https://simplecast.com The Ensemblex Exchange Podcast Thought-provoking conversations with credit and fintech founders, builders, and investors. Shawn Budde, credit industry veteran and co-founder of Ensemblex, is joined by the most interesting people in fintech, from seasoned experts at big-name firms to innovators building the next generation of start-ups. They share their stories and their on-the-ground perspective of the challenges and trends shaping fintech: AI hype, investors' outlook on fintech, emerging markets, the promises versus realities of the latest tech, evergreen wisdom on managing fraud and risk, and more. Entertaining, inspiring, and practical - tune in to The Ensemblex Exchange Podcast biweekly on all major platforms. 2024 The Ensemblex Exchange Podcast en Wed, 17 Dec 2025 15:30:00 +0000 Wed, 17 Dec 2025 15:30:12 +0000 https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com The Ensemblex Exchange Podcast https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/c58a2781-9d5d-400c-98a5-15251631eacd/84f90643-f220-4294-9692-43476060f404/3000x3000/the-500-x-357-px-1.jpg?aid=rss_feed https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com episodic Thought-provoking conversations with credit and fintech founders, builders, and investors. Shawn Budde, credit industry veteran and co-founder of Ensemblex, is joined by the most interesting people in fintech, from seasoned experts at big-name firms to innovators building the next generation of start-ups. They share their stories and their on-the-ground perspective of the challenges and trends shaping fintech: AI hype, investors' outlook on fintech, emerging markets, the promises versus realities of the latest tech, evergreen wisdom on managing fraud and risk, and more. Entertaining, inspiring, and practical - tune in to The Ensemblex Exchange Podcast biweekly on all major platforms. Ensemblex false https://feeds.simplecast.com/Yadxjjbt credit, fintech, finance, business, ensemblex Ensemblex stephanie@ensemblex.com 98e32867-fcd0-49f7-ae9e-700b7501d4a2 From The Finish Line to New Beginnings: The Marathon of a Fintech Start-up Find JP and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.


Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: JP Thompson

Edited by: Jonah Squires

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 17 Dec 2025 15:30:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (João Pedro Thompson) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/from-the-finish-line-to-new-beginnings-the-marathon-of-a-fintech-start-up-y6MjWkRv Find JP and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.


Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: JP Thompson

Edited by: Jonah Squires

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> From The Finish Line to New Beginnings: The Marathon of a Fintech Start-up João Pedro Thompson 00:38:15 Join host Shawn Budde on The Ensemblex Exchange Podcast as he chats with JP Thompson, the visionary behind Z1, Brazil's teen-focused digital bank. Discover the grit needed to tackle fintech challenges in Latin America and the power of a strong team. In this episode, JP shares hard-earned lessons on founding a Fintech. Tune in for insights and JP's plans to recharge before his next big leap! Join host Shawn Budde on The Ensemblex Exchange Podcast as he chats with JP Thompson, the visionary behind Z1, Brazil's teen-focused digital bank. Discover the grit needed to tackle fintech challenges in Latin America and the power of a strong team. In this episode, JP shares hard-earned lessons on founding a Fintech. Tune in for insights and JP's plans to recharge before his next big leap! fintech, underbanked, ensemblex, shawn budde, credit, latam fintech, brazil, startups, jp thompson, joão pedro thompson, fundraising, latam false full 6 3 1dc0d968-e705-4f62-872f-61b4e29f3c12 From Dairy Farms to Digital Banks: Jason Henrichs' Journey Find Jason and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Jason Henrichs

Edited by: Jonah Squires

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 10 Dec 2025 14:30:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Jason Henrichs) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/from-dairy-farms-to-digital-banks-jason-henrichs-journey-4TnE3IMB Find Jason and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Jason Henrichs

Edited by: Jonah Squires

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> From Dairy Farms to Digital Banks: Jason Henrichs' Journey Jason Henrichs 00:44:10 In this episode of The Ensemblex Exchange Podcast, host Shawn Budde welcomes the CEO of Alloy Labs, Jason Henrichs, to explore the dynamic world of community banking and fintech innovation. Jason shares insights from his professional journey, discussing the challenges and opportunities for community banks in a rapidly evolving financial landscape. From the role of AI in agriculture to the strategic importance of niche markets, like KPop Demon Hunters halloween costumes, this conversation provides thought-provoking discussion on the future of banking, the power of innovation, and a surprising amount of dairy farming. You won’t want to miss this episode! In this episode of The Ensemblex Exchange Podcast, host Shawn Budde welcomes the CEO of Alloy Labs, Jason Henrichs, to explore the dynamic world of community banking and fintech innovation. Jason shares insights from his professional journey, discussing the challenges and opportunities for community banks in a rapidly evolving financial landscape. From the role of AI in agriculture to the strategic importance of niche markets, like KPop Demon Hunters halloween costumes, this conversation provides thought-provoking discussion on the future of banking, the power of innovation, and a surprising amount of dairy farming. You won’t want to miss this episode! fintech, alloy labs, ensemblex, financial services, jason henrichs, shawn budde, credit, payments, community banks, lending, interchange, finance, mission driven, digital banks false full 5 3 b3433676-23ac-4df5-95f1-0bf0a453ee8f From Innovation to Impact: PayJoy's Financial Evolution Find Brad and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Brad Pennington

Edited by: Jonah Squires

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 3 Dec 2025 14:30:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Brad Pennington) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/from-innovation-to-impact-payjoys-financial-evolution-8VvedM58 Find Brad and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Brad Pennington

Edited by: Jonah Squires

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> From Innovation to Impact: PayJoy's Financial Evolution Brad Pennington 00:33:32 Join us on The Ensemblex Exchange Podcast as host, Shawn Budde, sits down with Brad Pennington, President of Financial Products at PayJoy. Discover how PayJoy has achieved remarkable growth by focusing on mission-driven strategies and innovative financial products. In this episode, Brad shares insights into PayJoy's strategic market entry, the development of the PayJoy card, cutting-edge fraud prevention techniques and future expansion into Indonesia and India. Join us on The Ensemblex Exchange Podcast as host, Shawn Budde, sits down with Brad Pennington, President of Financial Products at PayJoy. Discover how PayJoy has achieved remarkable growth by focusing on mission-driven strategies and innovative financial products. In this episode, Brad shares insights into PayJoy's strategic market entry, the development of the PayJoy card, cutting-edge fraud prevention techniques and future expansion into Indonesia and India. underbanked, shawn budde, payjoy, credit, brad pennington, emerging markets, ml, loan, cash on cash, lending, risk strategy, underwriting, finance, machine learning, data science, installments false full 4 3 e6086618-240f-4b49-b1b8-130246126a65 “From Physics to Fintech: Navigating the Data Science Landscape” Find Jim and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Jim McGuire

