Fintech Takes
Alex Johnson
Fintech moves fast. But here at Fintech Takes, Alex Johnson and his rotating panel of guests move faster so that you can stay on top of the latest and greatest news in the industry without breaking a sweat. Welcome to Fintech Takes—the place where fintech’s biggest nerds come to sit back, relax, and completely geek out.Join Alex and a lineup of fintech’s brightest minds as they dissect what’s happening in fintech and banking. Each week, Alex and his guests recap the most interesting developments in fintech and explore the industry’s most pressing questions, diving headfirst into the intricate workings of some of the industry’s most ground-breaking business models and unpacking the emerging players that promise to shape fintech’s future.From riveting conversations with fintech’s most relevant operators to comprehensive recaps of the month's most compelling news stories and in-depth analyses of the latest regulatory developments, Fintech Takes is your one-stop-shop for navigating the fintech universe.Subscribe now to join fintech’s nerdiest podcast around!
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 20, 2025 • 43min
Fintech Takes x Pipe presents Vertical SaaS: Fintech Disruption by a Thousand Cuts Episode 5: Go To Market
Lacey Ford, CMO at ABC Fitness, shares her expertise in go-to-market strategies for vertical SaaS in the fitness sector. She highlights how gyms and studios are evolving into community hubs driven by Gen Z. Lacey describes distinct buyer behaviors across fitness segments and emphasizes the deep, personal connections operators have with customers. She illustrates how essential retention strategies are for growth, and discusses the role of AI in enhancing customer engagement and personalization. Her insights pave the way for actionable benchmarks in the fitness industry.
Oct 15, 2025 • 59min
Not Fintech Investment Advice: EtherFi, Lunos AI, Circuit & Chisel, & Figure
Simon Taylor, a fintech commentator and author of Fintech Brain Food, dives into groundbreaking innovations. He introduces EtherFi Cash, a DeFi-native credit card that allows users to earn interest while borrowing. Lunos AI automates accounts receivable with smart negotiation capabilities, foreshadowing a future of self-driving finances. Circuit & Chisel’s XTP protocol enables AI agents to pay each other, revolutionizing software use. Finally, Taylor discusses Figure's blockchain lending, driving tokenization momentum in the finance industry.
Oct 13, 2025 • 51min
Fintech Takes x Pipe presents Vertical SaaS: Fintech Disruption by a Thousand Cuts Episode 4: Build, Buy, or Partner?
A.J. Axelrod, VP of Payments & Financial Services at Clio, dives into the unique challenges of legal fintech. He discusses Clio's evolution from integrations to a comprehensive payments system tailored for lawyers. A.J. highlights the critical importance of compliance and trust accounts in legal payments, and how Clio balances building versus partnering. They explore contextual fintech solutions and the advantages of maintaining a distinct ledger. The conversation is packed with practical insights for navigating the complexities of vertical SaaS in finance.
Oct 8, 2025 • 34min
Fintech Takes: Gambling is the Biggest Threat to Consumers’ Financial Health
Gambling is increasingly threatening consumers' financial health, with platforms like Robinhood and Coinbase crossing into betting territory. The rise of Speculation-as-a-Service poses risks to traditional banking models, as gambling undermines savings and investments. Innovative saving strategies, such as Prize-Linked Savings Accounts, show potential, but there's concern over future backlash against exploitative gambling practices. As the competition heats up, banks must adapt to protect their customers' financial well-being amidst a landscape of blurring lines between finance and betting.
Oct 6, 2025 • 58min
Fintech Takes x Pipe presents Vertical SaaS: Fintech Disruption by a Thousand Cuts Episode 3: Fintech Strategy
Ethan Senturia, President of Housecall Pro and a former Chief Fintech Officer, shares insights on the evolution of embedded finance in vertical SaaS. He emphasizes the importance of understanding customer segmentation beyond industry and company size. Ethan reveals how payments serve as a crucial entry point for building trust, paving the way for more complex financial features. He also discusses leveraging first-party data to enhance product offerings and anticipates how AI could revolutionize the fintech landscape for home service pros.
Oct 1, 2025 • 1h 5min
Fintech Recap: Plaid Pays Chase, FBI Circles BaaS, and FICO Tries AI
In an intriguing discussion, hosts dive into Plaid's deal with JPMorgan Chase, revealing the costs and implications for open banking. The FBI's investigation into Evolve raises eyebrows, especially with ties to international money movements and potential criminal charges for bankers. FICO's announcement of a new AI model sparks debate about its effectiveness and target audience. Meanwhile, the hosts reflect on being labeled 'partisan' and scrutinize Tether's troubling valuation amidst audit concerns. Expect a lively exchange filled with fintech drama!
Sep 30, 2025 • 46min
FT x Nova Credit Fintech Takes x Nova Credit Presents Cash Flow Conversations Episode 4: The Cash Flow Bureau of the Future
In this session, Chris Hansen, GM of Cash Atlas Solutions at Nova Credit, dives into the potential of cash flow data in reshaping credit analytics. He discusses a visionary cash flow-based credit bureau built on three pillars: persistent data access, innovative analytics, and regulatory compliance. The conversation explores how consumer-permissioned data can empower borrowers while complicating lender workflows. Chris also highlights the future opportunities for real-time data in account management and the evolving role of banks in consumer finance.
Sep 30, 2025 • 41min
Fintech Takes x Nova Credit Presents Cash Flow Conversations Episode 3: Saying “Yes” to More Underserved Consumers
In this conversation, Matt Zalubowski, Chief Commercial Officer and Chief Marketing Officer at Atlanticus, shares insights on expanding responsible credit access for underserved consumers. He discusses the effectiveness of cash flow underwriting as a more nuanced data source, offering a 15% lift in approvals. Matt highlights how partnerships with affiliates like MoneyLion mitigate friction in obtaining consumer consent and delve into using cash flow data to enhance account servicing and underwriting strategies. Tune in for valuable perspectives on bridging the credit gap!
Sep 29, 2025 • 46min
Fintech Takes x Pipe presents Vertical SaaS: Fintech Disruption by a Thousand Cuts Episode 2: Customer Centricity
Brian Soller, Chief Product Officer at SpotOn, discusses the evolution of their platform into a restaurant-focused vertical SaaS. He reveals the importance of customer centricity, emphasizing depth over breadth in serving independent restaurants. Soller explains how empathy drives product decisions, illustrating with SpotOn's DayCheck feature that offers same-day pay to boost employee retention. He also shares insights on when to build vs. partner in embedded finance and the impact of AI tools like Profit Assist that identify hidden costs.
Sep 26, 2025 • 44min
Fintech Takes x Nova Credit Presents Cash Flow Conversations Episode 2: Experimenting With (and Scaling Up the Use of) Cash Flow Data
Join Anand Bhushan, PayPal's Global Head of Credit, and Nikki Cross from Nova Credit as they explore the revolutionary use of cash flow data in lending. They discuss how PayPal crafted a business case for integrating cash flow insights, finding extraordinary consumer uptake and real-time underwriting success. The duo dives into the innovative experiments designed to minimize risks, tackle privacy issues, and the future potential of cash flow data across various products. Their insights reveal valuable strategies for scaling in the financial landscape.
