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 and life-stage experiences must replace product silos.

• 00:04 Live from FinovateFall, NYC — Sam introduces Wayne, Tiffani, and Har Rhai.
• 01:10 Day-in-the-life: matchmaking fintech + banks, research for clients, go-to-market hustle.
• 04:24 Hallway buzz: AI and stablecoin — time to focus on how, not why.
• 07:25 Industry pain points: inactive accounts, lack of engagement, and missing 360° customer views.
• 12:16 Positive outlook: AI as augmentation, personalization at scale, and shifting from products to customer life-stage journeys.

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’t. Rooftop vibes included.

Timestamps:

• 00:04 Scene-set + guest lineup (DefenseStorm, Invest Defi, Encore Bank, Posh).
• 03:29 “Day in the life”: small-company stretch roles, startup rhythms, running bank ops, CEO still coding.
• 09:00 AI mood shift: boards from cautious to urgent; “web-banking déjà vu.”
• 10:36 Stablecoins: watch, don’t leap; near-term priority is fiat↔stable on/off-ramps.
• 12:41 Bank priorities: real-time payments and ERP integrations for commercial clients.
• 15:07 Integration reality: solving treasury onboarding with true end-to-end partners (docs + core push).
• 17:23 Deposit defense: 5–10% outflows to investment platforms—be the investing on-ramp.
• 18:02 Cyber angle: pace of change ⇒ more risk; move from whac-a-mole to proactive controls.
• 22:38 Live AI wins: disclosure review pipeline; measuring AI ROI (tokens, accuracy) and loan-doc diffs.
• 26:00–30:26 What’s working now: banks leaning in, co-building with fintechs, deposit/treasury innovation, optimistic tone; wrap.

Top Takeaways

• AI urgency: Boards and execs moved from “slow down” to “why aren’t we live?”—time to graduate from licenses to application-layer outcomes.
• Stablecoin stance: For banks today, focus on compliant on/off-ramps and multi-currency readiness rather than speculative use cases.
• Payments & ERP: RTP adoption and deep ERP integrations are must-win commercial banking battlegrounds.
• Integration reality: “Seamless” is oversold—pick partners who’ll do the unglamorous workflow plumbing end-to-end.
• Deposit defense: Mind the wealth leakage to investing apps; offer native pathways before funds walk.
• Security ≈ survival: Rapid change expands the attack surface—proactive cyber risk management is table stakes.
• Prove AI ROI: Track tokens, accuracy, and cycle-time reduction; start with auditable, high-impact workflows (e.g., disclosures, credit-memo vs. docs diffs).

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 potential of AI to transform the industry. The episode concludes with a tribute to Barb McLean, a notable figure in the fintech community.

Takeaways:

• The fintech landscape is seeing increased investor interest and momentum.
• Community banks are gaining traction against megabanks by focusing on personalized service.
• Integration challenges remain a significant hurdle in the fintech industry.
• AI has the potential to level the playing field for smaller financial institutions.
• The shift from marketing to sales is crucial for creating a seamless customer experience.
• Trust is eroding in big banks, creating opportunities for community institutions.
• The importance of storytelling in marketing to attract younger customers.
• Collaboration between marketing and sales teams is essential for success.
• The need for integration standards in fintech is still pressing.
• Fresh perspectives from new entrants can drive innovation in the industry.