Edited by: Jonah Squires

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 19 Nov 2025 14:30:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Jim McGuire) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/from-physics-to-fintech-navigating-the-data-science-landscape-PyxChYXd Find Jim and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Jim McGuire

Edited by: Jonah Squires

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> “From Physics to Fintech: Navigating the Data Science Landscape” Jim McGuire 00:33:15 This week, host Shawn Budde sits down with our very own Jim McGuire, the Managing Director of Data Science at Ensemblex. The duo look back on Jim's journey from physics to data science and explore the challenges of building credit models. Discover insights into how the landscape of credit underwriting is evolving and the impact that data science is having on the financial industry. This week, host Shawn Budde sits down with our very own Jim McGuire, the Managing Director of Data Science at Ensemblex. The duo look back on Jim's journey from physics to data science and explore the challenges of building credit models. Discover insights into how the landscape of credit underwriting is evolving and the impact that data science is having on the financial industry. data, fintech podcast, shawn budde, credit, ml, lending, jim mcguire, ai, physics, machine learning, data science false full 3 3 37b30a74-2e74-4661-9407-f07df2309327 From Ping Pong to Policy: Manoj Pinna's Start-up Advice Find Manoj and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Manoj Pinna

Edited by: Jonah Squires

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 12 Nov 2025 14:30:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Manoj Pinna) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/from-ping-pong-to-policy-manoj-pinnas-start-up-advice-ZEb6hJ0t Find Manoj and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Manoj Pinna

Edited by: Jonah Squires

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> From Ping Pong to Policy: Manoj Pinna's Start-up Advice Manoj Pinna 00:33:48 Join host Shawn Budde on The Ensemblex Exchange Podcast as he interviews entrepreneur and credit industry veteran, Manoj Pinna. From ZestAI to Nubank, Manoj offers valuable insights for start-up life and the significance of focus, simplicity, and most of all; market validation. Follow along as these two delve into company culture, the challenges of starting a business, and the evolution of credit policies. Join host Shawn Budde on The Ensemblex Exchange Podcast as he interviews entrepreneur and credit industry veteran, Manoj Pinna. From ZestAI to Nubank, Manoj offers valuable insights for start-up life and the significance of focus, simplicity, and most of all; market validation. Follow along as these two delve into company culture, the challenges of starting a business, and the evolution of credit policies. fintech, data, start-ups, ensemblex, modeling, financial services, shawn budde, credit, underwriting, ai, strategy, manoj pinna false full 2 3 a1e4a0db-c7ba-4f86-b62c-7a3ea84f9430 From Tolstoy to Tax Tips: The Story of RightWise Wealth Find Caitlyn and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.
Learn more about RightWise Wealth. 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Caitlyn Driehorst

Edited by: Jonah Squires

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 5 Nov 2025 14:30:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Caitlyn Driehorst) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/from-tolstoy-to-tax-tips-the-story-of-rightwise-wealth-8k0ISZym Find Caitlyn and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.
Learn more about RightWise Wealth. 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Caitlyn Driehorst

Edited by: Jonah Squires

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> From Tolstoy to Tax Tips: The Story of RightWise Wealth Caitlyn Driehorst 00:34:59 In this episode of The Ensemblex Exchange Podcast, host Shawn Budde sits down with Caitlyn Driehorst, founder and CEO of RightWise Wealth. Caitlyn shares her unique journey from studying Russian literature to becoming a leader in the financial advisory space. Discover how RightWise Wealth is redefining financial planning for high earners through a community-led growth strategy and innovative ambassador program. Tune in for an insightful conversation on the intersection of personal values and financial success. In this episode of The Ensemblex Exchange Podcast, host Shawn Budde sits down with Caitlyn Driehorst, founder and CEO of RightWise Wealth. Caitlyn shares her unique journey from studying Russian literature to becoming a leader in the financial advisory space. Discover how RightWise Wealth is redefining financial planning for high earners through a community-led growth strategy and innovative ambassador program. Tune in for an insightful conversation on the intersection of personal values and financial success. fintech, portfolio management, wealth management, finance false full 1 3 34a9f7ce-883c-4622-b8b4-a12749d1c2c0 The Past, Present and Future of Fintech: One on One with Peter Renton Find Peter, Renton & Co, and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Peter Renton

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank


 

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 18 Jun 2025 13:30:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Peter Renton) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/the-past-present-and-future-of-fintech-one-on-one-with-peter-renton-YHemYtyt Find Peter, Renton & Co, and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Peter Renton

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank


 

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> The Past, Present and Future of Fintech: One on One with Peter Renton Peter Renton 00:34:54 Peter Renton, co-founder of Renton & Co LLC, is the creator of some of the most popular events and media in the fintech space. His background? Label printing. After building and selling the first digital label business in 2010, Peter fell in love with peer-to-peer lending and what he saw as the coming fintech revolution. He had the gumption and power of personality to found Fintech Nexus (a.k.a. LendIt Fintech), a leading fintech conference, just a few years later in 2013. Peter is a true believer in fintech, but having witnessed the rise and fall of several trends in the industry, he's got critiques and caution, too. Tune in to hear his reflections on the pivotal moments of the last fifteen years, predictions for 2030, and tips for building the necessary momentum to make events successful. Peter Renton, co-founder of Renton & Co LLC, is the creator of some of the most popular events and media in the fintech space. His background? Label printing. After building and selling the first digital label business in 2010, Peter fell in love with peer-to-peer lending and what he saw as the coming fintech revolution. He had the gumption and power of personality to found Fintech Nexus (a.k.a. LendIt Fintech), a leading fintech conference, just a few years later in 2013. Peter is a true believer in fintech, but having witnessed the rise and fall of several trends in the industry, he's got critiques and caution, too. Tune in to hear his reflections on the pivotal moments of the last fifteen years, predictions for 2030, and tips for building the necessary momentum to make events successful. p2p, fintech, fintech nexus, start-ups, ensemblex, peter renton, shawn budde, compliance, open banking, earned wage access, peer to peer lending, cash flow underwriting, lending, finance, embedded finance, baas, starting a business false full 10 2 e552365c-2718-4a36-957c-a43db7bf0364 Transforming a Team: The Benefit of Expert Consultants Find Kellen, 8020 Consulting, and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Kellen Smith 

