Banking Transformed with Jim Marous

In today's episode ofBanking 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 ofBanking 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 atmeridianlink.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’sDigital 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 AlkamiTechnology, 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. Visitalkami.comfor 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 Transformedis sponsored byMicrosoft: 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 atMicrosoft.com/financialservices

In today's episode of theBanking Transformed podcast, we are revisited by Jacob Morgan, four-time best-selling author and renowned leadership futurist. Jacob has worked with and interviewed hundreds of top business leaders around the globe to uncover the most critical leadership trends shaping the future of work. Jacob shares his groundbreaking research on the top 7 leadership trends for 2024 and how they will impact the banking industry. Jacob reveals actionable strategies to help you and your organization navigate the complexities of modern leadership. From leading with vulnerability to enhancing employee experience, prioritizing skills over jobs, and embracing AI and hybrid work models, Jacob offers practical strategies for banking executives looking to future-proof their organizations.

I’m thrilled to welcome Melina Palmer to theBanking Transformed podcast. Melina is the CEO of The Brainy Business and author of the new book “The Truth About Pricing: How To Apply Behavioral Economics So Customers Buy.” Understanding customer psychology to optimize pricing strategy is more important than ever. Melina shares her unique perspective on incorporating behavioral economics into banking to create positive outcomes for institutions and account holders alike. We discuss common mistakes banks make with pricing, how to better understand the motivations and needs of modern banking customers, and tips for optimizing product pricing strategies. This interview is essential listening for any bank looking to leverage behavioral psychology for sustainable digital growth.

I’m delighted to have Dr. Robin Kiera, financial services marketing expert and author of the new book, Attention Hacking: The Power of Social Media Selling in Insurance and Finance, on theBanking Transformed podcast. Robin discusses how social media isn't just for consumer goods but can be a powerful tool for financial products as well. Robin also shares insights from his book on how to make financial products go viral, the importance of becoming an influencer in your market, and why traditional marketing channels are fading away in favor of dynamic, strategic content on platforms like LinkedIn, TikTok, and Facebook. Finally, Robin suggests that as technology and consumer behaviors evolve, so too must the strategies employed by finance professionals to remain relevant and successful.

I'm excited to have Kim Snyder, CEO and Founder of KlariVis, on theBanking Transformed podcast. Kim brings over a decade of financial leadership experience to KlariVis, with a goal to create a leading-edge, easy to use, transformational data analytics solution that enables community financial institutions to compete with the large mega-banks. We discuss how KlariVis compiles data across disparate bank systems into unified dashboards, giving financial institutions actionable insights to drive smarter decision making, greater efficiency, and accelerated growth. Through the democratization of insights, informed decisions can delivered faster than in the past. This episode of Banking Transformed Solutions is sponsored by KlariVis KlariVis®is the only cloud-based, core-agnostic enterprise dashboard and analytics solution built for bankers, by bankers. The KlariVis platform compiles and aggregates high-value, actionable data across disparate systems into an intuitive, interactive dashboard that provides financial institutions of all sizes with timely insights that empower teams, drive profitability, and improve productivity at every level of the organization. For more information visitklarivis.com/features

I’m thrilled to have Rochelle Gorey, founder and CEO of fintech startup Springfour, and Anuj Vohra, Head of North American Collections at BMO Financial Group on theBanking Transformed podcast. We’ll be exploring BMO’s partnership with Springfour to move beyond transactions and debt collection by linking customers with financial resources. This innovative collaboration aims to show empathy, build loyalty, and strengthen financial health, making banking truly work better for consumers through mission-aligned innovations. This discussion will make it clear that combining capabilities for economies of technology and empathy can construct a brighter future for customers and institutions alike.