LendAPI Podcast

In this episode of the LendAPI Partner Podcast, host Timothy Li, Founder & CEO of LendAPI, sits down with Phil Ganz, President of Next Wave Mortgage, to discuss what it truly takes to build a people-first mortgage brokerage in today's fast-moving lending landscape. Phil brings a rare combination of 26+ years in the mortgage industry, a top 1% originator ranking nationally, and a builder's mindset — having launched Next Wave Mortgage from the ground up to serve borrowers across multiple states with low-rate, low-friction home financing experiences.What You'll Learn:Why mortgage brokers are outpacing retail lenders — and how nimble, client-focused operations like Next Wave Mortgage deliver better rates and service without the overhead of large corporate structuresHow Phil is using technology and automation to modernize the mortgage origination process — reducing friction for borrowers and improving pull-through rates for the brokerageThe story of building Next Wave Mortgage from scratch — what it takes to launch and scale a multi-state brokerage in a high-rate, low-volume market environmentWhy Phil believes loan officers should have an ownership mentality — and how Next Wave's platform empowers LOs to grow long-term client relationships rather than just close transactionsHow non-QM and alternative lending programs (bank statement, DSCR, Down Payment Assistance) are unlocking homeownership for borrowers that traditional lenders routinely turn awayWhy AI and digital tools are transforming lead generation and borrower education — and how mortgage professionals can use content and technology to stay ahead of the competitionWhat the current housing affordability crisis means for lenders and borrowers alike — and how smart mortgage planning can still create viable paths to homeownershipAbout Next Wave Mortgage:Next Wave Mortgage is a multi-state mortgage brokerage headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, dedicated to expanding sustainable homeownership through transparent, technology-forward lending. Founded in 2023, Next Wave gives loan officers the platform to build lasting client relationships by combining broker-model pricing flexibility with strong operational support. Under the leadership of President Phil Ganz — a Certified Mortgage Planning Specialist and nationally recognized top 1% originator — the brokerage specializes in FHA, VA, Conventional, Jumbo, Non-QM, and Down Payment Assistance programs, with a commitment to serving first-time homebuyers and self-employed borrowers who need creative, personalized financing solutions. Next Wave Mortgage is how mortgages should be done.📢 Explore more on the LendAPI MarketplaceListen now on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.

In this episode of the LendAPI Partner Podcast, host Timothy Li, Founder & CEO of LendAPI, sits down with Ryan Hildebrand, EVP & Chief Innovation Officer at Bankwell, to discuss what it truly takes to transform a community bank into a fintech-grade institution. Ryan brings a rare perspective as a serial founder, former CPA, and fintech builder who helped launch Simple (the first consumer fintech bank) and Seed (the first business fintech bank), and led landmark fintech partnerships at Cross River Bank with companies like Coinbase, Stripe, and Plaid. Now at Bankwell, a $3B+ commercial bank, Ryan is executing a ground-up technology transformation — starting with SBA lending and expanding to serve the full small business ecosystem with fintech-level speed and service.What You'll Learn:Why technology is the great equalizer for community banks — and how nimble decision-making lets smaller institutions outmaneuver billion-dollar competitors without matching their budgetsHow Ryan is using AI and modern fintech platforms to modernize SBA and small business lending at Bankwell — reducing friction for borrowers and improving outcomes for the bankThe inside story of building Simple and Seed — two fintech firsts — and what those exits taught Ryan about what real banking innovation requiresWhy Ryan would give back a $100M innovation budget — and how lean, focused teams with the right AI tools consistently outperform large, well-funded innovation departmentsThe hidden systemic risk of legacy core banking infrastructure — why banks feel trapped, why VC funding dries up for alternatives, and what needs to changeHow AI adoption in banking is a cultural transformation, not a technology project — and why front-line employee buy-in determines whether AI investments succeed or failWhat the coming wave of community bank consolidation means for institutions that are innovating versus those that are waiting — and how to end up on the right side of itAbout Bankwell:Bankwell is a $3B+ commercial bank headquartered in New Canaan, Connecticut, built on a foundation of strong relationships with businesses across the region. Under the leadership of Chief Innovation Officer Ryan Hildebrand, Bankwell is executing a deliberate strategy to deliver fintech-grade technology and service to small and mid-sized businesses — starting with SBA lending and expanding outward. Bankwell was the first bank customer and investor in Casca, a Y Combinator-backed AI-native loan origination platform, underscoring its commitment to partnering with the most innovative builders in the industry. Bankwell's approach to innovation — resourceful, accountable, and customer-focused — reflects the belief that the best community banks can compete with anyone

