I adapted and made modifications to take advantage of it. Louis Diamond: Interesting. So you weren’t necessarily planning on selling or merging the business, it just kind of circumstances happened the way they did? Patrick Larkin: Yeah. When we started Oak Hill Wealth Advisors, it was a really pretty short period of time before we started getting calls from larger national RIAs about potential acquisition, much sooner than I expected. Early on, I just brushed them off, but about a year in, I took one of those calls and it really just opened my eyes up. I realized for the first time this small firm, this little practice actually had some real value, way more than I’d given it credit for. That first call, that first exploration didn’t go anywhere. It wasn’t a good fit. But what it gave me was a much clearer picture of what the serious acquirers were actually looking for. And that changed decisions I made at Oak Hill going forward. I really at that point stopped trying to optimize for near-term profit and really thought of my business as a business and started building towards enterprise value, sometimes at the cost of short-term income. And that turned out to be exactly the right call. Louis Diamond: That’s such an interesting perspective. Let’s double-click into that concept. So it sounds almost counterintuitive that if you kind of had this light bulb moment that like, “Okay, maybe I want to transact my business sooner than I initially thought.” I think most people would say, “Let’s become lean and mean. Let’s become as profitable as possible so my EBITDA’s higher.” But you took the different approach. What were the decisions you did to invest more in enterprise value rather than current cash flow? Patrick Larkin: A true business is one that doesn’t need me to be here every day to operate. And when we left Wells Fargo Advisors, it was myself and one other advisor that created Oak Hill Wealth Advisors. I was responsible for about 95% of the assets and revenue. And one of the more significant investments we made is in additional advisors. I recruited three new advisors, all CFPs, to join Oak Hill Wealth Advisors. Whereas, before I had been largely managing all the relationships myself. For someone that kind of grew up in the regional wirehouse space, it’s pretty counterintuitive to start moving relationships away from you onto other advisors. You’re trained and built to create a moat around your relationships, and realized that the potential acquirers are not interested, at least the ones I was interested in, weren’t interested in buying a book. They were interested in buying a business. And that just meant every decision we made going forward was not profit-driven, but how can I increase the value of the business? So after that first call, I knew I probably would be looking to move forward with a transaction sooner as opposed to the end of retirement. That information that I got on that first call helped me realize that when Oak Hill Wealth Advisors opened its doors on May 9th, 2022, we effectively had an IPO. I had great familiarity with how the succession plans at Wells Fargo Advisors worked. And on that day that we opened our practice, the value of my business jumped to be four to five times the value of it in a succession plan at Wells Fargo Advisors. Now, I knew going forward that I was going to be able to increase revenue. I was going to be able to increase EBITDA. I was going to potentially have some benefits from a market tailwind. I knew the multiples of EBITDA that the firms use may fluctuate, but the biggest change by far occurred leaving the wirehouse and having the value of my business grow four to fivefold in that same day. So what I really focused on was making sure that I was going to, when I was ready to start looking again after I had worked on improving the practice, really was going to look for a firm that was going to be a good cultural fit for both my clients, my team, and myself. Louis Diamond: That’s such a cool perspective. I’ve never heard anyone say that the day we launched your independent business was like an IPO. But honestly, it’s so true. You’re planting a flag in the ground that like, “Here is real value. This is value that we’ve created that we own rather than it being a book of business and a W-2 paycheck.” And it’s a fascinating perspective. Patrick Larkin: Yep. It really is amazing that the value changed that much on one day and the future value changes. Looking at the equity that I owned in Oak Hill Wealth Advisors, it made sense to consider is there a better way to take some risk off the table for myself and my family and diversify some of the equity that I had in Oak Hill Wealth Advisors with a larger enterprise? Louis Diamond: It makes complete sense. Obviously, everyone would sign up for 4 to 5X increase in value. Patrick Larkin: Sure. Louis Diamond: That’s not the reason most people go independent, but it’s important to know. And also, what I really liked about what you shared is I think a really valuable learning for anyone is those calls come in, whether it’s from annoying people like me or from an acquirer, from a firm, they’re not all noise. You took it as an opportunity to learn. Even though that first person who called wasn’t the right fit, it crystallized something in your mind and it let you make proactive decisions that ultimately paid off in spades when it came time to sign the dotted line for your transaction with Cerity. So I think it’s brilliant. And it’s very big picture, big-business-owner-type stuff that I think a lot of people will just filter out because it’s annoying and I’m young, I’m not looking to sell, but that was the journey. Patrick Larkin: Yeah, that first call changed my opinion about timing of when to move forward with a partnership. Originally, I thought this would be something at the end of retirement. The timing of doing so sooner seemed a lot more appealing after having that conversation and realizing what we had actually built. Louis Diamond: Amazing. So ultimately you decided to merge with Cerity Partners. We’ve had Kurt Miscinski from Cerity Partners on the show. They’re a real heavyweight within the RIA world. Most recently, they were valued at $8 billion in a recap, and it’s a very impressive firm. What specifically drew you to Cerity versus other potential buyers? Like you said, you got a lot of calls. Patrick Larkin: After that first call, I just got to work and focused on continuing to take care of our clients, building a team, adding new advisors, being a mentor to those advisors. But at the same time, we were being approached fairly regularly by that point. And I had a pretty good system for quickly deciding whether something was worth a second look, and most weren’t. But about a year ago, one of the national RIAs caught my attention and I started having conversations with them. And once I had progressed with them, I though, “You know what? If I’m giving this consideration, I really need to cast a wider net.” So I reached out to other RIAs that I had looked at and admired and been keeping an eye on. And ultimately, my longtime business coach, Barbara Kay, suggested I talk with Cerity Partners, a company that one of her other clients had just recently joined. And from the very first call, I could tell something was different. And I talked to many different companies. Cerity Partners, and an individual I spoke with, Geoff Newman, they weren’t leading with valuation formulas or deal structure. They were asking questions about my clients, my team, and how I actually ran the practice. They had a very defined process for identifying partners who were genuinely compatible, not just advisors with books that were transferable. And that distinction mattered greatly to me. They also offered really, in my opinion, the right balance of support and still having some autonomy. And their aspiration to deliver consistent standard of care to clients, whether they be in California or Virginia, so that those individuals get the same quality of experience, resonated with how I was already running things within my practice. That combination of support and autonomy, I really liked the idea of continuing to have oversight over my local practice, over our practice, which included the budget, salaries, and bonuses. It more than anybody else felt like a partnership and not a buyout. And I really appreciate it during that first call, Cerity was the only company that talked about a hundred-year plan. It was amazing to me to hear what their thoughts were. Most of the other firms I spoke with talked about valuations. And very quickly in the process, I found myself on a Zoom call with a Patagonia fleece vest-wearing private equity rep walking me through a valuation. And it was efficient, but it was not a cultural fit for me. And the infrastructure behind us and the combination of autonomy is really harder to find than most people think. As I progressed with Cerity, I remember early on in the process thinking to myself, “My God, I hope they want me, I hope they want me,” because I could tell I’m a very process-driven person They had a process with the way they brought me on board. And ultimately, we had a due diligence trip set up to go to one of their larger offices where I met with one of their leaders, Claire O’Keefe, part of their practice development, and had an opportunity to meet with different leaders within the firm and really get my arms wrapped around the potential that they had. Just the quality of the people I encountered through the whole process just kept reinforcing the decision. And by the time we got to the finish line, it didn’t feel like a transaction. It felt like I was joining something that I was excited to be part of. So just a little bit more about what attracted me to Cerity, their culture is just phenomenal. Cerity Partners uses the word “meritocracy” and they actually mean it. Ownership and influence here track your contribution, not your tenure or how well you play the politics. I just attended my first partner meeting in April, and without exaggeration, it was the most extraordinary professional meeting I’ve attended in my 25-year career. During the meeting, there was open debate about the direction of the firm, and every voice in the room carried weight. You could feel the culture. And that type of culture is built over years. You can’t fake it. Everyone in the room it felt like was rowing in the same direction. And by the time the meeting was over, I was so excited to get back to my team and tell them about what I had just witnessed, I wasn’t looking for the exit. I was looking for the brick wall to run through. I was so excited. And every once in a while I wonder having spent so much time in the wirehouse spaces, the bar just set really low for me when I talked to some of my other colleagues that have been independent for a long time. But it was just an absolutely amazing experience. And I do want to just add, one of the last really important things to me about Cerity Partners is I’ve been very fortunate with my career and in this profession. And part of my goal over the rest of my career is to have a legacy. And my legacy currently exists with the families I’ve advised and the team that I’ve built and have served and led. But Cerity Partners is helping me achieve even a greater legacy in our industry with our shared long-term goals. During my first meeting, they talked about their hundred-year vision of being a worldwide employee-owned professional services firm. And currently, and this is very exciting, the employees are the largest shareholder of the firm. No one else I talked to talked about their long-term goals like this, and it’s a vision I believe in. I want to contribute to help to see it accomplished. And one day when I do retire, I want to look back and see how I contribute it to a company that I believe is going to change the direction of professional wealth management. Louis Diamond: Wow. Patrick Larkin: My partnership with Cerity Partners is going to make that a reality. It’s just an amazing place. Yeah, very happy. Louis Diamond: Honestly, you can’t fake that type of enthusiasm. It sounds like- Patrick Larkin: It’s not- Louis Diamond: … you entered into a transaction, which is it’s like jumping into the deep end. How do you sort through what’s the sales process versus what’s real? How much of this is actually going to translate to my life? But hearing you not that long after the transaction, you still feel that and it’s very cool. In the press release I read, you cited estate planning, private markets access, and cross-border planning as key reasons for the merger. Can you talk about what it was about those? Maybe- Patrick Larkin: Yeah. Louis Diamond: … anything else that was missed? Patrick Larkin: Yeah. Louis Diamond: And were those not things that you felt like you could have delivered yourself as a standalone? Patrick Larkin: I thought that they were going to help me be able to be more effective in delivering those, but they weren’t the complete picture. The capabilities that we cited in the release were genuine gaps I wanted to fill and have available for clients and be able to prospect and go after new additional clients. But being fully honest, there were also deeper drivers. One was my team. Sometimes we get emotional about this. Being someone who’s trusted is really important to me, and that’s something I hold in high priority. There are people that followed me out of Wells Fargo to join me. One of my client associates had delayed her retirement so that she could join me and help us launch for the first three months. One of my other client associates has been with me close to 15 years. These are people that trusted me to do the right thing and to make sure that I wasn’t walking them off the plank. Being able to join Cerity Partners and give them a future that didn’t hinge entirely on my personal longevity was a huge relief. And Cerity Partners is an ownership culture. I’m so happy to say today that every single individual on my team in our practice in Lansdowne is now either an equity owner in Cerity Partners or very shortly will be an equity- Louis Diamond: So cool. Patrick Larkin: … equity owner. So they have a stake as well in what they’re building. It matters. My youngest client associate noticed how much it costs to send to FedEx. And he goes, “Now that I’m an owner, maybe we should rethink about sending regular mail.” Another driver was my family. And I’ve always had the philosophy of trying to prioritize and clients first, team and colleagues, and then my family. And I’ve always made decisions that if I put those others before myself, eventually I’ll be taken care of. And going through this transaction, it was so generous to my family and provided such security. There was a little bit of guilt that, “Am I doing this for all the right reasons?” But being able to secure my family’s future, converting equity in a three-year-old RIA into a stake of a $8 billion-plus valuation with institutional backing, that was a meaningful moment and I’d be less than honest if I glossed over that. I also really wanted to be part of something larger than myself. And the opportunity to help build a legacy in this business with Cerity Partners really gives me the platform to do that. Louis Diamond: Very cool. I can tell that you’re genuine, not just because of the way you sound, the way you’re speaking, but in the very beginning of the episode, you talked about the reason you got into this business was because you thought it gave you the dual purpose of being able to help people, but also being able to enrich yourself or your family. So this answer, it comes full circle. You’re able to accomplish all these goals, which made it the right decision. And I think, look, I say to advisors all the time, “You’re allowed to be greedy, you’re allowed to be selfish as long as the clients are still in the front of your mind as the most important thing.” There’s nothing wrong with doing better for clients, building a legacy in your case, but also reaping the rewards of all your hard work and labor and also all the risks that you’ve taken over your career. I got to ask you, though, from being an employee of Wells, where you were running your team, for the most part, you can run the business within their guardrails the way you want, to then running an RIA, which is really like you’re fully in control of everything, to now being a partner, but you’re not the one who has the name on the door anymore. Patrick Larkin: Right, right. Louis Diamond: Well, how do you think about the giving up control and full ownership of your practice versus owning a very small amount of a much larger entity? Patrick Larkin: There was such continuity. Oak Hill Wealth Advisors and Cerity Partners were so philosophically aligned that I genuinely never felt like I was giving up anything that I wasn’t glad to let go. My wife joined the business shortly before I left Wells Fargo Advisors. And still to this day, on my drive home from work, I call her up and say, “You’re not going to believe this.” And it’s all a positive, good thing. So Cerity has struck the perfect balance of that autonomy and support combination that I was looking for. So I still have control and a say over the way our practice is managed. Very shortly after the merger, my supervisor came down and met me for the first time, and we went out together after the day had ended. And early in the conversation I said to him, “What can I do to make your life easier?” And he said, “Pat, what can I do to make your life easier?” And that set the tone that still exists to this day. I almost cried when he said that because that was so different than what I had experienced up to that point. So the collaboration, the way we work together, it’s just absolutely amazing. And not once for a single moment have I second-guessed my decision. And it’s really weird because I’ve now been part of this organization for nearly nine months, and there just has not been one thing that’s occurred where I said, “That’s a disappointment.” It’s just been absolutely amazing every single day. Louis Diamond: Very cool. To me, there’s different arcs of when you want to ask people the question of, “Hey, any regrets?” And usually you don’t want to ask them too soon because they’re still going through the transition and integration and growing pains. And you don’t want to ask them too far in the future because you forget about what was life before. To be this short of a duration into this new partnership and to have these feelings, that’s absolutely pretty special. I got two more questions for you, Pat, if you don’t mind. Patrick Larkin: Sure. Louis Diamond: First one, economically, to me, one of the hardest things for really any advisor to really grapple with or to fully comprehend or make their own is, “I own 100% of the equity in my business. I get to decide when I want to sell in the future. My business is growing 10% per year. I wait to sell until 10 years from now, my business is going to be much bigger and I get to keep all the cash flow. I get to make all the decisions.” That compared to the path that you took, which was take cash off the table, which everyone understands, to, “Now, I own a much smaller piece of a much larger pie.” How would you talk to someone about the financial trade-off between a hundred percent ownership in their business, full control, full discretion over everything, versus becoming a minority equity partner in a larger entity? Patrick Larkin: You have to look at the valuation of my business, again, the day that we opened our doors as Oak Hill Wealth Advisors. There was such a massive jump in the value of the business. There was not going to be an opportunity for an appreciation at that level. So then, you have to compare what the growth rate is of Oak Hill Wealth Advisors versus a Cerity Partners. And I’m not embarrassed to say that Cerity Partners is and has been growing at a much faster rate of return. The value of the equity that I have retained in Cerity Partners, my ownership stake, I fully expect by the time I transact that business as I get closer to retirement, that’s going to be worth many times more than whatever opportunity I would have had at Wells Fargo with the valuation they would have provided me. Nevermind, very important, the tax consequences of a structure like this is all the retiring advisors that I worked with were taxed at their highest marginal rate. I owned a business and we were taxed at long-term capital gains rates. A significant difference in savings in what as the owner we actually realize. So yeah, I feel very comfortable with the ownership that I have and the control and continued opportunity with the meritocracy culture to increase my share of ownership in the company. Louis Diamond: Okay, and let’s do one more question here. I’ll pick it back up. So Pat, I think it’s a really cool perspective. It’s almost do your homework, and if you find the right horse and the right jockey that can run faster than you can on your own, that the equity value will compound and grow and appreciate in a faster, more efficient way than what you’re doing on your own, which makes complete sense. It’s the ultimate trade-off. And again, it’s like jumping into the deep end. On the one hand, Oak Hill was all you, right? You control the growth, for better or worse, for the good days, the bad days, the good years, the bad years, versus now your growth is diversified amongst hundreds of partners across M&A, across different lead flow channels, et cetera. It makes complete sense. But honestly, if I were an advisor, I don’t know how I would think about it. I think it’s all just fact-and-circumstance-based on where I am in my life and who the firm is and what I’m trying to accomplish. But it’s such a cool perspective because usually the playbook that we see, which is why we did this series, is go independent and there’s a long pause until there is a realization of all the value that’s been created. So seeing you do this in a much quicker timeframe, it seems like it was the absolutely right decision. To me, it just is another path, another way that an advisor or a firm is able to think about their future. Any final advice or parting words for someone who is sitting right where you were in 2021 or 2022 thinking about making the leap? And we’ll say a transition in general, or really anything you want to share to wrap our episode here. Patrick Larkin: Thank you for having me, and this is a great question. Happy to give a thoughtful answer to it. Before I’d left Wells Fargo Advisors through the program and started Oak Hill Wealth Advisors, I had an opportunity to go through a due diligence process and make sure that this was going to be a right move for me. There was no carrot out there that was obvious. I learned after that first conversation that I had built a practice that had some value to it. I was leaving behind the security of something I knew, leaving behind a significant amount in deferred compensation, and I wanted to make sure I was making the right decision. And through that due diligence process, talked to about five other firms that had recently left Wells Fargo to join this RIA program. I asked them a lot of different questions about what their experience was. And at every point during those conversations, they all said the same thing at different points. And it sounded like this. They said, “I’m working harder than I ever have before, but I wish I had done this sooner.” So my advice to those people, do it. I know that sounds simple, but I mean it. The fear of leaving is almost always worse than the actual experience of leaving. And I understand the inertia of not leaving and the real apprehension of what was on the other side. But what I found was a version of this profession I genuinely didn’t know was possible. One where I could do things the right way on my terms for the people I care most about serving. And not every path is going to look like mine. Some advisors should go fully independent and stay there, and that can be an incredible life. But when it comes time to look for a partner, quite frankly, if Cerity Partners is not on your shortlist, you’re making a significant mistake. And I say that not to sell anything, but because I’ve lived the comparison firsthand and there’s simply nothing else like it. Louis Diamond: So Pat, it’s been really fun, but I don’t think we’ve had anyone on the eight years or so we’ve been doing this show that’s gone through this type of arc or journey that you have. One of my big takeaways or sticking points that this episode brought for me is by going independent and taking control over your future, you created complete optionality for yourself to do exactly what you wanted to do with your business, even if that was different than what you initially planned. So in your case, it was selling within three years of going independent, but by taking action, being proactive, playing some offense, you made the opportunity happen on your terms and your timeline. So this has been fun in so many different ways. I loved your comment about how when you went independent, it’s basically like the day of your IPO, the four-to-five-times increase in value versus an internal succession deal, and even just the way to think about getting equity in a larger entity versus running your own plays only. So thank you so much for doing this. This has been fun. Mindy Diamond: As a financial advisor, you hold yourself to the highest standards of integrity, honesty, and credibility. You are successful because you take your professional responsibility seriously and are dedicated to your clients. But are you living your best business life? Are your goals aligned with your firm’s or could a better option exist? Should I Stay or Should I Go? Is a book written with you in mind? It’s a self-guided journey that walks you through the key steps that we take with our advisor clients. This strategic thought process and roadmap to professional self-discovery is designed to help you ask the right questions and think critically and objectively, whether you’re considering change or not. Learn how to get your copy at diamond-consultants.com/thebook.   Build, Grow & Transact: From Breakaway to Transaction in 3 Years A conversation with Louis Diamond and Patrick Larkin, Partner & Practice Leader at Cerity Partners.      Louis Diamond: Welcome to the latest episode of our podcast series for financial advisors. Today’s episode is Build, Grow & Transact: From Breakaway to Transaction in 3 Years. It’s a conversation with Patrick Larkin, Partner and Practice Leader at Cerity Partners. I’m Louis Diamond, and this is The Diamond Podcast for Financial Advisors. Mindy Diamond: At Diamond Consultants, we help elite advisors identify the right environment for their businesses to thrive, whether that’s at a wirehouse, boutique, or independent firm. With nearly three decades of experience, we’ve guided thousands of advisors and represented more than a quarter of a trillion dollars in assets transitioned. And each year, one in four advisors managing a billion dollars or more who change firms are our clients. Our process is education-driven and based on building relationships, starting as your strategic partner well before you’re even thinking of a move. To schedule a confidential conversation, call us at 908-879-1002. Wondering why advisors change firms and where they’re headed? Are transition deals going up or down? Those very questions and more inspired us to create our annual Advisor Transition Report. It’s the award-winning, data-driven resource designed for advisors that connects the dots between the motivations around movement and the firm’s appetite for top talent. Arm yourself with the knowledge you need to make smart decisions. Download your copy at diamond-consultants.com/transitionreport. Louis Diamond: Ownership as a way of creating opportunities you can’t always predict. That’s exactly why we created our Build, Grow, and Transact series. Independence isn’t the end of the story. It’s often the beginning of thinking differently about enterprise value, optionality, and what comes next. Today’s guest is Patrick Larkin, Partner and Practice Leader at Cerity Partners, and formerly the founder of Oak Hill Wealth Advisors. Patrick spent nearly 15 years building a successful practice at A.G. Edwards, Wachovia, and eventually Wells Fargo before launching his own independent firm in 2022. Just three years later, he merged that firm into Cerity. At first glance, that timeline might seem surprisingly short, but as you’ll hear, the merger wasn’t a change in direction. It was the result of seeing his business differently once he owned it. Yet, it’s this perspective that really brings that thought home. Patrick said the day Oak Hill launched felt like the business had gone public because overnight, what had been viewed as a book of business became an enterprise with substantially greater value, some four to five times the value of what it was worth at Wells. And that realization changed the way he invested, the way he hired, and ultimately the way he thought about the future. Pat and I also talk about something advisors don’t often discuss candidly, what life actually looks like after a merger. How much control do you give up? What changes day to day? How do you know whether you’re joining a partner or simply selling a business? Whether your long-term plan is to remain independent forever or eventually join a larger organization, Patrick’s experience is a reminder that ownership isn’t simply about control. It’s about creating optionality and putting yourself in a position where the next decision is yours to make. So let’s get to it. Patrick, thanks for coming on our show today. Patrick Larkin: Oh, my pleasure. Nice to meet you, Louis. Louis Diamond: You too. So let’s start off basically how we start every interview. Tell us about yourself, your background, and how you found your way into our industry in the first place. Patrick Larkin: Yeah, thank you for asking. I knew I always wanted to be a financial advisor. That part really wasn’t in question, but upon graduating college and being a 22-year-old, I knew that it was probably not practical to walk in and start advising people my parents’ age with their life savings. Probably wasn’t going to be a recipe for success. So I took a quick tour through the pharmaceutical industry first, which ended up being unexpectedly valuable. My employers there pushed me to think like an entrepreneur and within our territories. And honestly, that mindset never left me. It shaped how I built everything that came after. Eventually, an opportunity presented itself in Loudoun County, Virginia in Northern Virginia, and I became an FA trainee with A.G. Edwards, absolutely fantastic firm to start my career. Now, what drew me to this career was pretty simple. I felt like it was one of the professions that we had an opportunity to do so much good for others while simultaneously also doing well for yourself, and those two things aren’t in conflict. I also really loved the idea that in this profession there was no hiding. You don’t get paid to show up. You get paid for what you actually do. And perhaps for me, what was most important, I loved the weight of responsibility. I loved earning people’s trust. I loved the idea of deserving, being deserving of their trust, and being a steward of what they’ve worked a lifetime to build. I never took that lightly, and I still don’t. Louis Diamond: That’s amazing. Yeah, I mean, the number of people I’ve heard, you talked so fondly about A.G. Edwards and there’s a bunch of other firms that have since been absorbed or emerged that are like the regional firms of old. So not surprised to hear you loved it. A.G. Edwards, obviously, became Wells Fargo Advisors or was acquired or merged with Wells Fargo. So I know you’re at Wells and A.G. Edwards until 2022. So give us a quick version. How’d you build your practice from the pharma world into being in FA? Patrick Larkin: Yeah, so as I started with A.G. Edwards, I came in at really just the perfect time. It was towards the end of the financial crisis. And I built the business the old-fashioned way with a lot of cold calling and eventually did some dinner seminars, which I can tell you is a very expensive way to learn how to speak in front of a room. But I made some progress, and I was also in a great office, small enough that some of the advisors there would hand off some of the smaller accounts that they weren’t interested in working with, and got an opportunity to get a lot of reps in working with real life clients and individuals. I knew early on I didn’t have enough talent to win on talent alone, so I made up for it and compensated for that with really hard work. The real turning point came for me when A.G. Edwards was first acquired by Wachovia Securities, and that was about five years into my career. And at that point, my branch manager, who was eyeing retirement, asked me to step in as her partner, and that changed everything. We eventually moved over to a Wachovia Securities office, another really great local office in Loudoun County, Virginia. And from that office, I worked on and became a CIMA, a CFP, worked with the clients, built a business through referrals. And I found at that point in my career when I would go to a meeting with Wachovia, eventually Wells Fargo, as a young 30-year-old, I would look around the room often and realize that I was the youngest person in the room. The funny thing was 10 years later, I would go into that same room and I’d look around and I still was the youngest guy in that room. And those demographics in our industry, and when I came into our industry, ultimately led that office that I worked in with Wells Fargo Advisors, I eventually was the recipient and party to five different succession plans- Louis Diamond: Wow. Patrick Larkin: … at Wells Fargo Advisors. I hoped that I had built a reputation as somebody that these other advisors would entrust with their clients. And over that time period, really, I would say professionally, one of my accomplishments I’m most proud of is all five of those retired advisors that I used to work with, who had an opportunity to see me work with clients, all became clients of mine, I still continue to work with. And it’s professionally just one of the greatest honors that I’ve ever had. Louis Diamond: I mean, that’s a large number of advisors you helped sunset, but I would agree it’s the ultimate p

