Best Breakingdigitalgridlock Podcasts (2025)

1
Big Ideas Cut Through the Chaos 35:14

6d ago35:14

35:14

Live from NACUSO’s Reimagine conference Glen speaks with the co-founders of Next Big Idea competition winner Goodbuy, Cara Oppenheimer and Cary Fortin. CUSO lawyer Brian Lauer shares his insights on the rapidly evolving regulatory landscape, and then as if on cue the tectonic plates shift…. Links related to this episode: Goodbuy: https://www.trygoo…

1
DeepSeek, ByteDance, and the AI Arms Race 37:40

13d ago37:40

37:40

In this week’s episode of the BIGcast, host John Best sits down with Emma Zaballos, cybersecurity expert and Product Marketing Manager at CyCognito, to unpack one of the biggest surprises in generative AI: the emergence of China's DeepSeek. Emma and John dive deep (pun intended) into the implications of DeepSeek’s rise, the broader cybersecurity co…

1
No Day of Rest for Payments on Sunday 26:59

20d ago26:59

26:59

Glen speaks with Nacha’s Stephanie Prebish and Devon Marsh about the upcoming Smarter Faster Payments conference in New Orleans, as well as Same Day ACH’s remarkable sustained growth and the rising tide that lifts all riverboats. Also- First reflections on Americas Credit Unions’ leadership change, and… No Tariff Talk! Links related to this episode…

1
All the News That’s Fit To Share (Draft) 34:09

27d ago34:09

34:09

Glen speaks with Frank Diekmann, Founder and Publisher of the newly minted The CU Daily, about his latest venture and the need for “hard news” reporting in the credit union space. Also- a ray of light for CDFIs, grandstanding against paper checks, and splitting hairs on CBDCs. Links related to this episode: The CU Daily: https://thecudaily.com/ The…

1
Defending and Debunking Credit Unions’ Tax Status 37:28

1M ago37:28

37:28

Glen connects with the Defense Credit Union Council’s Jason Stverak to discuss the dual threats- not-for-profit tax treatment and CDFI designation- facing the industry, and the bizarre misrepresentations surrounding each. Also- Klarna’s IPO parade, and an acclaimed entry in the Credit Union Film Festival. Links related to this episode: The Defense …

1
Following the Smart Money at GAC 34:52

1M ago34:52

34:52

Our second wave of interviews from the recent Governmental Affairs Conference features Glen’s interviews with company founders Paul Fiore (CU WealthNext) and Kian Sarrashteh (InvestiFi), plus Candescent’s new Chief Product Officer Gareth Gaston on digital banking lessons to be gleaned from fields like travel. Links related to this episode: Candesce…

1
A Taxing Week in Washington 41:44

2M ago41:44

41:44

Glen recaps an action-packed Government Affairs Conference, featuring our annual interview with America’s Credit Unions’ Economics Team on the coming year’s outlook. An “existential threat” to the industry’s income tax exemption headlined a packed agenda, but the CFPB, NCUA and interchange legislation were also on the menu- not to mention tariff wh…

1
The Sky’s the Limit for Credit Union Communication 27:03

2M ago27:03

27:03

Glen quizzes John about his initiative leveraging social media app BlueSky’s open source architecture to create a moderated, inclusive platform for credit union dialogue and experimentation. Also- threading the needle at the Governmental Affairs Conference. Links related to this episode: BlueSky: https://bsky.app/notifications Our Bluesky accounts …

1
Bringing Loans out of the Lab 34:26

2M ago34:26

34:26

Glen speaks with DePaul University professor and financial innovation expert Lamont Black about his recent work on a blockchain-based secondary loan market to unlock credit union liquidity and reduce costs. Also- Chase tries to keep Zelle in the “friends and family,” and 2024 payment stats beg the question “how fast is fast enough?” Links related t…

1
Scams, Grievances and the Enduring Value of Trust 30:00

2M ago30:00

30:00

Glen shares a pair of interviews from last week’s Deluxe Exchange conference- Scamnetic co-founder Al Pascual on a startup’s mission to preempt fraud earlier in the pipeline, and Deidre Campbell on a few financial services silver linings amid troubling data from the annual Edelman Trust Barometer. Also- Bingo cards and the CFPB carousel. Links rela…

