Treehouse Talks

Bitcoin-backed loans at a credit union? Stablecoins changing how money moves? Blockchain rebuilding the infrastructure underneath banking?Jed Meyer believes financial institutions are approaching their Blockbuster moment, and St. Cloud Financial Credit Union isn’t waiting around to see what happens.In this episode of Treehouse Talks, Eric Isham sits down with Jed, CEO of St. Cloud Financial Credit Union, for a conversation that goes way beyond “crypto.” They dig into what happens when deposits leave traditional financial institutions for digital assets, why Jed believes blockchain could change financial services the way the internet changed media, and why banks and credit unions need to understand the new rails of money before their members build those relationships somewhere else.Jed also shares how St. Cloud Financial plans to begin lending against Bitcoin in Q1 2027, why digital asset custody may be a natural fit for financial institutions, and how his team has approached stablecoins, tokenization and blockchain infrastructure through the credit union’s core rather than treating them as disconnected products.The technology is only part of Jed’s story.He also walks through how a nearly century-old credit union grew roughly 450% without a traditional sales strategy, why he believes culture has been at the center of that growth, and how being a smaller institution can actually be an advantage when you are willing to move quickly and take strategic risks.A few things Eric and Jed get into:• Why Jed calls this banking’s “Blockbuster moment”• Bitcoin-backed lending and why St. Cloud Financial is moving into it• Stablecoins, tokenization and the changing form of money• Why digital asset outflows grew from roughly $1 million to $15 million• Blockchain as infrastructure, not just another financial product• Why the credit union core matters in an on-chain future• Protecting private keys and digital asset custody• The threat of retailers and fintechs owning the financial relationship• How St. Cloud Financial grew roughly 450%• Why culture matters more than a traditional sales strategy• The advantage smaller credit unions have when they actually use their agility• Why avoiding every risk may be one of the biggest risks of allThis isn’t really a conversation about whether crypto is good or bad.It’s a conversation about what happens when the infrastructure underneath financial services changes and whether traditional financial institutions are ready to change with it.Subscribe to Treehouse Talks for more conversations with entrepreneurs, CEOs, innovators and people building what comes next.

Dave Rauschkolb was one semester away from finishing college when a surfing trip led to a question that would completely change his life: What if we opened a restaurant?A few months later, Bud & Alley’s opened its doors in a very different Seaside, Florida. Forty years later, it has become one of the most recognizable restaurants on 30A, and Dave’s story has grown far beyond a single restaurant.In this episode of Treehouse Talks, Dave sits down with Eric Isham to tell the story behind Bud & Alley’s, from borrowing the money to get started and barely making a profit in the early years to building Taco Bar, Pizza Bar, Black Bear Bread Co. and a restaurant culture that has kept employees around for decades.Dave also gets into the lessons that did not come easily. He talks about closing a restaurant after only 90 days, refusing to put pepperoni on the menu before finally listening to his customers, why he believes managers have to earn respect, and why he once left his own dinner table to put on an apron and help an overwhelmed dishwasher.The conversation goes beyond business, too. Dave shares how the Deepwater Horizon disaster pulled him into activism, how Hands Across the Sand grew from a Florida idea into events across all 50 states and 48 countries, and why protecting the Gulf Coast and its beaches remains personal to him.This is a conversation about taking chances, building something that lasts, knowing when to change your mind, standing up for what you believe in, and learning that the strongest businesses are ultimately built around people.Subscribe to Treehouse Talks for more conversations with entrepreneurs, leaders and people with stories worth hearing.