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 4 Jun 2025 13:30:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Kellen Smith) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/transforming-a-team-Rc2bbVzc Find Kellen, 8020 Consulting, and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Kellen Smith 

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Transforming a Team: The Benefit of Expert Consultants Kellen Smith 00:27:46 Consultants sometimes get a bad rap, but a good consultant-client partnership can be transformative. What makes the difference? Kellen Smith is the CEO of 8020 Consulting, a finance and accounting firm named after the 80/20 rule for getting outsized results. Kellen and Shawn discuss how curiosity, emotional intelligence, and over-communication make for impactful engagements, how finance and accounting can be a framework for driving change across your business, and the transformation of CFOs into "CFOOs". Consultants sometimes get a bad rap, but a good consultant-client partnership can be transformative. What makes the difference? Kellen Smith is the CEO of 8020 Consulting, a finance and accounting firm named after the 80/20 rule for getting outsized results. Kellen and Shawn discuss how curiosity, emotional intelligence, and over-communication make for impactful engagements, how finance and accounting can be a framework for driving change across your business, and the transformation of CFOs into "CFOOs". fintech, consulting, ensemblex, company culture, shawn budde, client relations, 8020 consulting, kellen smith, finance false full 9 2 12d3b10e-3a2d-4dfc-a27c-73fef23fbad8 Every Decision is a Credit Decision: The Universal Truths of Lending Find Kunal and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Kunal Kaul 

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 21 May 2025 13:30:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Kunal Kaul) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/every-decision-is-a-credit-decision-QX_9riWc Find Kunal and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Kunal Kaul 

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Every Decision is a Credit Decision: The Universal Truths of Lending Kunal Kaul 00:36:09 Are the "physics" and math of lending universal? Moving to the U.S. from India to join Capital One, Kunal Kaul learned that the rules of the road certainly aren't. After an adjustment period that Kunal calls a dark comedy, Kunal spent 14 years at Capital One learning enduring lessons about the fundamentals of lending and a can-do culture (AKA "possibility-oriented thinking.") He's since applied and adapted those lessons to lend across the spectrum in the U.S., the Philippines, Mexico, Kenya, and India. Kunal's broad experience has given him a great grasp of the immutable truths of credit. Tune in to hear his wisdom, his "dark comedy", and his mission to bring financial products to the Global Majority. Are the "physics" and math of lending universal? Moving to the U.S. from India to join Capital One, Kunal Kaul learned that the rules of the road certainly aren't. After an adjustment period that Kunal calls a dark comedy, Kunal spent 14 years at Capital One learning enduring lessons about the fundamentals of lending and a can-do culture (AKA "possibility-oriented thinking.") He's since applied and adapted those lessons to lend across the spectrum in the U.S., the Philippines, Mexico, Kenya, and India. Kunal's broad experience has given him a great grasp of the immutable truths of credit. Tune in to hear his wisdom, his "dark comedy", and his mission to bring financial products to the Global Majority. fintech, ensemblex, tala, kunal kaul, shawn budde, credit, credit risk, lending, capital one false full 8 2 1aee3095-2034-45d0-b703-159d30953b3d Low and Grow and Grow Again: Ambitions of a LatAm Neobank See women's rugby team USA's Alex Sedrick go the length of the field to tie Australia, leading to a conversion and America's first rugby medal in 100 years here.

Find Joaquin and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Joaquin Dominguez

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 7 May 2025 13:30:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Joaquin Dominguez) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/ambitions-of-a-latam-neobank-VEbJZXv_ See women's rugby team USA's Alex Sedrick go the length of the field to tie Australia, leading to a conversion and America's first rugby medal in 100 years here.

Find Joaquin and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Joaquin Dominguez

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Low and Grow and Grow Again: Ambitions of a LatAm Neobank Joaquin Dominguez 00:23:09 Ualá is on a mission to become the biggest neobank in Spanish-speaking Latin America. Dedicated to that goal, former rugby pro Joaquin Dominguez serves as Ualá's Chief Credit Officer. On today's episode, Joaquin joins Shawn to chat about Ualá's strategy, the peculiarities of the three LatAm countries where they operate, using the “low and grow” strategy in markets with low credit scores and high fraud, and building your team bottom-up instead of top-down. Ualá is on a mission to become the biggest neobank in Spanish-speaking Latin America. Dedicated to that goal, former rugby pro Joaquin Dominguez serves as Ualá's Chief Credit Officer. On today's episode, Joaquin joins Shawn to chat about Ualá's strategy, the peculiarities of the three LatAm countries where they operate, using the “low and grow” strategy in markets with low credit scores and high fraud, and building your team bottom-up instead of top-down. fintech, ensemblex, joaquin dominguez, shawn budde, credit, neobank, ualá, lending, latam false full 7 2 a5053a56-fdc1-4591-a1fa-b2638a1111d7 The Island of Misfit Loans: The Origin Story of LoanPro Find Rhett and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Rhett Roberts 

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 23 Apr 2025 13:30:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Rhett Roberts) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/the-origin-story-of-loanpro-bMVoB1KE Find Rhett and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Rhett Roberts 

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> The Island of Misfit Loans: The Origin Story of LoanPro Rhett Roberts 00:43:55 Rhett Roberts and his brothers started with a car dealership and ended up building software that manages over $22 billion in annual loan repayments. Rhett is cofounder and CEO of LoanPro, a leading loan management software. The story of LoanPro is of discovery and personalization: every step was guided by organic demand, first for individualized loans for their dealership customers, and finally for highly customizable loan management software to support a diverse set of “misfit loans”. Tune in to today's episode to hear the full story, along with Rhett's thoughts on managing complexity while supporting customization and why personalization is the future of lending. Rhett Roberts and his brothers started with a car dealership and ended up building software that manages over $22 billion in annual loan repayments. Rhett is cofounder and CEO of LoanPro, a leading loan management software. The story of LoanPro is of discovery and personalization: every step was guided by organic demand, first for individualized loans for their dealership customers, and finally for highly customizable loan management software to support a diverse set of “misfit loans”. Tune in to today's episode to hear the full story, along with Rhett's thoughts on managing complexity while supporting customization and why personalization is the future of lending. fintech, ensemblex, rhett roberts, shawn budde, loan management software, loan software, loanpro, lending, underwriting false full 6 2 e38d944c-5bf0-4581-9a7a-0676226216f9 Strategic and Steady Wins the Race: The Long and Lean Road for a LATAM Fintech Find Fer and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Fernando Gómez Arriola 