1
Reimagining Innovation, CUSOs and Big Ideas 32:01

3M ago32:01

32:01

Glen speaks with NACUSO’s Interim CEO- and serial CUSO founder- Miriam Ackerman about plans for the group’s Reimagine conference this April in Las Vegas, including a juiced up Next Big Idea competition. Also- a quick summary of the busiest credit union news week in recent memory. Links related to this episode: NACUSO’s Reimagine Conference, April 1…

1
Where Do the Chips Fall After DeepSeek? 42:07

3M ago42:07

42:07

John and Glen (mostly John) sort through the details of the still-evolving DeepSeek story. They assess how much of the freakout is warranted (is it “a Sputnik moment”?) and propose a scenario in which it may actually represent a *plus* for credit unions. Also- yet another twist in the Illinois interchange saga. Links related to this episode: Digita…

1
How Quickly to Quantum? 35:28

3M ago35:28

35:28

John and Glen connect with noted security expert Roger Grimes to untangle the recent developments in quantum computing and discuss why Roger believes the big encryption-obliterating breakthrough will come sooner rather than later - if it hasn’t already. Links related to this episode: Roger’s recent LinkedIn post on why a 2035 Quantum prep date is “…

1
Crypto Clarity- The Next Frontier 37:57

3M ago37:57

37:57

Glen speaks with BankSocial COO and former credit union CEO Becky Reed about what credit unions should expect from “the most crypto-friendly administration in US history,” including regulatory clarity and a symbiotic relationship between crypto and AI. Plus- notes from the DC Crypto Ball, and a very busy Bingo card. Links related to this episode: B…

1
2025 Predictions: A Bingo Card for the Ages 49:58

3M ago49:58

49:58

May you live in interesting times…. John and Glen join with Anne Legg and John Janclaes to speculate on the big events poised to frame the coming year. Our panel foresees the best of times and worst of times for AI, a flurry of mergers, breakthroughs in mortgage lending, and regulatory roulette. Oh, and our annual disagreement on Bitcoin and crypto…

1
Without Data, It’s All Just Vibes 44:56

4M ago44:56

44:56

Glen kicks off the 2025 BIGCast season with Bancography President Steve Reider and a deep dive into branch dynamics. We all know the number of branches is declining but a close look at the data reveals several intriguing subplots (psst… it’s not the credit unions downsizing). Plus the return of BIGCast movie reviews! Links related to this episode: …

1
Well, That Just Happened…. 44:35

4M ago44:35

44:35

Our esteemed panel (Anne Legg of Thrive Strategic Services, John Janclaes of Nymbus CUSO, Glen Sarvady of 154 Advisors) join John Best to opine on the biggest stories impacting credit unions and fintech in 2025- Mergers and Fraudsters and AI, oh my! Links related to this episode: THRIVE Strategic Services: https://www.anneleggthrive.com/ Nymbus CUS…

1
Can Instant Payments Accelerate? 36:02

5M ago36:02

36:02

Glen connects with Payfinia CUSO General Manager Keith Riddle and Star One Credit Union’s EVP of Operations Minal Gupta about the newly minted CUSO aiming to streamline CUs’ provision of instant payment services. Also, newly released FedNow data- plus reporting from the more mature RTP network- reveals some unexpected twists. Links related to this …

1
An Important Part of a Balanced Fintech Strategy 48:15

5M ago48:15

48:15

Insightful conversations with three founders whose startups stood out at VentureTech: Joe Gracia of Pitch Competition winner Nickels/CardFit, Blesson Abraham of Aviary AI and Danial Jameel of Saris AI. Also, the Kelce brothers and Joe Montana unexpectedly find their way into the discussion. Links related to this episode: CardFit, the new offering f…

1
A Credit Union/Fintech Thanksgiving 44:25

5M ago44:25

44:25

Continuing our annual tradition, John and Glen glide through a fintech wonderland with Anne Legg (Thrive Strategic Services) and John Janclaes (Nymbus CUSO), sharing thoughts on things they’re thankful for across our collaborative community- from the expected (AI, the innovative spirit) to the counter-intuitive (fraud levels, fintech funding). Link…