Ja’Baree Allen saw the AI revolution coming before most people knew what ChatGPT was.Years before generative AI became part of everyday life, Ja’Baree found himself inside online technology communities, signed up for an OpenAI beta program, and saw enough to immediately think: this is going to change the world.But his journey to becoming the founder of Phusion AI started long before artificial intelligence.Ja’Baree joins Eric Isham on Treehouse Talks to share his story of growing up in the small town of Perry, Florida, attending Florida State University, launching his first business while still in college, and eventually selling it before he had even graduated.He went on to build Business Automation Pros, struggled through the realities of entrepreneurship, found an unexpected opportunity automating healthcare during COVID, and eventually built a successful process automation business.Then everything changed.While coaching his son’s baseball team, Ja’Baree suffered a devastating Achilles rupture that left him sidelined for months and facing one of the lowest periods of his life. Instead of staying there, he became obsessed with learning artificial intelligence, earning certifications, studying emerging models, and eventually turning that obsession into Phusion AI.Eric and Ja’Baree dive into AI agents, voice automation, healthcare, entrepreneurship, OpenAI, Claude, NVIDIA, data privacy, deepfakes, the future of work, AI safety, local AI models, and what businesses should actually be doing with this technology right now.They also tackle the uncomfortable side of AI: what happens when models become more capable than the people using them, why “free” AI may not actually be free, how voice cloning and deepfakes are changing security, and why Ja’Baree believes ignoring AI is no longer an option.This is a conversation about AI, entrepreneurship, faith, failure, reinvention, and finding the thing you were meant to build.If you enjoy the conversation, subscribe to Treehouse Talks, drop a comment, and let us know:What excites you most about AI, and what concerns you the most?

What happens when banks and credit unions can no longer afford to ignore crypto, stablecoins, and digital assets?Peter Glyman joins Eric Isham on Treehouse Talks to break down why he believes blockchain architecture, stablecoins, tokenized assets, and digital wallets will become a major part of the future financial technology stack.Peter’s journey goes far beyond crypto. He shares how growing up on Martha’s Vineyard, working on a tuna boat, getting into sales, and eventually co-founding Geezeo shaped his career as an entrepreneur. He opens up about building Geezeo, surviving difficult years, navigating an acquisition by Jack Henry, and what he learned spending years inside one of the largest financial technology companies in the industry.Now Peter is back in founder mode with Coinbax, building infrastructure designed to help financial institutions safely move money using stablecoins and tokenized deposits.Eric and Peter discuss why banks and credit unions risk losing wallet share when customers leave their institution to buy and hold digital assets, how fintechs are expanding into traditional financial services, what stablecoin adoption could mean for payments, and why regulated financial institutions may actually have a major advantage if they move quickly enough.They also dive into second-time entrepreneurship, fundraising, building the right team, and one of Peter’s biggest lessons for founders: get your financial and operational structure right from the beginning.If you’re interested in fintech, stablecoins, banking innovation, crypto, entrepreneurship, or where money is headed next, this conversation is worth watching.Subscribe to Treehouse Talks for more conversations with entrepreneurs, founders, innovators, and leaders building what’s next.

Marine Corps Veteran Mark Casper walked away from a successful corporate career after realizing something was missing. What he found was a mission that would completely change the direction of his life.In this episode of Treehouse Talks, Eric Isham sits down with Mark Casper, President and CEO of Tech For Troops, to talk about military transition, leadership, entrepreneurship, finding your purpose, and what it really takes to keep a mission alive when the odds are stacked against you.When Mark first walked into Tech For Troops, the organization operated out of just 750 square feet. Not long after he joined, the organization was running out of money. Mark worked 80- and 90-hour weeks, went without his own paycheck at times, and made a decision that says a lot about his philosophy on leadership: take care of your people before you take care of yourself.Today, Tech For Troops helps Veterans and military families through refurbished technology, digital-skills training, workforce development, secure data destruction, electronics recycling, and programs like Game Corps that use gaming and community to combat isolation and support Veteran mental wellness.Mark and Eric also dive into:Why leaving the military can leave Veterans searching for their next "tribe"The leadership lessons Mark carried from the Marine CorpsWalking away from corporate America to pursue a missionKeeping a nonprofit alive when the money was running outWhy access to a computer can completely change someone's futureThe digital divide facing VeteransTurning electronic waste into opportunityUsing gaming and community to support Veteran mental wellnessThe challenges Veterans face when transitioning into civilian lifeMark's vision for taking Tech For Troops nationwideWhy giving your time, knowledge, or resources can make a bigger impact than you thinkThis is a conversation about service after service, leading through difficult moments, and finding the work you're willing to fight for.Learn more about Tech For Troops:https://techfortroops.org/Connect with Mark Casper on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-casper-t4t/Subscribe to Treehouse Talks for more conversations with entrepreneurs, Veterans, business leaders, and people building something that matters.