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 real, measurable difference for community banks. The conversation explores how banks should think about best-in-class technology, when flexibility becomes a liability, and why underutilized platforms are often self-inflicted wounds.

They dig into:
•The realities of “best of breed” vs best of bundle strategies
•Why poor vendor support is one of the biggest drivers of core conversions
•How banks can create leverage by acting as true reference partners
•What it actually takes to prepare for a core conversion that may only happen once every 15–20 years
•Why real-time banking expectations are colliding with legacy batch-based systems

This episode is a candid look at technology strategy, vendor dynamics, and long-term planning for community banks navigating modernization, M&A pressure, and generational change.

To learn more about ImpactFi Advisors and their approach to helping banks navigate complex technology and strategy decisions, visit www.impactfiadvisors.com or connect with Zack Forbes on LinkedIn.

To learn more about Propagate Fintech, go to Propagatefintech.com.

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