Fintech Hustle

Fintech is moving fast, but this conversation makes one thing clear: the future will not be won by technology alone. Sam Kilmer and Kelli Schultz are joined by three founders -- Mike Duncan of Bankjoy, Nima Ghamsari of Blend, and Paul Danola of Bridgeport Partners — for a lively, unscripted look at the next chapter of financial services. AI is the headline, but the real story is bigger…what happen...

Live from the AFT Spring Summit, Sam Kilmer (Managing Director, Cornerstone Advisors) is joined by fintech leaders to discuss what’s really happening in banking and financial services right now.   Guests include: Laura Kornhauser (CEO & Co-Founder, Stratyfy) David Eads (CEO & Co-Founder, Vine Financial) Kirsten Longnecker (Executive Vice President, York Public Relations) Tim Hamilton (Foun...

Recorded live from GAC, Sam Kilmer (Managing Director, Cornerstone Advisors and host of Fintech Hustle) sits down with a powerhouse panel of credit union and fintech leaders for an unscripted hallway conversation. Joining the discussion: Brandi Gregory (Managing Director, Cornerstone Advisors) Ned Tobey (CEO, Circuit) JB Orecchia (CEO, SavvyMoney) Nicole Haverly (VP Credit Unions, nCino) Rob Landi...

Recorded at a location near AOBA 2026, this Fintech Hustle episode brings guests Aleda DeMaria (EVP & Chief Operating Officer, PeoplesBank), Mac Thompson (Founder & CEO, White Clay) & Christina Miller (VP, Alkami) for an unscripted hallway conversation on what’s changing right now.  Key topics include: Deposit retention after massive outflows and why “acquisition” is not the finish lin...

Kicking off 2026 with a strategy-focused episode of Fintech Hustle. Sam Kilmer (Managing Director, Cornerstone Advisors) and co-host Kelli Schultz (Principal, Cornerstone Advisors) are joined by Erica Pilon (Head of Strategy, Jack Henry) and Scott Hildenbrand (Chief Balance Sheet Strategist, Piper Sandler) to discuss what’s changing in banking and fintech, and what winners will do differently. Top...

Host Sam Kilmer looks back at the year’s most quoted hallway moments—packed with real-world takes on AI (purposeful, not buzzwordy) , stablecoins (watch the fiat on/off-ramps), data activation (from “we have it” to “we use it”), and go-to-market alignment. Highlights include an AI reality check from a startup CEO, pragmatic stablecoin guidance from an investing leader, compliance and fraud implica...

Host Sam Kilmer gathers Reva Rao (Head of Digital Transformation, Blend), David Ladic (SVP, Zafin ), Adam Aspes (Partner, FINTOP ), and co-host Kelli Schultz for a candid hallway conversation. They trade “day-in-the-life” views (and nonstop event planning), argue for purposeful AI over buzzwords, and unpack regulator-ready AI governance (from “know your agent” to vendor disclosures). The group deb...

Recording “in the hall” at FinovateFall , host Sam Kilmer is joined by Wayne Miller ( SVP Innovation at ICBA & GP at BankTech Ventures), Tiffani Montez (Principal Analyst, EMARKETER), and Har Rai Khalsa (CEO & Co-Founder, Swaystack). They discuss what a fintech leader’s day really looks like, the urgency of AI adoption, the shaky logic of bank-issued stablecoins, and why personalization an...

Host Sam Kilmer records live from Hyatt Nashville with Steve Soukup (DefenseStorm), Todd Clark (Investifi), Erin Simpson (Encore Bank), and Karan Kashyap (Posh). They swap “day-in-the-life” notes, why AI went from “go slow” to “why aren’t we live,” practical stablecoin prep, real-time payments use cases, ERP integrations, deposit outflows to wealth apps, and why “seamless integration” usually isn’...

In this episode of Fintech Hustle, host Sam Kilmer engages with guests Kelley Michalik, Kelli Schultz, and Stephen Baker to discuss the evolving landscape of fintech, focusing on investment trends, the integration of marketing and sales, and the competitive dynamics between community banks and megabanks. The conversation highlights the importance of trust, the challenges of integration, and the po...

Forget the keynote fluff and polished demo, this episode of Fintech Hustle drops you straight onto a sun-drenched San Diego balcony with the real players of Finovate Spring 2025. Host Sam Kilmer is joined by fintech rockstars Maya Mikhailov (SAVVI AI) , Jason Henrichs (Alloy Labs) , and Andy Ivankovich (Baker Hill) for a breakdown of what’s actually happening behind the scenes of the industry’s fl...

In this episode of the Fintech Hustle podcast, host Sam Kilmer sits down live at the AFT Spring Conference with Alex McLeod (CEO, Parlay Finance), Ben Metz (CTO/CDO, Jack Henry), and Will Bryant (COO, Quantalytix) for a high-energy conversation about the future of financial services. The panel dives into key fintech trends, including the real-world impact of AI in banking, how institutions are ret...