1
Good Ideas, Good Investments 33:09

5M ago33:09

33:09

Freshly back from the VentureTech conference, Glen shares interviews with Launch Party winner Ribbon and main event standout Wysh- plus plenty of key takeaways from investors, regulators, entrepreneurs and their prospective credit union partners. Links related to this episode: Ribbon: https://www.trustribbon.com/ Wysh: https://www.wysh.com/ Venture…

1
Identifying the Standouts at Money 20/20 37:02

6M ago37:02

37:02

Round 2 of our Money 20/20 highlights includes Glen’s interviews with a trio of founders- Andre Vellozo of DrumWave and Brittany Kaiser of the Own Your Data Foundation about a model allowing consumers to control and monetize the data they generate, and Eli Wachs of Footprint about combating fraud by whitelisting the good guys. Also- Bitcoin blows u…

1
Onboarding and Offboarding at Money 20/20 38:30

6M ago38:30

38:30

Glen’s annual Money20/20 highlights include a detailed update from Paze’s Head of Operations Catherine Murchie, a conversation with Allen Osgood, the founder of featured startup Eisen, and first-person reflections on CFPB Director Rohit Chopra’s unscripted comments regarding the agency’s personal data rights rule. Links related to this episode: Paz…

1
A Path to Member Prosperity 34:59

6M ago34:59

34:59

Glen speaks with the founders of Starlight and Credit Mountain, two award-winning startups with a goal of smoothing the turbulent patches of consumers’ financial journeys. Also- a first look at the CFPB’s 594-page magnum opus on personal data rights. Links related to this episode: Starlight: https://www.get-starlight.com/ Credit Mountain: https://w…

1
Deliberating Debit, Contemplating Credit 31:45

6M ago31:45

31:45

Glen speaks with Jessica Heuer and Carrie Stapp about Velera’s recent Psychology of Payments study and strategies for engaging various segments of card users. Also- Durbin and Putin attempt workarounds, and Fiserv wades into uncharted waters. Links related to this episode: Velera’s Psychology of Payments report: https://www.pscu.com/insights/white-…

1
AI, Open Banking are En Vogue 34:17

6M ago34:17

34:17

Glen checks in with Money 20/20 President Tracey Davies for a preview of the upcoming four-day Las Vegas extravaganza. Also- a slew of updates on Illinois’ interchange fiasco, a countdown to the CFPB’s open banking rule, and a desperate attempt to tie 1990s funky divas to 2024 payment headlines. Links related to this episode: Money 20/20 USA, Octob…

1
Show Me the Money 37:53

7M ago37:53

37:53

Glen speaks with key players at TruStage Ventures’ Fintech Summit: Discovery Fund Managing Director Elizabeth McCluskey on the state of early stage investing, founder Gwyneth Borden on Remynt’s journey to startup funding, and Maxwell’s co-founder John Paasonen on addressing the housing affordability gap. Also, surprising battle lines forming in the…

1
Discovering the Drama in Interchange 36:41

7M ago36:41

36:41

John and Glen explore the machinations of the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act, the potential impacts that extend well beyond Illinois, and how it could alter prospects for the Capital One/Discover merger. Also- initial thoughts on the DOJ’s antitrust suit against Visa’s debit business, and a gratuitous swipe at Ticketmaster. Links related to this e…

1
Digging Further at FinovateFall 40:28

7M ago40:28

40:28

Part 2 of our Finovate recap features interviews with three more standouts- Further, MoneyKit and Telesign- from an impressive batch of demoing companies. Plus- Glen reveals his Best of Show ballot, and serial entrepreneurs extend their winning streaks. Links related to this episode: MoneyKit: https://moneykit.com/ Further: https://gofurther.app/ T…

1
The Best Things I Saw at FinovateFall 36:28

7M ago36:28

36:28

Glen speaks with two of his favorite fintechs he saw at the recently completed and highly engaging FinovateFall conference: Best of Show winner CardLift and fraud/dispute management platform Quavo. Also- an overview of the eight Best of Show winners, the inevitable artificial intelligence parade, and a pronounced shift in favor of credit unions. Li…

