Invention Mode

Treasury's job description has changed. The function that used to manage cash and banking relationships now owns risk, technology decisions, and working capital strategy — often without the structure, staffing, or clarity of ownership to match. In this episode of Invention Mode, Tanya Kohen speaks with Justin Guerra, Senior Vice President at Kaufman Hall's Treasury and Capital Markets Prac...

Most founders enter their first product build expecting a journey from point A to point B. What they discover is something closer to a continuous loop — where the original idea accounts for barely a fifth of what eventually ships, and the real design work starts only after launch. In this episode of Invention Mode, Tanya Kohen speaks with Samuel Ary and Dilyara Daminova, founders of Local Pros — a...

Many companies rush to build their first AI agent. Few stop to think what happens after it works. In this episode of Invention Mode, host Tanya Kohen talks with Integration & AI Solution expert Paul Chayka about how to implement your first AI agent in a way that delivers real business value and doesn’t break when it’s time to scale. Based on real implementations in finance, treasury, and opera...

Are we witnessing the end of the dashboards? For years, charts and graphs have been the primary window into complex financial data, but what if you could simply talk to it instead? This episode explores how conversational AI is reshaping the way finance teams work — from speeding up analysis to giving experts direct, on-demand access to deeper insight. Instead of digging through static reports, pr...

"Building the plane while flying it" is a common startup mantra. But when it comes to the tech stack, the patchwork of apps and tools becomes a silent growth killer, leading to conflicting data, security risks, and endless manual work. In this episode of Invention Mode, host Tanya Kohen talks with fractional CFO Maria Frolova about applying an inventive mindset to this core challenge. Th...

The classic build vs. buy dilemma is more than a cost or speed decision — it's a core strategic choice, especially in treasury and finance. Tanya Kohen and treasury consultant Tom Tarrant explore how invention emerges not only from building custom tools, but also from creatively combining, adapting, and owning bought solutions. They unpack Tom's framework "buy is for ops, build is for...

This episode of Invention Mode explores the often-overlooked potential within individuals, teams, and the data organizations already have — and how it can spark true invention. Host Tanya Kohen talks with Tracey Knight, a nationally recognized treasury and finance technology expert with over 30 years of FinTech experience. Together, they discuss how personal readiness fuels organizational transfor...

In this kickoff episode of Invention Mode, host Tanya Kohen sits down with Seth Marlowe, a seasoned treasury, banking, IT, and consulting executive with over 30 years of experience. Seth has led transformation initiatives within some of the world’s largest companies, including GE, Wells Fargo, Danone, and EY. Seth shares his perspective on why true invention is crucial today, recounting a behind-t...