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 Dr. 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 systems, education, and economic opportunity to address the everyday financial fragility faced by working families, ultimately reframing wealth not just as money, but as security, choice, and control over one’s life.

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 business and technology for social impact. This conversation dives into why financial literacy is not just about money, but about empowerment, equity, and preparing the next generation for a better future.

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.

As consumer expectations shift towards speed, convenience, and choice, digital payment systems are becoming more integral than ever. Tony McGee, Senior Director, FI & Fintech Sales at Onbe, 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 solutions. He also explores how businesses are adapting to these changes and what the future holds for digital transactions.

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, and how Paige is helping families and small business owners secure their futures. Tune in for insights on financial wellness, social connection, and the evolving role of community banks in supporting generational transitions.

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 zero buildings. They discuss their collaboration with Sunrise Banks and its innovative Net Zero Banking Program. Laura Wildenborg, VP of Strategic Lending at Sunrise Banks, explains how Net Zero Banking can effectively reduce emissions and drive climate action, empowering both organizations and individuals to kickstart sustainability initiatives.

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 ever-evolving financial ecosystem.

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 reshaping the landscape of credit building by meeting customers where they are and providing them with the tools and education needed to thrive.