

Fintech Chatter: Insights From Fintech Leaders
Dexter Cousins | Fintech Headhunter and Founder
Fintech Chatter Podcast has been leading conversations with Fintech founders since 2019!Join the Fintech Chatter Podcast, where we dive into the world of fintech with industry leaders and innovators. Brought to you by Tier One People, Australia's leading executive search and recruitment firm for fintech ventures. Each episode features an exclusive interview with a Fintech leader, uncovering their secrets to success and the lessons learned along the way. Fintech Chatter has become the archive for anyone serious about launching and building a successful Fintech company.Whether you're a fintech founder, professional, investor, or enthusiast, gain valuable insights from expert interviews and discussions on raising capital, hiring, international expansion, innovation and technology.Tune in to stay ahead of the trends in the rapidly-evolving fintech landscape.Dexter also shares his expertise on careers, leadership and hiring all through a Fintech lens.Follow Dexter on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dextercousins/Follow Tier One People: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tier-one-people
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 6, 2025 • 21min
Frontya - Fixing Housing Affordability Ep3
In the third part of our Fixing Housing Affordability series, host Dexter Cousins speaks with Nir Golan and Robbie Baskin from Frontya.We showcase another innovative approach to tackling housing affordability in Australia. Frontya have identified the challenges faced by first home buyers are amplified by the role of property investors.Frontya's innovative funding model aims to double deposits for home buyers, enabling them to access the property market more effectively. On the other side of the problem they've developed a managed fund geared specifically to property investors, helping them spread their risk whilst also supporting first time buyers.To find out more go to https://frontya.com.au/Send us a textContact info@tieronepeople.com for further detailsSubscribe Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/fintech-leaders-7092732051488980992/Connect on Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3DsCJBp

Aug 3, 2025 • 46min
Innovating Home Ownership: James Bowe from OwnHome
In this episode of Fintech Chatter, host Dexter Cousins chats with James Bowe, CEO and co-founder of OwnHome, about the innovative solutions his company is bringing to the housing market. James shares insights into the challenges of housing affordability and accessibility in Australia, and how OwnHome is empowering families to own homes sooner by funding deposits and providing buyer's agent support.James discusses the genesis of OwnHome, highlighting the financial and legal structuring challenges that inspired him and his co-founder to tackle the housing crisis. Tune in to learn about the successes and partnerships that have propelled OwnHome forward, and gain valuable insights into the current state of the fintech industry. Whether you're a potential homeowner or interested in fintech innovation, this episode offers a compelling look at how OwnHome is making a difference.Send us a textContact info@tieronepeople.com for further detailsSubscribe Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/fintech-leaders-7092732051488980992/Connect on Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3DsCJBp

Jul 30, 2025 • 23min
Mondus Capital - Aussie Fintech's Fixing Housing Affordability
Welcome to Fintech Chatter Podcast. We're dedicating the month of August to showcase the Australian founders passionate about solving the housing affordability crisis.Dexter Cousins kicks off the series with Lucinda Hartley of Mondus Capital. Lucinda shares how she's leveraging her background as a City Planner and SaaS founder to bring a zero deposit home loan to market.Find out more - https://www.mymondus.com/Watch out for their upcoming rebrand https://zeroo.com.au/Send us a textContact info@tieronepeople.com for further detailsSubscribe Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/fintech-leaders-7092732051488980992/Connect on Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3DsCJBp

