About this EpisodeIn Episode 196 of the Fintech Chatter podcast, Dexter Cousins is joined by Graham Strain, Co-Founder of Citoplus a digital platform for commercial broking. The Citoplus Journey Dexter and Graham look back at their first meeting and discuss Graham's journey from traditional Banking to Start up. His recognition that he was a transformation guy at heart and wanting to do "cool stuff for customers" was the driver behind founding Citoplus. He chats about support from great shareholders, and how they funded Citoplus through, what he calls the "Friends, Families & Fools" model, who have shown great faith in their vision. Graham outlines the plans for the future and how Citoplus aims to reach 100% of the digital broking market through partnerships with Banks and Non-Banks. Watch out for lots of new announcements. About CitoplusCitoPlus is the cornerstone of modern, frictionless commercial lending. Designed by industry leaders, they launched a product that streamlines the laborious process of SME lending.Citoplus has focussed on removing the paperwork-heavy process through automation. The result is a broker-friendly data-rich system that delivers better client service and achieves quicker outcomes, meaning deals are closed faster.About Graham StrainAs Co-founder of Citoplus, Graham has a background in banking, including 13 years at NAB in product, business bank and corporate development executive roles. He held the position of interim CFO and Product Head at start-up Angle Auto Finance, an asset finance company. He was GM - Business Products at Judo Bank in the SME lending space.Chapters:00:01:15 Citoplus The Journey and Solution 00:19:45 Graham's Backstory and Career in Banking 00:25:20 Why Startups and Banks are so different 00:39:00 Big News from Citoplus Links & Resources:Visit Citoplus websiteConnect with Graham StrainConnect with Dexter CousinsLearn more about Tier One PeopleSend us a textSubscribe Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/fintech-leaders-7092732051488980992/Connect on Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3DsCJBp
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41:36
Singapore Fintech Festival - Review with Kristofer Rogers
In this special episode of Fintech Chatter, host Dexter Cousins and guest Kristofer Rogers of Volt.io discuss the Singapore Fintech Festival 2024, highlighting its scale, the quality of discussions, and the global interest in fintech. They explore themes of financial health, geopolitical impacts, interoperability, and the future of embedded finance emphasizing the need for collaboration in the fintech ecosystem. In this conversation, Kristofer Rogers and Dexter discuss the evolving landscape of FinTech, focusing on the implications of disruption, the changing nature of leadership, and the critical importance of talent. They explore the accessibility of industry leaders, the significance of community events, and Australia's position in the global FinTech arena. The discussion highlights the challenges and opportunities facing Australia, the need for a long-term vision, and an optimistic outlook for the future of FinTech, particularly in relation to trade finance and digital currency.TakeawaysThe Singapore Fintech Festival 2024 had 65,000 delegates.Financial health is a more pressing issue than financial inclusion.Interoperability is becoming more important than innovation in fintech.Africa presents unique opportunities for fintech.Collaboration among fintechs and banks is essential for success.Embedded finance is maturing, but challenges remain.The festival highlighted the importance of genuine business connections.Talent is a critical focus area that is often overlooked in discussions.Accessibility of industry leaders fosters networking and collaboration.A long-term vision is necessary for Australia to establish its identity in FinTech.Optimism exists for the future of FinTech in Australia, with potential growth opportunities.Global trade and currency are poised for significant changes in the coming years.The FinTech landscape is evolving, and businesses must adapt to stay relevant.Chapters00:00 Overview of the Singapore Fintech Festival06:04 Global Perspectives on Fintech12:01 Interoperability vs. Innovation in Fintech18:00 Collaboration in the Fintech Ecosystem27:46 The Implications of Disruption33:21 Accessibility and Networking in FinTech40:05 Challenges and Opportunities for Australia45:55 Optimism for the Future of FinTechSend us a textSubscribe Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/fintech-leaders-7092732051488980992/Connect on Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3DsCJBp
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53:38
Paul Weingarth - Slyp Ep. 195
We have a great Fintech Chatter Podcast for you this week, a transformative piece in more ways than one. Dexter Cousins caught up with Paul Weingarth, Co-founder & CEO of Slyp, Australia’s only independent startup backed by all four major banks.About This Episode12 months ago Paul and Slyp were in a challenging place. Paul's health and fitness had suffered with the stress of running a startup and Slyp were facing capital runway challenges. Things weren't looking great.After a week of playing the victim (and a good talking to himself), he decided enough was enough and he needed to change right now! By focussing on his health first, the past year has been transformative. Paul is back in his best shape since his Uni days, shedding 25kg and doing his first triathlon. And Slyp has bounced back from its challenges with the launch of Go Rewards!This is one of our favourite-ever episodes. Paul first appeared as an early guest - to see first-hand his journey and to be able to share it with you through the podcast is something we're really proud of!About SlypSince Slyp launched in 2017 they have made it their mission to bring brands closer to their customers. The digitising of receipts and connecting the "SKU to Who" has allowed them to grow their market presence. Their DNA has always been about enriching the customer experience and helping retailers unleash the power of their POS data, to drive targeted engagement opportunities with their customers.Go Rewards Powered By SlypThey recently launched Go Rewards the first turnkey, full-stack loyalty platform that drives smarter commerce allowing retailers including, Kmart, Country Road Group, Chemist warehouse and countless others, the opportunity to harness the power of consumer buying, getting to "Know & Grow" their customer relationships.About PaulWith a career rooted in digital commerce and payments, Paul previously led PayPal Australia’s growth team. His expertise and passion lie in customer experience, with a vision to revolutionise payment experiences, delivering step-change value to both retailers and their suppliers.Outside of work, Paul has reignited his dedication to health and fitness, recently competing in his first triathlon.Send us a textSubscribe Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/fintech-leaders-7092732051488980992/Connect on Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3DsCJBp
