Join us on this week's episode of the Slice of Finance podcast, hosted by Jared S. Taylor!

Our Guest: Herman Man, Chief Product Officer at Bluevine.

What you’ll get out of this episode:

• All-in-One Banking Solution: Bluevine offers a digital-first platform tailored for small businesses with tools from checking to lending.
• Product Strategy Framework: Uses a percentage-based roadmap and a customized RICE framework for prioritizing features.
• Effortless Onboarding: Customers can open an account in minutes, with tools like QuickBooks integration and virtual cards.
• Tailored Growth Tools: Features like AP automation, fraud controls, and lending options support scalable operations.
• Forward-Looking Innovation: Bluevine is piloting a new product to enhance its role as the financial OS for small businesses.

To learn more about Bluevine:
Website: http://www.bluevine.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bluevine/

Guest's Socials:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hermanjman/

Show and Host's Socials:
Slice of Finance
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/slice-of-finance/

Jared S Taylor
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredstaylor/

Slice of Finance is produced by Slice of Media, Inc.

Join us on this week's episode of the Slice of Finance podcast, hosted by Jared S. Taylor!

Our Guest: Aron Alexander, CEO & Founder at Runa.

What you’ll get out of this episode:

• Legacy payment systems are outdated and not built for modern payout needs.
• Runa introduces programmable, real-time, and interoperable infrastructure for businesses.
• Loyalty is shifting from points to instant, relevant value.
• Flexible payout options build trust and deepen customer relationships.
• Cross-border payments face friction due to complexity and lack of contextual value.

To learn more about Runa:
Website: http://www.runa.io
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/runapayouts/

Guest's Socials:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aronalexander/

Show and Host's Socials:
Slice of Finance
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/slice-of-finance/

Jared S Taylor
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredstaylor/

Slice of Finance is produced by Slice of Media, Inc.

Join us on this week's episode of the Slice of Finance podcast, hosted by Jared S. Taylor!

Our Guest: Elena Casal, Chief Client Officer at The Clearing House.

What you’ll get out of this episode:

• Elena Casal discusses the evolution and role of The Clearing House in U.S. payments.
• Real-time payments enable money transfers in 15 seconds or less with no settlement risk.
• Challenges include legacy banking systems and technology integration.
• RTP use cases span small business funding, gig worker pay, and digital wallet transfers.
• Fintech collaborations and security innovations are shaping the future of payments.

To learn more about The Clearing House:
Website: http://www.theclearinghouse.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-clearing-house/

Guest's Socials:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-casal-1276554/

Show and Host's Socials:
Slice of Finance
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/slice-of-finance/

Jared S Taylor
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredstaylor/

Slice of Finance is produced by Slice of Media, Inc.

Join us on this week's episode of the Slice of Finance podcast, hosted by Jared S. Taylor!

Our Guest: Jonathan Silver, CEO & Co-Founder at Engage People.

What you’ll get out of this episode:

• Engage People’s Loyalty Tech Vision: Jonathan Silver shares how Engage People enables consumers to pay with loyalty points directly at checkout.
• Triple Win for Retailers, Programs, and Members: Increased engagement, larger basket sizes, and lower transaction costs benefit all parties.
• Frictionless User Experience: A seamless POS integration drives high adoption and member satisfaction.
• The Future of Loyalty: AI-driven offers based on consumer behavior aim to optimize value and response rates.
• Retailer and FI Value Proposition: One integration opens access to Engage People’s expanding network of partners and active users.

To learn more about Engage People:
Website: http://www.engagepeople.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/engageppl/

Guest's Socials:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-silver-b42aaa2/

Show and Host's Socials:
Slice of Finance
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/slice-of-finance/

Jared S Taylor
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredstaylor/

Slice of Finance is produced by Slice of Media, Inc.

Join us on this week's episode of the Slice of Finance podcast, hosted by Jared S. Taylor!

Our Guest: Romi Savova, CEO at PensionBee.