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 9 Apr 2025 13:30:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Fernando Gómez Arriola) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/strategic-and-steady-wins-the-race-the-long-and-lean-road-for-a-latam-fintech-KlE2_1nE Find Fer and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Fernando Gómez Arriola 

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Strategic and Steady Wins the Race: The Long and Lean Road for a LATAM Fintech Fernando Gómez Arriola 00:27:11 Most fintech founders start out hoping to have big investors, but that’s not always in the cards. Take Nexu, a financing platform for car dealerships in Latin America. With few options for capital, Nexu scraped together modest checks – some so small they financed only one or two cars at a time – to start building its loan portfolio. Nexu’s co-founder, Fernando Gómez Arriola, is grateful for those super-lean days. In fact, he’d rather have no money than have bad investors. He joins Shawn Budde on today’s episode to share how Nexu managed a major pivot, grew to be a success, and some lessons about enjoying life along the way. Most fintech founders start out hoping to have big investors, but that’s not always in the cards. Take Nexu, a financing platform for car dealerships in Latin America. With few options for capital, Nexu scraped together modest checks – some so small they financed only one or two cars at a time – to start building its loan portfolio. Nexu’s co-founder, Fernando Gómez Arriola, is grateful for those super-lean days. In fact, he’d rather have no money than have bad investors. He joins Shawn Budde on today’s episode to share how Nexu managed a major pivot, grew to be a success, and some lessons about enjoying life along the way. fintech, nexu, start-ups, ensemblex, fernando gómez arriola, shawn budde, credit, risk, auto financing, lending, starting a business false full 5 2 1ad3e086-b7df-4569-a166-d058e115863d Final Notice: The Modernization of Collections is Past Due Find Cody, J.D., and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guests: Cody Owens & J.D. Rainey

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 26 Mar 2025 13:30:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (J.D. Rainey, Cody Owens) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/final-notice-the-modernization-of-collections-is-past-due-K_BUF_An Find Cody, J.D., and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guests: Cody Owens & J.D. Rainey

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Final Notice: The Modernization of Collections is Past Due J.D. Rainey, Cody Owens 00:40:57 Is collections the most neglected part of the loan cycle? Collections is a part of the customer experience, too. And yet, despite some big changes to adapt to (a dramatic shift in oversight after the 2008 financial crisis, more and more ways to reach consumers but fewer and fewer people answering phone calls, recently Regulation F) collections isn't fully modernized. Cody Owens of Equabli and J.D. Rainey of Quanta Credit Services are working hard to change that. They join Shawn to discuss why innovation lags in collections, why regulation is good, and what comes next. Is collections the most neglected part of the loan cycle? Collections is a part of the customer experience, too. And yet, despite some big changes to adapt to (a dramatic shift in oversight after the 2008 financial crisis, more and more ways to reach consumers but fewer and fewer people answering phone calls, recently Regulation F) collections isn't fully modernized. Cody Owens of Equabli and J.D. Rainey of Quanta Credit Services are working hard to change that. They join Shawn to discuss why innovation lags in collections, why regulation is good, and what comes next. equabli, j.d. rainey, ensemblex, collections, shawn budde, cfpb, credit, compliance, lending, quanta, cody owens false full 4 2 8a78df54-b80e-4dac-bc01-cb826f40c123 31 Unicorns Later: The Journey of One of Fintech's Top VCs Find Ensemblex and Frank on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guests: Frank Rotman

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 12 Mar 2025 13:30:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Frank Rotman) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/31-unicorns-later-the-journey-of-one-of-fintechs-top-vcs-9K6OGXND Find Ensemblex and Frank on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guests: Frank Rotman

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> 31 Unicorns Later: The Journey of One of Fintech's Top VCs Frank Rotman 00:41:48 When Frank Rotman helped found QED Investors, the plan was to leverage QED’s financial services expertise to join rounds but trust the underwriting of big-name investors. Then he realized that QED had insights others didn’t. Now, QED is a leading fintech VC with over $4 billion under management and 31 unicorns in its portfolio. Frank's insights on investing are invaluable, but beyond that, his rigorous, sincere analysis is a tutorial for how to think better. Don't miss this episode. When Frank Rotman helped found QED Investors, the plan was to leverage QED’s financial services expertise to join rounds but trust the underwriting of big-name investors. Then he realized that QED had insights others didn’t. Now, QED is a leading fintech VC with over $4 billion under management and 31 unicorns in its portfolio. Frank's insights on investing are invaluable, but beyond that, his rigorous, sincere analysis is a tutorial for how to think better. Don't miss this episode. fintech, frank rotman, investing, vc, lending, underwriting, enemblex, qed investors, venture capital false full 3 2 11254d01-8698-4447-95ea-c2c0981afc1b This Idea is Bananas! How Venture Studios Build Winners Find Ensemblex and Chloe on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guests: Chloe Zhu

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 26 Feb 2025 14:30:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Ensemblex) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/this-idea-is-bananas-how-venture-studios-build-winners-jdB3p_Pv Find Ensemblex and Chloe on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guests: Chloe Zhu

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> This Idea is Bananas! How Venture Studios Build Winners Ensemblex 00:22:15 Is there a shortcut to founding a fintech? Chloe Zhu, leader of the Ensemblex Venture Studio and today's guest, believes so. Chloe makes a compelling case for partnering with a venture studio, especially in the challenging financial services industry. If you've ever daydreamed about launching a start-up, or you're wondering why you're struggling to bring your great idea to life, then tune in to hear the criteria studios use to choose champions: both the ideas and the people who build them. Is there a shortcut to founding a fintech? Chloe Zhu, leader of the Ensemblex Venture Studio and today's guest, believes so. Chloe makes a compelling case for partnering with a venture studio, especially in the challenging financial services industry. If you've ever daydreamed about launching a start-up, or you're wondering why you're struggling to bring your great idea to life, then tune in to hear the criteria studios use to choose champions: both the ideas and the people who build them. fintech, start-ups, ensemblex, shawn budde, venture studio, chloe zhu, lending, starting a business false full 2 2 8a9a7d40-f09f-453d-984a-707135352618 90 Days to Impact: Moving Fast as a Fintech Leader Find Ensemblex and Matt on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guests: Matt Potere