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48:02
ANNA.Money: Ryan Edwards-Pritchard Ep. 194
In the latest episode of the Fintech Chatter podcast, Dexter reconnects with Ryan Edwards-Pritchard, CEO of Anna.MoneyRyan chats to Dexter about the recent merger of Cape and how he's joined forces with the UK's Anna.Money to bring a new approach to supporting the 2 million plus small businesses in Australia.About this EpisodeRyan shares the back story of launching Cape in Australia and the challenges he faced getting through the pandemic, securing funding, growing the business and then navigating the funding crunch.They discuss the synergies that led to Cape being acquired by ANNA and Ryan shares his learnings and advice for other founders seeking an acquisition partner.Ryan also shares the plans for growth in the region as well as some unique product offerings and services for the Aussie market.About Anna.MoneyAs "The business account that does your accounting and taxes" Anna.Money provides a smart all-in-one business account for money, invoicing, expenses, bookkeeping and taxes.About RyanRyan would describe himself as a British expat Fintech Nerd. His background in the UK saw him heading up Europe's largest digital marketplace for SME Finance in Funding Options.Send us a textSubscribe Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/fintech-leaders-7092732051488980992/Connect on Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3DsCJBp
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39:25
Mist - John Crutchley/Dave Malcolm Ep 193
In episode 193, Dexter Cousins sits down with Co-Founders John Crutchley and Dave Malcolm, the brains behind Mist, an innovative solution helping students organise their new life in Australia. It doesn’t sound glamorous, but it is an untapped market ripe for digital innovation.Dave and John share their vision for what promises to be a unique Fintech scaleup. Mist stands out as an ambitious concept. Where many Fintech’s have essentially created a business that could easily be a feature in an app, Mist is an app that makes Fintech a feature of their design.Dave and John share their Mist journey so far and how their contrasting startup experiences at MarleySpoon and Volt Bank are helping them navigate the pitfalls of a Fintech startup.Key Takeaways:Finding the right co-founderMaking Fintech a feature to solve a bigger problemEmbedded finance - cutting through the hypeBuilding a solution that customers will use for lifeInfluencing partners and government to create opportunitiesThe HUGE opportunity for Aussie Fintechs in IndiaHow learning from startup success and failure is shaping Mist’s strategyAbout Our Guests:John Crutchley John gained extensive experience in various leadership roles in the Banking sector before founding Mist. He specialised in migration and international banking for ANZ and Volt Bank, where he was specifically hired as Head of International Banking to lead their go-to-market strategy in the international student market.Dave MalcolmA passionate C-Level executive and entrepreneur with a proven track record of founding, building, and scaling digital ventures across web2 and web3 in Australia.He pinpoints the co-founding of Marley Spoon & Dinnerly in 2015 as his career highlight, which went on to be listed on the ASX in 2018 (ASX: MMM). Show Notes:[00:57] Dave Malcolm introduces Mist.[01:53] John Crutchley shares the genesis for the idea and how he met Dave.[04:40] Dave Malcolm on getting into the mindset of a Gen Z customer.[08:30] Case studies: Embedded finance done right.[13:32] Big wins and successes so far.[19:29] Getting the business off the ground, overcoming challenges and obstacles.[24:10] Busting Fintech startup myths. Move fast and break things vs slow and deliberate growth[34:29] The complexity of Fintech. Why fixing problems is so hard.[40:15] Identifying valuable, global, niche markets.Links & Resources:Visit Mist’s website: https://gomist.co/Connect with Dave Malcolm on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davemalcolm/Connect with John Crutchley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-crutchley-0842827/Connect with Dexter Cousins on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dextercousins/Learn more about Tier One People: https://tieronepeople.com/Subscribe & Review:If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review on [Apple Podcasts/Send us a textSubscribe Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/fintech-leaders-7092732051488980992/Connect on Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3DsCJBp
Tier One People, leaders in Fintech Executive search presents Fintech Chatter, Australia's no1 Fintech podcast!Hosted by Dexter Cousins, renowned Fintech Headhunter and advisor to some of the worlds leading fintech companies on hiring and leadership.Fintech Chatter is your one-stop shop for all things Fintech in Australia and the APAC region. We chat about everything from AI, blockchain, digital banks, insurtech, payments, embedded finance, open banking, digital assets and other emerging technologiesDexter brings exclusive guest interviews with renowned Fintech leaders to discuss their secrets on leadership, entrepreneurship, Fintech innovation, product development, growth strategies, hiring top talent, venture capital and capital raising, scaling and fintech startup tips. Dexter also shares his expertise on careers, leadership and hiring all through a Fintech lens.