In this episode of Disruption/Interruption, Lopsii Olgoke, CEO and co-founder of Nezz, explains why high-value B2B settlements still move too slowly and cost too much. He breaks down how escrow yield gets pocketed by third parties instead of the people whose money is sitting idle, and how a 900% spike in deepfake and business email compromise fraud is putting law firms, escrow agents, and title companies at risk. Lopsii Olgoke describes how Nezz built a programmatic settlement layer that lets organizations control multi-party transactions without ever giving up custody of their funds. The conversation covers unexpected early adopters in the middle market, the resistance disruptors face from entrenched players, and why unlocking trapped capital could reshape how the economy itself moves. Key Takeaways: 3:49 — Who is driving disruption in escrow and settlement payments? 8:59 — What is fueling a 900% surge in fraud targeting law firms and title companies? 13:06 – How does [Nezzapp] let organizations control settlements without holding the funds? 25:34 — When did mid-market companies become the fastest-growing adopters? Quote of the Show (06:24):"If you're putting your own money somewhere else, why don't you make some money from it too?" – Lopsii Olagoke Join our Anti-PR newsletter where we’re keeping a watchful and clever eye on PR trends, PR fails, and interesting news in tech so you don't have to. You're welcome. Want PR that actually matters? Get 30 minutes of expert advice in a fast-paced, zero-nonsense session from Karla Jo Helms, a veteran Crisis PR and Anti-PR Strategist who knows how to tell your story in the best possible light and get the exposure you need to disrupt your industry. Click here to book your call: https://info.jotopr.com/free-anti-pr-eval Ways to connect with Lopsii Olagoke:Company LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/nezzappCompany Website: nezzapp.com How to get more Disruption/Interruption: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/eccda84d-4d5b-4c52-ba54-7fd8af3cbe87/disruption-interruption Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disruption-interruption/id1581985755 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6yGSwcSp8J354awJkCmJlD YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=disruption+%2F+interuuptionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adyen stelt wat teleur in de eerste helft van het jaar, maar maakt dat de komende maanden meer dan goed. De betaalverwerker is extreem enthousiast over wat komen gaat. Het verhoogt de omzetverwachting. Waar aandeelhouders het aandeel eerder nog dumpten, slaan ze het nu massaal in. Deze aflevering hebben we het uitgebreid over die vooruitblik. Je hoort of Adyen het vertrouwen weer helemaal heeft teruggewonnen en waar de groeikansen liggen. Hebben we het ook over Anthropic. Dat gaat volgens de Financial Times in de herfst naar Wall Street. Met een prijskaartje van 2000 miljard! Meer dan SpaceX! Beide bedrijven stellen dus niet teleur. Dat doet Fastned ook niet, bekend van die snellaadstations. Het verlies is wat ingelopen en de omzet flink gestegen. Ook verhoogt het bedrijf de margeverwachting. Te gast: debutant Thijs Buitenhuis van Norbury Capital BNR Beurs is een journalistiek onafhankelijke productie, mede mogelijk gemaakt door Saxo. Over de makers: Jelle Maasbach is presentator van BNR Beurs en freelance financieel journalist. Zijn favoriete aandeel om over te praten is Disney, maar daar lijkt hij de enige in te zijn. Sinds de eerste uitzending van BNR Beurs is 'ie er bij. Maxim van Mil is presentator van BNR Beurs en journalist bij BNR, waar hij zich focust op de financiële markten en ontwikkelingen in de tech-wereld. Je krijgt hem het meest enthousiast als hij kan praten over ASML, of oer-Hollandse bedrijven zoals Ahold of ABN Amro. Jorik Simonides is presentator van BNR Beurs, economieredacteur en verslaggever bij BNR. Hij wordt er vooral blij van als het een keer níet over AI gaat. Je hoort hem ook in de BNR-podcast Moerdijk: dorp van de rekening. Milou Brand is presentator van BNR Beurs, freelance podcastmaker en columnist bij het Financieele Dagblad. Jochem Visser is presentator van BNR Beurs, maakt Beursnerd XL en is redacteur bij de podcast Onder Curatoren. Vraag hem naar obscure zaken op financiële markten en hij vertelt je waarom het eigenlijk nóg leuker is dan je al dacht. Over de podcast: Met BNR Beurs ga je altijd voorbereid de nieuwe beursdag in. We praten je in een kleine 25 minuten bij over alle laatste ontwikkelingen op de handelsvloer. We blijven niet alleen bij de AEX of Wall Street, maar vertellen je ook waar nog meer kansen liggen. En we houden het niet bij de cijfers, maar zoeken ook iedere dag voor je naar duiding van scherpe gasten en experts. Of je nu een ervaren belegger bent of net begint met je eerste stappen op de beurs, de podcast biedt waardevolle inzichten voor je beleggingsstrategie. Door de focus op zowel de korte termijn als de lange termijn, helpt BNR Beurs luisteraars om de ruis van de markt te scheiden van de essentie.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

José Antonio Esteban, CEO de IronIA Fintech, nos explica cómo funciona la plataforma y qué características tiene qué les hace diferente al resto de plataformas de inversión. “Somos una plataforma de inversión donde se pueden comprar más de 26.000 fondos”, afirma el invitado. ¿Qué significa todo esto? Para él, esto supone “tener libertad para comprarte la tipología de fondos que quieras y al mejor precio, que son lo que denominamos clases limpias”. ¿Qué son las clases limpias? El entrevistado afirma que “son las clases que menos comisiones cobran y que no tienen un concepto que se llama retrocesión, que es lo que se suele quedar el comercializador cuando te dice que es gratis, que no es gratis”. ¿Cómo nació la idea de IronIA Fintech? ¿Para qué cliente estaba pensado? “Nosotros comenzamos para aquellos que sabían hacer selección de fondos, porque claro, entre 26,000 pues tienes que tener una cierta idea de cómo seleccionar fondos, pero actualmente hemos sacado distintas versiones para que esté accesible a todo el mundo”, nos destaca el invitado. ¿Cómo se hace una correcta selección de fondos? José Antonio Esteban nos explica que “lo que intentan hacer es distinguir trayectorias” y que “es saber como un fondo lo ha hecho bien a lo largo de su historia de forma consistente”. ¿Cómo funcionan los puntos IronIA? “Es una manera de evaluar fondos”, nos explica el entrevistado. Señala cómo ejemplo que “cinco puntos son los mejores y cero puntos pues son los peores”. ¿Cómo se empieza a operar en la plataforma y de dónde se obtiene la información? El invitado destaca que toda la información está en la página web y después se hace un registro, que vale simplemente con un correo electrónico y luego “una vez que te has familiarizado con el buscador y ya lo tienes claro, pues directamente pagas la suscripción y empiezas a invertir”.

