Digital Banking Podcast

AI won't take your job. People using AI will, with Sachin Kundra.

In the latest episode of the Digital Banking Podcast, host Josh DeTar of Tyfone welcomed Sachin Kundra, CIO at Chevron Federal Credit Union. The conversation centered on what it actually looks like to run an "AI-first" credit union, and why Kundra believed AI was making us both dumber and smarter at the same time. Kundra walked through real production use cases already running at Chevron FCU, an internal knowledge agent nicknamed Ask Yoda that over 250 employees used daily, and an outbound call-prep agent that cut a 25-minute manual research process down to seconds. Both were built in a matter of hours once the organization committed to an AI-first mindset, a shift that meant restructuring technical roles around agent development rather than one-off integrations. The discussion closed on where digital banking was headed next. Kundra argued that chasing every fintech feature to check a box was a losing game, and that the real risk was not falling behind on functionality, but ending up with a disjointed experience. He went further, predicting that the banking app interface itself might eventually disappear in favor of a single chat-based front end for a member's entire financial life.

Why small credit unions can't get left behind, with Greg Michlig.

In the latest episode of the Digital Banking Podcast, host Josh DeTar of Tyfone welcomed Greg Michlig, President and CEO of CU Insight. The episode centered on how credit unions communicate their value at a moment when search itself is changing, and what that shift means for advocacy, personalization, and the industry's smaller institutions. Michlig traced the pace of change back through decades of credit union history, from the arrival of internet banking to mobile deposit to today's AI tools. He argued that each wave looked like it would erase the branch, yet credit unions kept adding capability instead of replacing it. The conversation moved into advocacy, where DeTar and Michlig discussed the business lending cap that still limits credit unions and the growing need for associations to shape how AI models described and recommended credit unions, not just how search engines ranked them. From there, the discussion turned to personalization, and both men agreed that most of what the industry has called personalization so far has been decoration rather than capability. They closed the conversation by talking about the credit unions the industry cannot afford to lose, the small and community-based charters that build trust through people rather than scale, and by honoring the leaders who built the movement before them.

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Why your AI strategy Is failing — and how to fix It, with Rohit Jayachandran.

In the latest episode of the Digital Banking Podcast, host Josh DeTar of Tyfone welcomed Rohit Jayachandran, Head of Banking & Financial Services at Mphasis, for a wide-ranging conversation about the intersection of technology, culture, and human decision-making in financial services. Jayachandran walked through 25 years of banking technology evolution — from the dot-com era through mobile, digital, cloud, and now AI — and made a pointed argument that most financial institutions were approaching AI the wrong way. He offered a two-track framework: for critical revenue, cost, and risk functions, apply top-down reimagination; for everything else, give employees the tools and let them drive 15–20% productivity gains grounded in the right guardrails. The conversation moved into cultural readiness for AI adoption, the importance of a growth mindset, and why community financial institutions had a genuine opportunity to break historical entry barriers around scale and complexity. DeTar and Jayachandran also drew unexpected parallels between Formula 1 telemetry and banking data strategy, and closed with a shared conviction that the future of work would be more fulfilling — not less — for those willing to adopt the tools.

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From Ram 1500s to real-time payments with Tommy Cotter.

In the latest episode of theDigital Banking Podcast, host Josh DeTar welcomed Tommy Cotter, Director of Data Products at Benzinga. Cotter spent his early career optimizing Ram 1500 production at Fiat Chrysler, where a single second of downtime could cost a truck. In this episode, he joined DeTar to talk about what that mindset looked like applied to financial services and why most digital transformation still amounted to putting a broken process on an iPad. They got into the build vs. buy debate in an AI-accelerated world, what Plaid's MCP connection meant for community FIs, and why hyper-personalization had nothing to do with uploading a photo of your dog. Cotter also introduced two ideas that sharpened the whole conversation: John Gruber's auteur theory — every product reflects the taste of the person calling the shots — and Ivan Vendrov's "tyranny of the marginal user," a warning about building for your lowest-engagement user at the expense of the ones who actually stay.

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Why your bank's biggest threat isn't another bank — it's a stablecoin, with Edwin Mata.