Jun 9, 2025 • 1h 2min
Fintech is only 1% Finished - David M. Brear 11:FS
Welcome back to Fintech Chatter Podcast! In this episode your host Dexter Cousins invites guest No2 back onto the show.David M. Brear is CEO of 11:FS Group and 11:FS Holdings. The award winning digital consultancy has built digital banks all over the world and through 11:FS holdings, David and the team are finally going to build the next generation of financial services, this time for their own company!Having first appeared on the show in January 2020, David and Dexter talk about the evolution of fintech, the challenges facing the fintech industry, and the future of digital banking. They also discuss the impact of AI on the consultancy model, the importance of understanding customer insights to drive innovation, plus the current state of fintech in the UK and Australia. David also reveals his new favourite hobby, the increasing role of influencers in fintech media and his personal health challenges that have him more motivated than ever.Chapters00:00 Introduction 01:16 About 11:FS03:05 Changing the Fabric of Financial Services17:20 Regulatory Challenges and Market Dynamics23:07 The Future of UK FinTech26:00 Maturity Challenges in FinTech29:05 Emergence of Influencers in FinTech33:26 The Power of Podcasting in FinTech38:13 The Reality of FinTech Media41:54 Cult of Personality in FinTech48:55 Building 11FS Holdings54:30 Health, Work, and Life BalanceFor more information on 11:FS - https://www.11fs.com/Listen to Fintech Insider Podcast - https://content.11fs.com/podcastsSend us a textContact info@tieronepeople.com for further detailsSubscribe Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/fintech-leaders-7092732051488980992/Connect on Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3DsCJBp

Apr 27, 2025 • 52min
Indebted, Global Expansion, Series C and Lessons Learned - Josh Foreman
Dexter welcomes back Josh Foreman to discuss their global expansion and recent Series C capital raise.Josh first appeared on the show in 2020 and he shares the lessons he has learned from writing Indebted's first line of code to launching in 7 countries!Chapters00:00 Introduction to Indebted and Its Mission03:04 The Evolution of Technology in Debt Collection09:08 Disrupting Traditional Debt Collection Models15:00 The Future of Credit Infrastructure18:03 Lessons Learned and Strategic Insights30:42 Scaling a Global Business35:59 The Role of Intuition in Decision Making39:00 Raising Capital in a Challenging Environment45:41 The Future of Fintech and AI InnovationsFind out more about Indebted - https://www.indebted.co/careers/You can find previous episodes with Josh - 2020 - https://tieronepeople.com/2020/11/11/josh-foreman-indebted-fintech-australia-podcast/2022 - https://youtu.be/iA0j-yejKDQ?si=ibKW4oNXZUxHaJpgSend us a textContact info@tieronepeople.com for further detailsSubscribe Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/fintech-leaders-7092732051488980992/Connect on Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3DsCJBp

Apr 6, 2025 • 37min
Global Bank CEO Turns Fintech Founder - Antony Jenkins, 10x Banking
Dexter Cousins interviews Antony Jenkins, the CEO and founder of 10X Banking, the core banking platform that makes banking ten times better.Antony stands out in Fintech as the global CEO of Barclays who decided to start a fintech. Tune in for a deep dive into the challenges of core banking, the outdated technology in the banking sector, and how 10X helps banks like Westpac and Chase innovate fast. We talk about fixing the banking technology silo problem, Antony's transition from a large bank to a startup, and his approach to creating a high-performance culture within 10x and how it differs to running a global bank.Antony also shares his thoughts on the future of fintech, opportunities in the Australian market (and their partnership with Constantinople) plus his advice for banking professionals considering a move to fintech.Find out more https://www.10xbanking.com/Send us a textContact info@tieronepeople.com for further detailsSubscribe Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/fintech-leaders-7092732051488980992/Connect on Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3DsCJBp

Apr 4, 2025 • 4min
Antony Jenkins, 10x Banking - Trailer
Antony Jenkins, CEO and Founder of 10x Banking joins Dexter Cousins to talk about the Future of 10x and the Fintech Industry - Full interview available Monday 7th AprilSend us a textContact info@tieronepeople.com for further detailsSubscribe Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/fintech-leaders-7092732051488980992/Connect on Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3DsCJBp

