SoLo Funds: The Future of Community Finance

In this episode of the Banking Transformed podcast, we're excited to bring you an insightful conversation with three leaders from Meriwest Credit Union, a $2B community financial institution serving the Greater Bay Area of California and Pima County, Arizona. Despite the challenges posed by an uncertain economic environment, Meriwest Credit Union has demonstrated the ability to innovate at speed and scale, largely due to their strategic partnership with Terafina, a leading provider of digital banking solutions. Join us as we explore how this forward-thinking credit union has leveraged digital capabilities to transform their operations, enhance member experiences, and position themselves for long-term success. This episode of Banking Transformed is sponsored by Terafina, an NCR VOYIX Company’ Terafina, an NCR VOYIX Company, provides digital onboarding and omnichannel sales solutions that are simple and secure to financial institutions. Terafina’s omnichannel sales platform is a multichannel product suite offering consumer deposits and lending, real estate, small business deposits and lending, commercial deposits, merchant services, and cryptocurrency account opening—across digital, branch, and call center channels. For more information visit https://terafina.com/

Today on Banking Transformed, we have the privilege of revisiting Scott Sanborn, CEO of LendingClub, the leading digital marketplace bank in the U.S. Since its inception, LendingClub has challenged the traditional banking model, leveraging technology and data to deliver better rates and products to its members. Scott shares his insights on the company's journey since acquiring Radius Bancorp in 2021, and the future prospects for growth since successfully exiting from the three-year Operating Agreement required of new banks. Finally, Scott provides his vision for the future of banking, and how he sees LendingClub's role in shaping this future.

In the rapidly evolving world of financial institution marketing, staying ahead of the curve requires a deep understanding of consumer preferences, market trends, and the effectiveness of various strategies. One of the most powerful tools in a financial institution marketer's arsenal is testing – a data-driven approach that enables banks and credit unions to optimize their marketing efforts and maximize results. But where do you start? In this episode of the Banking Transformed Podcast, we are excited to welcome Erin Allen, VP of Insurance Distribution and Market Strategy at Franklin Madison. Through real-world examples and practical advice, Erin sheds light on the transformative power of testing and its potential to drive unparalleled marketing results for any sized organization. This episode of Banking Transformed is sponsored by Franklin Madison Franklin Madison builds financial security for individuals and families by delivering industry-leading insurance products and marketing services through banks and credit unions. We provide an end-to-end insurance program for their consumers by choosing the best insurance carrier products, using data and multi-channel marketing to reach those consumers most likely to enroll, and providing concierge service. Franklin Madison helps generate increased loyalty and incremental revenue for financial institutions. https://franklin-madison.com/

In today's episode of Banking Transformed, we're excited to have Devesh Khare, Chief Product Officer at MeridianLink, on the show. In this episode, we'll be discussing the challenges financial institutions face today and how organizations are working to solve these challenges? Devesh also shares how the partnerships with solution providers have changed over time and what organizations are looking for in a third-party provider. Finally, he shares the keys to success for banks and credit unions in the short and long term. This episode of Banking Transformed Solutions is sponsored by MeridianLink MeridianLink® (NYSE: MLNK) powers digital lending and account opening for financial institutions and provides data verification solutions for consumer reporting agencies. MeridianLink’s scalable, cloud-based platforms help customers build deeper relationships with consumers through data-driven, personalized experiences across the entire lending life cycle. MeridianLink enables customers to accelerate revenue growth, reduce risk, and exceed consumer expectations through seamless digital experiences. Its partner marketplace supports hundreds of integrations for tailored innovation. For more than 20 years, MeridianLink has prioritized the democratization of lending for consumers, businesses, and communities. Learn more at meridianlink.com.

In today's episode of the Banking Transformed podcast, we have Sriram Natarajan, President, Quinte Financial Technologies, a leading provider of cloud-based software solutions for financial institutions. In this episode, Sriram will discuss why AI’s true potential lies in its capacity to streamline processes, elevate decision-making capabilities, and ultimately deliver superior services to customers. He believes it’s time to move from the initial hype surrounding the use of AI to the point where AI becomes a profitable and practical foundation for ongoing resilience. Sriram also shares the delicate equilibrium that must exist between customer-centric approaches and regulatory adherence. This Episode of Banking Transformed is Sponsored by Quinte Quinte leverages the prowess of generative AI, machine learning algorithms, and human intelligence to streamline financial institutions' operational processes. We continue to chronicle enterprise-augmented models with trust and explainability to deploy autonomous intelligent process orchestration while strengthening ethical AI practices across our solutions. Through our AI Model Governance framework, financial institutions benefit from adaptive compliance and proactive engagement. For more information visit https://quinteft.com/

In today's episode of Banking Transformed, we have the privilege of speaking with Rodney Williams, the president and co-founder of SoLo Funds, a groundbreaking community banking platform. Rodney's personal journey and the mission of SoLo Funds are truly inspiring, as they work to empower financial inclusion and provide access to credit for those who have been traditionally underserved by the banking system. Rodney shares his vision for the future of finance and wellness for less represented communities and also offers advice for aspiring entrepreneurs seeking to create innovative financial solutions that promote inclusion and empowerment. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of finance, technology, and social impact.

