Lend Academy Podcast

I don’t think anyone would argue that back office banking infrastructure needs to change. Fintech companies and even banks these days want to work with companies that can provide a customizable, API-driven system that allows them to add new functionality quickly and easily. There are a number of emerging companies that are working on providing […] The post Podcast 233: Sankaet Pathak of Synapse appeared first on Lend Academy.

Behavioral science is a fascinating area about which I knew very little until recently. In fintech there are huge opportunities for improvement by studying decision making and experimenting with different ways to motivate people to change their behavior. Big improvements in financial health will never happen without changes in behavior. Our next guest on the […] The post Podcast 232: Kristen Berman of Common Cents Lab appeared first on Lend Academy.

I think the small dollar loan space is fascinating. When done responsibly it is a difficult business to execute well given the small amount of revenue generated with each transaction. It requires automation, good underwriting and efficient marketing. One of the leaders in this space is LendUp. The next guest on the Lend Academy Podcast […] The post Podcast 231: Anu Shultes of LendUp appeared first on Lend Academy.

Small business lending is going through some rapid changes right now. Tech companies like PayPal and Square are becoming huge players in the space and new entrants like Stripe, Shopify and Toast are looking to help finance their huge customer bases. The market is becoming more challenging for the first generation of alternative lenders to […] The post Podcast 230: Mark Ruddock of BFS Capital appeared first on Lend Academy.

One of the major trends of this decade is going to be the emergence of banking-as-a-service (BaaS). More and more non-financial companies are going to be offer bank-like services. We are already seeing this with the likes of Uber with their Uber Money initiative. Not only that but BaaS also helps enable fintech companies to […] The post Podcast 229: Susan French of BBVA Open Platform appeared first on Lend Academy.

This past decade has seen a huge amount of change in finance. We began the decade with a handful of startup companies beginning to apply new technology to finance and we ended with fintech becoming a major force. For our first show of the new decade, episode 228 of the Lend Academy Podcast, the CEO […] The post Podcast 228: Andrew Dix of Crowdfund Insider appeared first on Lend Academy.

It takes a certain kind of mindset for the leader of a small community bank to go all in on digital. Particularly back in 2012 before digital banking became the all the rage with massive funding rounds and millions of customers flocking to digital bank startups. Our next guest on the Lend Academy Podcast is […] The post Podcast 227: Mike Butler of Radius Bank appeared first on Lend Academy.

The fuel that has fired the fintech boom over the past decade or so is capital. Whether it is a venture capital funding round, an IPO or an acquisition capital is at the center of it all. And there is one investment bank that has been at the center of many of the most important […] The post Podcast 226: Steve McLaughlin of FT Partners appeared first on Lend Academy.

Online small business lending is becoming a mature industry with several established players. But it all began with OnDeck when they launched in 2007. The company has now provided over $12 billion in loans to customers throughout the United States, Australia and Canada. Our next guest on the Lend Academy Podcast, back for the third […] The post Podcast 225: Noah Breslow of OnDeck Capital appeared first on Lend Academy.

While there are several online lending platforms that have reached scale in the small business space, banks still do the vast majority of small business loans. But many banks don’t have the capability to provide a modern, digital and user friendly experience. The good news is that banks now recognize this and are more open […] The post Podcast 224: Sam Graziano of Fundation appeared first on Lend Academy.

Applying for a residential mortgage is a slow and complicated process. While technology is certainly making this process more efficient we still have a long way to go before it is a quick and seamless experience. The same can be said for commercial loans. For most community banks these are the two kinds of loans […] The post Podcast 223: Steve Hoke of Finastra appeared first on Lend Academy.

The future of fintech is going to be very much intertwined with the future of banking. Banks will continue to partner with fintechs, invest in fintechs as well as acquire fintechs. Banks will increasing look and behave more and more like fintechs with a focus on speed, ease of use and transparency. One large bank […] The post Podcast 222: Jamie Warder of KeyBank appeared first on Lend Academy.

In Europe there are many options for retail investors looking to invest in loans. While regulations differ by country there are usually several options for individual investors to deploy their capital. And then there is Mintos which is in a class all by itself. Our next guest on the Lend Academy Podcast is Martins Sulte, […] The post Podcast 221: Martins Sulte of Mintos appeared first on Lend Academy.

Most small businesses need access to capital at some point. But the challenge for many small business owners is that they do not qualify for a bank loan and what they do qualify for can be really expensive. This challenge is made more difficult if you are an immigrant with a thin credit file. Our […] The post Podcast 220: Luz Urrutia of Opportunity Fund appeared first on Lend Academy.

Good customer outcomes is not something often associated with subprime auto loans, particularly when those loans are targeted at the Hispanic market. That market is mostly thin-file/no-file and is notoriously difficult to underwrite. With asset-backed loans there is an advantage where the car can be repossessed if loans payments are not made. But that is […] The post Podcast 219: Daniel Chu of Tricolor Auto Group appeared first on Lend Academy.

Today, there are plenty of fintech companies with both strong balance sheets and a desire to get a banking license. Several have announced they are starting down the process of applying for some kind of bank charter. But there is another alternative that we have not yet seen in this country. And that is for […] The post Podcast 218: Chris Hargrove of ProBank Austin appeared first on Lend Academy.

There is a new breed of fintech company today that is adding customers by the millions by providing simple financial tools that people actually want and use. These are mobile-first offerings that have deep engagement with their loyal customer base. Our next guest on the Lend Academy Podcast is the CEO of possibly the fastest […] The post Podcast 217: Jason Wilk of Dave appeared first on Lend Academy.

It is not easy to scale a marketplace lending business in a market the size of New Zealand, which has fewer people than Colorado. But Harmoney, the first peer to peer lender to be licensed in New Zealand, has originated more than NZ$1 billion in loans since launching five years ago. Our next guests on […] The post Podcast 216: Neil Roberts and David Stevens of Harmoney appeared first on Lend Academy.

For an industry to be taken seriously in Washington it needs a strong and vibrant trade association. The Marketplace Lending Association (MLA) was formed back in 2016 with LendingClub, Prosper and Funding Circle as its founding members. Our next guest on the Lend Academy Podcast is Nat Hoopes; he is the executive director of the […] The post Podcast 215: Nat Hoopes of the Marketplace Lending Association appeared first on Lend Academy.

Roughly half the US population lives paycheck to paycheck and throughout the year they often run out of money between these paychecks. So, they resort to payday loans or overdrafts and often pay late fees as well. This costs this population hundreds or even thousands of dollars per year. There is a better solution that […] The post Podcast 214: Safwan Shah of PayActiv appeared first on Lend Academy.