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 12 Feb 2025 14:30:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Matt Potere) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/90-days-to-impact-moving-fast-as-a-fintech-leader-PV30QYCz Find Ensemblex and Matt on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guests: Matt Potere

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> 90 Days to Impact: Moving Fast as a Fintech Leader Matt Potere 00:20:37 After more than 25 years in consumer finance, Matt Potere, CEO of Happy Money, has plenty of lending know-how to share. But even deeper than his lending experience is his leadership experience. Matt’s business education began in childhood, pitching in to help run the family’s gas station. In today's episode, Matt shares the hands-on leadership strategies he's honed over decades of growing businesses, from last-minute Saturday night shifts pumping gas to manning the phones as a SVP at Bank of America. After more than 25 years in consumer finance, Matt Potere, CEO of Happy Money, has plenty of lending know-how to share. But even deeper than his lending experience is his leadership experience. Matt’s business education began in childhood, pitching in to help run the family’s gas station. In today's episode, Matt shares the hands-on leadership strategies he's honed over decades of growing businesses, from last-minute Saturday night shifts pumping gas to manning the phones as a SVP at Bank of America. fintech, business podcast, ensemblex, matt potere, shawn budde, credit, happy money, lending false full 1 2 2bec16d9-78b2-4055-9931-b4b2dec02848 Funding Update: Wrangling Data (and the zoo): Stories From a Repeat Founder Find Ensemblex, Gestalt, and Stephanie on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guests: Stephanie Hanson

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 4 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Stephanie Hanson) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/funding-update-wrangling-data-and-the-zoo-stories-from-a-repeat-founder-NSrqniid Find Ensemblex, Gestalt, and Stephanie on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guests: Stephanie Hanson

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Funding Update: Wrangling Data (and the zoo): Stories From a Repeat Founder Stephanie Hanson 00:34:01 Re-listen to Episode 3 with Stephanie Hanson from Gestalt, with an added fundraising Q & A. Start-up life is exciting, demanding, and occasionally bizarre. You may find yourself working from the bathroom or partying with monkeys, lemurs, and camels. So did Stephanie Hansen, today's guest and an indefatigable entrepreneur building her second company, Gestalt. We chat about the challenges of growing a start-up — finances, hiring, and creating a strong culture — and squeezing lots of life in around long work hours. Re-listen to Episode 3 with Stephanie Hanson from Gestalt, with an added fundraising Q & A. Start-up life is exciting, demanding, and occasionally bizarre. You may find yourself working from the bathroom or partying with monkeys, lemurs, and camels. So did Stephanie Hansen, today's guest and an indefatigable entrepreneur building her second company, Gestalt. We chat about the challenges of growing a start-up — finances, hiring, and creating a strong culture — and squeezing lots of life in around long work hours. fintech, start-ups, business podcast, gestalt, ensemblex, data warehouse, financial podcast, shawn budde, stephanie hanson, finance, starting a business, fundraising, venture capital false bonus 1 d3c052d1-935f-41ba-bb50-cf57511b3d75 The Case for Cash Flow Underwriting Find Nikki and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Nikki Cross

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 20 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Nikki Cross) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/the-case-for-cash-flow-underwriting-QBk_4Ofi Find Nikki and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Nikki Cross

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> The Case for Cash Flow Underwriting Nikki Cross 00:34:45 Cash flow underwriting: it's the next big thing. And so it has been for nearly a decade, admits Nikki Cross. Nikki is the Senior Director of Data Science Solutions at Nova Credit, an alternative credit data platform. She joins Shawn to make the case for cash flow underwriting. Why do lenders struggle with incorporating cash flow data, and how can they speed up the process? Why should lenders make the effort? By the end of the episode, you'll be excited about cash flow underwriting...the next big thing. Cash flow underwriting: it's the next big thing. And so it has been for nearly a decade, admits Nikki Cross. Nikki is the Senior Director of Data Science Solutions at Nova Credit, an alternative credit data platform. She joins Shawn to make the case for cash flow underwriting. Why do lenders struggle with incorporating cash flow data, and how can they speed up the process? Why should lenders make the effort? By the end of the episode, you'll be excited about cash flow underwriting...the next big thing. nikki cross, ensemblex, financial services, shawn budde, cash flow underwriting, lending, underwriting, data science, alternative data, nova credit false full 10 1 8eba3922-86bc-4508-9f0a-4d661cde79b6 What's Next for Bank Sponsorships? Find Brian and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Brian Enneking

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 6 Nov 2024 14:30:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Brian Enneking) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/whats-next-for-bank-sponsorships-95b7PRVd Find Brian and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Brian Enneking

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> What's Next for Bank Sponsorships? Brian Enneking 00:22:40 Bank sponsorships have powered the proliferation of fintech in the past decade. Now under increasing scrutiny from regulators and in the wake of the Synapse catastrophe, this foundational element of the fintech industry is at a crossroads. On today's episode, Shawn asks Brian Enneking, COO of First Electronic Bank – a leading bank in fintech partnerships – what keeps him up at night. Shawn and Brian discuss the challenges the industry has faced and uncertainty about the future, but also the many positive developments, like AI enabling better oversight, and what makes for a good fintech-bank partnership. Bank sponsorships have powered the proliferation of fintech in the past decade. Now under increasing scrutiny from regulators and in the wake of the Synapse catastrophe, this foundational element of the fintech industry is at a crossroads. On today's episode, Shawn asks Brian Enneking, COO of First Electronic Bank – a leading bank in fintech partnerships – what keeps him up at night. Shawn and Brian discuss the challenges the industry has faced and uncertainty about the future, but also the many positive developments, like AI enabling better oversight, and what makes for a good fintech-bank partnership. fintech, bank sponorships, start-ups, ensemblex, shawn budde, lending, brian enneking, first electronic bank false full 9 1 4cfe572f-deef-4cb1-801a-8a31630e3ed2 Beyond Algorithms: Tips for Building Excellent AI Models Find Josh and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Josh Campos

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 23 Oct 2024 13:00:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Josh Campos) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/beyond-algorithms-l69GpaXB Find Josh and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Josh Campos

