Liberis, CEO - Rob Straathof - Embedded Finance and Small Business Lending
Oct 5, 2023
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Rob Straathof, CEO of Liberis, discusses embedded finance and small business lending. Topics include Liberis' platform, business funding options, working with regulators, and the applications of GenAI in business. Rob also reflects on his career and emphasizes the importance of pursuing passion and building relationships.
Liberis differentiates itself from traditional lenders by charging a fixed upfront fee regardless of defaults or slower repayments, focusing on positive selection and customer respect.
Rob Strathoff highlights the significant impact of AI, particularly gen AI, in revolutionizing the fintech and financial services industries, offering efficiency gains, hyper-personalization, and reducing reliance on traditional banking services.
Deep dives
Liberis' Embedded Finance Platform Empowers Small Businesses with Funding Solutions
Liberis is an embedded finance platform that partners with companies like Klarna, Barkly Guard, and WorldPay to provide small businesses with pre-approved funding offers. Through analysis of data on its partner platforms, Liberis streamlines access to capital for small businesses. The company differentiates itself from traditional lenders by charging a fixed upfront fee, regardless of defaults or slower repayments. Liberis' business model focuses on positive selection and customer respect, delivering high customer engagement and acceptance rates. With its solid regulatory and compliance practices, Liberis has transformed into a global platform with partnerships across Europe, the UK, the US, and Canada.
Building a Successful Startup: Lessons from Rob Strathoff's Journey
Rob Strathoff, CEO of Liberis, shares valuable insights from his career journey. He emphasizes the importance of pursuing your passions and surrounding yourself with supportive and talented individuals. Rob highlights the need for continuous learning and adaptation, particularly when transitioning from established companies to startups. He discusses the challenges faced during the startup phase, the importance of contingency planning, and the value of perseverance and energy. Rob also underscores the significance of building strong networks and relationships to support personal and professional growth.
The Impact of AI in Fintech and Financial Services
Rob Strathoff recognizes the significant impact of AI, particularly gen AI, in revolutionizing the fintech and financial services industries. AI applications are already transforming processes, such as underwriting, sales calls, and customer communication. Rob highlights the efficiency gains and hyper-personalization opportunities offered by AI. He reflects on his initial skepticism but explains how recent experiences have convinced him of AI's potential. Rob envisions multiple AI-driven product offerings in the future, benefiting small businesses and reducing their reliance on traditional banking services.
Navigating Regulatory Environments and Lessons in Resilience
Rob Strathoff shares his perspective on regulatory environments in different markets, stressing the importance of compliance. He acknowledges the need for oversight and regulation to protect consumers' financial well-being. Rob discusses the challenges of managing multiple regulatory requirements across various countries and emphasizes the importance of taking regulatory matters seriously. Drawing from his experiences with regulators at previous companies, Rob underscores the need for discipline and engagement in regulatory and legal aspects. He acknowledges the delicate balance between regulation and innovation in fostering a healthy fintech ecosystem.
Rob Straathof, CEO of Liberis - Embedded Finance and Small Business Lending
Trevor Prince sits down with Rob Straathof, CEO of Liberis, an embedded finance platform that partners with companies like Klarna, Barclaycard, and Worldpay to empower small businesses with funding solutions. Through analysis of data on its partners' platforms, Liberis provides small businesses with pre-approved funding offers and streamlined access to capital. To date, Liberis has funded over 50,000 businesses with more than £1 billion in funding.
In this episode, Rob discusses his path from an aspiring astronaut to leading a global FinTech company, Liberis' platform relative to traditional lenders, as well as business funding options and their impact on small businesses. He also discusses his experience and perspective on working with regulators in financial services, GenAI’s applications in business, and much more.
About Rob Straathof:
Rob has served as the CEO of Liberis for over 8 years. Prior to Liberis, he led Corporate Development at Wonga.com and worked in Tech and FinTech M&A at JP Morgan. Rob's career journey began early on in his family's delicatessen and catering business in the Netherlands.
Rob is passionate about creating value and impact for small businesses and their communities. He earned a Master of Science in Economics from Erasmus University Rotterdam, and enjoys flying as an instrument-rated private pilot.
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