In this episode of the LendAPI Partner Podcast, host Timothy Li, Founder & CEO of LendAPI, sits down with Carla Canino, Founder & CEO of Kindlee (Techstars '24), to explore the intersection of responsible AI, financial inclusion, and the future of fair lending. Carla brings over 15 years of experience across global payments, financial services product strategy, and entrepreneurship — from her time as Global Payment Strategy Lead at Blizzard Entertainment to co-authoring inclusion standards with the Federal Reserve and W3C. Today, she is building Kindlee, the first AI fairness intelligence platform for regulated financial institutions, helping lenders detect bias, improve model accuracy, and meet EU AI Act compliance — while unlocking billions in untapped revenue.Why AI bias in lending is costing the industry an estimated $443 billion annually — and how the majority of affected consumers are actually creditworthy customers being misclassifiedHow Kindlee's Kindlee Conversational Trust Index (KCTI) provides the first composite trust score for AI performance across vulnerable populations — with zero PII exposure and zero integration burdenWhy 65% of loan declines may involve creditworthy customers misclassified by biased AI models, and what lenders can do about it right nowThe real business case for inclusive AI: a documented 1,578% ROI on remediation over three years, and why fairness is a competitive advantage — not just a compliance checkboxHow the EU AI Act's August 2026 deadline is creating urgency for financial institutions to audit their AI systems for high-risk use casesCarla's journey from payments expert at Activision Blizzard to solo founder — and the personal experiences as a disabled immigrant that exposed systemic weaknesses in financial systems and inspired KindleePractical advice for any fintech or lender looking to build AI that is explainable, unbiased, accessible, and growth-focusedKindlee is an AI fairness intelligence platform backed by Techstars and J.P. Morgan, purpose-built for regulated financial institutions navigating the EU AI Act and European Accessibility Act. Founded by Carla Canino, Kindlee helps banks, fintechs, and lenders detect bias and operational friction in their deployed AI — including conversational AI, credit decisioning, and KYC systems — and provides a direct path to remediation. Their proprietary KCTI benchmark has audited nine of Europe's largest financial institutions, revealing that 82.7% of AI interactions with disabled, elderly, and immigrant customers result in severe or critical failures. Kindlee makes fairness measurable, profitable, and easy to adopt — without touching a single line of PII. Learn more at www.kindlee.ai.What You’ll Learn:About New Market Growth

In this episode of the LendAPI Partner Podcast, host Timothy Li, Founder & CEO of LendAPI, sits down with Carlos Caro, Founder of New Market Growth, to discuss the complex and rapidly evolving landscape of consumer lending. Carlos shares his deep industry expertise, detailing how lenders can successfully navigate the challenges of listing on popular affiliate platforms, the critical importance of balancing lead quality with volume, and the significance of building a strong professional network.What You'll LearnThe real challenge of getting listed on major platforms like LendingTree or Credit Karma, and why Carlos often has to turn down 85% of lenders who approach him for placement.Why striking a balance between acquiring a high volume of leads and ensuring those leads are of top quality is essential, especially as platforms prioritize customer welfare and competitive rates.The importance of "Market Fit" and understanding the specific requirements of each platform, tailoring your offerings to match traditional products like mortgages or personal loans.How embracing innovation—such as leveraging blockchain technology for new, high-reward credit cards—can help differentiate your products in a crowded market.Actionable strategies for success, including focusing on customer needs, attending industry events, collaborating with other businesses, and staying ahead of market trends and regulatory shifts.About New Market GrowthNew Market Growth is a specialized consulting firm that helps lenders connect with powerful affiliate marketing channels to drive customer acquisition. Founded by Carlos Caro, who brings a rich background in lending and marketing from his time working with major financial institutions, the firm assists lenders in navigating the highly competitive consumer finance space. They focus on bridging the gap between innovative lending products and key acquisition platforms, ensuring lenders can effectively reach and serve their target markets.📢 Explore more on the ⁠LendAPI Marketplace⁠Listen now on ⁠YouTube⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, or ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠.

