Monitor's Podcast+

Numbers in a ledger only tell half the story. In this episode, Rita Garwood sits down with Brendan Cronin of Great American Insurance to dive deep into the world of "fuzzy data"—the emails, notes, and transcripts that hold the "why" behind your business outcomes. In this episode, you’ll learn: • Why unpredictable, unstructured data is actually a goldmine for insight • How AI is...

As of April 1, 2026, the "informal pause" on anti-money laundering (AML) enforcement in Canada has officially ended. Financing and leasing companies are now subject to full assessments and audits by FINTRAC.In this episode, Rita Garwood sits down with Marcel Buerkler from the CFLA to discuss the regulatory shift that is catching many businesses off guard. In this video, we cover:• Why th...

In this episode, Rita Garwood sits down with Joe Andries of GreatAmerica Portfolio Services Group to discuss the rapid acceleration of third-party servicing in the equipment finance sector. Joe breaks down the post-pandemic variables driving companies toward outsourcing, including business continuity, talent retention, and the need for scalable technology. Key topics include:• The evolution of &qu...

What does “consumerization” actually mean for B2B finance? Spoiler: it’s not about dumbing things down. It’s about making complexity invisible. In this episode, Monitor Editor in Chief Rita Garwood sits down with Ryan Ragland, VP of Enterprise Solutions at Valiant Finance, to unpack how modern buyer expectations are forcing the industry to change, and why that’s a good thing. From embedded finance...

What does “consumerization” actually mean for B2B finance? Spoiler: it’s not about dumbing things down. It’s about making complexity invisible. In this episode, Monitor Editor in Chief Rita Garwood sits down with Ryan Ragland, VP of Enterprise Solutions at Valiant Finance, to unpack how modern buyer expectations are forcing the industry to change, and why that’s a good thing. From embedded finance...

In this episode of the Monitor Podcast, Editor in Chief Rita Garwood sits down with Spencer Thomas, CEO, KLC Financial; Scott Nelson, CTO, Tamarack Technology and Alistair Canal, President, Syndifi to unpack a bold, collaborative effort to modernize the syndication process in equipment finance. What happens when a client brings two tech companies together? Real transformation. From culture shifts...

In this episode of the Monitor podcast, Editor-in-Chief Rita Garwood sits down with Allard Pheifer, Global Lead of Sustainability at CHG-MERIDIAN, to break down why sustainability isn't a cost center—it's a value engine. Discover:• Why the linear economy is breaking• How circular models drive profit, not just purpose• What role lessors, banks, and independents play in creating sustainable...

Cloud isn't just a buzzword anymore, it’s the backbone of modern IT. But what happens when critical finance platforms are still stuck on-prem or weighed down by legacy architectures? In this episode of the Monitor Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Rita Garwood sits down with Alex Barnes, Director of Cloud Hosting at Alfa, to discuss what really holds companies back from moving to the cloud — and what t...

What happens when two longtime industry leaders reunite to build something radically new? In this episode of the Monitor Podcast, Publisher Lisa Rafter sits down with Bill Stephenson, CEO of PEAC Solutions, and Eileen Schoonmaker, President of the Americas, for a powerful conversation on leadership, disruption, and redefining success in equipment finance. From scaling a culture of innovation to me...

Manual underwriting is slowing lenders down — and borrowers won’t wait. In this episode of the Monitor Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Rita Garwood sits down with Carolina Patiño, Product Manager at Kin Analytics, to talk about how data, AI and automation are transforming the underwriting process. You’ll learn:• The biggest limitations of traditional underwriting• How predictive models and alternative da...

TFS Solutions President Aaron Case reveals how his team is using AI and automation to overhaul outdated processes, eliminate friction and accelerate deal flow. From automating unstructured data entry to intelligent lender matching, this episode is packed with real-world insights for anyone looking to scale smarter.

Two of the industry's fastest-growing finance companies just joined forces. Onset CEO Justin Nielsen and Channel CEO Brad Peterson share the inside story behind the deal, what it means for the market and how they're building a new standard for independent lending.

What does it take to pivot your career without starting over? In this episode, Craig Ault shares how he transitioned into a new sector within equipment leasing—and how mindset, personal branding, and strategic networking helped him make the leap.

In episode 125 of Monitor’s podcast series, we sit down with Shawn Smith, chairman and CEO of Dedicated Financial, to explore how businesses can be a force for real-world change. Smith discusses servant leadership, fostering a culture of giving and how businesses can create lasting change — not just for their employees but for communities around the world. Smith also shares how Dedicated Financial...

We’re excited to share our latest podcast episode with Jeffry Elliott, Founder and CEO of Elevex Capital, to discuss his groundbreaking new venture in the equipment finance industry. Jeff shares the vision that inspired him to leave the banking world and launch a new start up, Elevex Capital, a company focused on innovation, technology and serving underserved markets. From leveraging AI to streaml...

We’re excited to announce the latest episode of the Monitor Podcast! This week, Editor-in-Chief Rita Garwood sits down with Randy Hicks, President and CEO of the newly launched Alliance Equipment Finance (AEF). Randy shares his career journey, the vision behind AEF and how this new venture is set to redefine the independent equipment finance landscape. What inspired the creation of AEF? How will i...

Innovation isn’t just about the latest AI tools or shiny tech breakthroughs. Technology is important, but the real drivers of lasting, meaningful change is human curiosity and courage. Over the past year, Deb Reuben sat down with six thought leaders to explore the human side of innovation — how these human traits are shaping the future of technology adoption and change leadership.

In this episode of  Monitor Podcast , we sit down with Mark Johnson, the new CEO of Orion First, to explore his vision for the company and the equipment finance industry. With decades of leadership experience in commercial finance and consulting, Mark shares his approach to driving growth, fostering innovation and leveraging technology to empower businesses. From the power of AI and self-service s...

In this podcast, Bri Wilson, managing editor of Monitor, interviews Patricio Pazmiño, director of analytics and AI at Kin Analytics, about the transformative role of AI in risk management. This episode highlights how AI is revolutionizing credit risk management by automating repetitive tasks, enhancing predictive analytics and empowering decision-makers with tools like generative AI assistants tai...

You’ve heard the buzz. You know that artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping industries — equipment finance included. In today’s podcast, which is part a series in partnership with TomorrowZone, Deborah Reuben interviews Jen Croneberger about how leaders can balance AI adoption with human-centric leadership strategies.

Monitor sits down with Paul Schuldiner and Mike Wells from Rosenthal & Rosenthal who share the details behind their acquisition of Accord Equipment Finance and what it means for the future of their company—and the equipment finance industry.

How can leaders push past the overwhelm to successfully adopt and get value from AI? In today’s podcast, which is part a series in partnership with TomorrowZone, Deborah Reuben interviews Rohan Marfatia about the critical role of AI and automation in equipment finance, strategies for overcoming adoption challenges and the importance of collaboration and continuous learning in successfully implemen...

What does it take to prepare a future-ready business? In today’s podcast, Deborah Reuben interviews Bob Rinaldi about the power of curiosity, humility, collaboration and the critical questions for future readiness and peace of mind.

Are you applying an analog leadership style to your digital transformation projects? In today’s podcast, Deborah Reuben interviews Jen Swanson about how to evolve your leadership style to achieve success in a digital world.

Earlier this year, Ares Management, one of the largest players in the asset and investment management space, announced its foray into the equipment finance space, as funds managed by its alternative credit strategy launched Ansley Park Capital, a new entity designed to deliver financing solutions in the large-ticket sector. In a joint podcast from  Monitor  and  ABF Journal , we we sat down with J...