The following was produced by Tearsheet Studios. We worked with Q2, a digital banking software company, to create a four part podcast series on how embedded finance and banking as a service is changing the definition of who is a bank, where customers turn for banking products and services, and how it is helping some of the weakest players in the economy get access to the modern financial industry.  There’s still almost 20% of the U.S. population that’s underbanked. That’s tens of millions of people who may have access to basic banking but are falling between the cracks. That’s in spite of the fintech bull market we’ve had over the past few years. I interview Q2's Ahon Sarkar about the impact banking as a service changes the economics of banking. The result is more products and services available for the underbanked. We discuss how this changes the banking industry and the customers it serves.

I’m Zack Miller, editor in chief of Tearsheet. The following was produced by Tearsheet Studios. We worked with Wave, a financial software company for entrepreneurs and small businesses, to create a three part podcast series on what micro businesses and solopreneurs really need now from their banks, financial service providers, and financial software. It’s never a simple time for small business owners. They live and breathe cashflow. Many function pretty much hand to mouth, so any disruption -- let alone the pandemic we’re navigating through -- any disruption can really challenge an entrepreneur. I, for one, wouldn’t like to see a world with all big box retailers, faceless corporations, hawking me throwaway stuff and disposable experiences. I think the crisis brought out the fact that small businesses are really important parts of our cities, towns, and communities. If they suffer, we all suffer. Kirk Simpson, is the CEO of Wave, a provider of free accounting software for entrepreneurs. He lives and breathes what micro businesses deal with -- they’re his customers. So while he tracked the struggles of these folks, he also watched as many survived and thrived. It was also a time that a lot of people set out on their own to follow their own entrepreneurial dreams.

The following was produced by Tearsheet Studios. We worked with Wave, a financial software company for entrepreneurs and small businesses, to create a three part podcast series on what micro businesses and solopreneurs really need now from their banks, financial service providers, and financial software. One of the things that’s got me really interested in fintech was hearing founders’ own stories. What got them into the business. Why some left high paying jobs to throw their hats in the entrepreneurial ring. A ring that can be really hard, confounding and a roller coaster of emotion. Many of them started their business out of a deep connection to the problem they’re trying to solve. And when you trace back through their stories, you can get some insight and apply it to your own business, practice, or department you’re trying to build. In 2009, Kirk Simpson founded Wave, accounting software for entrepreneurs, micro businesses and solopreneurs. He didn’t have an accounting background -- his co-founder did -- but he did have experience building and running small businesses. Also, he absolutely wanted to leave working for the man, which helps fire up the motivation to change how things are done. To stir the pot. To mix things up and break through the status quo.

Welcome to the Tearsheet Podcast. I’m Tearsheet’s editor in chief, Zack Miller. As banks increasingly work with modern technology providers, ecosystems are forming around them and the businesses they serve. Norm DeLuca is the general manager of digital banking solutions at Bottomline Technologies. He knows something about ecosystems and something about banking — spending 20 years in the industry. Bottomline works with nearly 1000 banks around the world to connect them with businesses and innovative partners using digital technologies to help them move the ball forward. Norm DeLuca is my guest today on the Tearsheet Podcast.

I’m Zack Miller, editor in chief of Tearsheet. The following was produced by Tearsheet Studios. We worked with fintech software provider Autobooks to create a four part podcast series on the evolution of business banking and how banks can better service SMBs through a changing mindset, partnerships and integrations. We’ve moved beyond the paradigm of banks versus fintechs. Banks are partnering with top technology companies in a way that plays to both parties’ strengths. But these partnerships are resource-heavy and hard: hard to get to contract, hard to integrate, and hard to slot into changing priorities. Q2 is a banking software firm in Austin, Texas. 400 banks and credit unions use its software to power digital banking. I spoke with Greg Varnell, vice president of product and development in the innovation Studio at Q2. Greg describes the Q2 Marketplace and how fintechs and banks are using it as a way to more closely and quickly partner.