In this episode of the LendAPI Partner Podcast, host Timothy Li, Founder & CEO of LendAPI, sits down with Dan Neimiec, Chief Credit Risk and Analytics Officer at 1sr Franklin Financial, to discuss the company's unique approach to consumer lending. Dan shares how his team is using internal performance data and AI tools to enhance predictive modeling, while still ensuring the human element and personal branch-customer relationships remain the core of their operation.What You’ll Learn:Dan’s experience managing risk at JP Morgan Chase during the 2008-2009 housing downturn, which highlighted the limitations of "backwards looking" credit models.How an 85-year-old company like First Franklin strategically shifted to making data-driven decisions while maintaining its crucial community and branch-based customer relationships.Why the company uses their lending models as "guard rails and guidelines" rather than a fully automated decision engine, emphasizing that humans make the ultimate lending decisions.The primary product offerings and how the company uses direct mail models to target new customers.How First Franklin uses "live checks" (or convenience checks) via direct mail to pre-qualified customers, followed by personal branch outreach to solidify the customer relationship.Advice for aspiring credit risk analysts: focus on "business knowledge and the business intuition" because artificial intelligence now handles much of the data assembly and manipulation.About First Franklin FinancialFirst Franklin Financial is an 85-year-old, privately owned financial services company that started in the early 1940s. The company operates nearly 400 branches and serves almost 400,000 customers, with approximately $1.2 billion in receivables. First Franklin primarily serves subprime consumers with credit scores in the 550 to 700 range. While maintaining a strong community presence with personal branch relationships, the company has recently implemented a strategic initiative to incorporate data-driven decisions and modern analytic models.📢 Explore more on the LendAPI MarketplaceListen now on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.

In this episode of the LendAPI Partner Podcast, host Timothy Li, Co-Founder and CEO of LendAPI, sits down with Debra LeJeune, a special friend of LendAPI. Debra, whose background originated in banking, is a former commercial banking officer. She discusses the formation of her company, Integrity, and how it focuses on a payment strategy to improve the lending and payment process.What You’ll Learn:- How Debra's background in banking and as president of multiple companies led her to found Integrity.- Why Integrity was formed to combat the payments industry missing the mark on putting the customer first, locking clients into long-term contracts, and not having the customer's best interest in mind.- How Integrity provides agnostic advice and representation, ensuring the recommended technology stack is specific to the client and focused on their integrity.- Integrity's approach to payments, which involves taking the payment process across the entire life cycle, including infrastructure, onboarding new borrowers, and payment success.- How Integrity might set up a client with five, six, or seven different solutions to create the perfect waterfall, minimize issuer declines, and achieve a 10% to 30% lift in authorization approvals.- The importance of clients owning their payment data, utilizing network or universal tokens for validation, and having the infrastructure to waterfall onto other solutions with no downtime.- How a forensic analysis of a client's payment and authorization data can lead to advice on qualifying for lower interchange and having fewer false declines.About Integrity Payments Group (IPG):Integrity Payments Group (IPG) positions itself as more of a payment strategy firm than a payment placement or bank-pushing firm. They focus on putting the client's needs first across the life cycle, which contrasts with traditional payments companies that might focus on locking people into a singular payment provider. Integrity uses its strategy to help clients with everything from infrastructure to collection📢 Explore more on the LendAPI MarketplaceListen now on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.