In this episode of The Delphi Podcast, Tommy sits down with Steve McLaughlin, founder and CEO of FT Partners, to unpack how he left Goldman Sachs at 32 and built one of the most influential investment banks in fintech.Steve shares the story behind FT Partners' early days, including how his team took a company that had received roughly $150 million offers and ultimately sold it for $550 million. He explains why FT goes deeper than traditional investment banks, how the firm has built decades-long relationships with founders, and why incentives, founder ownership, and putting your own capital behind your conviction matter.They also discuss FT's $50 million investment in Revolut, what Steve looks for in great founders, the work ethic required to build a firm over 25 years, surviving multiple financial crises, and why he believes AI will ultimately be a bigger disruption to financial services than the internet, mobile, or crypto.Timestamps00:00 Intro02:20 Leaving Goldman and Starting FT Partners11:00 Turning a $150M Offer Into a $550M Sale18:30 How FT Partners Values Companies28:30 Building Long-Term Founder Relationships34:00 Founder Incentives and the Revolut Bet52:00 What Steve Looks for in Great Founders1:08:00 The Future of Fintech, Crypto, and AITommy: https://x.com/Shaughnessy119Steve: https://x.com/FTPartners

In this episode of the Finovate podcast, host Greg welcomes back listeners after a summer break and introduces Ning Duong, President and CEO of Financial Center First Credit Union in Indianapolis, Indiana. Ning shares her impressive 25-year journey in financial services, which began unexpectedly when she took a job at a mega bank to pay for nursing school tuition. What started as a temporary position evolved into a passionate career dedicated to helping people with their financial needs. Now leading Financial Center's 60,000 members, Ning brings her people-process-technology leadership philosophy to guide the credit union's strategic direction.Six months into her tenure, Ning discusses her priorities and approach to technology implementation at Financial Center. She emphasizes the importance of enhancing member experience through strategic use of existing technology, particularly focusing on consumer and mortgage lending journeys. The credit union has made significant strides in improving loan turnaround times and communication processes, recognizing that members compare their banking experiences to world-class services like Amazon. Ning highlights the successful implementation of "Ella," an internal chatbot that leverages AI to help team members quickly access policies and procedures, ultimately enabling them to serve members more efficiently. However, she maintains a balanced perspective on AI adoption, advocating for human judgment in critical areas like recruiting, where she personally reviews applications for key positions like the CIO role.The conversation concludes with valuable insights for fintech companies looking to partner with credit unions. Ning stresses the importance of understanding each credit union's unique strategy and member base before approaching executives with sales pitches. She emphasizes that credit unions need strategic partners, not just vendors, and warns against generic presentations that don't align with the institution's specific goals. Following a recent robust board planning session, Financial Center has established clear strategic pillars, identified their target member profile, and defined key performance indicators for the next three years, with technology recognized as an essential enabler rather than a standalone priority.More info:Financial Center First Credit Union: https://www.fcfcu.com/ ; https://www.linkedin.com/company/financial-center/Ning Duong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ning-duong-cude-icude-cce-0a19449b/Greg Palmer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregbpalmer/Finovate: https://www.finovate.com; https://www.linkedin.com/company/finovate-conference-series/FinovateFall: https://informaconnect.com/finovatefall/#Finovate #FinovateFall #fintech #financialinstitutions #creditunions #AI #modernization #technology #strategy #fintechstrategy #CU #digitaladoption #podcast #fintechpodcast #financialservices #innovation #digitraltransformation #fintech #finserv

Waiting three to five days for funds isn't just annoying, it quietly reshapes entire business models. I sit down with Arpit Goel, CEO of Root, to unpack why money movement in the United States still depends on slow, multi-hop workflows and how that slowness creates “float” across payroll, staffing, marketplaces, insurance, and the creator economy. When settlement is delayed, someone benefits, and Arpit makes a sharp case that incentives are the real blocker, not the lack of technology.We dig into what Root is building in the instant payments space: a non-custodial, bank-to-bank infrastructure layer that aims to deliver true real-time payments where funds settle in seconds and can be used immediately. Arpit explains the “Zelle for businesses” idea, why it matters for enterprise disbursements, and how programmatic treasury APIs can help companies ship faster without spending a year integrating directly with a bank. We also talk about the current US real-time rails, including FedNow and RTP, and why adoption is accelerating as standards and competition push the ecosystem forward.Then we zoom out to the trends payments leaders can't ignore: agentic payments, fraud and liability, strong customer authentication, and the stablecoin-to-bank convergence as regulation catches up. Arpit's final message is direct: compliance is a follower, and security needs to be years ahead as AI-driven attacks scale faster than humans ever could. Subscribe for more conversations like this, share the episode with a payments leader, and leave a review so more builders can find it.

In this episode, we speak with Alex Venino, Managing Director, and Spencer Miles, Technology Operating Partner, at Corsair Capital, a specialist investment firm with approximately $14.6 billion invested across Buyouts and Infrastructure. Founded as a J.P. Morgan private equity practice in 1992 before becoming an independent, partner-owned firm in 2006, Corsair specializes in control buyouts in the payments, software, and business services sectors, alongside value-added infrastructure investments. Alex joined Corsair in 2018 and is a member of the firm's Investment Team, serving on the boards of portfolio companies Spring Venture Group and HungerRush. Spencer works closely with portfolio companies on technology transformation, AI adoption, and operational value creation, drawing on more than 25 years of software engineering and technology leadership experience. I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

Bastam poucos segundos no Brasil para perceber que o WhatsApp está em todo lugar. Cerca de 150 milhões de usuários, 93% deles abrindo o app todos os dias e 82% das micro e pequenas empresas usando o WhatsApp como principal ferramenta de comunicação. Para quem constrói, é o caminho mais curto entre um produto e um cliente, e cada vez mais é onde acontecem negócios, relações e transações.Neste episódio, Bel Gallera conversa com duas pessoas que olham para a mesma plataforma de lugares diferentes. Guilherme Horn lidera o WhatsApp no Brasil, na Índia e na Indonésia. Luiz Ramalho é fundador e CEO da Magie, a primeira empresa a construir um assistente financeiro com inteligência artificial dentro do WhatsApp no Brasil, e que hoje ajuda grandes bancos e instituições financeiras da América Latina a criar esse mesmo tipo de experiência para os seus próprios clientes.O episódio explora como o Brasil se tornou um dos principais mercados de WhatsApp do mundo e por que estamos entre os primeiros em intensidade de uso e engajamento. Guilherme analisa o que torna o comportamento do brasileiro diferente e como ele se compara aos outros mercados que acompanha. Ele fala das razões culturais por trás disso, do que significa, para a Meta, desenhar um único produto para três bilhões de pessoas em 200 países, e para onde a plataforma caminha com os lançamentos mais recentes: o Meta Business Agent, a Agent Platform, os usernames e a tendência dos agentes pessoais, que pode mudar a forma como as pessoas compram e se relacionam com todo tipo de empresa.Luiz conta como é estar do outro lado, construindo em cima da plataforma desde o início de 2024. Ele explica por que escolheu o WhatsApp em vez de um app quando isso ainda não era óbvio, o que aprendeu observando como as pessoas realmente se comportam quando pagamento e conversa acontecem no mesmo lugar, e como essa leitura continuou valendo quando a Magie deixou de atender só o consumidor final e passou a atender instituições. Ele também é específico sobre onde vê as grandes oportunidades para empreender agora, enquanto a inteligência artificial redefine o que uma conversa entre empresas e consumidores pode fazer.Uma das partes mais interessantes é ver como os dois vivem as mesmas oportunidades e os mesmos desafios por ângulos diferentes, um como fundador e o outro como executivo. Guilherme descreve como o que se constrói na plataforma volta e influencia o que ela pode se tornar para todos. Luiz, por sua vez, fala de experiências que só se tornaram possíveis com recursos que a Meta lançou e que não existiam um ano antes. Os dois estão descobrindo em tempo real como vão ser os próximos anos, e são honestos sobre o tanto que ainda não se sabe.Este episódio é para você que:Quer entender por que o WhatsApp é tão grande no Brasil e o tamanho da relevância desse canal para empreendedores e grandes empresasEstá construindo no WhatsApp, ou considerando a plataforma como canal de distribuição e de contato contínuo com o clienteTem curiosidade sobre como decisões de produto são tomadas na escala de três bilhões de usuáriosQuer entender melhor a relação entre plataforma e aplicação, e os papéis diferentes de quem constrói e de quem opera a infraestruturaCapítulos: 0:00 – Abertura1:43 – Boas-vindas e por que este episódio é diferente2:51 – O WhatsApp no Brasil: 150 milhões de usuários e o primeiro em engajamento7:24 – Como a Magie nasceu dentro do WhatsApp: Pix, IA generativa e a era do GPT-311:24 – De canal de comunicação a infraestrutura de negócio13:41 – Construir experiências de pagamento dentro da conversa15:58 – Confiança: o usuário coloca a senha do banco no WhatsApp?18:14 – Comportamento do usuário por faixa de renda e geografia20:30 – Os não bancarizados e o público que pula a fase do app22:48 – Construir para 3 bilhões: simples, confiável e privado25:39 – WhatsApp Plus: o teste de uma versão paga27:22 – Como o WhatsApp é priorizado dentro da Meta29:04 – Velocidade, adaptabilidade e nichos de alto valor31:21 – Vender profundidade e velocidade para grandes instituições33:04 – Incumbentes e startups: apetite por risco e ritmo de mudança35:20 – O que vem: Meta Business Agent, Agent Platform e usernames38:11 – Agentes pessoais e a mudança no comportamento de compra39:54 – Verticalizar ou horizontalizar: a escolha de expansão da Magie44:28 – Plataforma e aplicação: onde as camadas se encontram47:19 – Quatro anos na Meta: impacto além dos negócios51:18 – Os aprendizados de Luiz construindo no WhatsApp54:43 – Encerramento: o livro do Guilherme e o início da era da IA

Erfahre hier mehr über unseren Partner Scalable Capital - dem Broker mit einem der besten YouTube-Kanäle zu Aktien & Investments. https://www.youtube.com/@scalable.capital/videos On wächst langsamer, Börse kriegt Angst. Fermi kriegt 6,5 Mrd. $ KI-Deal von TensorWave. Riot vermietet Rechenzentrum an Anthropic. PNE spricht über Delisting, Aktie fällt. Ari Emanuel kauft Theaterkette ATG für 6 Mrd. $. Sea Limited (WKN: A2H5LX) hat E-Commerce, Gaming und Fintech. Shopee wächst 48%, aber die Margen leiden unter Logistik-Investitionen. Ist das 30er-KGV bei dem Wachstum attraktiv? Baki Irmak vom Digital Leaders Fund ordnet ein. Diesen Podcast vom 12.08.2026, 3:00 Uhr stellt dir die Podstars GmbH (Noah Leidinger) zur Verfügung. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to Not Fintech Investment Advice, where Simon Taylor and I do what we do best: talk about companies we're absolutely not giving investment advice on! First up is Natural, an AI agent orchestration layer for payments that just raised a $30M Series A. We explore its wallet architecture (which uses account structure itself as a guardrail for what agents can and can't do), and why a liability framework is still missing once payments move beyond its own network. Next is Sky Fusion, which puts small AI data centers inside people's homes, financed just like rooftop solar. We talk through the appeal of distributed compute over another giant data center nobody wants nearby, and the underwriting risk that already tripped up a wave of residential solar lenders. Then there's Quarters, a home savings rewards platform that inverts the Bilt model: instead of housing spend driving everyday purchases, everyday purchases drive housing spend, with rewards redeemable only through partners for rent, deposits, down payments, or moving costs. Finally, we close with El Dorado, a stablecoin platform with over a million consumer users across 13 countries and a fast-growing SMB base (like Bolivian import/exporters locked out of affordable dollars by the correspondent banking system). We explore stablecoins as a workaround for national monetary control, and why a physical branch is as consequential as the tech. Plus, some manifestations throughout (Simon willing Quarters toward its target renter niche, and yours truly wishing El Dorado's model into full compliance). --- This episode is brought to you by Ocrolus.  Better lending starts with better intelligence. A borrower's cash flow only tells half the story, so Ocrolus fills in the rest with behavior signals and industry benchmarking. Visit https://www.ocrolus.com/ for 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:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson Follow Simon: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sytaylor/ Substack: https://sytaylor.substack.com --- Companies featured: https://www.natural.com/  https://www.skyfusion.ai/  https://myquarters.ca/  https://eldorado.io/en

In this episode of the What the FinTech? podcast, host and FinTech Futures Managing Editor Paul Hindle is joined by Margaret Ryan, SVP and Head of Product for Amex Digital Labs, to explore the rapidly developing world of agentic commerce and agentic payments and how American Express is positioning itself at the forefront of this evolution. Margaret discusses the current state of play with agentic commerce today, unpacking the benefits the technology offers for both consumers and merchants, and takes a deep dive into the ACE Developer Kit that Amex launched earlier this year, explaining the vision behind this framework and how it's designed to help merchants navigate this fundamental shift in how transactions happen. The conversation also covers the debate around trust and consumer confidence when it comes to agentic commerce—asking whether people will fully trust AI agents to spend their money and what safeguards need to be in place to make that leap possible. Margaret and Paul also look ahead at how agentic payments will transform the consumer experience over the next few years, what role American Express will play as AI agents become the primary transaction interface, and what other agentic AI innovations are in the pipeline at Amex. Tune in to hear how one of the world's leading payment networks is building the infrastructure for an AI-agent-driven future of commerce. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT FINTECH FUTURES FinTech Futures is the #1 provider of global fintech news and intelligence. With a mission to empower the financial technology community, we bring you the latest updates and thought leadership from across the industry. From startups to established players, we cover the entire fintech ecosystem. Stay Connected with FinTech Futures: Visit our website: www.fintechfutures.com Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/fintechfutures/ Sign up to our newsletter: www.fintechfutures.com/newsletter Subscribe to our channel: www.youtube.com/@FinTechFutures

Phil Goldfeder runs the American Fintech Council, the trade group representing nearly 170 fintech and banking companies. Before that he advised Chuck Schumer and Michael Bloomberg, served in elected office, and helped steer Cross River through the Paycheck Protection Program, where a bank with six or seven billion dollars in assets made as many loans as Chase and Bank of America.In this episode, Reggie Young talks with Phil about how policy actually gets made and changed. They cover the lessons he took from Bloomberg and Schumer, what it was like inside Cross River during PPP, how a trade group turns 170 members with different interests into workable positions, why relationships with regulators get built in rooms rather than in filings, and the window he sees for durable policy work over the months ahead.Fintech Layer Cake is powered by Lithic, financial infrastructure that helps teams build better card and payments products for consumers and businesses.Chapters: 00:00 – Cold open: know what you know 00:12 – Meet Phil Goldfeder: Schumer, Bloomberg, Cross River, AFC 01:16 – What Bloomberg taught him about getting things done 03:16 – What Schumer taught him about time and showing up 04:33 – Inside Cross River when PPP hit 05:46 – "We have a responsibility to serve": the CEO's call 08:30 – Out-loaning the giants: a $7B bank matching Chase 09:39 – How a fintech actually advocates for policy change 11:52 – AFC as the nucleus: connecting companies, states, and regulators 14:13 – Who counts as a policymaker 15:21 – The high schoolers who changed his vote 19:01 – Managing 170 members who don't agree 19:48 – Flipping the compromise: everyone walks away a winner 21:04 – The compliance officer and the FDIC in the same room 23:13 – Banks want integrity, fintechs want speed, both can win 25:03 – Why friendly administrations don't guarantee progress 26:41 – The six-to-eight-month window to build things that last 29:36 – Consent orders as a step toward stronger companies 30:40 – Where to find AFCNothing in this podcast should be construed as legal or financial advice.Subscribe for new episodes every other Wednesday. If you enjoy the show, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help more people in fintech find it.