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Beyond Algorithms: Tips for Building Excellent AI Models Josh Campos 00:22:36 Please, don’t ask ChatGPT to build your credit model. Using machine learning (ML) and AI well is still a struggle for many lenders. Underneath all the buzz about AI, alternative data, and ever-smarter models, there's a lot of hard work and prudence required to implement these techniques safely and to manage the resulting models. Josh Campos, Head of Enterprise Data Science, AI & ML Engineering at DriveTime, is an expert on just that. He joins Shawn to discuss the practical side of ML and AI in credit risk management. They touch on best practices for data science teams, monitoring and updating models, using alternative data, and why LLMs should come with a warning on the label. Please, don’t ask ChatGPT to build your credit model. Using machine learning (ML) and AI well is still a struggle for many lenders. Underneath all the buzz about AI, alternative data, and ever-smarter models, there's a lot of hard work and prudence required to implement these techniques safely and to manage the resulting models. Josh Campos, Head of Enterprise Data Science, AI & ML Engineering at DriveTime, is an expert on just that. He joins Shawn to discuss the practical side of ML and AI in credit risk management. They touch on best practices for data science teams, monitoring and updating models, using alternative data, and why LLMs should come with a warning on the label. fintech, ai model, drivetime, shawn budde, credit, gofi, generative ai, ml, genai, lending, underwriting, ai, machine learning, data science, josh campos, credit model false full 8 1 bef0dd2a-02ec-45d3-b50a-631e5b08885c Fintech Lending Startups: Why it's a Big Swing Business Find Derek and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Derek Flanzraich

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 9 Oct 2024 13:30:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Derek Flanzraich) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/fintech-lending-startups-why-its-a-big-swing-business-HWTPeL5Y Find Derek and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Derek Flanzraich

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Fintech Lending Startups: Why it's a Big Swing Business Derek Flanzraich 00:36:40 Derek Flanzraich, founder of Ness, built an impressive company: a credit card assembled from scratch, partnerships with top health brands, content that reached 150,000 people monthly, $50 million raised, and enthusiastic cardholders. Then he shut it down. This episode is a timely and all-too-rare look at the reality that many start-up founders will face. Sometimes, despite great effort, great ideas fail. On today's episode, we hear Ness's story, which begins with Derek's own health journey. Derek talks about Ness's strategy, successes, challenges, a near save, and unfortunate end. Derek Flanzraich, founder of Ness, built an impressive company: a credit card assembled from scratch, partnerships with top health brands, content that reached 150,000 people monthly, $50 million raised, and enthusiastic cardholders. Then he shut it down. This episode is a timely and all-too-rare look at the reality that many start-up founders will face. Sometimes, despite great effort, great ideas fail. On today's episode, we hear Ness's story, which begins with Derek's own health journey. Derek talks about Ness's strategy, successes, challenges, a near save, and unfortunate end. start-ups, health and wellness, ensemblex, shawn budde, credit, derek flanzraich, credit cards, ness, starting a business, venture capital false full 7 1 3ba8af4c-59a3-4015-9c5b-e6c9a247335b Debt Matters: What Fintech Lenders Need to Know Find Rich, Mike, and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guests: Rich Davis and Mike Armstrong

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank


 

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 25 Sep 2024 13:30:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Rich Davis, Mike Armstrong) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/debt-matters-what-fintech-lenders-need-to-know-qd98yT8T Find Rich, Mike, and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guests: Rich Davis and Mike Armstrong

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank


 

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Debt Matters: What Fintech Lenders Need to Know Rich Davis, Mike Armstrong 00:38:12 Every fintech founder knows they have to raise equity. Often overlooked is the true fuel of a lending business: debt. The wrong debt deal can cost millions of dollars, compromise profitability, and thwart growth. On today's episode, Shawn receives a primer on debt deals from Rich Davis, co-chair of the asset-based lending practice at Paul Hastings, and Mike Armstrong, co-founder of Ensemblex. They discuss deal terms to watch out for, deal sizes and different providers, and the state of the market. Lenders and non-lenders alike will also benefit from Paul and Mike's perspective on leadership (stop telling people what to do), tenacity (you mostly survive suffering), and managing business relationships (speak up when it gets sour.) Every fintech founder knows they have to raise equity. Often overlooked is the true fuel of a lending business: debt. The wrong debt deal can cost millions of dollars, compromise profitability, and thwart growth. On today's episode, Shawn receives a primer on debt deals from Rich Davis, co-chair of the asset-based lending practice at Paul Hastings, and Mike Armstrong, co-founder of Ensemblex. They discuss deal terms to watch out for, deal sizes and different providers, and the state of the market. Lenders and non-lenders alike will also benefit from Paul and Mike's perspective on leadership (stop telling people what to do), tenacity (you mostly survive suffering), and managing business relationships (speak up when it gets sour.) start-ups, ensemblex, mike armstrong, fintech podcast, shawn budde, rich davis, debt funding, lending, corporate loan, structured credit, starting a business false full 6 1 75c5aa44-e516-4ffd-bcfb-2df92f415f68 Banking on Fintech? Investors’ POV on Fintech’s Big Reset Find Kwesi, Noah, and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guests: Kwesi Acquay and Noah Breslow

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Tue, 10 Sep 2024 13:30:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Kwesi Acquay, Noah Breslow) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/banking-on-fintech-investors-pov-on-fintechs-big-reset-LbgG8I8A Find Kwesi, Noah, and Ensemblex on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guests: Kwesi Acquay and Noah Breslow

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Banking on Fintech? Investors’ POV on Fintech’s Big Reset Kwesi Acquay, Noah Breslow 00:45:11 Fintech's rout has been painful. In 2023, fintech venture funding was down 44% year-over-year, and for many of the fintech giants, stock prices dropped over 80% from their peak. How did we get here, and will investors still touch fintech? On today's episode, Kwesi Acquay of Redpoint Ventures and Noah Breslow of Bain Capital Ventures share their outlook on the fintech hype cycle, what qualities make a fintech investable in today's environment, and their predictions for AI's impacts on the industry (are we at the beginning of another hype cycle?) Fintech's rout has been painful. In 2023, fintech venture funding was down 44% year-over-year, and for many of the fintech giants, stock prices dropped over 80% from their peak. How did we get here, and will investors still touch fintech? On today's episode, Kwesi Acquay of Redpoint Ventures and Noah Breslow of Bain Capital Ventures share their outlook on the fintech hype cycle, what qualities make a fintech investable in today's environment, and their predictions for AI's impacts on the industry (are we at the beginning of another hype cycle?) redpoint ventures, start-ups, ensemblex, fintech podcast, shawn budde, vc, genai, ai, machine learning, noah breslow, starting a business, kwesi acquay, bain capital ventures, venture capital false full 5 1 e6ddb9c0-4738-4c3c-a8fd-0b0f10908200 Improving Access to Capital, From Military Evacuees to SMBs Find Ensemblex and Alex on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guests: Alex McLeod