In this episode of the Digital Banking Podcast, host Josh DeTar sat down with Edwin Mata, CEO and Co-Founder of Brickken, to unpack one of the most misunderstood — yet most consequential — shifts in financial services: tokenization. Mata, a former M&A lawyer turned legal-tech and fintech founder, brought a unique cross-disciplinary lens to the conversation, drawing on a career spent translating between lawyers, financiers, and technologists. The two explored how tokenization is far from a fringe crypto concept, pointing to everyday examples like DocuSign, credit cards, and casino chips as proof that tokens have quietly powered commerce for decades. The conversation moved from foundational definitions into the real-world implications for banks, fintechs, and consumers. Mata explained why blockchain-based infrastructure is enabling 24/7 settlement, global liquidity access, and dramatically lower fees — and why countries with weaker banking infrastructure (Venezuela, Argentina, and the Mexico-to-U.S. remittance corridor) adopted stablecoins long before tier-one nations took them seriously. He also unpacked why legacy banks, burdened by decades of layered tech debt, are struggling to compete with neobanks and crypto-native players who can offer integrated stablecoin and fiat experiences. The episode closed with a candid look at the U.S. regulatory landscape, including the Clarity Act, skinny master accounts, and what increased fintech access to Federal Reserve rails could mean for community banks and credit unions. Mata and DeTar agreed that while competition will compress margins and force product innovation, the institutions that lean into the new infrastructure — rather than resist it — will be the ones that remain relevant to their communities.

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The fight community FIs have never had to fight before, with Peter Duffy.

In the latest episode of the Digital Banking Podcast, host Josh DeTar welcomed Peter Duffy, Managing Director of Merger Advisory Services for SRM. The episode explored the sweeping forces reshaping community banking, from a fundamentally changed American consumer to a business model under mounting structural pressure. DeTar and Duffy discussed how technology has weaponized consumers' ability to seek the best deal, how millennials are banking with the six largest institutions at a 75% rate, and why community financial institutions are struggling to attract a younger generation that has little reason — yet — to look elsewhere. Duffy walked through the structural challenges eroding the fundamentals of community banks and credit unions, including compressed margins, the battle for core deposits, regulatory changes, and the relentless need for scale. He noted that by 2020, the aggregate group of credit unions below $10 billion in assets could not generate net income before fees without relying on fee income — a trend decades in the making. Applying the four Ps of marketing, Duffy argued that product and price are essentially out of institutions' hands, making promotion the wide-open frontier where community financial institutions can meaningfully differentiate by transitioning from a service culture to a sales culture. DeTar and Duffy debated two viable paths forward: pursuing scale through mergers and acquisitions, or embracing a boutique model built on deep member relationships and bespoke service. As an example of the boutique path done well, Duffy pointed to Southern Chautauqua FCU as an institution quietly executing this strategy with success. Both agreed the dangerous middle ground between these two paths is where institutions go to die. For listeners who want to go deeper on the M&A side of that conversation, Duffy's team at SRM has published the M&A Perspectives Report, a practical look at why consolidation is accelerating and what institutions need to consider before pursuing a transformational deal.

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Is your bank invisible to AI? The data that should wake you up, with Corey Wrinn.

In the latest episode of the Digital Banking Podcast, host Josh DeTar welcomed Corey Wrinn, managing director of Rivel Banking Research. Wrinn brought a data-driven lens to the conversation, and the two wasted little time getting into what the research actually shows about where community banking is headed. The bulk of the episode centered on AI discoverability. Rivel found that roughly twelve percent of consumers now go directly to tools like ChatGPT or Gemini when searching for a banking product, and when combined with AI-summarized Google results, that figure climbs to around fifty percent. Wrinn noted that number was effectively zero eighteen months ago. Influencing those results takes significant time and money, which puts smaller institutions at a real disadvantage against national players like Chime. One bright spot: Gen Z tends to be the most skeptical of AI results and actively seeks outside verification before acting, which creates an opening for institutions with a credible presence beyond their own website. Wrinn and DeTar closed by making the case for differentiation over sameness. Proactive outreach, niche products, and youth accounts were all held up as practical ways to build loyalty before a competitor gets there first. Rivel's data showed that roughly twenty-five percent of kids whose parents opened a youth account at an institution stayed there for life. Wrinn can be reached at rivelbankingresearch.com for those interested in Rivel's research on brand benchmarking and local competitive intelligence.

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Stop Chasing Innovation & Start Solving Real Banking Problems, with Jeffry Pilcher.