What if every door that ever opened for you started with a message you almost didn't send? In this episode, Susanne Sandler, SVP and GM of Fintech at Mews, a $2.5 billion global hotel technology company, shares how a bold application as a college sophomore led her into the office of the CFO of Merrill Lynch, and how a cold message to a keynote speaker years later led to six years working alongside the future CEO of Booking Holdings. Susanne runs the fintech division at Mews, which accounts for 75% of company revenue. But the principles that drive how she leads trace back to two men who saw her potential before she did, and to one simple belief: you miss 100% of the shots you don't take.   [00:03:48] What She Does and Who She Serves SVP and GM of Fintech at Mews, a $2.5 billion global vertical SaaS company Mews calls itself the operating system for modern hotels Runs the fintech business, which is about 75% of company revenue [00:04:30] Who Mews Serves Serves everything from small mom and pop hotels to large global chains Partnerships with Best Western, Choice, and the Asian American Hotel Owners Association AHOA members make up about 60% of US hotels [00:05:30] What Inspires Her Travel is where people have their most memorable experiences Most people name a trip when asked about their best moments of the year Mews removes the manual work so hotels can focus on the guest experience [00:06:48] How She Got Here Started her career in financial services and investing in financial companies Won her undergraduate business plan competition and launched a tech startup in New York The last 12 to 13 years have been focused on travel tech and fintech Says she feels lucky every day doing work that combines both passions [00:08:17] Client Impact: The Multi-Currency Win Launched a product letting hotels offer FX services to guests Guests can lock in their price in their own currency Hotels now earn markup revenue that previously went to banks and card networks Some hotels cover the full cost of all their Mews services from this product alone [00:10:52] AI at Mews: Thoughtful, Not Trendy Building a semantic data layer combining guest, property, and payments data The goal is better insights and experiences, not just cutting headcount Early results from the approach have been incredible [00:12:11] The Vision for Fintech at Mews Wants to build a holistic financial suite for hotels Expanding beyond payments into accounts, loans, and supplier payments Everything is deeply embedded and connected to hotel data [00:13:27] Why Hospitality Is Underserved Hotels have seasonal cash flow that banks struggle to understand Mews holds all bookings data plus a revenue management system That gives a full forward-looking picture of the business Underwriting becomes far easier than a bank reading old financial statements [00:15:08] The First Relationship That Changed Everything Saw an internship posting at NYU Stern for the CFO of Merrill Lynch Assumed it couldn't be the real CFO; applied anyway Walked in thinking worst case she meets someone impressive, best case she gets the job A short-term role became over two years with growing hours and responsibility [00:17:54] What She Learned from Him Finding people who believe in you and see your potential is everything Learned resilience by working under constant high-pressure stakes He was precise and held her fully accountable for her numbers People still compliment her composure; she credits that early training [00:20:24] Treating Every Human with Respect Watched him treat the person cleaning his office the same as a head of state He did it because it was right, not for gain That taught her the kind of person she wanted to become as she grew senior [00:21:31] How He Set Her Up After College He opened doors to meetings with teams across Merrill Lynch She still had to prove herself and work the grueling hours Landed a role investing in equity, debt, and early fintech companies That first role set the tone for the next 20 years [00:25:02] What Makes Mentorship Actually Work Both sides have to invest in the relationship Assigned mentorships often fail; organic ones tend to succeed Nobody owes you anything; it is all give and take [00:26:13] The Second Relationship: Glenn Fogel Saw Glenn deliver a keynote at a conference in 2013 and was blown away He told the story of rebuilding Priceline after the dot-com crash The company is now Booking Holdings with a $135 billion market cap [00:28:18] The Cold Message That Changed Her Career Reached out just to tell him the presentation was incredible He responded, they talked, and he ended up hiring her She worked with him and his team for over six years [00:29:08] What She Learned from Glenn Got a front row seat as he became CEO of Booking Holdings in 2017 Was handed some of the most critical projects for the business Learned what leadership looks like at the highest level Left only because she had learned enough to run a company at IAC [00:31:26] You Miss 100% of the Shots You Don't Take For every story that worked, there are hundreds that went nowhere She repeats the Gretzky line whenever imposter syndrome shows up There is almost no downside to taking the shot [00:33:10] Why Glenn Still Makes Time Even as a global CEO, he finds time for people who reach out He has never become overconfident or self-important He continues supporting people who did right by him Relationships become exponentially more valuable as both people grow   KEY QUOTES "Finding those people who believe in you and see potential in you, I would say, is so important." - Susanne Sandler "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. I say that to myself a lot when I'm like, well, what's the point?" - Susanne Sandler "That's how we all give back, and that's how we all create this great karma in the world and support each other." - Susanne Sandler CONNECT WITH SUSANNE SANDLER Website: https://www.mews.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susannegreenfield   Thanks for tuning in! If you liked my show, please LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW, like, and subscribe! Find me on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeart Radio | Stitcher

Au programme :Comment Jérôme gère sa chaîne YouTube « NowTech » aujourd'hui, et à quel point les choses ont changé ces dernières années.Liens :Nowtech, la chaîne YouTube de Jérôme https://www.youtube.com/@NowtechVidéo « Et si les États-Unis nous débranchent ? » https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ5bvYOGIroRDV Tech 494 – Spécial : Portrait de Jérôme Keinborg (janvier 2023) https://frenchspin.fr/2023/01/rdv-tech-494-special-portrait-de-jerome-keinborg/Infos :Animé par Patrick Beja (Bluesky, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok).Co-animé par Jérôme Keinborg (Bluesky).Produit par Patrick Beja (LinkedIn) et Fanny Cohen Moreau (LinkedIn).Musique libre de droit par Daniel BejaLe Rendez-vous Tech épisode 677 – Spécial : La réalité des YouTubers aujourd'hui---Liens :Soutien :

Glen catches up with Finovate's Greg Palmer to preview September's NYC Demo Parade and the evolution in the startup ecosystem he's noted. Also- the Fiserv Follies extends its run, and how CLARITY and credit cards suddenly became tied at the hip.   Links related to this episode:   Finovate Fall, September 9-11 in New York City: https://informaconnect.com/finovatefall/    Use code BIG20 for a 20% discount on Finovate registration: https://informaconnect.com/finovatefall/purchase/select-package/?vip_code=BIG20    Our recent interview with CUltivate AI CEO (and Finovate rookie demoer) Anthony Volpe: https://www.big-fintech.com/can-credit-unions-collaborative-superpowers-extend-to-ai/    CU Today on Sens. Lummis and Moreno's sudden addition as CCCA sponsors: https://www.cutoday.info/THE-feature/Lummis-Moreno-Join-Credit-Card-Competition-Act-As-Interchange-Threat-Grows    Fiserv's Q2 earnings and fiscal 2026 outlook, in its own words and that of its hometown paper: https://investors.fiserv.com/news-releases/news-release-details/fiserv-reports-second-quarter-2026-results  https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/business/2026/08/06/fiserv-reports-quarterly-earnings-miss-in-first-report-under-new-ceo/91194333007/      Mark your calendar to join us Wednesday August 19 at 3pm ET/Noon PT for our next CU Town Hall. Our guest speaker will be Brian Ley, whose new venture VerifyDial takes a fresh approach to scam detection by deploying a 411-style national phone line free of charge to community FIs. The Town Hall is free to attend as well, but advance registration is required. Come prepared for a lively discussion!  https://www.cutownhall.com/    Check out the Innovation Club- a curated group of credit union tech, data and strategy leaders that meets virtually each month- and twice a year in person- to extend their R&D budgets and collaborate on tangible solutions to the latest challenges. Learn more to see if you're a fit and if so, request a guest pass: https://www.big-fintech.com/innovation-club/    Follow us on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/   https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/  https://www.linkedin.com/n/glensarvady/

In this episode, Lex chats with Srini Krish — Co-Head of Financial Solutions at Fiserv, one of the original fintechs, in business for nearly five decades and sitting at the intersection of commerce and banking. Lex and Srini discuss how Fiserv acts as the technology backbone for 5,000+ US banks and credit unions that lack the wherewithal to match JPMorgan or Wells Fargo on their own, and how the firm is packaging AI into that distribution layer through Agent OS and partnerships with OpenAI and Anthropic. Srini lays out his four-bucket framework for enterprise AI - better client service, internal productivity, AI embedded in products, and a platform banks can use to build their own agents - and explains why money demands deterministic outcomes rather than probabilistic guesses, keeping a human in the middle as commercial loan underwriting compresses from weeks to hours. They explore the competitive race against challengers like Mercury and Ramp, the mainframe that has outlived thirty years of obituaries, and where power sits between the AI labs and their distribution channels once inference commoditizes. NOTABLE DISCUSSION POINTS: MIPS became tokens. Srini frames the whole AI shift through continuity: engineers once measured effectiveness by MIPS consumed and how often they compiled code; today the metric is token consumption. Same discipline of doing more with minimal resource, thirty years apart. Money forces determinism. Probabilistic outputs are fine for many tasks but unacceptable for balances - a figure 1% or 5% off is a failure, it has to be right every time. So Fiserv's Agent OS rollout starts with non-real-time, human-in-the-middle use cases and only graduates toward autonomy and eventually customer-built agents. It's a crawl-walk-run path, and Fiserv says it's clearly still crawling. The moat is distribution, not model access. Fiserv's 5,000+ banks and credit unions can't engage OpenAI or Anthropic directly at scale, so Fiserv becomes the platform that packages agentic workflows - turning commercial loan decisions from a multi-week process into hours, with the auditability and observability those institutions could never build alone. TOPICS Fintech, Fiserv, EmbeddedFinance, AgenticAI, EnterpriseAI, Banking, Payments, DigitalBanking, CommunityBanks, FinancialInfrastructure, AIAgents, OpenAI, Anthropic, ClaudeCode, JPMorganChase, FirstData, Mercury, Ramp, Plaid   ABOUT THE FINTECH BLUEPRINT

This episode is part of our Embedded Finance Podcast Series, exploring the strategies, opportunities and challenges shaping the future of embedded finance. The series is leading up to Embedify '26, the Embedded Finance Summit for vertical SaaS leaders, taking place October 13 in Lehi, Utah. To learn more visit embedify2026.com. In this episode I sat down with Conn Byrne, Executive Director of Integrated Payments at Payroc, to get practical about what embedded payments and embedded finance really mean for vertical SaaS leaders who want to scale without burning engineering time.We dig into Conn's three-part framework for making embedded finance work in the real world: the cardholder and merchant experience (where retention is won or lost), the developer experience (how fast your team can integrate and customize), and the partnership experience (what happens after launch when something breaks, priorities shift, or you need roadmap clarity). Along the way, we talk about what's driving demand right now, from private equity expectations to the explosion of AI-built software platforms that can enter a vertical overnight.We also map the natural product path after embedded payments: lending built on payment data, banking capabilities that improve funding speed and reduce fees, and add-ons like payroll that can turn your platform into a true operating system for your customers. If you're evaluating an integrated payments partner, planning a migration, or trying to decide how far to go beyond payments, this conversation gives you a grounded checklist and a longer-term view.And a special thanks to Payroc for being a supporting sponsor at the summit this year. 

El episodio 122 llegó con secretos, conspiraciones y oportunidades que nadie está viendo.Arrancamos con el Mundial. Lucas no puede aceptar que Argentina jugó mal y eligió creer en todas las teorías conspirativas. La más elaborada: un pacto entre Infantino, la UEFA y los Kushner donde Argentina se dejó perder a cambio de no sancionar a la AFA y darle el negocio de la FIFA a un nuevo vehículo de inversión valuado en 20 billones. La lógica detrás de Thrive, el fondo de Kushner, es fascinante: creen que con AI el mundo digital se va a saturar y el futuro está en las experiencias en vivo. Deportes y conciertos primero.Después viene el dato que nadie dice en voz alta: una de las fintechs más grandes y conocidas de Latinoamérica hace una parte importante de su plata con apuestas online y pornografía. Está vista como una fintech innovadora. El negocio real es otro.También hablamos de la ronda semilla más grande de la historia de LatAm: 85 millones de dólares para Decade Wealth, fundada por el ex-CTO de Nubank, con Benchmark como lead. Un movimiento que apuesta a democratizar la banca privada en la región donde históricamente fue terrible.Luego el debate sobre emprender después de los 50. Jeff Dean, empleado número 30 de Google y responsable de DeepMind, Gemini y TensorFlow durante 27 años, acaba de anunciar que se va a emprender. La conclusión: los mejores emprendedores de 50 son los que llegaron al máximo en su campo, no los que recién arrancan.Mickey Malka, uno de los inversores más importantes de LatAm, publicó su nueva tesis de inversión de 40 páginas. Su diagnóstico: el mundo se quedó sin energía para soportar la AI. Su apuesta: generación, almacenamiento, traslado y comercialización de energía son el próximo gran mercado. El mismo que fue fintech, ahora va por la energía.Cerramos con 7 oportunidades concretas que AI está abriendo para emprender: soledad, desconexión, longevidad, nuevas necesidades de la vejez, micromercados ultra específicos y el tiempo libre que la AI va a generar. Una lista para guardarse.

Drop us a message!Today's customers don't meet your brand in one place… they experience it across dozens of moments, from landing pages and product interfaces to emails and error messages.So how do you make every interaction feel coherent, intentional, and human?In this episode, we're speaking with Dale Anne, Creative Lead at Canva, to see how brands can leverage multiple touchpoints to build an emotional connection with their audience.Want to be featured on the pod? Drop us a voice note on Instagram at @GiraffeSM.About Giraffe Social's Social in 10 PodcastGiraffe Social is a multi-disciplined digital marketing agency specialising in social media marketing based on the South Coast of the United Kingdom. We work with a wide range of industries, spanning from Fintech and L&D, to Beauty and Retail.Social in 10 is a weekly podcast about all things digital marketing. We discuss all the things social media managers want to know, including the latest platform updates, emerging trends, campaign ideas, and best practices to help you stay ahead of the curve. Whether you're managing multiple clients or growing your brand in-house, each episode is packed with actionable insights… all delivered in under ten minutes.Hosted by the Giraffe Social team, this is your fast, fun, no-fluff guide to making sense of social. New episodes every week, so tune in and level up your marketing game!

