Episodes

Kristen Castell, Managing Director of the Center for Accelerating Financial Equity (CAFE), joins Social Currency to discuss the intersection of profit and purpose in financial services. From fintech innovation to financial inclusion, Kristen shares how technology, partnerships, and mission-driven solutions are helping expand access and opportunity for low-to-moderate income communities. Listen in as we explore the future of financial equity.

In this episode of Social Currency, Tyler Seydel and Eric Schurr sit down with Kyle Rushman, Vice President, Prepaid Sales & Business Development at Usio, to explore how mission-driven fintech is reshaping financial access for underserved communities. From prepaid innovation to rapid-response payment solutions during crises, Kyle shares how technology can deliver financial wellness at scale—while keeping people and communities at the center.

In this episode, Madeline Fredin, Vice President of Partnership Strategy for Alloy Labs, explores how product-led growth is transforming community banking and fintech, and why delivering exceptional customer experiences has become a critical competitive advantage. The conversation dives into how AI is reshaping productivity, operational scale, and innovation across financial services. From emerging fintech strategies to the future of community banking, this episode offers an insightful look at h...

In this episode, we’re joined by Brian Tate, President and CEO of the Innovative Payments Association, to discuss where payments policy and innovation are headed next. A graduate of Howard University with experience at the Financial Services Roundtable during the post-crisis reform era shaped by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, Brian draws on decades inside Washington to unpack what’s coming for fintech, prepaid products, and the broader banking ecosystem. From regu...

This episode explores the mission of advancing financial stability and generational wealth for traditionally underserved individuals and families through the lens of founder and CEO of The Savings Collaborative Barbara Freeman. The conversation highlights her global career in finance, consulting, and development, and how her personal experiences with financial uncertainty and deeply held values around fairness shaped the founding of the Savings Collaborative. Barbara shares how her work bridges ...

In this episode of Social Currency, hosts Tyler Seydel and Eric Schurr speak with Madhu Yalamarthi co-founder and CEO of Modak — a fintech platform empowering families to teach financial literacy through gamification. Madhu shares how Modak is helping teens build smart money habits using real-world tools like debit cards and paycheck simulations. He also opens up about his personal journey from a small farming village to Stanford and venture capital, and how that shaped his mission to use busine...

In this empowering episode of Social Currency, Eric Schurr and guest host Maria Wilkison sit down with Kristi Hemmer, and dive deep into real-world solutions for closing gender equity gaps and building confident leaders. Kristi—founder of the Academy for Women’s Empowerment (AWE), author, experienced educator, and certified social entrepreneur—shares a robust toolkit built from 20+ years of classroom experience and a mission to disrupt systems that hold girls and women back.

In the latest episode of the Social Currency podcast, Tony McGee, Senior Director, FI & Fintech Sales at Onbe, shares his insights on the evolving landscape of digital payments. As consumer expectations shift towards speed, convenience, and choice, digital payment systems are becoming more integral than ever. Tony discusses the current trends he’s observing, including the rise of embedded finance, the expansion of real-time payments, and the growing demand for sustainable and inclusive payment s...

Join hosts Tyler Seydel and Eric Schurr as they talk with John Barbella, Founder and President of Neighborli, about preventing fraud in fintech. With over 30 years in financial services, John shares insights on compliance, the evolving fraud landscape, and how banks and fintechs can collaborate to stay ahead. Tune in to learn how Neighborli is bridging the gap between financial institutions and fintechs to create a more secure and innovative digital banking future.

In this episode of Social Currency, hosts Tyler Seydel and Eric Schurr sit down with Emily Cisek, co-founder and CEO of Paige (Formerly The Postage®), a platform dedicated to simplifying long-term financial planning and legacy management. Emily shares her journey from startup life to founding Paige, inspired by personal experiences with loss and the challenges of end-of-life planning. They discuss the importance of financial preparedness, overcoming the social friction of these conversations, an...

Featuring Colleen Wilson, Fintech Advisor and Product Executive Technology, your customer base, your business—these things are constantly changing, and in order to be a good product manager, understanding each piece of the puzzle is essential. In this episode, Colleen Wilson, Fintech Advisor and Product Executive breaks down how you can be a strong product leader by effectively managing both product management and product strategy to bring humanity back to [product] leadership and grow business.

Big banks in U.S. banks allocate up to 30% of their investments to carbon-intensive industries, inadvertently fueling climate change. Many people are unaware that their bank accounts could be significant contributors to carbon emissions. In this episode, we delve into the story of Firefly, a pioneering sustainable apartment building on Grand Avenue in South Minneapolis. Architect Adam Bradley Jonas and developer Jay Rajaratnam share their insights on overcoming unique challenges in creating net ...

Featuring Kirsten Muetzel, Principal, KLM Advisory As financial systems innovate to offer new products and address problems facing our communities, they may be subject to new processes like novel activities exams. In this episode, we delve into the complexities of regulatory frameworks with Kirsten Muetzel, Principal at KLM Advisory. Tune in to understand how fintechs and bank partners are adapting to innovative activities and what it means for safety, soundness, and consumer protection in the e...

Featuring Paul Brady, SVP of Risk, Self Financial Traditionally, to get credit, you needed credit. It’s a catch-22, and a system that is set up against many of us. Joined by Paul Brady, Senior Vice President of Risk at Self Financial, this episode delves into how Self is pioneering innovative solutions to empower individuals in their journey toward financial stability. From the inception of the Credit Builder Account to the recent acquisition of their Rent and Bills Reporting services, Self is r...

Featuring Wole Coaxum, Founder & CEO of Mobility Capital Finance, Inc. (MoCaFi) In this episode of Social Currency, we sit down with Wole Coaxum, CEO and Founder of Mobility Capital Finance (MoCaFi,) to explore his journey from financial services to social entrepreneurship. Discover how MoCaFi is expanding access to financial resources for underbanked individuals via a cost-effective technology pilot program in New York City distributing pre-paid immediate response cards to asylum seekers. Lea...

Eric Schurr, Chief Strategy Officer, Sunrise Banks and Social Currency Podcast Co-Host As a certified practitioner in strategic foresight, Eric unravels how organizations can solve market opportunity challenges using provocative questions to help anticipate and better prepare for change. By re-imagining opportunities for our organizations, strategic foresight can give us the tools to become future-looking. If adopted, the language of foresight begins to infiltrate the language of projects and e...