In today's episode of Banking Transformed, we're excited to have Chris Maloof, Go-To-Market President at MeridianLink, a leading provider of cloud-based software solutions for financial institutions. In this episode, we'll be discussing the challenges banks face in their digital transformation journeys and how financial institutions can create seamless, integrated customer experiences across the entire customer lifecycle. Chris also shares how financial institutions of all sizes can harness the full potential of their data, gain a 360-degree view of their customers, and deliver targeted, timely solutions that increase engagement, sales and revenues. This episode of Banking Transformed Solutions is sponsored by MeridianLink MeridianLink® (NYSE: MLNK) powers digital lending and account opening for financial institutions and provides data verification solutions for consumer reporting agencies. MeridianLink’s scalable, cloud-based platforms help customers build deeper relationships with consumers through data-driven, personalized experiences across the entire lending life cycle. MeridianLink enables customers to accelerate revenue growth, reduce risk, and exceed consumer expectations through seamless digital experiences. Its partner marketplace supports hundreds of integrations for tailored innovation. For more than 20 years, MeridianLink has prioritized the democratization of lending for consumers, businesses, and communities. Learn more at meridianlink.com.

In an era where digital transformation is reshaping the financial services landscape, Alkami Technology, Inc. has taken a bold step forward with the launch of their Digital Sales & Service Maturity Model Assessment. This groundbreaking tool empowers banks and credit unions to evaluate their digital maturity and provides actionable insights to navigate their digital journey. Today, we have the pleasure of chatting with Allison Cerra, Chief Marketing Officer at Alkami and Casey Hogarth, Senior Director at Emerald Research Group about the development and deployment of this industry-first self-assessment tool and explore how it can revolutionize the way financial institutions approach their digital strategies. Allison and Casey emphasize the importance of understanding where financial institutions stand in their digital journey and how the assessment serves as a compass to navigate the complex landscape of digital transformation. This Episode of Banking Transformed is Sponsored by Alkami Alkami’s Digital Sales & Service Maturity Model Assessment was developed to help banks and credit unions self-assess their digital maturity - and then take action on the results. Take this 5 question assessment and compare your responses to benchmark data collected from hundreds of U.S. based regional and community institutions and determine just how digitally mature your FI is. Get your results now, and with it details to support you on your path forward. Link to assessment tool: Sales and Service Digital Maturity Model Assessment

Today, we're diving deep into the world of business banking on the Banking Transformed Podcast. As the landscape of commercial banking continues to evolve, it's crucial for financial institutions to stay ahead of the curve and adapt to the changing needs and expectations of their business clients. Joining me for this insightful discussion are Jacob Leick, Director of Product Management at Alkami Technology and Mandy Lopez, Lead Product Manager at Alkami. We explore the importance of building strong relationships with business clients, adapting to the consumerization of commercial banking, maximizing the revenue potential while reducing back-office expenses and leveraging technology to level the playing field against larger competitors. This Episode of Banking Transformed is Sponsored by Alkami Alkami Technology, Inc. empowers financial institutions to evolve and thrive in the new digital age of banking. Our premium digital banking platform powers regional banks and credit unions to grow confidently, innovate at speed, and adapt nimbly—all while providing a secure, frictionless experience to the consumers and businesses they serve—24/7/365. Accelerate your digital transformation journey with Alkami today. Visit alkami.com for more.

In today's episode of the Banking Transformed Podcast, we are joined by Daragh Morrissey, the Director of AI at Microsoft Worldwide Financial Services, joining us to discuss the exciting world of generative AI and its potential applications in banking. We delve into various use cases and adoption patterns, including internal organizational applications, enhancing customer experiences, and the development of new product offerings made possible by this new technology. Daragh provides a roadmap for banks looking to adopt generative AI, emphasizing the importance of defining a clear strategy, choosing the right copilot for specific use cases, and fostering a culture of continuous learning and reskilling. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in understanding how generative AI is reshaping the banking industry and unlocking new opportunities for innovation and growth. This episode of Banking Transformed is sponsored by Microsoft: Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. More at Microsoft.com/financialservices