Ryan Belanger — Founder & CEO, Claro Advisors Most firms are adding AI to existing workflows. Ryan Belanger chose a different path, acquiring a fintech company and rebuilding Claro Advisors around an AI-native platform. He explains why he believes the future belongs to firms that rethink how they operate, not just the tools they use. In Summary Most firms view AI as another technology investment. Ryan Belanger sees it as a business strategy. Louis sits down with the Founder & CEO of Claro Advisors to discuss why his $1.5 billion RIA acquired a fintech company, built an AI-native operating platform, and believes the firms that gain the biggest advantage won't simply adopt new technology—they'll rethink how their businesses are built. The conversation also explores the broader philosophy behind that decision. Ryan shares why he's consistently chosen unconventional paths—from recruiting younger advisors and embracing a partnership model built around ownership to investing in proprietary technology instead of relying on third-party solutions. For advisors, the bigger question isn't simply how AI will change their workflow. It's how it may change what it takes to build a durable, differentiated advisory firm. The Storyline Every generation of wealth management has been shaped by a different competitive advantage. For some, independence paved the way to build unique branding and a bespoke client experience. Inorganic growth and M&A gave many firms access to scale and growth. Today, many believe the next advantage will come from artificial intelligence. But simply adopting AI may not be enough. Ryan Belanger has spent his career challenging conventional thinking. He left Morgan Stanley in 2012, well before independence became mainstream. He built Claro Advisors by investing in younger advisors instead of competing for established producers. He embraced a partnership model centered on advisor ownership rather than restrictive employment structures. And when AI began reshaping the industry, he made another unconventional decision: instead of licensing another technology platform, Claro acquired a fintech company and built its own AI-native operating system. Louis explores the reasoning behind each decision and the philosophy that connects them. Ryan explains why he believes proprietary technology will become a defining competitive advantage, how Claro's AI platform, Claire, is changing advisor workflows, and why the biggest opportunity isn't replacing advisors; it's giving them more time to do the work clients value most. The conversation also tackles practical questions facing every advisory firm: how to integrate AI responsibly, where human judgment continues to matter most, and why the firms best positioned for the future may be the ones willing to redesign their businesses instead of simply adding another layer of technology. Topics Covered AI-native advisory firms Acquiring a fintech versus licensing technology Building proprietary advisor technology Advisor productivity and workflow automation Recruiting and developing younger advisors 1099 partnership model and advisor autonomy Enterprise building and long-term differentiation AI governance and advisor trust The future of wealth management technology > Download a transcript of this episode… Listen and Learn Highlights for Advisors Why did Ryan launch independently long before it became common? (7:30) Ryan explains why leaving Morgan Stanley in 2012 wasn't simply about independence—it was about creating a better business model while betting on himself. Why recruit emerging advisors instead of established producers? (15:00) Ryan shares why investing in younger advisors has become one of Claro's greatest competitive advantages and succession strategies. Why would an RIA buy a technology company? (23:45) Rather than licensing another platform, Ryan explains why Claro acquired NDVR to build proprietary technology that could fundamentally change advisor workflows. How does Claire actually help advisors day-to-day? (33:00) From meeting preparation and client follow-up to portfolio management and workflow automation, Ryan walks through how AI is saving advisors meaningful time. Will AI replace advisors—or make them better? (36:30) Ryan discusses where AI belongs, where human advice remains essential, and why he believes technology should enhance – not replace – the advisor relationship. What does the advisory firm of the future look like? (38:20) Ryan shares his long-term view of how AI, proprietary technology, and advisor expectations will reshape wealth management over the next decade. Key Takeaways Ryan believes firms that build AI into the foundation of their businesses will create greater long-term differentiation than those simply adding new software. Claro's acquisition of a fintech company reflects a strategy of owning core technology rather than relying exclusively on third-party vendors. AI is most valuable when it eliminates administrative work, allowing advisors to spend more time serving clients. Recruiting younger advisors and investing in long-term talent has become a defining part of Claro's growth strategy. Advisor autonomy, equity participation, and technology can create stronger retention than restrictive employment models. Human relationships remain central to wealth management, even as AI becomes increasingly capable. The firms that adapt fastest may be those willing to rethink their operating model—not just their technology stack. https://youtu.be/7XvSXi0PzXI Quotable Moments “I wanted to build something that was integrated instead of just layering another tool on top.” “We're trying to make really good advisors become super advisors.” “Clients still want advice from a person—but they're going to expect that person to know how to use AI.” “The firms that win won't necessarily be the ones using the most technology. They'll be the ones building differently.” FAQs Why did Claro Advisors acquire a fintech company? Ryan believed owning proprietary technology would create greater long-term differentiation than licensing another collection of third-party tools. What is Claire by Claro? Claire is Claro Advisors' AI-powered chief of staff, designed to automate advisor workflows, prepare meetings, organize client information, and streamline operational tasks. How is Claro using AI differently than many RIAs? Rather than layering AI onto multiple disconnected applications, Claro built an integrated operating platform where AI has access to the advisor's workflow, planning, portfolio, and client information. Will AI replace financial advisors? Ryan believes AI will automate much of the administrative work advisors perform today, but that clients—particularly those with more complex needs—will continue to value human advice and relationships. How does Claro recruit advisors? The firm emphasizes advisor ownership, partnership, equity participation, technology, and operational support instead of relying primarily on acquisition-based recruiting models. What does Ryan believe will differentiate advisory firms in the future? He believes proprietary technology, integrated AI, and the ability to improve advisor productivity will become increasingly important competitive advantages. Ryan believed owning proprietary technology would create greater long-term differentiation than licensing another collection of third-party tools. Claire is Claro Advisors' AI-powered chief of staff, designed to automate advisor workflows, prepare meetings, organize client information, and streamline operational tasks. Rather than layering AI onto multiple disconnected applications, Claro built an integrated operating platform where AI has access to the advisor's workflow, planning, portfolio, and client information. Ryan believes AI will automate much of the administrative work advisors perform today, but that clients—particularly those with more complex needs—will continue to value human advice and relationships. The firm emphasizes advisor ownership, partnership, equity participation, technology, and operational support instead of relying primarily on acquisition-based recruiting models. He believes proprietary technology, integrated AI, and the ability to improve advisor productivity will become increasingly important competitive advantages. Related Resources Why AI Matters Now: Filling the Estate Planning Gap with Wealth.com Emotional Intelligence: The “Untouchable” Differentiator in an AI World Diamond Consultants Annual Advisor Transition Report Ryan BelangerChief Executive Officer & Founder Ryan founded Claro Advisors in 2012 after seven years at Morgan Stanley. He named the company after a Latin phrase “to make clear in the mind.” All Claro advisors strive to give their clients clarity and transparency, core tenants of the firm. Claro is continuously recognized within industry for its growth and thought leadership. In 2004, Ryan received a BA in Economics from The College of the Holy Cross and in 2009, he earned the Certified Financial Planner™ distinction. He is most proud of his philanthropic activity. Along with his wife Rachel, they started a foundation that raises money for genetic research in the name of their late daughter, Bella. Their focus is on extreme rare disease. Ryan resides in Boston’s Back Bay with his wife Rachel and their three children. He enjoys exercising, golfing, reading and spending time with his family. He has been featured in numerous magazines and industry publications and is regularly on television sharing his market thoughts. NOTE: The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Diamond Consultants. Neither Diamond Consultants nor the guests on this podcast are compensated in any way for their participation. View the transcript of this episode… Why AI Matters Now: How a $1.5B RIA is Building the Firm of the Future A conversation with Louis Diamond and Ryan Belanger, Founder & CEO of Claro Advisors.      Louis Diamond: Welcome to the latest episode of our podcast series for financial advisors. Today’s episode is Why AI Matters Now: How a $1.5B RIA is Building the Firm of the Future. It’s a conversation with Ryan Belanger, the Founder and CEO of Claro Advisors. I’m Louis Diamond, and this is the Diamond Podcast for Financial Advisors. Mindy Diamond: At Diamond Consultants, we help elite advisors identify the right environment for their businesses to thrive, whether that’s at a wirehouse, boutique, or independent firm. With nearly three decades of experience, we’ve guided thousands of advisors and represented more than a quarter of a trillion dollars in assets transitioned. And each year, one in four advisors managing a billion dollars or more who change firms are our clients. Our process is education driven, and based on building relationships, starting as your strategic partner well before you’re even thinking of a move. To schedule a confidential conversation, call us at (908) 879-1002. Wondering why advisors change firms and where they’re headed? Are transition deals going up or down? Those very questions and more inspired us to create our annual Advisor Transition Report. It’s the award-winning data-driven resource designed for advisors that connects the dots between the motivations around movement and the firm’s appetite for top talent. Arm yourself with the knowledge you need to make smart decisions. Download your copy at diamond-consultants.com/transitionreport. Louis Diamond: Artificial intelligence has quickly become one of the biggest topics in wealth management in the world. Almost every firm is experimenting with new tools, looking for ways to automate tasks, improve efficiency, or help advisors serve clients more effectively. But what if AI isn’t just another technology to plug into your business? What if it becomes the foundation for how your business is built? That’s exactly why I wanted to have Ryan Belanger on the show. Ryan is the Founder and CEO of Claro Advisors, a billion and a half dollar RIA that’s taken a very different path than most firms in the industry. Rather than simply adding AI to an existing tech stack, Claro acquired a FinTech company and is building its own AI native operating system designed specifically for advisors. What’s interesting is that this isn’t really a conversation about software, it’s about strategy. Ryan has consistently gone against the grain from leaving Morgan Stanley to launch an independent firm in 2012 before it became commonplace, to recruiting younger advisors when others chased established producers, to betting that proprietary technology will become one of the biggest competitive advantages an advisory firm can have. If AI is going to reshape wealth management, and I think it will, the firms that benefit most may not be the ones using the most tools. They may be the ones rethinking how the entire business operates. Ryan shares what that looks like in practice, what he’s seeing from advisors today, and why he believes the next generation of advisory firms will look fundamentally different from the firms we’ve known over the last two decades. There’s a lot to cover, so let’s get to it. Ryan, thanks for joining us today. Ryan Belanger: Yeah, nice to see you. Louis Diamond: You too, good to see you again. For those who aren’t familiar with you and your firm Claro, why don’t you walk us through your background and how you found your way into the industry to set the table. Ryan Belanger: Yeah, sounds good. So background was after college, I got a job at Morgan Stanley. I’d done an internship while in college and that gentleman, Morgan Dewey, said you should look at the Morgan Stanley. So I applied, got a job immediately, and just a couple weeks after graduating, I began as a financial advisor in a training program at Morgan Stanley and spent a good amount of time there and was able to develop skills necessary that really I had all along just growing up, a lot of entrepreneurial spirit I think is important in this business, how to relate to people, some competitiveness. I just happened to luck out and get into a profession that rewarded some of those skill sets. Louis Diamond: I’d say it was the right choice for you. So I think you started at Morgan Stanley in 2004. You were 21, 22 years old, just cutting your teeth, but the financial crisis happens a handful of years later. So what was it like being a relative newbie and seeing client accounts falling, the world crumbling every day? What did living through that crash teach you that’s shaped how you’ve built your business or serve clients now? Ryan Belanger: I did learn a tremendous amount at Morgan Stanley and I do still tell people if they’re looking to start at a big shop with big training programs and resources and really try to figure out what you like and then you can go off and get more specialized. But I do feel like it was a great place to get trained. They would post how many cold calls we were making every day. So on the board every morning you’d walk in and say, “Okay, where did you fall?” And I’m a competitive person, and I just want to make sure I was first every single day. So it was those type of things that really propelled me to keep interested in this business but also see the benefits. It’s really hard to get clients and that’s what people underestimate the most is to build the level of trust with someone that they’ll allow you to manage their retirement nest egg is it takes time. And I was 22, I looked really young, I had no experience, but I was fortunate to have two great mentors at Morgan Stanley, a gentleman named Todd Wetzel. He was brilliant at developing relationships, really caring for people. And then the gentleman that I had done an internship with went to Morgan Stanley as well, and he allowed me to work on some small accounts and really cut my teeth with some customers. And I was very fortunate to have done that, but you’d asked about the crash, and I think what I learned from that when people were literally weeping when their account values were down by 50%, 60% was that money is really emotional, and you have to understand how much it means to people, it’s not just the number on your screen. So having some empathy towards someone who’s really in a period of distress is now a critical skill that those of us have been around for this long understand. And there’s a whole generation, Louis, of advisors that have never experienced a real bear market, and I do fear for them at some point because when you go through that, it really changes the perspective that you have. But for me, it happened, I was four or five years into the business at that point, so I’m thankful that it happened just for my own personal development and I’ll never forget it. Louis Diamond: Yeah. Things have a way of happening for a reason and then the best advisors, best humans, they learn from them, and they’re better off for it. You’re very much right. I like that perspective about how the empathy around the emotions of money was something that you still carry and wear as a badge of honor today. So you left Morgan Stanley in 2012. I think you were 30 years old I read. One, that’s very young to consider leaving a firm like that nonetheless to go independent when in 2012, it wasn’t like everyone was going independent. There weren’t as many infrastructure providers or tech vendors or as much capital available as there is today. It definitely wasn’t a path that was as well-worn as it was. So two-part question, what pushed you to leave the firm presumably without a huge book of business? And second part, how’d you think about risk and reward at that age? Ryan Belanger: Yeah, what drove me was ultimately I felt like I was not seeing the value from the firm I was at, Morgan Stanley at the time. They were just taking an exorbitant amount of the revenue I felt. And I would see product managers strolling through and going to steak dinners, and I’m thinking, geez, I’m here every night on weekends. I’m busting my butt, and I should be creating more value to myself. And so that was one kind of thing. And I think there was a right level of naivete just to think that I could pull this off. I did believe that I had a small number of clients. I was hopeful that they would come because I had to hit a minimum for the custodian platform to start the RIA, which I was able to do. But I felt that they would come with me and that I had developed enough trust with them that I could be their advisor for a long time. And so for me, it felt like the technology wasn’t great. I was just told the mother-in-law is an expression. She says to my kids sometimes, “You get what you get and you don’t get upset.” Have you heard that expression? Louis Diamond: I have. My daughter reads a book where that line is repeated frequently. Ryan Belanger: Yeah, okay. So that’s how I felt then. I was like, “This is what you have and deal with it.” And to me, it just felt like there had to be a better way, but I didn’t have any capital backing, so I bootstrapped it. I Craigslisted an office from an estate planning attorney. I cold called Fidelity at the time they were our only custodian. I called to get some compliance help and I just thought that there’d be other people that would want to join. I named the firm, it’s a Latin phrase, it’s Claro Advisors, and it means to make clear in the mind. And I felt like not only was I trying to do that for clients, but I was trying to push advisors to challenge the norms here. There are other solutions out there. So I purposefully did put my name on it, I knew that there’d be other people that might feel the same way. I’ve always been a team sport guy. I like being around other people and collaborating. And I did have a good friend and credit to him. He said, “If you put this together, I’ll come with you.” And so just a couple weeks after I did, we talked and I said, “It’s up and running.” He came and Dana was our first, he’s still with us. And then a couple of months later, another guy I used to work with called and said, “Hey, I’m at this bank, and it looks like what you’ve done is interesting.” And I said, “We like it if you’d like to give it a try.” And so he came, his name’s Mike. He’s still with us. And so teams started to get put together. But I met someone in 2014, so I was two years in at that point and I was doing legitimately everything, not only as an advisor, but just all the stuff that you have to do to run the business. And it was becoming too much, especially the compliance. And I think nowadays starting an RIA, the threshold is so much higher. That’s why you see better than anyone else. You just see a lot more tuck-ins. But Jen Street was someone that I met and she really allowed me to catapult the business and scale it, so she took over all the operations and compliance and that really freed me up to be an advisor. And I really was just an advisor moonlighting as someone running. I would recruit a little bit or just be introductions, very soft. All that has changed based on what we’ve done in the last couple of years. Louis Diamond: Amazing. So thinking about risk spectrum, obviously now if you look back and say, “Hey, I had 30 million or whatever it was, I didn’t have anything to lose.” Right? But when you’re in it and you had income, you had recurring revenue, you had a paycheck versus the dynamic of, “I’m going to incur a bunch of expenses. I’m not positive who’s going to come with me. I’m not going to have a paycheck for a period of time.” Did the fact that your business was relatively small and you were just getting up and running, do you think it made it easier for you to reconcile that risk, or in some ways it was harder because your dispersion, if someone didn’t come, was that much higher? Ryan Belanger: I think it was easier for me, I knew I could always go to another firm. They would take me and whatever clients I had. I did it at a time when I had little personal risk, no kids, no mortgage. I didn’t have a wife at that point. So for me, it felt like the right time to take a risk. And I had been entrepreneurial in my life. I mean, I had a business in high school and my parents and grandparents were entrepreneurial. So that was in me, even if I didn’t really recognize it, was that I was okay with a good level of risk. And I do say this now to anyone that I’m hoping to partner with is that if you want to bet on yourself, I’ll go all in on you too. But you’ve got to be able to take that jump. I won’t let you fail, but you’ve got to be the one. I think that inertia is what a lot of advisors are like, “Geez, I don’t know, I got to give something up.” And that’s why the data’s important and you have all the data. The clients overwhelmingly go with the advisor. These days it’s just much harder to try to establish a new relationship with a trusted advisor than it is to just DocuSign some forms and move your account somewhere. So to me, it’s just trying to support people, and really push them to the edge and say, “No, this is possible. You should definitely explore this.” And I get it’s totally different, and you might be at a different life stage, but you know the numbers. I mean, tens of thousands of advisors are moving every year and not all of them have a small book like I did when I did it. Louis Diamond: Right, exactly. On one hand, making this entrepreneurial move as early in your career as you did, it was a benefit, right? Because you didn’t have as much to lose, like you said, the stage of life you’re in allowed you to absorb more risk. On the other end of the spectrum, if someone who has a massive business with immense value, they’re well situated financially, maybe their kids are through college, et cetera. And then most people are somewhere in the middle. So it’s interesting hearing that dynamic in real time. Let’s talk about Claro today. So you launched the business, like you said, you had to work hard to meet a minimum custodial threshold. So started from a very small base in 2012, but where is it today as far as assets, team size? Just give us some stats or perspective on what you’ve built in the last decade and a half or so. Ryan Belanger: Yeah, sure. So we enjoyed a tremendous amount of organic growth, Louis. We are not capital-backed. We don’t buy books of businesses, so I would recruit or partner with advisors that were coming from all the various places that you could think of that were finding us to be a very friendly place to work where you had a high level of autonomy, freedom, control, just great economics. We stayed out of people’s ways. We were just good people trying to help other good people, and it was just that friendly environment that allowed us to grow. And of course, we can’t discount market. I think markets had a tremendous growth for everybody in the business. And so the business as it stands right now, we’re about 1.5 billion in assets, 15 to 20 advisors. We got a 40-person team based primarily at a Boston headquarter, but we have advisors all over. And I think as we’ll get to, we’ve just gone through a really exciting new chapter for us where the next 15 years are going to look a lot different than the previous 15 years. Louis Diamond: Very cool. That’s amazing, and I’m in the recruiting businesses and doing recruiting yourself, it’s not easy to tell your story, get in front of the right people, the right like-minded people too, who are willing to take the leap to you, especially if you don’t have the capital backing and you can’t pay big deals or write big checks like others could, so that’s a massive testament to you and your vision. I know the average age of an advisor at Claro is around 40, yet the average advisor in the industry is 59, 60, 61, depending upon what data source you look at. What do you think you figured out about attracting, training, and really cultivating younger advisors that the rest of the industry either gets wrong or ignores? What’s been your hack in that regard? Ryan Belanger: I’ll just take a chance on people that others might not. And typically what that really means is someone with nothing, I’ll make them a deal and I’ll say, “Look, I believe in you. I think you’d be a great advisor. Let’s work on an arrangement where you feel like you can do this and I’ll support you.” And so our specialty was growing advisors from 20 million or 30 million into hundreds of million of client assets. And some of it was just being willing to look where others wouldn’t possibly want to spend their time. But when I was 22, someone took a chance on me, and so I owe it to the next generation to do that as well because there’s some great talent out there that really just isn’t getting the attention they deserve because they don’t have big books of business yet. But one of my core values is long-term thinking, and so that’s the way I frame my decisions is it doesn’t have to be a win today, but it can be a championship tomorrow or down three or five years from now. And so that’s how I’ve positioned it. I think that’s why we tend to get younger advisors. And then what happens when you get a lot of younger advisors, you have some older advisors say, “Hey, look, that’s an attractive bench of talent. I needed a succession plan. You guys seem to have a bunch of guys and gals that know how to do really great work and serve clients.” But I think that’s probably one of the things that I just was willing to take some chances on people at an earlier stage. Louis Diamond: Yep. I love it. I mean, once again, you said in the beginning, you developed an empathy for the emotional side of money and what people were going through that you carry through to this day. So not losing touch with the fact that you started. I mean, everyone starts in this business at some time, but I feel like once you’re successful or you’re through the first few years, you forget what it was like to be a newbie. So keeping that perspective and appreciation for the mentors you had, et cetera, is great. And honestly, from a business building standpoint, to me in this environment, unless you take on private equity capital, or you have capital from a BD or from a wirehouse behind you for recruiting, it’s really hard to win advisors with large books of business. So going in the blue part of the ocean instead of the red ocean, if anyone’s read that book, is very smart, looking under rocks that others don’t or really buying into or leaning into folks that you see something in that you know you can cultivate is a brilliant way. And it’s honestly more scalable, cheaper, you build a better business as well doing it the way that you do, but still, it’s hard. And my guess is the ROI is shorter. I’m sure you’ve made some hires that don’t pan out. So you have to have the tolerance and the demeanor to really invest in people. So long-winded way to say I love what you’re doing. How much of your recruitment of advisors and the retention of that talent as they become successful would you tie to how you compensate them, or equity if that’s available versus the culture of the firm and the mentorship that you and your team provide? Ryan Belanger: Yeah, I mean I’ll speak to what we’re offering now just because that’s more relevant, and so we are positioning ourselves now as the best home for advisors in the country and we really believe that’s the case, but our problem is we’re just a secret. We’ve just come to the market after our deal and all the technology that I know we’ll talk about. So we’re now marketing this message to advisors that want to partner with us. Economics will help them grow. We have a really interesting growth program. We’ll give them equity and Claro. I firmly believe that we should tie each other, just get in the same boat, so to speak. So our success is their success, but allowing them to operate in a 1099 model, which I know is not a popular strategy. I know everyone wants to buy books and own the assets and own the clients, but I feel there’s a tremendous amount of advisors that do not that probably should not be monetizing their businesses so quickly. And so I’m trying to foster a home for those like-minded advisors that want the autonomy to own their clients, maybe even still have a brand, but partner with a firm that’s got really credible technology, just unbelievable back office support and a firm of the future so that they can grow at 10X to what they could have on their own and then they could monetize. That’s what we’ve tried to put together here with our partnership model. Louis Diamond: Love it. Yeah, I mean it is definitely going against the grain a little bit, leaning into growing a 1099 model versus more of an acquisition model where everyone coming over as W-2s. So do you think about those trade-offs when it comes time to raising capital down the line or if you want to sell the business or even just an advisor wants to leave, that would stink if that happened. How do you think about those trade-offs? The ability to let advisors keep control and ownership. And honestly, in my view, probably win many people that you wouldn’t otherwise versus the stickiness, and