In the latest episode of the Digital Banking Podcast, host Josh DeTar, podcast host at Tyfone, welcomed Jeffry Pilcher, President at The Financial Brand. The episode centered around how banks could stand out by making banking simpler, using data with more intent, and keeping a clear brand voice as AI reshaped content and strategy. Jeffry argued that most institutions still sounded the same. They leaned on vague claims about service while competing on rates and fees. He said banks needed less surface-level innovation and more problem finding. In his view, the strongest institutions removed friction, respected customers’ time, and made banking easy enough to fade into the background. He also shared a measured view of AI. Jeffry said the tools helped with analysis, framing, and stress-testing ideas, but they still struggled to produce distinct, useful writing. He warned that AI often pushed brands toward sameness unless teams set firm rules and edited with care. He closed by saying financial institutions already held rich signals in payment data, and they needed to use that insight to anticipate needs and deliver more relevant experiences.

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Why AI Starts With Better Data, with Parijat Banerjee.

In the latest episode of Digital Banking Podcast, host Josh DeTar of Tyfone welcomed Parijat Banerjee, Financial Services Global Business Head at LatentView Analytics. The episode centered around how AI depended on strong data, clear process design, and a human-first purpose. Josh and Parijat started with a simple idea: good technology should help people pay better attention. Parijat argued that listening remained the most useful human skill, and he framed AI as a tool that could remove busy work and make space for real focus. From there, he traced the rise of AI back to falling storage costs, wider access to data, and the shift from rules-based systems to models that learned patterns at scale. The conversation then moved to what financial institutions had to get right. Parijat explained that poor data still led to poor outcomes, while unified data created a single source of truth and faster decisions. He also noted that banks and credit unions faced tighter limits because they needed accuracy, lineage, and explainable AI. Josh and Parijat closed on a practical point: community institutions could use AI well if they built on trust, local relevance, and clear customer needs.

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Lessons from Space: Building Stronger Bank Teams with Monica Parks.

In the latest episode of Digital Banking Podcast, host Josh DeTar welcomed Monica Parks, Chief Information Officer at Bank3. The episode centered around the importance of keeping the human element at the heart of banking and technology, drawing lessons from Monica’s unique experience as an analog astronaut. Monica shared how her time in space simulations taught her the power of empathy, focus, and honest communication—traits she brought back to lead her banking teams. She described how strict routines and clear processes, vital for mission success in isolation, also help banking teams perform under pressure. Monica stressed that even in highly technical roles, staying connected with people matters most. She encouraged leaders to step out of their silos, listen to staff and customers, and create room for unscripted, authentic conversations. Throughout the discussion, Monica and Josh explored why process, direct feedback, and crew mentality drive both space missions and successful banking operations. Monica’s practical approach showed how small shifts—like prioritizing mental well-being and open dialogue—can help teams deliver better results and build stronger connections in community financial institutions.

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Can Community Banking Beat Convenience for Gen Z, with Shiva Rajbhandari.

In the latest episode of the Digital Banking Podcast, host Josh DeTar of Tyfone welcomed Shiva Rajbhandari, President at Carolina Credit Union Initiative. The episode centered around the case for a student-run credit union at UNC Chapel Hill and what that effort revealed about access, trust, and community banking. Shiva traced the idea back to a simple problem. He arrived on campus with a scholarship check, but he had no local credit union option that served students. That gap pushed him to study how student-run credit unions worked, what new charters required, and why the process had grown so hard. He explained that today’s barriers included startup capital, regulation, digital infrastructure, and the need to compete with large banks and fintech apps. From there, the conversation turned to what students actually needed. Shiva argued that financial institutions missed the mark when they treated every member the same. He pointed to issues like student group accounts, rent reporting, and credit building. He also made a clear case for human service. Good tech mattered, but trust still grew fastest when people could reach someone who knew their community.

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What Banks Miss About Serving Women Entrepreneurs Online, with Robin Sims-Allen.

In the latest episode of the Digital Banking Podcast, host Josh DeTar of Tyfone welcomed Robin Sims-Allen, Founder/CEO at Phoenix Marcus (TotalHER). The episode centered around how safer digital spaces could help women build businesses, protect their voices, and claim more control over their financial future. Robin explained that she built TotalHER after seeing how toxic, noisy, and performative social platforms had become for women trying to earn, connect, and speak plainly online. Robin said she wanted to create a space with more purpose and less friction. She described a platform where women could network, sell, collaborate, and ask for help without abuse, stalking, or pressure to game an algorithm. She also talked about product choices that put value first, including paid time, direct requests, and identity checks that traded some ease for more safety. Josh and Robin then tied that thinking back to banking. They said community financial institutions had a clear opening to support women entrepreneurs with trusted guidance, plain-English advice, and people who had lived the same path. Robin argued that women did not need more fluff. They needed clear answers, real support, and room to move.