Welcome to the Tearsheet Podcast. I’m Tearsheet’s editor in chief, Zack Miller. Embedded finance is a recurring theme in our coverage on Tearsheet on here, on the podcast. With APIs and banking as a service platforms, firms in all kinds of industries are getting into finance. That’s the story line here. TripActions is an innovate business travel & expense platform that continues to evolve to serve its customers. That meant launching its own travel agency. And it also meant launching Liquid (https://tripactions.com/uk/liquid), TripActions’ own payments solution that ties employee spending in to its software and includes corporate cards. Michael Sindicich is the general manager of TripActions Liquid and was one of the first employees in the company. Michael joins me on the podcast to discuss the firm’s growth trajectory and how that impacted why the firm launched a payment solution. We also discuss the uptake of TripActions Liquid and where the firm is headed in the future with its fintech aspirations. Michale Sindicich is my guest today on the Tearsheet Podcast.

Welcome to the Tearsheet Podcast. I’m Zack Miller. Even as more states legalize marijuana, banking cannabis customers is still a major undertaking. Regent Bank is a small bank with 5 branches in Oklahoma and Springfield, MO. As Regent sensed an opportunity to work with cannabis customers in its communities, it tapped Keri Cain to build out its program. Keri has a background in retail and moved to OK after a stint directing store operations at The Gap’s headquarters in San Francisco. She also has muscular dystrophy and has used cannabis to manage her pain in the past and will likely need to do so in the future. She’s passionate about working with cannabis because of the medical benefits it can provide. To launch and manage its cannabis program, Regent worked with Green Check, a firm that works with banks to service customers in the cannabis industry. Green Check founder and CEO Kevin Hart joins Regent’s Keri Cain with me on the podcast to talk about cannabis banking, how to start up a program, and what banks need to be successful working with this new industry.

The following was produced by Tearsheet Studios. We worked with fintech software providerAutobooks to create a four part podcast series on the evolution of business banking and how banks can better service SMBs through a changing mindset, partnerships and integrations. The old paradigm of banks versus fintechs is getting tired. The truth is, both sides of the industry have been partnering successfully for years and they’re finding new ways to partner. Finding ways to collaborate that bring the best each has to offer. That creates value to both parties beyond what each can do alone. nbkc is a 22 year old bank serving the Greater Kansas City region. The community bank has used partnerships with fintechs to go digital -- with mortgages and more recently, with consumer and business savings and checking accounts. Evan Ashcraft is vice president of product strategy at nbkc. He joins us on the podcast to discuss how banks can get more out of the partner selection process, avoid common pitfalls, and prepare for a successful launch.

Welcome to the Tearsheet Podcast. I’m Tearsheet editor in chief, Zack Miller. Push payments are the reverse of how we think credit cards work. Instead of pulling customer funds to pay a merchant, push payments have merchants sending money out to the cardholder. Visa Direct is a major player in the space and the payment firm is now announcing Visa Direct Payouts, which allows Visa clients and partners to push payments to cards and accounts for cross border payments. With this new addition, Visa Direct now provides multi-rail access to 5 billion cards and accounts combined across more than 200 geographies, supporting 160 currencies. Bill Sheley, svp, global head, Visa Direct joins me on the podcast to discuss the launch of Visa Direct Payouts. We talk about the challenges and opportunities of sending money cross border and how Visa is positioning itself in this market. Bill gives us an update on Visa Direct and how the ecosystem has grown over the past year and where it’s headed in the future.

Welcome to the Tearsheet Podcast. I'm Zack Miller. It’s been a while since we caught up with Deserve, the credit card as a service pureplay. Over the past year, the company has grown and last month, signed a partnership with modern issuer Marqeta. Kalpesh Kapadia joins me on the podcast to talk about where Deserve has come from and where' it's headed. We discuss how the tie up with Marqeta can unlock new use cases for credit cards that we wouldn't have thought possible in the past. Kalpesh also describes how his personal experience as a new student in the U.S. informed founding and launching his fintech firm. Kalpesh Kapadia is my guest today on the Tearsheet Podcast.