the enterprise building abilities of owning the books of business. Ryan Belanger: Yeah, it’s a paradox because I understand why you want to own the client, but that’s a different business model. And frankly, I think it attracts different type of people. I had to really look myself in the mirror a couple years ago. We had enjoyed a tremendous amount of success, high growth and all organic, growing at 30% more per year on a CAGR basis. Nothing could stop us. But what happened was when private equity entered the space, everyone wanted to buy Claro. And to me, it didn’t feel like I did a lot of due diligence. I talked to a lot of firms. I didn’t see any differentiation in the market, Louis. To me from a technology perspective, everyone was doing the same thing. They’re using six to 12 different tools. We all know who they are. And now there’s a bunch of AI tools they’re layering on. And to me, it just didn’t feel like that was going to be any… There was no differentiation in the market. But admittedly, I had a couple of friends who I’d brought in at very low levels of AUMB that wanted to leave. And they said, “Look, I want to go to a firm that has more resources.” And so I had to just make a business decision and say, “Where do I want to take this?” And so it was only after some real adversity because you get emotionally attached to these people that you’ve developed friendships with and they still are friends, no doubt, but they can leave and they’re not captive. So we have to plan for that at Claro now, and I think we’ve got two ways that we’ve done that where it really ties the advisors to us, but in a way where they want to be here because we have something that’s really different. Louis Diamond: I like it. I’m sure we’ll get into that. But before we do, we’ll get into what you’re doing on the technology side, which is very cool and unique. How do you balance being an advisor and being a CEO? And what percentage of your time is advisor versus CEO and has that fluctuated or changed over time? Ryan Belanger: Drastically changed in the last year, two years or so. So the first 10, 12 years, I was really an advisor first and foremost. That’s inverse at this point, I’m strictly running the business. I have a great team here that deals with our clients, and I’ll still attend the client meetings and such, but I’m really laser-focused on running the business, trying to develop new partnerships with advisors, running an engineering team, sales and marketing. So the change for me has definitely occurred, and I’ll miss not keeping up with planning as much. I’m a CFP, but I just recognized that for me, I had to make a clear change and commit all my time to running the business, and so that’s the decision that I’ve made. Louis Diamond: It is a hard balance. I mean, there’s some people that try to do both, run a business, be an advisor, be a rainmaker, and something breaks. You’re not able to give all yourself to one thing. Then there’s others that would much prefer to be an advisor over a business owner. Others who say, “I’m over being an advisor. I want to be a business owner.” So I think the cool thing about doing what you’ve done is you get to choose, right? Some of it might be circumstances, but you really got to decide which elements of the business you personally want to invest your time in. And you really push your chips in the middle of the table. So let’s get into what you did in November of 2025. I read that you acquired a tech company of all things called NDVR. I’ve done this podcast for a while, speak to a ton of people. I can’t really think of anyone, any advisor or RIA that’s actually bought a tech company. So what made you puck the trend, buy a tech company and not just license all the FinTech that’s available today? Ryan Belanger: Yeah, that was the decision I had to make was do I really want to be different, or do I want to just say that I’m different? And so I was fortunate enough to get introduced to a gentleman named Michael Simon about 18 months ago, two years ago. And him and I immediately could see that we were both trying to solve the same problem, and we had perfectly mirrored image skills of one another so I had this deep wealth experience and he had a deep tech experience. And sometimes it’s just about timing in life, about catching someone at the right time. And I think we each caught each other at a really good time where we could see that coming together, we could create something really magical. And this AI wave was cresting. And I could see when I was talking to all the national PE firms or RIA firms about what people wanted to do, no one had quite figured out how AI was going to come into the technology mix, and it appears as though it’s just going to be another add-on tool to everything else. And for me, I wanted to try to build something that was integrated an all- in-one platform for an advisor so they didn’t have to use a ton of different tools. And I thought if you could do that, couldn’t you have AI that’s really much more rich and purposeful to help the clients? And so I felt like here’s an opportunity to elevate financial advice throughout the country, really give the clients all the value. And so what we’ve built allows advisors who are really good advisors to become super advisors because they’ve got this technology cape that no one else has that is allowing them to save a bunch of time and do all these really cool things for their clients. But it just felt like right time, right place. I’d been through a little bit of adversity and I felt like taking another swing just like I did 15 years ago going for it. I’ve really never been averse to risk, and so this felt like it was too good to pass up and so we went for it. Louis Diamond: Interesting. So that makes sense on the build or acquire versus rent dynamic, wanting to own the IP that makes you actually different. What does NDVR actually do? Ryan Belanger: Yeah, so everything’s all integrated. So we’ve kept the Claro Advisors name. We feel like clients really want to know that they’re still getting a person to deliver the advice. And so having the advisor’s name in our brand is important, but we have a Claro Intelligent Hub, and that’s where it’s an AI native operating system for the advisors. They spend their entire day in there, Louis. So they’re not toggling between 10 different Chrome tasks to perform all their business. And so what that allows them to do is not only it’s CRM, calendar, contacts, emails, messages, but we also have all the portfolio information. So trading history and we can do tax loss harvesting and factor-based investing. So we’ve got institutional grade portfolio management, and that’s really what Endeavor had created through their R&D was the hyper-personalized portfolios where you have a customer’s financial plan directly tied to their account. So there’s never any de-linking between the two. It’s really sophisticated technology that we can provide to our clients. So that’s all integrated as well. And so we’ve since continued to build the build upon that layer of integrated proprietary technology. Louis Diamond: It’s very interesting. And we have to imagine part of you maybe now or in the future is, okay, we’ve built this amazing technology mousetrap for our advisors, but do we become a FinTech? Is there any thought of eventually licensing what Endeavor is doing for your business and your clients to other RIAs? How do you think about that dynamic of just building something unique and different for Claro that advisors can latch onto versus making what you and your partners have developed into something that someone else can take and license themselves? Ryan Belanger: Yeah, it’s a fair question. We get it a good amount. While there might be a possibility that we license this to some other businesses, our main goal right now is to keep it captive to RIAs that want to partner with Claro. And so we feel like this gives them a true level of differentiation in the market, and so that’s the approach that we’re taking right now. Being a FinTech company, there’s a lot of different skills. The setup and tear down of getting someone to use the platform and I think all that time and resources we want on sales and marketing to try to attract new advisors and continue to develop just jaw-dropping technology for the existing advisors. Louis Diamond: Very cool. Let’s talk a little bit about your partnership model. So it does sound unique in that you have people that are 1099, but you don’t usually also hear partner. So how does it work? Ryan Belanger: Yeah, so we’re offering advisors to come and use Claro as a back office so you can have your own brand if you want or you can just be a Claro advisor. We have both here and you’ll be a 1099 advisor so you’ll still own the business that you’ve owned. So if you were at a wirehouse or something, you would actually now be creating some enterprise value for yourself. But if you’re an existing REA, you’d be coming to us because you’re tired of doing tech vendor due diligence all the time or you’re tired of the compliance, the AI regulations. That’s just coming. So that’s going to be a huge challenge for REAs, so we’re seeing a lot of interest from REAs saying, “Look, you’re not asking me to give up really anything except the stuff that I hate to do anyway, so this sounds great.” So they partner with us. In return, they get all access to our technology And we’ll provide all the back office support, office space, dedicated resources, planning, everything you could want to have to operate a business. We do have a growth program that’s really interesting. And then we’ve got this equity in Claro. As you’re a partner with Claro, you should get equity so we give stock options to our advisors who are here and every year thereafter. And naturally, that’s a way to stay connected with the advisor. So hopefully they never want to leave, and I do believe that once you experience our technology, you never want to go back to trying to do it the way you were doing it before. Louis Diamond: It’s like instead of building the most enclosed box that you keep people in with sticks and with locks and keys like a lot of firms do, it’s we’re going to keep advisors here, but not by force, but because they have the stock options, because you’re delivering value, because they have this amazing technology. To me, that’s the dynamic that so many firms across the industry get wrong is that they try to keep advisors where they are by restrictive covenants and by fear, and by retribution rather than if we just do good work for people, we add value, we make ourselves indispensable to the advisor. To me, it creates a healthier dynamic. I think firms would actually retain more even if it’s a gentler approach. And I love what you’re doing there. I think it’s the exact right way to think about we have advisors that are 1099, so yeah, they could leave us, but we’re doing things that make it that they don’t want to leave us. And that’s your charge as the owner to create the infrastructure and the structure where people could go out on their own, but there isn’t an advantage to do so. Ryan Belanger: Yeah, I think the culture is a big thing for us. And if you have people here that don’t want to be here, that’s a problem. And I think that’s what you see in a lot of the wirehouses. Frankly, they scare people and they don’t. It’s like, oh my God, if I leave. And for us, it’s like personally, life is too short. I want to work with people that want to work with me. I’ve got other things going on in my life and these things are just work things. And so I want to enjoy being in the office every day with people that want to be here. And if you think you’ve found a different place, you should go explore that. It’s really a soft approach. I know it’s not the most popular approach, but that’s just the style that I have. Louis Diamond: Yeah. I mean, it sounds like the trend in your career and in launching Claro was we’re going to do things that aren’t popular, but that work for us, like hiring younger advisors that may not have a book or have a small book, buying a tech company instead of licensing it, being 1099 when you’re recruiting instead of owning books of business. There’s a series of decisions you’ve made as the business owner that they’ve worked out, they’ve paid off, but they’re definitely against the grain. And I very much respect that. Ryan Belanger: I really have never been afraid to be a little different, and so I think typically you find other people that might be interested, but it’s a big pool out there. There’s 300,000 advisors so there’s something for everyone, which is awesome. Louis Diamond: Totally agree. Let’s get back to the AI platform that you’ve built, or that you’re building. Maybe give a real tangible example. If I’m a Claro advisor, how has my life changed now that I’m using this platform versus before? So the old model was I log in, like you said, to 10 different Chrome tabs. I’m meeting with clients, doing planning, et cetera. What is the day in the life? How does it look different from what an advisor’s actually doing today versus before this platform was rolled out? Ryan Belanger: Yeah. All right. I’ll just give you a couple examples. So a client will send you a request and say, “Louis, I need $25,000.” And so a typical advisor would either write a note down, go drop it off at the CSA’s desk, or maybe forward that email to the CSA and then that person would have to input it into their CRM, and they go perform the task. And then the advisor would want to know where things are in that process so that there’s a lot of back and forth. With our system, Claire, our intelligent chief of staff, AI chief of staff, you just forward that task to tasks@claroadvisors.com. It recognizes the email address that the client is emailing from, it knows the account number. It talks to our portfolio engineer. It knows which account to raise the cash from because it knows the tax jurisdiction, and otherwise, and it performs the task. And the last push of a button is that CSA just moving money from the custodian. So all along the way, the advisor can check on the task and see where it is in the process. It’s beautifully integrated in the intelligent hub, but you could see how that would save a tremendous amount of time and it’s a better customer experience. The mistakes get limited. So it really allows the advisor to get things done at a much higher level. So we’re raising productivity quite a bit. First of all, she’ll establish your meetings, Claire will. So she’ll schedule them for you. She’ll prep them for you. So we have a button, say prep the meeting because we have all the notes, emails. If you’re texting portfolio data, because she has all that information in about 30 to 45 seconds, she’s going to present to the advisor a really nice meeting summary that, “Hey, here’s the things that we should talk about.” She’s going to surface things that the advisor’s forgotten about because she doesn’t forget things. And so she’s prepped the meeting for you, so you’ve saved a couple hours there. She joins the meeting, she takes all of your notes, stores them in the system. She’ll give you a follow-up email. She knows your writing style, so she’ll know that you like to call this client this, and you send these emails typically at this time. And so she’ll deliver a nice follow-up email instantly for the advisor. They click that button, that’s done. So there’s just a lot of things that where she’s efficiency-wise where on 20, 30 hours a week that we’re saving advisors just on the productivity tools alone, so that’s where we’re seeing advisors seeing a ton of value in this. Louis Diamond: It’s very cool. Ryan Belanger: And then there’s a whole portfolio management capabilities, sweeping idle cash and tax loss harvesting and rebalancing that gets done while advisors are having a cup of coffee. They don’t have to think about these things. It just gets done for them. Louis Diamond: It’s so cool because it’s like I think I can conceptualize or think of building in Claude any one of those functionalities for the most part, but the way that the flow of things works and the journey of it is unique. I think every advisor would be interested in that type of promise of saving that much time. So how do you think now in the future, how do you think about the human advisor interaction, and what the human and the advisor will do versus what can be offloaded to AI? Ryan Belanger: Yeah, certainly a lot of the non-client-facing activity can be unloaded and that’s where advisors spend, according to recent studies, almost 60% of their time non-client-facing. So we’re trying to take all that off of their plates for them. We strongly believe clients still want the message to come from a person that has a level of experience and understands them. But at the same point, I think there’s a growing curiosity about, geez, what could it do for me? And so shouldn’t my advisor know how to use it? And so I think you’re seeing a lot of advisors put their head in the sand and say, “I don’t know. I’m just going to hope people don’t really want to use this and adopt it.” They’re a little bit shortsighted there. Our bet is that clients are going to want an advisor that knows how to use tech, has really sophisticated tech, but it isn’t just another tool layered on top that now my data is in that tool. The reason our system is so beautiful and integrated is because it captures everything in a structured and secure way. So all of the compliance is in there. We whitewash all the PII that’s sensitive information, so we’re not layering another tool on, because it’s integrated, we have an AI governance committee that really takes it seriously. How are we using this information? And so we’ve got an approach and we’ve put guardrails around what it can do and what it can’t do. Might there be a generation, Louis, that wants an AI advisor? I don’t know, that could happen. A twin, a digital twin where you say, “Look, I want to talk to Louis.” It’s 10 o’clock at night. He might be in a different time zone than me. He’s got little kids, but I do have this question. And so we’re iterating ideas on how we can surface that for an advisor to be advisable 24/7 without actually having to be available 24/7. Louis Diamond: Seven. It’s amazing to think about. I mean, obviously you’re deeply in this. You have a front row seat into the power of AI, how it’s transforming your business, doing due diligence on acquiring this technology five years from now, 10 years from now, what does the industry look like as a result of AI? What’s your big bet? Ryan Belanger: A lot of the big firms are going to try to figure out how to layer in tech. It’s going to be very difficult to do that. It’s built on extremely old legacy technology. They’ll be slow. They’ll figure out how to do some things. What we’re already seeing from advisors is the wow factor. Wow, I didn’t know this was even possible, and so I think just given our size and where we are, we have an advantage that we can build things from the ground up very quickly. I mean, what used to take an engineer a couple of months or years can be done in a couple of days or weeks, so things have really sped up in terms of the development. It’s much easier to build it than buy it. And so I think you’ll see a lot of firms trying to do what we’ve done, really build proprietary technology. And I think there’ll be a few winners that are able to do that, but being tech forward and aligned with someone who’s thinking about it, I think is what a lot of advisors are going to want to be. That’s the type of firm people would want to partner with, I think. Louis Diamond: What about the dynamic of, like you said, the digital twin thing is equal parts cool as it is terrifying, how do you see, we’ll say the threat of AI impacting the profession of being a financial advisor? Do you look at it as the entire pie is going to grow because everyone’s more efficient? Or do you look at it as it’s going to take out a lot of the advisor capacity we have because it’s no longer necessary? Where do you fall on that spectrum? Ryan Belanger: So robo-advisors came and went, you remember those. I mean, not that they went, but they never took off the way that it was projected. They’re still great businesses, but the human advisor won that battle. Clients do want an advisor, particularly at the higher end, and so I think at the lower end of the market, you’re going to see some AI solutions where people are perfectly comfortable just talking to someone in AI, and they’ll figure out if there’s a hallucinization or not. But I think there’s definitely going to be a market for it, and so I think it just depends on where the clients are and what level of complexity they have. On the higher end, I do feel like the advisors will continue to have a huge advantage there. But we’re building tools to give optionality to advisors. There might be some advisors who say, “Look, I’ll charge half the fee that I used to charge so you can get my digital twin. And that’s a win-win situation for everybody.” Louis Diamond: Yep, that’s fair. So do you look at your competitive ecosystem now? Not for recruiting advisors, let’s say for winning clients. Do you look at Farther and Savvy and different AI or FinTechs as your competition or do you still look at it as the wirehouses and other traditional RIAs? Ryan Belanger: I mean, Farther and Savvy have done a great job of going after this market. I think we’re not as well known yet as they are. We’ve certainly built out what we think is tremendous technology second to none. There’s a huge market of the IBD space that is just these guys and gals are stuck on these old platforms and things are okay, but they’re not super compelled to switch until maybe they see something like this, and so we have a massive pipeline of advisors and I’ve been recruiting for a long time. I’ve never had a pipeline like this. So I know it feels different to me. People really are interested in this. It’s enough for them to want to see tech demos and come visit us and really understand, okay, this is a firm that is challenging what’s possible and that’s someone that maybe I want to be aligned with, and so I think that there’s a lot of places where we can get the talent. And so for us, it’s just trying to find the right people that we want to partner with for the long term. Louis Diamond: Very cool, I got two more questions for you. It’s pretty remarkable that to get from where you started to now, the recruiting you’ve done, buying a FinTech, integrating it, that you still don’t have private equity investor outside capital. So you think it’s on the roadmap, whether it’s a certain size or you’re looking for personal liquidity where the business will just need it because it’s expensive to operate a FinTech platform and to scale up and to keep growing the firm. Do you think there’s a world in which you take on external capital to fuel your growth? Ryan Belanger: Most certainly. I mean, things have developed for us very quickly here, and outside capital and venture particular is a space that we’re actively in discussions with firms that believe in our vision, understand the value that we can create, and there’s just no doubt that you have to have some wind at your back to get to the market, and so while we’re not a household name right now, I’m confident in two years we will be, and our plan is to grow to hundreds and thousands of advisors across the country. Louis Diamond: Wow, big vision, but I love it. Last question for you. If you were 30 years old again, which I think everyone would kill for that opportunity, leaving Morgan Stanley today instead of in 2012, what do you think you would do differently knowing what you know now? Ryan Belanger: At that point, interest rates were near zero, Louis. Valuations you remember were two to three times revenue. It felt expensive then. Obviously things have changed quite a bit. So I would’ve begged, borrowed, and stole all the money I could from friends and family and said, “I need to buy as many businesses as I could at two times, three times revenue and pay, I don’t know, 3% loan.” Just in hindsight, that’s what everyone should have done. That’s not the path that we chose, but I think there’s a huge opportunity in front of us to elevate financial advice across the country, make really good advisors even better by putting that super cape on them. And so we’re very excited about the future, what we’ve got in store, and what we’re going to deliver to the market. And it seems like just yesterday that I walked out of Morgan Stanley with very little assets and tried to start this RIA, but I’m very thankful for all the people that have been supporting me throughout this journey. Louis Diamond: Amazing. And that’s a great spot to end, but let me ask the inverse of that question. Let’s say you leave in 2026, so leave today, you’re 30 years old, but you have the benefit of hindsight. You know what you know now. What would you do differently around the transition or building the firm other than of course be amazing if you can buy businesses for a fraction of what they cost today? Ryan Belanger: I would want to make sure that I’ve got an integrated solution. I don’t want to be picking a bunch of different vendor tools. I know that’s going to become way too time-consuming for me. So I would really try to figure out how you can get something that’s integrated that can scale, but I wouldn’t change anything about the people. I think you got to be able to connect with people that are like-minded and you still take the risk. What I can’t believe, Louis, is that people that sit at the wirehouses take a home team discount and they’re so fearful of leaving Morgan Stanley or Merrill Lynch or UBS, but why are they taking that? The market says you should be paid double what you paid. And it’s not just like that’s 20, 30 years of data here that show that. And so I just would keep pushing people to bet on yourself. Your clients will come with you. Yes, that firm that you love will be the first ones to try to steal your clients. They’re going to call them, and that’s one way, loyalty. Another thing I don’t understand, but that’s the way the business is structured. I think there’s a huge opportunity to just educate advisors about what’s out there and I would take the risk. Louis Diamond: Love it. Ryan, this has been very fun. What you’ve accomplished, like I said earlier, gone against the grain at every turn. Leaving on the younger side without a huge business, buying and integrating a technology company, recruiting younger advisors without books of business. Every single thing you’ve done has been a different playbook. So I’m pumped to watch how we make Claro a household name and how this approach is going to pay off in spade. So I appreciate hearing this different perspective, and I know our listeners did as well, so much appreciated today. Ryan Belanger: Well, thanks for having me on. I know it’s a long time coming. Thanks for your patience. I wanted to make sure we had something really exciting to talk about when we finally did this, and hopefully I can come back in a couple years and catch up. And congratulations on everything you guys have built. You guys are just a premier name out there, and it’s been fun to watch your success as well. Louis Diamond: Thank you, Ryan, I appreciate it. Mindy Diamond: As a financial advisor, you hold yourself to the highest standards of integrity, honesty, and credibility. You are successful because you take your professional responsibilities seriously and are dedicated to your clients. But are you living your best business life? Are your goals aligned with your firms or could a better option exist? Should I Stay or Should I Go? is a book written with you in mind. It’s a self-guided journey that walks you through the key steps that we take with our advisor clients. This strategic thought process and roadmap to professional self-discovery is designed to help you ask the right questions and think critically and objectively whether you’re considering change or not. Learn how to get your copy at diamond-consultants.com/thebook. Why AI Matters Now: How a $1.5B RIA is Building the Firm of the Future A conversation with Louis Diamond and Ryan Belanger, Founder & CEO of Claro Advisors.      Louis Diamond: Welcome to the latest episode of our podcast series for financial advisors. Today’s episode is Why AI Matters Now: How a $1.5B RIA is Building the Firm of the Future. It’s a conversation with Ryan Belanger, the Founder and CEO of Claro Advisors. I’m Louis Diamond, and this is the Diamond Podcast for Financial Advisors. Mindy Diamond: At Diamond Consultants, we help elite advisors identify the right environment for their businesses to thrive, whether that’s at a wirehouse, boutique, or independent firm. With nearly three decades of experience, we’ve guided thousands of advisors and represented more than a quarter of a trillion dollars in assets transitioned. And each year, one in four advisors managing a billion dollars or more who change firms are our clients. Our process is education driven, and based on building relationships, starting as your strategic partner well before you’re even thinking of a move. To schedule a confidential conversation, call us at (908) 879-1002. Wondering why advisors change firms and where they’re headed? Are transition deals going up or down? Those very questions and more inspired us to create our annual Advisor Transition Report. It’s the award-winning data-driven resource designed for advisors that connects the dots between the motivations around movement and the firm’s appetite for top talent. Arm yourself with the knowledge you need to make smart decisions. Download your copy at diamond-consultants.com/transitionreport. Louis Diamond: Artificial intelligence has quickly become one of the biggest topics in wealth management in the world. Almost every firm is experimenting with new tools, looking for ways to automate tasks, improve efficiency, or help advisors serve clients more effectively. But what if AI isn’t just another technology to plug into your business? What if it becomes the foundation for how your business is built? That’s exactly why I wanted to have Ryan Belanger on the show. Ryan is the Founder and CEO of Claro Advisors, a billion and a half dollar RIA that’s taken a very different path than most firms in the industry. Rather than simply adding AI to an existing tech stack, Claro acquired a FinTech company and is building its own AI native operating system designed specifically for advisors. What’s interesting is that this isn’t really a conversation about software, it’s about strategy. Ryan has consistently gone against the grain from leaving Morgan Stanley to launch an independent firm in 2012 before it became commonplace, to recruiting younger advisors when others chased established producers, to betting that proprietary technology will b

