Propagate Fintech Podcast

In this episode of the Propagate Fintech Podcast, Roland Howard sits down with Elizabeth McCluskey to unpack her journey from investment banking and wealth management to impact investing and now venture capital at TruStage, where she helps back early-stage fintechs advancing financial inclusion and credit union innovation. 00:00 Intro + DC “snowcrete” 01:00 From investment banking to values-driven...

MrBeast is putting on a clinic that should be studied in graduate school by entering the fintech world with the purchase of Gen Z platform, STEP.  In this episode of the Propagate Fintech Podcast, Roland Howard sits down with American Banker journalist Melinda Huspen to break down the acquisition of STEP and what it means for banks, fintech founders, and the future of creator-led financial service...

00:00 Integration Challenges in Financial Services 01:02 Understanding AI in the Financial Sector 03:55 Generative AI and Its Impact on Banking 10:44 Navigating the Fintech Landscape 12:16 The Role of AI in Banking 15:13 Leveraging Data for Competitive Advantage 17:04 Targeted Marketing Strategies 21:31 Operationalizing Insights for Growth 21:49 Balancing AI and Human Touch in Marketing AI is ever...

Episode Summary In this conversation, Melinda Huspen discusses her journey into journalism, her insights on Experian's new credit scoring model, and the implications of open banking on credit scoring. She highlights the potential of cashflow-based underwriting to serve underserved communities and shares advice for fintechs looking to gain media attention. The discussion also touches on future...

In this episode, Roland Howard sits down with Har Rai Khalsa, Co-Founder of SwayStack, to unpack one of the most expensive and overlooked problems in banking today: inactive and unfunded accounts. Har Rai shares how SwayStack identified a major gap after account opening, where 25–40% of new accounts go dormant despite acquisition costs that can reach $500 per account. The conversation explores why...

In this episode, I sit down with Glenn Bolstad, President of Vikar Technologies, to unpack what modern bank lending should look like—and why so many digital transformation efforts fall short. Glenn shares how Vikar approaches lending origination differently: orchestrating the full journey from application to underwriting, decisioning, closing, onboarding, and core integration. We discuss why point...

In this episode of the Propagate Fintech Podcast, Roland Howard sits down with Zack Forbes, Founder of ImpactFi Advisors, to unpack what really happens behind the scenes of bank technology decisions and why so many institutions struggle with growth, modernization, and core conversions. Zack shares his journey from a decade at Fiserv into launching ImpactFi Advisors, driven by a desire to make a re...