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Why AI Can't Replace Strategy, with Jamie Sumner.

In the latest episode of Digital Banking Podcast, host Josh DeTar welcomed Jamie Sumner, Partner at VB Sentry LLC. The episode centered around how community financial institutions could use AI to speed up analysis without losing the human judgment that drove strategy. Josh and Jamie traced that idea back to a shared view: AI handled the numbers, but people still had to ask better questions and make better decisions. Jamie explained how automation changed his own work. He moved from hours of manual call report entry to faster data pulls that gave him more time to study market shifts, member needs, and board strategy. He argued that speed alone did not solve the problem. Institutions still had to filter noise, connect risk to return, and build a clear foundation before they trusted the output. The conversation then widened. Jamie stressed the need for clean, centralized data and closed AI systems that protected member information. Josh, host of the podcast powered by Tyfone, and Jamie also explored why strategy had to reach frontline staff, why comfort zones held institutions back, and why community banks still mattered in a digital future.

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AI, Credit Scores and Consumer Trust, with JB Orecchia.

In the latest episode of Digital Banking Podcast, Tyfone host Josh DeTar welcomed JB Orecchia, President and CEO at SavvyMoney. The episode centered around how digital banking could support better financial health through clearer credit education, stronger personalization, and better use of data. Josh and JB framed the issue around a simple problem: many consumers still did not understand how lenders judged them or how small money decisions could raise borrowing costs for years. JB said those lessons started at kitchen tables, where he saw people struggle to connect cash flow, payment history, and credit utilization to real outcomes. He argued that credit scores only mattered because they changed rates, monthly costs, and long-term wealth. He also pointed to cash flow underwriting as the next step for thin-file consumers whose income patterns showed strength even when traditional credit files did not. Josh and JB then turned to what financial institutions needed to do next. JB said digital experiences needed to feel more personal, adapt over time, and give people useful guidance when they fell behind. He argued that AI could sharpen those recommendations, but he kept the focus on human context, trust, and clear communication.

Why real-time payments still leave gaps for consumers, with Keith Smith.

In the latest episode of Digital Banking Podcast, host Josh DeTar, Vice President of Sales at Tyfone, welcomed Keith Smith, Founder and CEO at Payouts Network. The episode centered around the changing landscape of money movement, the need for real-time payments, and how consumer expectations push financial institutions to rethink both technology and user experience. Keith shared his views on why traditional ideas of work-life balance fall short and how personal definitions of success shape both leadership and culture. He described how blending work and life is often necessary, especially when building companies and leading teams. He and Josh discussed how the pandemic blurred the lines between home and work, highlighting the importance of transparency, empathy, and open communication. The conversation then explored why money movement is still full of friction despite recent advances. Keith explained how business-to-consumer payments, especially in non-obvious scenarios like reimbursements and insurance payouts, lag behind consumer experiences. He argued that while new technologies like FedNow bring faster options, the real challenge is delivering secure, flexible solutions without overwhelming users with choice. Throughout, Keith made it clear: real innovation in payments comes down to simplicity, speed, and meeting people where they are.

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Solving Payments for the Marginalized, with Kosta Scholiadis.

In the latest episode of Digital Banking Podcast, host Josh DeTar, Vice President of Sales at Tyfone, welcomed Kosta Scholiadis, CEO and Founder at Street Wallet. The episode centered around building sustainable businesses that do good while staying financially viable, especially in the context of financial inclusion for underserved communities. Kosta shared how his entrepreneurial journey led him to focus on solving practical problems for people often overlooked by traditional banking, like street vendors in South Africa who struggle with cashless payments. He explained why the best solutions are often the simplest, as real barriers—like lack of smartphone access or complex onboarding—can prevent people from participating in digital economies. Kosta argued that true impact comes from balancing purpose with profit, and that sustainable businesses must prioritize both to keep helping others. Throughout the conversation, Josh and Kosta drew parallels between community financial institutions in the United States and informal workers in emerging markets. Both face the challenge of staying profitable while serving people’s real needs. The discussion closed with insights on leadership, culture, and the importance of building teams rooted in shared values and long-term vision.