In this episode of One Vision Podcast, Theo chats with Huyen Tran from US Bank and founder/investor at Elys Ventures. Huyen shares her path from computer engineering and early real-estate investing to two decades in banking product leadership and P&L ownership. She discusses why banks can appear slow due to resilience, regulation, legacy systems, and trust requirements, and how AI will accelerate prototyping, testing, data analysis, and iterative product development while meeting customer expectations for personalization and security amid rising fraud. A must-listen episode on startup, innovation, relationship building, and ecosystem thinking. 

Every account payable and account receivable department runs on the same friction: invoices chased four or five times, payments late more than 30% of the time, and credit control teams that can run 20, 30, even 50 people deep at a mid-sized corporate. Virtual cards were built to solve exactly that problem, and the growth numbers show it — spend is projected to hit $17.4 trillion by 2029, according to Juniper Research. Today I'm joined by Marc Pettican, global head of corporate solutions at Mastercard, who's spent decades working both sides of the payments ecosystem, from the merchant acquiring side to leading commercial cards. We get into what's really driving virtual card growth beyond the macro tailwinds, how MasterCard balances network economics between buyers and suppliers, and the build-versus-partner calculus behind expanding from travel into verticals like fleet and logistics, healthcare, insurance, and marketplaces. We also dig into embedded finance and the challenge of staying visible in the stack even as payments become invisible to the end user — plus where Mastercard sees its right to win in agentic payments, account-to-account transfers, and stablecoins. Marc closes with his advice for commercial card heads at mid-sized banks over the next twelve months.