What you’ll get out of this episode:

• Origin of PensionBee: Romi Savova founded PensionBee after struggling to move her own retirement account—revealing deep flaws in the legacy system.
• Retirement Challenges in the U.S.: A lack of automatic enrollment and financial literacy leads Americans to miss out on crucial retirement savings.
• “Your Home Is Not Your Pension”: Savova explains why relying solely on property for retirement income is risky and unsustainable.
• Financial Education as Empowerment: PensionBee's "Retirement 101" aims to educate and inspire individuals to take control of their financial future.
• U.S. Expansion & Market Gaps: With 30% of 401(k)s dormant, PensionBee is tackling an overlooked need: consolidating old accounts into accessible online IRAs.

To learn more about PensionBee:
Website: https://www.pensionbee.com/uk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pensionbee/

Guest's Socials:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/romi-savova-49477a25/

Show and Host's Socials:
Slice of Finance
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/slice-of-finance/

Jared S Taylor
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredstaylor/

Slice of Finance is produced by Slice of Media, Inc.

Join us on this week's episode of the Slice of Finance podcast, hosted by Jared S. Taylor!

Our Guest: Laura Kornhauser, Co-Founder & CEO at Stratyfy.

What you’ll get out of this episode:

• Stratyfy’s Mission: Empowering financial institutions with AI-driven tools for better, fairer credit, fraud, and compliance decisions.
• Inclusion Challenge: Financial systems still carry biases from exclusionary historical practices, which AI can either reinforce or help dismantle.
• The Role of Machine Learning: Traditional AI (ML) is gaining traction, fueled by GenAI buzz but with proven impact in lending and risk management.
• Empowering Smaller Banks: Clear leadership direction and AI literacy are key for smaller institutions to adopt and benefit from AI technologies.
• Exciting Initiatives: Stratyfy is advancing equity through partnerships like Underwriting for Racial Justice and integrations with major platforms.

To learn more about Stratyfy:
Website: http://www.stratyfy.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stratyfy/

Guest's Socials:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-kornhauser/

Show and Host's Socials:
Slice of Finance
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/slice-of-finance/

Jared S Taylor
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredstaylor/

Slice of Finance is produced by Slice of Media, Inc.

Join us on this week's episode of the Slice of Finance podcast, hosted by Jared S. Taylor!

Our Guest: Kalyani Ramadurgam, Co-Founder & CEO at Kobalt Labs.

What you’ll get out of this episode:

• Startup Origin Story: Kalyani Ramadurgam and her college friend-turned-cofounder founded Kobalt Labs after joining Y Combinator, diving into fintech compliance challenges.
• AI for Compliance: Kobalt Labs automates manual compliance tasks for banks and fintechs, reducing error rates and headcount needs.
• Enterprise-Ready & Scaling: After a stealthy start, the company is now focused on enterprise distribution and expanding its team.
• Trusted Adoption: Initial hesitancy from banks has given way to growing trust and adoption, with regulators and institutions now vouching for the platform.
• Customer-Driven Roadmap: Kalyani meets biweekly with every client, using feedback to shape development priorities and build high-impact features.

To learn more about Kobalt Labs:
Website: https://www.kobaltlabs.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kobalt-labs/

Guest's Socials:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kalyani-ramadurgam-4a76331b5/

Show and Host's Socials:
Slice of Finance
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/slice-of-finance/

Jared S Taylor
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredstaylor/

Slice of Finance is produced by Slice of Media, Inc.

Join us on this week's episode of the Slice of Finance podcast, hosted by Jared S. Taylor!

Our Guest: Edward Maslaveckas, Co-Founder & CEO at Bud.

What you’ll get out of this episode:

• Why Banks Struggle with Data – Despite having vast amounts of transaction data, most banks lack the ability to effectively process and leverage it for personalization.
• Improving Customer Experience – Bud Financial helps banks reduce customer confusion over unidentified transactions, saving them millions in customer service costs.
• What Real Personalization Looks Like – Ed explains how AI-driven insights can help banks better serve their customers, offering timely nudges and financial advice.
• Lessons from Scaling a Fintech Business – From early missteps to finding product-market fit, Ed reflects on Bud’s journey to profitability.
• The Future of AI in Banking – Bud Financial is integrating more advanced AI models to enhance financial management for both institutions and consumers.

To learn more about Bud:
Website: http://www.thisisbud.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bud-financial/

Guest's Socials:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edmas/

Show and Host's Socials:
Slice of Finance
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/slice-of-finance/

Jared S Taylor
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredstaylor/

Slice of Finance is produced by Slice of Media, Inc.