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 28 Aug 2024 13:30:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Alex McLeod) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/improving-access-to-capital-from-military-evacuees-to-smbs-X9NqG3Pq Find Ensemblex and Alex on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guests: Alex McLeod

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Improving Access to Capital, From Military Evacuees to SMBs Alex McLeod 00:27:56 A polyglot with a degree in Slavonic Studies, spurred by the 2021 military evacuation of over 100,000 Afghans to the U.S. to streamline SMB access to capital — Alex McLeod's career path isn't traditional. Motivated by a passion for increasing access to resources and a willingness to lose weekends, Alex is a three-time founder. She currently leads Parlay, a software platform that improves SMB lending at community banks and credit unions. She joins Shawn to discuss the inefficiencies and chaos inhibiting SMB access to capital, mission-driven careers, and whether it's ever a good idea to co-found a company with your partner. A polyglot with a degree in Slavonic Studies, spurred by the 2021 military evacuation of over 100,000 Afghans to the U.S. to streamline SMB access to capital — Alex McLeod's career path isn't traditional. Motivated by a passion for increasing access to resources and a willingness to lose weekends, Alex is a three-time founder. She currently leads Parlay, a software platform that improves SMB lending at community banks and credit unions. She joins Shawn to discuss the inefficiencies and chaos inhibiting SMB access to capital, mission-driven careers, and whether it's ever a good idea to co-found a company with your partner. fintech, cdfi, start-ups, business podcast, ensemblex, financial podcast, sba, financial access, shawn budde, parlay, saas, economic inclusion, credit, small business, smb, alex mcleod, lending, underwriting, starting a business, b2b false full 4 1 3958597e-5d0a-4d00-ab9c-4b208b14d1f4 Wrangling Data (and the zoo): Stories From a Repeat Founder Start-up life is exciting, demanding, and occasionally bizarre. You may find yourself working from the bathroom or partying with monkeys, lemurs, and camels. So did Stephanie Hanson, today's guest and an indefatigable entrepreneur building her second company, Gestalt. We chat about the challenges of growing a start-up — finances, hiring, and creating a strong culture — and squeezing lots of life in around long work hours.

 

Find Ensemblex and Stephanie on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guests: Stephanie Hanson

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 14 Aug 2024 13:30:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Stephanie Hanson) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/wrangling-data-and-the-zoo-stories-from-a-repeat-founder-CyUkJFYP Start-up life is exciting, demanding, and occasionally bizarre. You may find yourself working from the bathroom or partying with monkeys, lemurs, and camels. So did Stephanie Hanson, today's guest and an indefatigable entrepreneur building her second company, Gestalt. We chat about the challenges of growing a start-up — finances, hiring, and creating a strong culture — and squeezing lots of life in around long work hours.

 

Find Ensemblex and Stephanie on LinkedIn.

 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guests: Stephanie Hanson

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wrangling Data (and the zoo): Stories From a Repeat Founder Stephanie Hanson 00:26:09 Start-up life is exciting, demanding, and occasionally bizarre. You may find yourself working from the bathroom or partying with monkeys, lemurs, and camels. So did Stephanie Hanson, today's guest and an indefatigable entrepreneur building her second company, Gestalt. We chat about the challenges of growing a start-up — finances, hiring, and creating a strong culture — and squeezing lots of life in around long work hours. Start-up life is exciting, demanding, and occasionally bizarre. You may find yourself working from the bathroom or partying with monkeys, lemurs, and camels. So did Stephanie Hanson, today's guest and an indefatigable entrepreneur building her second company, Gestalt. We chat about the challenges of growing a start-up — finances, hiring, and creating a strong culture — and squeezing lots of life in around long work hours. fintech, start-ups, business podcast, gestalt, ensemblex, data warehouse, financial podcast, shawn budde, stephanie hanson, finance, starting a business false full 3 1 6df1f27d-61e2-48da-804c-02bf8845db1d Credit Cross-Training: Navigating Differences and Universal Credit Truths in Brazil Emerging markets are full of exciting fintech career opportunities. Pack your bags. Actually, don’t — you’ll Zoom in. On today’s episode, we hear from two U.S. credit execs who joined Brazilian fintechs: Rob Kottmeier, formerly Nubank’s Head of FP&A, and Geoff Thiessen, formerly a VP at Creditas. We discuss the logistics of commuting over 4,000 miles, cultural differences and the importance of breaking for lunch, and how “cross-training” in a new market sharpens your skills.

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guests: Rob Kottmeier & Geoff Thiessen

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 31 Jul 2024 13:30:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Rob Kottmeier, Geoff Thiessen) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/credit-cross-training-navigating-differences-and-universal-credit-truths-in-brazil-cLH_U_qw Emerging markets are full of exciting fintech career opportunities. Pack your bags. Actually, don’t — you’ll Zoom in. On today’s episode, we hear from two U.S. credit execs who joined Brazilian fintechs: Rob Kottmeier, formerly Nubank’s Head of FP&A, and Geoff Thiessen, formerly a VP at Creditas. We discuss the logistics of commuting over 4,000 miles, cultural differences and the importance of breaking for lunch, and how “cross-training” in a new market sharpens your skills.