The best way to predict the future is to create it. So who's building the future of finance? Meet Vanessa Grellet, Managing Partner at Arche Capital, investing at the intersection of global finance and blockchain. We dive into what’s coming next in regulation, the new Paze wallet, and where fintech is headed https://arche.capital Click Subscribe … Continue reading Ep 291- Arche Capital Managing Partner Vanessa Grellet

Merchant onboarding is where growth goes to die, and where fraud quietly sneaks in. We sit down with Noam Izhaki, Co-founder and CEO of Ballerine, to unpack why the payments stack can feel real-time and automated while KYC, KYB, underwriting, and compliance still depend on slow investigations, scattered systems, and ever-growing analyst teams.We walk through Noam's journey from building early online platforms in Tel Aviv to learning hard lessons in remittances and then at Wix, where the same merchant risk challenges showed up at scale. That experience led to Ballerine: a platform designed to help merchant acquirers, PSPs, marketplaces, card ecosystem players, and banks bring their policies and data into one place and use AI agents to automate decisions across the seller lifecycle, from onboarding through ongoing monitoring. We also dig into how this differs from traditional fraud and compliance point solutions that provide signals but still leave the hardest part, judgment, to humans.Then we zoom out to the future of payments: agentic commerce, agents buying from other agents, and a world where creating “a business” is cheap, fast, and sometimes fake. Noam shares what he's seeing around fraud industrialization, including transaction laundering as a service, and why the biggest advantage may be becoming a true trust layer for the internet with real-time, global risk decisions.If you're building for scale, ask yourself whether your plan requires hiring your way out of risk. Subscribe for more conversations like this, share the episode with a payments leader who's feeling the pressure, and leave a review with your biggest question about AI in merchant risk.

In this episode we're at The Dead Rabbit, grabbing a pint with serial entrepreneur and operator, Bill Harris, best known as an early CEO of PayPal. Bill is a veteran FinTech executive who has also served as CEO of Intuit. He later founded Personal Capital, a digital wealth management firm that grew to manage billions in assets before being acquired - and he's now founder and CEO of Evergreen.ai, continuing to innovate in financial technology and investment management. We discuss the early days of Fintech, the gamification of the market, and what it was like working with Elon Musk. — FOLLOW US Instagram: ⁠riskreversalmedia⁠ Twitter: ⁠https://x.com/riskreversal⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠riskreversalmedia⁠ #investing #stocks #stockmarket #ApexFintechSolutions Standing Table is made possible through our continued partnership with Apex Fintech Solutions. Apex Fintech Solutions provides the tools and services that enable hundreds of clients to launch, scale, and support digital investing for tens of millions of end investors. The company provides essential infrastructure and a comprehensive ecosystem of cloud-based products to enable and streamline trading, wealth management, cost basis, tax reporting, and, through its subsidiary Apex Clearing™, custody and clearing. For more information, visit the Apex Fintech Solutions website: ⁠https://apexfintechsolutions.com/⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠apex-fintech⁠ SUBSCRIBE: RiskReversal Pod for more from Guy and Dan: ⁠https://apple.co/3RzvgpD⁠ RiskReversal Media channel for more episodes and content: ⁠@riskreversalmedia⁠ The financial opinions expressed in Risk Reversal content are for information purposes only. The opinions expressed by the hosts and participants are not an attempt to influence specific trading behavior, investments, or strategies. Past performance does not necessarily predict future outcomes. No specific results or profits are assured when relying on Risk Reversal. Before making any investment or trade, evaluate its suitability for your circumstances and consider consulting your own financial or investment advisor. The financial products discussed in Risk Reversal carry a high level of risk and may not be appropriate for many investors. If you have uncertainties, it's advisable to seek professional advice. Remember that trading involves a risk to your capital, so only invest money that you can afford to lose. Derivatives are not suitable for all investors and involve the risk of losing more than the amount originally deposited and any profit you might have made. This communication is not a recommendation or offer to buy, sell or retain any specific investment or service.​​

Petite pause dans le podcast cette semaine, j'en profite pour vous faire le bilan des épisodes spéciaux qui sont sortis en juillet et qui vont sortir en août. Infos :Animé par Patrick Beja (Bluesky, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok).Produit par Patrick Beja (LinkedIn) et Fanny Cohen Moreau (LinkedIn).Musique libre de droit par Daniel Beja---Liens :Soutien :

Plus: AstraZeneca and Bristol Myers Squibb shares swing on reports of a potential tie up. And Nissan reports its first quarterly profit in two years. Imani Moise hosts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

David Gens is an award-winning entrepreneur, fintech leader, and Founder & CEO of Merchant Growth, one of Canada's leading online small business finance companies. From humble beginnings in his apartment, David built the company into a national organization with offices in Toronto and Vancouver, helping thousands of Canadian small businesses access the capital they need to grow and succeed. With deep expertise in alternative lending, financial technology, and scaling businesses, David is driven by a mission to make funding more accessible through innovative digital solutions. In addition to leading Merchant Growth, he is the founder of BankFlow AI, where he is pioneering AI-powered technology designed to transform the financial services industry. A recognized voice in entrepreneurship and fintech, David frequently shares insights on business growth, digital lending, and the evolving landscape of small business finance. His practical experience and forward-thinking perspective make him a compelling and valuable guest for entrepreneurs, business owners, lenders, and finance professionals alike. During the show we discuss: Why getting funding in Canada has been historically difficult—and what's changing How alternative lending provides faster, more flexible funding options What lenders actually look for when approving small business funding How to position your business to qualify for funding more easily The role of FinTech in simplifying and speeding up approvals How revenue-based funding and modern lending models work What separates businesses that get approved vs. denied How to leverage funding to actually grow your business (not just survive) Resources LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmvgens?originalSubdomain=ca Merchant Growth: https://merchantgrowth.com/ BankFlow AI: https://bankflow.ai/ 

In this episode of One Vision Podcast, Theo chats with Huyen Tran from US Bank and founder/investor at Elys Ventures. Huyen shares her path from computer engineering and early real-estate investing to two decades in banking product leadership and P&L ownership. She discusses why banks can appear slow due to resilience, regulation, legacy systems, and trust requirements, and how AI will accelerate prototyping, testing, data analysis, and iterative product development while meeting customer expectations for personalization and security amid rising fraud. A must-listen episode on startup, innovation, relationship building, and ecosystem thinking.

When digital payments can feel like a commoditized utility, how do you build a brand that's seen not just as a processor, but as a strategic partner?Agility requires more than just speed; it demands the ability to innovate within complex regulatory frameworks while simultaneously building and maintaining unwavering customer trust.Today, we're going to talk about the unique challenge of building a resonant brand in the highly competitive and technical world of FinTech. We'll explore how to translate complex capabilities into a compelling narrative that builds trust and drives growth.To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Alexandra Westfal, Chief Marketing Officer at COLIBRIX ONE.Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://aglbrnd.co/r/faaed112fc9887f3Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/35ded3ccfb6716baCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Plus, Boeing logs another quarterly loss amid spending push on new Air Force One jets. And, PayPal's CEO says he's open to evaluating sale offers, while focusing on the company's turnaround plan. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for WSJ's free What's News newsletter. An artificial-intelligence tool assisted in the making of this episode by creating summaries that were based on Wall Street Journal reporting and reviewed and adapted by an editor. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Ashley M. Fox. Summary of the Interview In this episode of Money Making Conversations Masterclass, Rushion McDonald interviews Ashley M. Fox—former Wall Street analyst, Howard University alum, financial educator, and founder/CEO of Emplify, a fintech platform focused on making wealth‑building accessible to everyday people. Ashley shares her journey from working with ultra‑high‑net‑worth clients on Wall Street to becoming an entrepreneur determined to bring financial education and empowerment to communities traditionally excluded from wealth conversations. She discusses the creation of Amplify, her financial fall and recovery, her work in schools and prison systems, and how digital content has allowed her to scale her mission globally. The discussion emphasizes mindset, self‑belief, access, and a practical path to wealth, even starting with as little as $20. Purpose of the Interview The interview aims to: 1. Inspire financial empowerment Ashley explains how anyone—regardless of background or starting point—can begin building wealth and shift generational outcomes. 2. Demystify investing and wealth-building She breaks down how simple investing can be, the power of small consistent contributions, and how wealth isn’t limited to entrepreneurs or high earners. 3. Highlight her fintech platform Emplify She shares how Amplify democratizes financial education through online tools, community, and accessible investing classes. 4. Encourage a mindset shift Ashley stresses the importance of eliminating fear, building confidence, and using logic instead of emotion when making financial decisions. Key Takeaways 1. Wealth Begins with Belief and Mindset Ashley learned on Wall Street that the biggest difference between wealthy and non-wealthy people is not education—it's self-belief. Many people don’t believe wealth is possible for them because they've never seen it. 2. You Don’t Need a Lot of Money to Start Investing She urges people to start with $20, even buying fractional shares. It’s consistency—not starting amount—that builds wealth. 3. You Can Invest in Others’ Ideas—Not Just Your Own Building wealth doesn’t require launching a business. Buying stock is one of the easiest ways to participate in wealth creation. 4. Ashley’s Own Journey Included Failure After leaving Wall Street, she was evicted, slept on her parents’ couch for two years, and maxed out credit cards. Her purpose kept her going. 5. Financial Education Should Start Early She developed financial education programs for schools, prison systems, and everyday families because adults often learn too late. 6. Emplify Scales Wealth Education Her platform offers 300+ hours of videos and tools, helping members open 3,000+ investment accounts and invest $7.4M collectively. 7. Social Media Is Her Biggest Access Point Ashley reaches millions by being authentic, relatable, and consistent—meeting people where they are. 8. You Must Pay Yourself First Most people pay bills, companies, and creditors before investing in themselves. She emphasizes reversing that pattern. 9. Logic Over Emotion Wealth requires logical decision‑making, especially in the market. Emotional reactions undermine long-term financial growth. Notable Quotes (Taken From the Transcript) On Wealth Mindset “When you think and know and believe you have the power to create wealth and you deserve wealth, you move a different way.” “There is no president that can build the wealth that you can create for your family.” On Starting Small “You don't have to have a lot of money to start. You just have to have the will to begin.” “A whole lot of $20 can get you to a million—as long as you don’t stop.” On Investing “Consider the companies you give your money to and own them, because they are a lot cheaper than you think.” “If I’m helping you build a billion‑dollar business by using your products, I deserve a piece of the pie.” On Self-Reliance “You pay everybody… the bartender, the mortgage company—and you’re the one without money. Who’s going to worry about you?” On Purpose and Identity “My story never changed. The mission was always dedicated to the people I didn’t see coming into that building on Wall Street.” “Emplify is the movement. It just has my DNA.” #SHMS #STRAW #BESTSupport the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Ashley M. Fox. Summary of the Interview In this episode of Money Making Conversations Masterclass, Rushion McDonald interviews Ashley M. Fox—former Wall Street analyst, Howard University alum, financial educator, and founder/CEO of Emplify, a fintech platform focused on making wealth‑building accessible to everyday people. Ashley shares her journey from working with ultra‑high‑net‑worth clients on Wall Street to becoming an entrepreneur determined to bring financial education and empowerment to communities traditionally excluded from wealth conversations. She discusses the creation of Amplify, her financial fall and recovery, her work in schools and prison systems, and how digital content has allowed her to scale her mission globally. The discussion emphasizes mindset, self‑belief, access, and a practical path to wealth, even starting with as little as $20. Purpose of the Interview The interview aims to: 1. Inspire financial empowerment Ashley explains how anyone—regardless of background or starting point—can begin building wealth and shift generational outcomes. 2. Demystify investing and wealth-building She breaks down how simple investing can be, the power of small consistent contributions, and how wealth isn’t limited to entrepreneurs or high earners. 3. Highlight her fintech platform Emplify She shares how Amplify democratizes financial education through online tools, community, and accessible investing classes. 4. Encourage a mindset shift Ashley stresses the importance of eliminating fear, building confidence, and using logic instead of emotion when making financial decisions. Key Takeaways 1. Wealth Begins with Belief and Mindset Ashley learned on Wall Street that the biggest difference between wealthy and non-wealthy people is not education—it's self-belief. Many people don’t believe wealth is possible for them because they've never seen it. 2. You Don’t Need a Lot of Money to Start Investing She urges people to start with $20, even buying fractional shares. It’s consistency—not starting amount—that builds wealth. 3. You Can Invest in Others’ Ideas—Not Just Your Own Building wealth doesn’t require launching a business. Buying stock is one of the easiest ways to participate in wealth creation. 4. Ashley’s Own Journey Included Failure After leaving Wall Street, she was evicted, slept on her parents’ couch for two years, and maxed out credit cards. Her purpose kept her going. 5. Financial Education Should Start Early She developed financial education programs for schools, prison systems, and everyday families because adults often learn too late. 6. Emplify Scales Wealth Education Her platform offers 300+ hours of videos and tools, helping members open 3,000+ investment accounts and invest $7.4M collectively. 7. Social Media Is Her Biggest Access Point Ashley reaches millions by being authentic, relatable, and consistent—meeting people where they are. 8. You Must Pay Yourself First Most people pay bills, companies, and creditors before investing in themselves. She emphasizes reversing that pattern. 9. Logic Over Emotion Wealth requires logical decision‑making, especially in the market. Emotional reactions undermine long-term financial growth. Notable Quotes (Taken From the Transcript) On Wealth Mindset “When you think and know and believe you have the power to create wealth and you deserve wealth, you move a different way.” “There is no president that can build the wealth that you can create for your family.” On Starting Small “You don't have to have a lot of money to start. You just have to have the will to begin.” “A whole lot of $20 can get you to a million—as long as you don’t stop.” On Investing “Consider the companies you give your money to and own them, because they are a lot cheaper than you think.” “If I’m helping you build a billion‑dollar business by using your products, I deserve a piece of the pie.” On Self-Reliance “You pay everybody… the bartender, the mortgage company—and you’re the one without money. Who’s going to worry about you?” On Purpose and Identity “My story never changed. The mission was always dedicated to the people I didn’t see coming into that building on Wall Street.” “Emplify is the movement. It just has my DNA.” #SHMS #STRAW #BESTSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.