Fintech Family Hour

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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