In this episode of the LendAPI Partner Podcast, host Timothy Li, Founder & CEO of LendAPI, sits down with Steven Ma, Founder & CEO of PonyMoney, a Texas‑based personal lending company focused on delivering fast, hassle‑free installment loans. Steven shares how PonyMoney built a modern lending operation around flexibility, rapid experimentation, and borrower‑friendly experiences—and why they chose LendAPI as their core lending technology partner.What You’ll Learn:- Why Steven founded PonyMoney and the specific gaps he saw in traditional personal lending around speed, transparency, and product flexibility.- The challenges PonyMoney faced with legacy loan origination systems and decision engines, from rigid integrations to limited control over underwriting rules and pricing.​- How PonyMoney uses LendAPI’s flexible, API‑driven platform to run A/B tests on underwriting strategies, plug into cash‑flow data providers, and update rules in real time—without vendor tickets or long release cycles.- The impact of this setup on approval rates, portfolio performance, and operational efficiency, including faster launch of new products and smoother borrower journeys.About PonyMoneyPonyMoney is a consumer lending operator dedicated to providing individuals with simple, transparent, and quickly funded installment loans. By combining data‑driven underwriting with a digital‑first experience, PonyMoney helps borrowers access credit with less friction while giving its team full control over product design, risk strategies, and pricing. Powered by LendAPI’s integrated LOS and decision engine, PonyMoney can test, iterate, and scale new lending programs at startup speed without sacrificing compliance or control.

This week on the LendAPI Partner Podcast, host Rutger Van Faassen sits down with Joseph Huch, Vice President of Sales at USIO, a leading, tech-forward payments provider helping lenders, fintechs, and SaaS platforms modernize how they move money. Together, they unpack how integrated payments, real-time funding, and smarter disbursement workflows are reshaping the economics and customer experience of lending.How Joseph’s background in payments and financial technology shapes his approach to helping lenders deliver faster, more reliable funding experiences.​Why embedded payments and payouts are becoming a core competitive edge for digital lenders and vertical SaaS platforms.​The current USIO offering for lenders and fintechs today—and the future vision for deeper, API-first integration across onboarding, servicing, and collections.How USIO’s platform enables instant or same‑day disbursements, card and ACH rails, and configurable workflows that reduce friction for both borrowers and operations teams.​A real‑world example of a lender that streamlined its funding process, cut manual work, and improved conversion by delivering a more seamless payment and payout experience.Explore more partners and episodes on the LendAPI Marketplace.

LendAPI Partner Podcast with Mor Milo, CEO at Relli features an insightful discussion on revolutionizing real estate investing through technology. Mor Milo shares his expertise in building a platform that democratizes access to high-yield, passive real estate opportunitiesKey Topics Discussed- Democratizing real estate investing: Mor explains how Relli transforms family rental lessons into a tech platform, opening vetted deals to passive investors beyond traditional networks.​- Platform for accredited investors: Current offerings include diverse assets like retail, self-storage, and debt, with flexible investments starting at $10k and improved liquidity/yields (e.g., 15% structured returns).​- Future vision and marketplace model: Aims to create a "stock market for real estate" with fractional ownership for all; connects developers to educated investors via free marketplace, enhancing deal economics.​- LendAPI integration benefits: Automates KYC/KYB for seamless onboarding, ensuring compliance, reducing friction, and enabling scale for investors/sponsors—key for Relli's growth.- Success stories: An LA CEO shifted $100k from 8% multifamily returns to higher-yield, flexible deals on Relli, showcasing better economics and user experience.​​Mor's insights highlight partnership-driven innovation, like Relli's LendAPI collaboration, empowering fintechs to streamline operations and expand real estate access.📢 Explore more on the LendAPI MarketplaceListen now on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.