1
Retaining Member Trust amid the Decline of Authority 42:48

8M ago42:48

42:48

Glen speaks with Managing Director Deidre Campbell about the Edelman Trust Barometer and its insights on consumer attitudes, with impact for financial institutions and beyond. We then detour into regenerative farming as Fintech South Innovation Challenge winner Alex Edquist discusses how her startup Good Agriculture empowers small farms. Also- bank…

1
The Strange Bedfellows of Bitcoin 34:26

8M ago34:26

34:26

John and Glen riff on the role Bitcoin is suddenly playing in the presidential election, and the thorny issue of how the US government should “manage” its crypto holdings. Also- assessing the prospects beyond the bluster for productive crypto legislation, and the bizarre backstory of HODL. Links related to this episode: In his own words, Mark Cuban…

1
Ill Communication on Illinois Interchange 34:42

8M ago34:42

34:42

The Illinois Credit Union League’s Tom Kane and Ashley Sharp go deep on the turmoil surrounding Illinois’ problematic new interchange law and the steps being taken to course correct. Also- Sam Altman’s Worldcoin moves fast and scans (personal) things, and…Backpedaling as a Service (BaaS)? Links related to this episode: Our continuing coverage of Il…

1
Big Startup Energy 36:35

9M ago36:35

36:35

Glen chats with Finovate’s Greg Palmer about the state of fintech investment and startup momentum in anticipation of September’s Finovate NYC event. Also- soft landings, long bike rides, $2.5 billion bets and honest borrowers. Links related to this episode: Finovate Fall in NYC September 9-11: https://informaconnect.com/finovatefall/ ***Use code BI…

1
The Evolving Ransomware Threat 35:16

9M ago35:16

35:16

Cybersecurity expert Roger Grimes demystifies the changing ransomware landscape- how much money do criminals usually demand? How often are they paid, and how much? What is “dwell time,” how do ransomware and wiperware differ, and what constitutes offline backup? Also- the first HODL President? Links related to this episode: Our full CU Town Hall se…

1
The Way We Pay Today 31:13

9M ago31:13

31:13

Glen speaks with the Atlanta Fed’s Claire Greene about takeaways from the latest Survey of Consumer Payment Choice- including card’s dominance, mobile’s ubiquity, BNPL’s ascent and cash’s resilience. Also, the NY Times offers an unexpected backstop for the paper check. Links related to this episode: The Atlanta Fed’s Diary and Survey of Consumer Pa…

1
Transformation in the Face of Turmoil 39:11

9M ago39:11

39:11

Glen’s wide-ranging conversation with Deluxe CEO Barry McCarthy and Technology Association of Georgia CEO Larry Williams spanning five decades of innovation, leadership in turbulent times, reinvention and civic responsibility. Also- another cautionary angle to the CrowdStrike mess, and Fintech Nation comes to Atlanta in August. Links related to thi…

1
Now It’s Getting Personal…. 38:05

10M ago38:05

38:05

Glen speaks with Co-Founder/CEO Austin Wentzlaff about Nook’s mission to reclaim a personalized credit union member experience, and why his team planned to be a CUSO from the start. TruStage’s Danielle Sesko explains how Payment Guard revamps a legacy loan insurance model for today’s digital personal lending. And Glen senses a shift in the media na…

1
Identity, Reward Points and Coffee 30:43

10M ago30:43

30:43

Glen speaks with Bonifii CEO John Ainsworth about his firm’s new collaboration with Metal and the next wave of identity solutions. Also- branches as community centers, the ongoing interchange/reward points battle, more “fun” in class action lawsuit land, and screen scraping stages a comeback. Links related to this episode: Bonifii’s website, and it…

1
The Road to Responsible AI 37:54

10M ago37:54

37:54

Glen speaks with Glia’s Jake Tyler about his firm’s approach to delivering ethical AI solutions to financial institutions. Also- Finovate Best of Show winners, and the continuing crisis in card interchange. Links related to this episode: Glia: https://www.glia.com/news/glia-launches-first-responsible-ai-platform-purpose-built-for-financial-institut…