Mar 30, 2025 • 53min
The Bootstrap Journey of a Fintech Founder - Julian Fayad, LoanOptions.ai
In this episode of Fintech Chatter, Dexter Cousins interviews Julian Fayad, CEO of LoanOptions.ai about the challenges and advantages of bootstrapping a fintech company from the ground up. LoanOptions.ai aims to revolutionise the loan application process. Julian shares insights into how they’re using AI to build a mobile first loan application process.Julian first appeared on the show in 2023. We chat about his progress and the lessons he has learned over the past two years. Julian also talks about the transition from a broking business to a technology-focused company, and the launch of Synapses, the API services hub for Fintech! We also discuss the launch of HAILO and LoanOptions.ai, expansion into New Zealand and future plans for market expansion into the US and UAE.Find out more: https://loanoptions.aiChapters00:00 The Bootstrap Journey of a Fintech Founder02:12 Innovating the Loan Application Process10:45 Transitioning from Broking to Technology18:04 Launching New Products and Partnerships25:49 Building an API Services Hub for Fintechs26:48 Navigating B2B Partnerships and SaaS Pricing Strategies32:05 Transitioning from Brokerage to Tech: Lessons Learned35:21 Building a Cohesive Team and Company Culture39:47 Innovative Talent Acquisition Strategies41:45 Valuable Lessons in Business Partnerships46:22 Expanding Horizons: New Markets and Future PlansSend us a textContact info@tieronepeople.com for further detailsSubscribe Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/fintech-leaders-7092732051488980992/Connect on Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3DsCJBp

Mar 22, 2025 • 54min
Athena, The Heroes Journey - Michael Starkey and Nathan Walsh
In this episode of Fintech Chatter, Dexter Cousins chats to Nathan Walsh and Michael Starkey, Co-Founders of Athena Home Loans.Making their long awaited return to the show, Nathan and Michael discuss their journey over the past four years, and the insane challenges they’ve had to navigate as interest rates rose rapidly and funding markets dried up. According to Wikipedia Athena was the patron goddess of heroic endeavor; she was believed to have aided the heroes Perseus, Heracles, Bellerophon, and Jason. She may have also aided Michael and Nathan over this last few years!We ask Nathan and Michael the tough questions like how do you compete with banks, balance innovation with regulatory requirements, navigating the rapid interest rate rises since 2022, and the importance of partnerships. Nathan and Michael also share their secrets to building a resilient team and maintaining a strong company culture as they aim for the next stage of growth and innovation in the home loan sector.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Athena Home Loans03:38 Founding Story and Vision05:48 Tech Fin vs Fin Tech: Athena's Position07:32 Navigating Regulation and Innovation11:48 Challenges of Distribution in a Fragmented Market13:34 Impact of Interest Rate Rises on Fintech19:45 Lessons from Big Banks23:23 Partnerships and Growth Opportunities29:29 Cultural Alignment in Partnerships33:47 The Journey of Co-Founders37:59 Hiring The Right People40:51 Navigating Growth and Change45:09 Reflections on Past Experiences48:40 Future Aspirations and GrowthSend us a textContact info@tieronepeople.com for further detailsSubscribe Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/fintech-leaders-7092732051488980992/Connect on Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3DsCJBp

Mar 13, 2025 • 58min
What Happens To Fintech Companies AFTER Raising a Record Seed Round? - Constantinople
In this episode of Fintech Chatter, host Dexter Cousins speaks with Di Challenor and Macgregor Duncan, co-founders of Constantinople, about their journey in building the Operating System for banks. Constantinople is the most ambitious startup in Fintech, tackling the most complex problem in Fintech, rethinking how banks become fully digital.Tune in as Mac and Di discuss the challenges of winning banking clients, the importance of establishing trust, and the strategies behind their successful capital raising efforts. We revisit our first interview in 2023 and talk through the challenges and learnings of the past two years. As they look to the future, they share their vision for Constantinople and the endless quest for excellence.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Constantinople04:09 The Evolution of Banking Technology07:17 Challenges in Client Acquisition10:10 Building Trust and Credibility12:53 Creating a New Category in Banking16:04 Navigating Capital Raising19:03 The Importance of Execution25:02 Scaling the Business34:08 The Importance of Documentation in Scaling36:49 Driving Excellence in Early Stage Companies42:45 Commitment to Excellence: Attracting the Right Talent49:07 Identifying and Filling Skill Gaps53:15 Future Vision: Building a Multi-Tenanted Banking PlatformFind out about careers: https://www.cxnpl.com/Send us a textContact info@tieronepeople.com for further detailsSubscribe Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/fintech-leaders-7092732051488980992/Connect on Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3DsCJBp