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Bringing Empathy to Every Member Touchpoint with Derrick Aguilar.

In the latest episode of Digital Banking Podcast, host Josh DeTar, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Tyfone, welcomed Derrick Aguilar, Chief Experience Officer at PenAir Credit Union. The episode centered around how credit unions can create meaningful, consistent experiences across every channel and touchpoint. Derrick shared why every interaction—big or small—can carry lasting weight for members. He explained that while digital banking, payments, and support are necessary, they are only part of a larger story. Derrick described how people remember the moments when someone in their financial institution truly stepped up for them, and how those moments build trust and loyalty over time. He stressed that members don’t see the complexity behind digital services; they just want things to work, and to feel cared for when they need help. Throughout their conversation, Josh and Derrick explored how culture, communication, and empathy set credit unions apart in a crowded landscape. Derrick emphasized the need for purposeful connection with members and communities, not just reliable products. He outlined why understanding real needs, building goodwill, and sharing positive stories matter just as much as delivering on the basics.

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Technology Meets Trust: The Real Role of Digital Banking, with Frank Hopkins.

In the latest episode of Digital Banking Podcast, host Josh DeTar welcomed Frank Hopkins, Founder and CEO at Hopkins Leadership LLC. The episode centered around how community banks can stay relevant in a fast-changing world by focusing on purpose, accountability, and serving people—not just numbers. Frank shared how local banks face constant pressure from larger competitors and shifting technology, but their real strength comes from deep community ties and a focus on relationships. He explained that while scale and digital tools can drive efficiency, the heart of community banking lies in knowing customers, supporting small businesses, and making decisions rooted in local knowledge. Frank stressed that successful banks look beyond short-term gains, prioritize helping their communities thrive, and take responsibility for evolving their teams and services. Across the conversation, Josh and Frank explored how strong leadership, clear purpose, and the right blend of tradition and innovation help community banks stand out. Frank encouraged leaders to embrace change while honoring the trust and connections that make their institutions unique.

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Navigating AI Hype and Reality in Banking, with Barath Narayanan

In the latest episode of Digital Banking Podcast, host Josh DeTar, VP of Sales and Marketing at Tyfone, welcomed Barath Narayanan, Global BFSI and Europe Geo Head at Persistent Systems. The episode centered around how artificial intelligence is shaping productivity, strategy, and risk management across financial services worldwide. Barath shared how AI has moved from a side conversation to the core of every client discussion. He described a clear shift: organizations now focus less on cutting costs and more on boosting output and speed with AI tools. Barath explored how adoption varies by region, with some markets demanding higher productivity gains and others held back by legacy infrastructure and data challenges. He stressed the need for careful governance, drawing on real-world stories where moving too fast led to costly mistakes. He also highlighted the importance of having experts in the loop and building strong guardrails to protect trust and brand. Throughout the conversation, Barath and Josh examined how evolving technology, data quality, and global perspectives impact AI’s role in digital banking. The discussion underscored that progress in AI adoption is incremental, and that staying relevant means blending bold action with thoughtful risk management.

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Pushing Past Comfort Zones to Drive Real Innovation, with Emiliano Giacchetti.

In the latest episode of Digital Banking Podcast, host Josh DeTar, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Tyfone, welcomed Emiliano Giacchetti, CEO at ParaScript LLC. The episode centered around the power of curiosity, challenging assumptions, and how breaking habits can unlock growth for individuals and organizations. Emiliano shared how he built a practice of seeking discomfort in order to learn and evolve. He discussed the value of exposing yourself to new ideas, even in small ways, to keep your mind agile. Emiliano explained why organizations benefit when people ask naïve questions and challenge the status quo, drawing on stories from his own career that spanned multiple industries. He and Josh explored how collaboration between experts and outsiders can help teams see old problems in new ways, and why a willingness to make mistakes is key to finding better solutions. Throughout their conversation, Emiliano tied these themes back to banking and leadership. He encouraged listeners to examine long-held beliefs, welcome diverse viewpoints, and treat every challenge as an opportunity for learning. The episode offered practical ways to foster resilience, embrace change, and keep curiosity at the core of innovation.