In this episode of the LendAPI Partner Podcast, Jay Bhattacharya shares his journey in the world of payments and fintech. As the Head of Strategic Partnerships at Veem, Jay provides a deep dive into how fintech companies can simplify global payments and accelerate innovation through strategic alliances and API-driven solutions.Key Topics Discussed:Making cross-border payments frictionless:Jay explains how Veem’s platform was developed to remove pain points in international payments, delivering ease and speed for businesses operating globally.API-powered partnerships:The conversation highlights how integrating Veem’s payment APIs with platforms like LendAPI enables fintechs and lenders to automate payment workflows, reduce risk, and improve transparency.Scaling compliance & efficiency:Jay discusses the regulatory and operational challenges of cross-border payments and how Veem’s technology-first approach helps clients maintain compliance while streamlining vendor payments and customer payouts.Collaboration in fintech:The episode explores how ecosystem partnerships—like those between Veem and LendAPI—unlock new value for lenders, drive digital transformation, and empower businesses to expand into new markets confidently.Real-world success stories:Jay shares tangible examples where customers have benefited from smart, integrated payment experiences, resulting in faster settlements and better global reach.Jay’s story is a testament to finding opportunity in complexity and the power of partnership-led growth. Whether you’re a fintech product leader, operations executive, or innovator in global commerce, you’ll find actionable takeaways in how Veem and LendAPI are setting new standards for modern B2B payments.📢 Explore more on the LendAPI MarketplaceTune in to discover how LendAPI and Veem are collaborating to advance the future of lending and payments technology. Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.

In this episode of the LendAPI Partner Podcast, Brian Reshefsky, Founder and CEO of Edge, shares the origins of Edge and explores his journey in fintech, focusing on technology-driven lending and API transformation. He highlights how partnerships like Edge and LendAPI address digital onboarding, compliance, and integration pain points, spotlighting real-world benefits for lenders.Key Topics Discussed:Solving industry pain points: Brian explains how Edge was established to tackle inefficiencies in lending technology and streamline digital lending workflows.API automation & innovation: Edge emphasizes automation across onboarding, origination, and underwriting, enabling seamless API integration for fintechs and lenders.Partnership impact: Insights into Edge’s collaboration with LendAPI and the business results of integrating best-in-class API solutions.Compliance & customer experience: Brian discusses how Edge simplifies regulatory workflows and enhances lender and borrower experiences through smart tech.Actionable strategies: How lending institutions and fintechs can leverage API partnerships to unlock growth, efficiency, and flexibility.Customer success stories: Real-world examples illustrating improved operational efficiency and digital transformation through Edge and LendAPI integrations.Brian’s story is a testament to the power of solving root business challenges with technology, listening to partners and customers, and co-innovating in a rapidly changing digital lending market. The Edge journey shows the lasting impact of collaboration, automation, and relentless focus on operational efficiency.📢 Explore more at the LendAPI Marketplace. Tune in to hear how platforms like Edge and LendAPI are shaping the future of lending technology and partnerships. Listen on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

In this episode of the LendAPI Partner Podcast, host Rutger van Faassen sits down with Georgina Merhom, the founder and CEO of SOLO. Georgina shares her journey from running a lending company in Egypt to solving critical data challenges in the global lending sector by founding SOLO. This discussion gets into the origin, vision, and unique approach SOLO brings to customer data management.Key Topics Discussed:Solving real pain points: Georgina talks about experiencing inefficiencies with customer data collection in her first lending business, leading her to launch SOLO to address these industry-wide challenges.Data reusability & efficiency: SOLO focuses on enabling the reuse of customer data across multiple products, departments, and even institutions—streamlining onboarding, origination, and underwriting processes.Integration and workflow: The platform integrates at points of customer interaction, resolving information gaps by leveraging what’s already known, and engaging customers only when necessary.Reducing friction: SOLO’s “single source of truth” approach eliminates redundancy, making customer experiences smoother both within and across financial institutions.Collaborative innovation: Georgina describes how customer and partner feedback has directly influenced SOLO’s roadmap, including the creation of new network-driven solutions.Network effects: The SOLO network connects lenders and partners to reduce duplicative costs and enhance verification processes, benefitting everyone involved.Customer impact stories: From customer accolades (“With SOLO, hard takes a day and impossible takes a week!”) to real-world efficiency gains, SOLO’s value is validated in day-to-day client success.Industry vision: The episode highlights how putting customer needs first and fostering collaboration are key to building financial technology that works for everyone.Georgina’s experience exemplifies the power of solving genuine problems, listening to customers, and continuously adapting your product to evolving market needs. The SOLO story demonstrates that innovation and partnership can reshape lending for the better.