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guests: Rob Kottmeier & Geoff Thiessen

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Credit Cross-Training: Navigating Differences and Universal Credit Truths in Brazil Rob Kottmeier, Geoff Thiessen 00:38:58 Emerging markets are full of exciting fintech career opportunities. Pack your bags. Actually, don’t — you’ll Zoom in. On today’s episode, we hear from two U.S. credit execs who joined Brazilian fintechs: Rob Kottmeier, formerly Nubank’s Head of FP&A, and Geoff Thiessen, formerly a VP at Creditas. We discuss the logistics of commuting over 4,000 miles, cultural differences and the importance of breaking for lunch, and how “cross-training” in a new market sharpens your skills. Emerging markets are full of exciting fintech career opportunities. Pack your bags. Actually, don’t — you’ll Zoom in. On today’s episode, we hear from two U.S. credit execs who joined Brazilian fintechs: Rob Kottmeier, formerly Nubank’s Head of FP&A, and Geoff Thiessen, formerly a VP at Creditas. We discuss the logistics of commuting over 4,000 miles, cultural differences and the importance of breaking for lunch, and how “cross-training” in a new market sharpens your skills. nubank, fintech, start-ups, business podcast, ensemblex, financial podcast, creditas, shawn budde, credit, credit cards, unicorn, lending, geoff thiessen, brazil fintech, rob kottmeier, latam false full 2 1 fb363fea-23b3-447c-bd8c-f5973b860eaa Cookie-cutter Credit Cards? The Complexity of Credit Card Launches Can you launch a credit card in 6-8 weeks? Numerous solutions, called “Banking as a Service” (BaaS) or "Credit Card as a Service," claim to offer speedy, stress-free product launches. Can it really be so easy? We’re joined by Scott Bass, who has spent over two decades in operations, to discuss the realities of launching a credit card. We cover the tradeoffs between DIY builds versus turnkey BaaS solutions, realistic timelines for both, and being prepared for (inevitable) speed bumps. Scott and Shawn also trade some TV-worthy stories about fraud, along with practical advice for dealing with it in the early days of your product.

You can find Scott Bass on Linkedin.

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Scott Bass

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 17 Jul 2024 13:30:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Scott Bass) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/cookie-cutter-credit-cards-the-complexity-of-credit-card-launches-F_RyOs_N Can you launch a credit card in 6-8 weeks? Numerous solutions, called “Banking as a Service” (BaaS) or "Credit Card as a Service," claim to offer speedy, stress-free product launches. Can it really be so easy? We’re joined by Scott Bass, who has spent over two decades in operations, to discuss the realities of launching a credit card. We cover the tradeoffs between DIY builds versus turnkey BaaS solutions, realistic timelines for both, and being prepared for (inevitable) speed bumps. Scott and Shawn also trade some TV-worthy stories about fraud, along with practical advice for dealing with it in the early days of your product.

You can find Scott Bass on Linkedin.

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Guest: Scott Bass

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Cookie-cutter Credit Cards? The Complexity of Credit Card Launches Scott Bass 00:20:02 Can you launch a credit card in 6-8 weeks? Numerous solutions, called “Banking as a Service” (BaaS) or "Credit Card as a Service," claim to offer speedy, stress-free product launches. Can it really be so easy? We’re joined by Scott Bass, who has spent over two decades in operations, to discuss the realities of launching a credit card. We cover the tradeoffs between DIY builds versus turnkey BaaS solutions, realistic timelines for both, and being prepared for (inevitable) speed bumps. Scott and Shawn also trade some TV-worthy stories about fraud, along with practical advice for dealing with it in the early days of your product. Can you launch a credit card in 6-8 weeks? Numerous solutions, called “Banking as a Service” (BaaS) or "Credit Card as a Service," claim to offer speedy, stress-free product launches. Can it really be so easy? We’re joined by Scott Bass, who has spent over two decades in operations, to discuss the realities of launching a credit card. We cover the tradeoffs between DIY builds versus turnkey BaaS solutions, realistic timelines for both, and being prepared for (inevitable) speed bumps. Scott and Shawn also trade some TV-worthy stories about fraud, along with practical advice for dealing with it in the early days of your product. fintech, banking as a service, start-ups, business podcast, ensemblex, financial podcast, shawn budde, credit cards, scott bass, finance, baas, starting a business false full 1 1 65a18346-f208-411d-938a-bd744552f05a A Quick Introduction The who, what, and why: Host Shawn Budde drops in to introduce himself and the purpose of the Ensemblex Exchange Podcast. 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Wed, 10 Jul 2024 13:25:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Ensemblex) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/welcome-to-the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast-wX2l01L8 The who, what, and why: Host Shawn Budde drops in to introduce himself and the purpose of the Ensemblex Exchange Podcast. 

Hosted by: Shawn Budde

Produced by: Meagan LeBlanc

Theme Music by: Brad Frank

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> A Quick Introduction Ensemblex 00:03:35 The who, what, and why: Host Shawn Budde drops in to introduce himself and the purpose of the Ensemblex Exchange Podcast. The who, what, and why: Host Shawn Budde drops in to introduce himself and the purpose of the Ensemblex Exchange Podcast. fintech, start-ups, ensemblex, fintech podcast, shawn budde, credit, lending, finance false full 0 1 79c2337c-af11-4558-9c3d-0557b826416d The Ensemblex Exchange Podcast Trailer

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> Mon, 1 Jul 2024 18:30:00 +0000 stephanie@ensemblex.com (Ensemblex) https://the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/the-ensemblex-exchange-podcast-1_8Fjo2H

To learn more about Ensemblex, a team of experts who build and grow fintechs, click here.

]]> The Ensemblex Exchange Podcast Trailer Ensemblex 00:00:59 Thought-provoking conversations with credit and fintech founders, builders, and investors. Shawn Budde, credit industry veteran and co-founder of Ensemblex, is joined by the most interesting people in fintech, from seasoned experts at big-name firms to innovators building the next generation of start-ups. They share their stories and their on-the-ground perspective of the challenges and trends shaping fintech: AI hype, investors' outlook on fintech, emerging markets, the promises versus realities of the latest tech, evergreen wisdom on managing fraud and risk, and more. Entertaining, inspiring, and practical - tune in to The Ensemblex Exchange Podcast biweekly on all major platforms. Thought-provoking conversations with credit and fintech founders, builders, and investors. Shawn Budde, credit industry veteran and co-founder of Ensemblex, is joined by the most interesting people in fintech, from seasoned experts at big-name firms to innovators building the next generation of start-ups. They share their stories and their on-the-ground perspective of the challenges and trends shaping fintech: AI hype, investors' outlook on fintech, emerging markets, the promises versus realities of the latest tech, evergreen wisdom on managing fraud and risk, and more. Entertaining, inspiring, and practical - tune in to The Ensemblex Exchange Podcast biweekly on all major platforms. ensemblex, financial podcast, fintech podcast, credit, lending false trailer 1