The Acquire or Be Acquired conference was buzzing with optimism, big ideas, and strategic conversations about the future of banking. In this episode of Fintech Hustle, host Sam Kilmer and co-host Al Dominick sit down for an unscripted discussion with Margaret Hartigan (Founder & CEO, Marstone), Nikhil Lakhanpal (Co-founder, Narmi), and Todd Schell (Managing Director, Warburg Pincus) to break d...

The first Fintech Hustle episode of the year kicks off with host Sam Kilmer and co-host Stacy Bryant joined by industry leaders Lee Farabaugh (Monarch), Brendan Tansill (Candescent), and Hank Seale (Hapax). This lively discussion dives into the dynamic world of fintech, covering the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the industry today. The conversation shines a light on the vita...

In this episode of Fintech Hustle, Sam gathers his team of co-hosts (Ron Shevlin, Stacey Bryant, Al Dominick and Mary Wisniewski) to reflect on the key themes and highlights from the past year in the fintech industry, by looking back at memorable moments from the podcast over the last 12 months. They discuss the significance of deposits, the role of data in community financial institutions, the im...

In this episode of the Fintech Hustle podcast, host Sam Kilmer and co-host Mary Wisniewski sit down with guests Parilee Wang (Alloy), Charles Potts (ICBA, BankTech Ventures), and Joe Cody (Q2) to chat about the exciting world of fintech. They dive into what a typical day looks like for fintech pros, how banking and tech are blending, and why responsible innovation matters. They focus on the changi...

In this episode of the FinTech Hustle podcast, host Sam Kilmer and co-host Al Dominick engage with industry leaders Melissa Kopp (Neural Payments), Sarah Fankhauser (DCI), and Jacob Bouer (Array) at the AFT Fall Summit. The conversation explores their daily experiences in the FinTech sector, insights gained from the conference, especially from April Dunford, and the challenges faced in the industr...

In this episode of the Fintech Hustle podcast, host Sam Kilmer and co-host Stacey Bryant chat with Barb MacLean (Coastal Community Bank), Danny Payne (Jack Henry), and Nick Evens (Curql Collective) at the Finovate Fall conference about their roles in the fintech industry. They discuss topics such as enabling community banks through technology, modernizing tech stacks, the importance of being a pla...

In this episode of Fintech Hustle, host Sam Kilmer and co-host Mary Wisniewski are joined by a panel of guests including Allison Cerra (Alkami), Laura Broderick (Abrigo), Sam Das (TruStage Ventures), and Brian Bauer (Revio), where they discuss the impact of generational shifts on financial institutions, the need for data strategy and AI implementation, the importance of customer insights and talen...

In this conversation, Sam Kilmer, Ron Shevlin, Nicky Senyard (Fintel Connect), and Ted Brown (Digital Onboarding) discuss the role of CEOs and founders in the fintech industry. They talk about the evolving nature of the CEO role and the importance of building a strong team. They also discuss the challenges and opportunities in the banking industry, including the need for better customer engagement...

In this episode of Fintech Hustle, Sam Kilmer interviews Pam Kaur (BankTech Ventures), Julie Muhn (Finovate), and Christian Widhalm (Bloom Credit) at Finovate Spring. They discuss various topics including bank technology, fintech innovation, credit data infrastructure, attracting the next generation of customers, regulations, and the future of banking. The conversation highlights the need for bank...

 In this episode of Fintech Hustle, Sam Kilmer and guest co-host Ron Shevlin sit down with Laura Costello (Meridianlink) and Carlos Carvajal (Q2) to discuss what’s hot in marketing and offer their Financial Brand Forum takeaways.  Subscribe to the Fintech Hustle podcast here:  https://qrco.de/bgfV6g

Sam Kilmer and co-host Stacey Bryant catch up with industry legend Mark Forbis (THL Partners), Tiffany Matthews (Tyfone) and Jeff Harper (Fintegrate) at the AFT Spring Summit 24 to throw down on various topics related to the fintech industry. They discuss their day-to-day experiences, including the challenges and opportunities they encounter, highlighting the importance of collaboration, new techn...

The latest Fintech Hustle podcast takes an adventurous spin as we carpool through the desert with fintech rock stars Nathaniel Harley, Kelly Brown, Sue Salecky, and Erin Simpson. Recorded between sessions at banking's premier conference, Acquire or Be Acquired, Sam Kilmer and co-host Al Dominick dig into our guests' conference takeaways to uncover the "So what?" for the industr...

Samantha Paxson from Co-op Solutions and Nathan Baumeister of Z-Suite join Sam and Mary to discuss aligning growth strategies with consumer needs. You'll also get a peek into Samantha's philanthropic journey with Shades Up for Kids, blending personal passion with the credit union ethos. Samantha and Nathan share stories from the trenches on fostering collaboration within financial organi...