Small Business Owners Deserve Better Than Generic AI with Alex McLeod | CSTMR Mighty Finsights

Описание: In this episode of the CSTMR Mighty Finsights podcast, Rory Holland speaks with Alex McLeod, founder of Parlay, about the future of small business lending and how both community banks and entrepreneurs are underserved by the current system. Drawing from her experience as a military spouse, Alex shares what led her to start Parlay and how the company is using AI-powered lending to simplify processes and promote financial inclusion.
They explore the pressing challenges small business owners face and how AI in banking and finance, when applied with care and humility, can offer economic opportunity without causing unintended harm. The discussion highlights the importance of loan intelligence, data standardization, and how fintech can support credit unions and smaller institutions looking to modernize. Rory and Alex also dive into effective marketing strategies, brand positioning, and the transformative potential of emerging technologies in reshaping lending systems.

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Chapters
00:00 Who Is Alex McLeod and What Is Parlay?
03:37 Small Business Lending Is Really Difficult
05:17 Leveraging AI and FinTech for Efficiency
10:49 Lenders Use Parlay to Simplify Data Collection
12:30 Big Struggles for Small Business Owners
15:09 Why Alex Started Parlay
18:05 Standardization in Lending Has a Long Way to Go
20:34 Parlay's Vision for Economic Opportunity
21:59 The Parlay Brand Is Positioned to "Do No Harm"
24:08 Marketing Ideas to Help Lenders Win
26:02 Navigating the World of Banking Tech
28:47 Empowering Entrepreneurs Through Education
30:15 Real Impact Stories: Transforming Rejection into Generational Wealth
33:26 Stay Humble if You Want Good Mentors
36:29 Future Trends in Fintech: AI and Beyond
44:05 How Banks Should Prioritize Their Technology Efforts
45:28 Advice for the Next Generation of Fintech Leaders

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LinkedIn:   / cstmr  
Website: https://cstmr.com/
Podcast Transcript: https://cstmr.com/podcast/smb-ai-lend...

► Want to Reach Out?
Parlay Finance LinkedIn:   / parlayfinance  
Alex McLeod LinkedIn:   / mcleodalexandra  
Parlay Finance Website: https://www.parlay.finance/