In this episode of the LendAPI Partner Podcast, host Rutger van Faassen sits down with Mike Coy, the founder and CEO of Channel Payments. This conversation dives deep into the inception of Channel Payments, revealing how Mike identified core challenges in the payment processing industry and built his company with the mission to tackle them head-on.Key Topics Discussed:Listening to customers: Mike emphasizes that truly understanding customer pain points is the cornerstone for developing effective solutions in fintech.Democratizing payment processing: Channel Payments advocates for open, flexible access to payment solutions, significantly boosting customer retention and satisfaction.Orchestration and adaptability: Mike explains how orchestrating payment options gives businesses more flexibility, adapting to unique and changing needs with ease.Customer experience: The importance of a seamless and reliable payment process cannot be overstated. Mike shares how a superior payment journey directly correlates with increased transactions.Innovation in technology: Channel Payments leverages cutting-edge tech to drive up payment success rates and make processes smoother for everyone involved.Building trust: By avoiding long-term contracts and focusing on customer needs, Channel Payments nurtures stronger partnerships based on trust and transparency.Continuous improvement: Mike’s team is committed to iterative enhancements, ensuring their solutions keep pace with industry evolution and customer expectations.Mike’s journey demonstrates that putting the customer at the center, embracing innovation, and staying adaptable are the keys to thriving in the payment processing sector. The Channel Payments story is a testament to how modern fintech companies can drive real value by addressing both the strategic and emotional needs of their clientele.📢 Explore more at the LendAPI Marketplace

In this episode of the LendAPI Partner Podcast, host Rutger Van Faassen sits down with Rick Haskell, founder and CEO of Lendisoft. Drawing from two decades of risk management experience, Rick shares how the spark for Lendisoft emerged from recognizing a major gap in the market: small and mid-size lenders needed powerful, flexible tools to compete with larger enterprises.Rick explains how Lendisoft leverages AI and automation to revolutionize loan management, enabling lenders to bridge the gap between predictive modeling and day-to-day operational processes. The discussion highlights the transformation from legacy, spreadsheet-driven workflows to streamlined, no-code/low-code solutions that allow business leaders to configure processes without heavy reliance on IT.Market-Driven Origin: Lendisoft was founded to address a clear gap in loan management solutions, inspired by Rick’s 24-year career in risk management for subprime auto lending.AI & Automation Focus: The core of Lendisoft is about operational efficiency, using AI to assign risk, automate repetitive processes, and bridge the gap between modeling and action.Process-First Design: The platform facilitates a drag-and-drop, no-code/low-code approach for lenders—particularly empowering those with limited IT staff to configure their workflows directly.Competitiveness for Small Lenders: By making leading-edge tech accessible and configurable, even small lenders can compete with large enterprises.Customer Transformation: Lendisoft’s real impact shines in stories like a client moving from manual spreadsheets to complete automation—"what do I do with myself now that Lendisoft does it all?" a customer humorously remarks.Proper Configuration is Key: Success isn’t just software; it’s configuration. Lendisoft ensures clients get hands-on setup and guidance for long-term results."Lendisoft is so automated, it’s doing everything for us. Gone are the days of spreadsheets and all that manual work."— Rick HaskellRick closes by emphasizing his passion for the industry and the mission to level the playing field for all lenders, regardless of size. The episode wraps on a note of gratitude and anticipation for helping more lenders benefit from Lendisoft’s innovations.📢 Explore more at the LendAPI MarketplaceKey TakeawaysStandout Quote

