Fintech is moving fast, but this conversation makes one thing clear: the future will not be won by technology alone.

Sam Kilmer and Kelli Schultz are joined by three founders -- Mike Duncan of Bankjoy, Nima Ghamsari of Blend, and Paul Danola of Bridgeport Partners — for a lively, unscripted look at the next chapter of financial services. AI is the headline, but the real story is bigger…what happens when critical data, smarter digital experiences, trusted relationships, and old-fashioned curiosity all collide.

From community banks and credit unions and private equity firms to core systems, fraud prevention, lending, and the changing role of the branch, the group explores where fintech is getting more fluid, where it still feels too fragmented, and why staying open may be the most important leadership trait of all.

Guests include:

• Paul Danola - Founding Partner, Bridgeport Partners
• Nima Ghamsari - Founder and Head of Blend
• Mike Duncan - CEO & Co-Founder of Bankjoy
• Kelli Schultz (Co-Host) - Managing Director, Cornerstone Advisors

Subscribe to the Fintech Hustle podcast here:
https://qrco.de/bgfV6g

Chapters
[0:00] Welcome to Fintech Hustle
[0:32] Meet the co-host and guests
[2:47] Mike Duncan on the mission behind Bankjoy
[4:20] How Bankjoy keeps teams aligned around OKRs
[5:50] Getting back in front of clients and partners
[7:47] Paul Danola on life after FIS and building Bridgeport Partners
[10:38] Why investing still comes down to clients and employees
[11:10] Relationships, trust and curiosity in fintech
[14:55] Nima Ghamsari on Blend, AI transformation and building again
[18:15] What’s making fintech leaders optimistic right now
[20:36] AI as both opportunity and competitive threat for community FIs
[24:09] The next chapter of customer engagement
[28:05] Kelli Schultz on the integration problem across fintech stacks
[34:26] AI agents as the future users of banking software
[37:15] What the future digital banking interface could look like
[40:56] Hyper-personalized financial guidance in real time
[43:38] Using data and AI for real-time fraud prevention
[45:50] Final thoughts and wrap-up

Subscribe to the Fintech Hustle podcast here: 
https://qrco.de/bgfV6g