1
Algorithmic Discrimination- and Other Sci-Fi-Sounding Terms Relevant Today 37:12

10M ago37:12

37:12

So much news, so little time: John and Glen unravel Colorado’s new Artificial Intelligence Act, Apple’s hookup with OpenAI to fuel its own systems and the apparent unraveling of Visa/Mastercard’s merchant settlement. Plus, watching Siri age in warp speed. Links related to this episode: Law Firm Mayer Brown’s synopsis of Colorado’s AI Act: https://w…

1
Mission, Meaning, Member Value 29:59

11M ago29:59

29:59

Glen speaks with TeamOnUP CEO Mike Kelly about “getting dreams done on purpose” and the beauty of small credit unions. Also, more on the Illinois interchange fiasco, the CFPB’s latest populist outburst, and Glen welcomes Google to the world of incumbents. Links related to this episode: TeamOnUP: https://teamonup.com/ Mike Kelly’s book “Meaning is t…

1
The Familiar Sounds of Future AI 40:28

11M ago40:28

40:28

John and Glen tackle several of the hottest topics impacting fintech today including audio (and video) at the heart of ChatGPT’s new features, the sustained strength in Bitcoin and Ethereum values, and a landmark Illinois law’s potential disruption of interchange. Links related to this episode: Our recent CU Town Hall in which John walks through Ch…

1
Opening Up, for Better or Worse… 38:56

11M ago38:56

38:56

Glen speaks with Peter Tapling of PTap Advisory about the mixed signals swirling around US open banking, and Anne Legg assesses credit unions’ readiness for AI. Also- ScarJo haunts OpenAI, and playing SCOTUS Bingo at the CFPB! Links related to this episode: PTap Advisory: https://ptapadvisory.com/ Thrive Strategic Services: https://www.anneleggthri…

1
Hitting Fifty, Still Gaining Speed 32:51

12M ago32:51

32:51

Glen chats with Nacha CEO Jane Larimer onsite at the recent Smarter, Faster Payments Conference- which managed to remain forward-looking while celebrating the 50th anniversary of the ACH network. ValidiFI’s Shawn Princell makes a case for the groundswell in Pay By Bank interest, and a resigned disdain for checks seems to permeate the humid Miami Be…

1
Combating the Negative Net Worth Mindset 27:38

12M ago27:38

27:38

Glen speaks with Money Habitudes CEO Cara Macksoud about shifting money mindsets, the downside of the Great Wealth Transfer’s “lottery wins,” and how to start a constructive conversation on financial wellness. Also- nuggets from Block and PayPal earnings calls, and robust new Fed consumer data on economic decisionmaking. Links related to this episo…

1
Preparing for the 3 M’s of AI, and Other Big Ideas 35:22

12M ago35:22

35:22

Glen shares interviews with Saisi Peter, Co-Founder of Casap, the 2024 winner of NACUSO’s Next Big Idea competition, and Anne Legg of Thrive Strategic Services outlines the steps credit unions must take to prepare for Generative AI. Also- Stripe unbundles and the NRF gets cranky (is that news?) Links related to this episode: Next Big Idea winner Ca…

1
Preaching the CUSO Gospel 47:02

1y ago47:02

47:02

Just back from an action-packed NACUSO Network Conference, Glen shares interviews with NACUSO CEO Ronaldo Hardy, Peacefully Founder/CEO Jennifer Good and Sarah Martin, Founder/CEO of “New CUSO of the Year” Pulsate. Also, Bitcoin’s halving leads Coinbase to double down. Links related to this episode: NACUSO: https://www.nacuso.org/ Pulsate: https://…

1
A Bluetooth for Open Banking? 33:36

1y ago33:36

33:36

Glen speaks with Financial Data Exchange Managing Director Don Cardinal about efforts to establish an industry standard to enable open banking and bid farewell to screen scraping. Also- an artistic approach to deepfakes, and cash meets its demise at Death Valley. Links related to this episode: Financial Data Exchange: https://financialdataexchange.…

1
Will Lower Broker Fees Upend the CU Mortgage Model? 43:31

1y ago43:31

43:31

John and Glen discuss the proposed National Association of Realtors settlement that many believe will dramatically alter the process of buying/selling US homes. The mortgage process could be disrupted too… for better or worse? Links related to this episode: The New York Times’ Daily podcast on the realtor fee lawsuit: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/0…

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