In this illuminating episode of the LendAPI Partner Podcast, host Rutger van Faassen welcomes Stephen Thompson, co-founder and CEO of ScoreMyCash. The conversation delves into how ScoreMyCash is reshaping the lending landscape by using real cashflow data to provide lenders with a clearer, more accurate snapshot of consumer financial health. Stephen explains the journey behind ScoreMyCash’s founding, the evolution of data analytics in lending, and how their innovative tools help both lenders make smarter credit decisions and consumers gain increased access to credit.What You'll LearnThe Power of Cashflow Data: Insights into why cashflow—not just credit scores—offers a fuller picture of a consumer’s ability to repay, and how ScoreMyCash’s platform captures and analyzes this data.Advancing Financial Inclusion: How using bank transaction data helps lenders serve more creditworthy consumers, especially those who may be overlooked by traditional scoring.Analytics-Driven Lending: Stephen discusses how advanced analytics empower lenders to assess risk more accurately and create win-win scenarios for both borrowers and institutions.Validating the Approach: Hear real success stories where clients leveraged cashflow analytics to make better lending decisions, leading to improved outcomes for both consumers and lenders.Industry Evolution: Discover the ongoing transformation of the lending sector thanks to new data sources and smarter technology solutions like ScoreMyCash.ScoreMyCash is at the forefront of a data revolution in lending, proving that understanding the real story behind the numbers empowers lenders to make fairer, smarter lending decisions. By focusing on actual cashflow and bank transactions, they open doors for more consumers to access the credit they deserve while protecting lenders from unnecessary risk. Listen to the full podcast for more in-depth industry insights and actionable strategies from thought leader Stephen Thompson!📢 Explore more at the LendAPI Marketplace

In this engaging episode of the LendAPI Partner Podcast, host Rutger Van Faassen sits down with Jake Pimentel, the visionary CEO & Co-Founder of Tennis Finance. They explore the journey of Tennis Finance, a company born from the need for better AI-driven solutions in the debt collections space. Jake discusses the company's strategic pivot from compliance tech to creating cutting-edge workflow automation for commercial collections, revealing the transformative power of customer feedback and innovation in the fintech world. The conversation also highlights the human side of collections, the importance of maintaining strong business relationships, and the memorable origin behind the company’s name.What You'll LearnStartup Pivots: Discover how Tennis Finance found its niche by listening to customer pain points and pivoting from compliance-focused tools to commercial collections and legal workflow automation.AI in Collections: Learn about the AI-powered solutions utilized to streamline communication, automate workflows, and manage collections efficiently — benefiting both lenders and their clients.Commercial Focus: Understand why Tennis Finance zeroes in on commercial rather than consumer debt and how their universal inbox brings transparency to the collections process.Customer-Centric Innovation: Hear stories of how close collaboration with early clients led to practical product features and successful outcomes.Legal Case Management: Gain insights into how Tennis Finance supports clients through the entire collections lifecycle, from servicing to litigation, making even the toughest processes more manageable.Startup Wisdom: Take away the importance of agility and customer dialogue in building fintech solutions that truly resonate with the market.The 'Tennis' Philosophy: Find out the creative reasoning behind the company’s name and how the goal is to reduce the “back and forth” that so often complicates collections.Tennis Finance’s story is a testament to the power of listening, adapting, and relentlessly simplifying complex financial processes. Their commitment to both technological innovation and empathetic client service is reshaping what it means to handle commercial debt. As the fintech space evolves, staying open to feedback and ready to pivot can turn obstacles into the most rewarding opportunities. Tune into the full podcast for more behind-the-scenes stories and strategies from industry leaders like Jake Pimentel!📢 Explore more at the LendAPI Marketplace

In this episode of the Lend API Partner Podcast, Rutger van Faassen interviews Alex Gonikman, CEO and co-founder of True North. They discuss the origins of True North, its evolution into a FinTech integration expert, and share success stories of how True North has helped clients embed financial services into their existing applications. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding financial services and the role of AI in accelerating market entry for clients.What You’ll Learn:How True North was founded by Lending Club alumni and evolved into a fintech integration leader.Why non-financial companies are now embedding financial services—and how True North accelerates these transformations.Real-world success: moving clients from 12+ months to under 2 months for MVP launches.How AI tools are leveraged to speed up integration and reduce costs.Why understanding business challenges and picking the right partners is crucial for embedded finance.How True North combines backend expertise with seamless front-end experiences.

This week on the LendAPI Partner Podcast, host Rutger van Faassen welcomes Anna Burke, Head of Growth at Equabli, to discuss how the company is bringing much-needed innovation to the collections and recovery space. Equabli was founded by former industry operators who experienced firsthand the inefficiencies and fragmentation in delinquency management—and set out to solve it.What You’ll Learn:How Equabli emerged from a need to modernize collections infrastructureWhy optimization and cost savings are at the core of Equabli’s missionHow their tools align the “next best action” for each individual accountThe benefits of data-driven strategies for risk prediction and borrower engagementA compelling customer success story from a leading subprime lenderAbout the Platform:Equabli provides lenders with a powerful, integrated suite of tools to improve collections outcomes. Whether predicting borrower behavior, optimizing strategy deployment, or building borrower engagement at scale, Equabli enables cost-effective, compliant, and compassionate debt recovery.Hosted by Rutger van Faassen, this episode shines a light on an often-overlooked part of the credit cycle—and the innovation that’s shaping its future.👉 Listen Now and discover how collections can be optimized for a better lending ecosystem.📢 Explore more at the LendAPI Marketplace

In this episode, Rutger van Faassen sits down with Mo Milo, CEO and Co-Founder of a real estate investment platform designed to make passive real estate investing accessible, diversified, and rewarding. From his early inspiration watching his parents manage rental properties to launching his fourth startup, Mo shares how his team is using technology to modernize real estate investing for accredited—and eventually non-accredited—investors.What’s Inside This Episode?The origin story behind Mo’s mission-driven platform for passive real estate investingWhy traditional real estate opportunities have been closed off to average investors—and how that’s changingHow the platform allows accredited investors to browse and invest in retail, debt, self-storage, and moreThe vision for creating a "stock market" experience for real estate—fractional, accessible, and diversifiedA powerful customer success story where an LA-based CEO found a higher-yield, more flexible alternative investment through the platform🌟 Explore Mor's platform and other innovative partners on the LendAPI Marketplace.👉 Tune in now to hear how tech is making real estate investing smarter, simpler, and more inclusive.🎧 Available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.#LendAPI #Podcast #RealEstateInvesting #PassiveIncome #FinTech #AccreditedInvestors #AlternativeInvestments #FractionalRealEstate #PropTech #StartupJourney

In this episode, Rutger van Faassen chats with Tom Donlea, Vice President at Vouched, to explore how their cutting-edge technology is revolutionizing identity verification across fintech and telehealth. From mobile driver's licenses to fraud prevention, Vouched is shaping the future of digital identity and onboarding.What’s Inside This Episode?The origin story of Vouched and their mission to simplify identity verification.How Vouched became a first-mover in mobile driver’s license verification.The role of fraud prevention in modern digital onboarding.Partnerships with platforms like Alloy to enhance verification accuracy.Why ease of use + security is critical in financial services today.A look at what’s next for digital wallets and automated ID verification.🌟 Vouched is a proud partner of LendAPI! Explore their powerful identity verification solutions on the LendAPI Marketplace.👉 Tune in now to hear how Vouched is powering secure, seamless onboarding for the future of finance!🎧 Available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.#LendAPI #Podcast #Vouched #IdentityVerification #KYC #DigitalIdentity #FinTech #CustomerOnboarding #FraudPrevention #MobileDriversLicense #TechnologyInnovation