How to Lend Money to Strangers

Rafsun Faiz is a former structured finance and credit investor, now turned fintech founder with SahajMobile - a smartphone financing platform that is expanding access to credit in South Asia. The world gets more digital every day, and that's as true in Dhaka as it is in DC, so SahajMobile's mission is to provide affordable access to cutting-edge smartphone technology for everyone in Bangladesh (and they're hiring, too, at https://www.sahajmobile.org/careers).Sahaj Mobile is at home on the internet at https://www.sahajmobile.org/Or find them on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/sahajmobile/ and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SahajMobileBDYou can reach out to Rafsun directly on LinkedIn using https://www.linkedin.com/in/rafsunfaiz/I'm on LinkedIn, too, at https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanlegrange/And if you want to get a sneak peek at some of what I'm working on, my website is currently being refreshed (even as some of the projects it mentions lag behind): https://www.brendanlegrange.com/Other friends of the show include:https://www.ogmara.com/ (customised risk management and analytic consulting)https://www.ontap.co.za/pages/hoedspruit-store-details (for all your Hoedspruit-based bathroom needs)https://flatwhiteorfoff.com/ (ask for anything other than a flat white, the answer is in the name)https://www.joinhumoni.com/ (helping international students find accommodation, work, and financial services on day one)https://www.haboomoney.com/ (making collections personalised, flexible and intelligent)https://beetlesense.ai (AI-powered day one pest detection for forestry)And since you like podcasts, I also co-create HAIghtened Senses with Christo van Zyl, which looks at the intersection between human senses and technology (and this week, flying cars)Keep well, BrendanThis is an interview I set up while at Money20/20 Asia, but they have shows around the world. If you want to make similar connections, you can get tickets at https://www.money2020.com/

With 10,000 transactions processed a day across 900+, often remote, villages, LTS Ventures is one of the more impactful operations I've had the pleasure of featuring on this show. But when you build the digital infrastructure needed for core banking, you're also building an ecosystem of trust and technology that other innovators can leverage in the future, so the incredible work already being done is just the start of a financial inclusion explosion in Laos (and beyond).You can learn more about LTS Ventures and their village banking solutions at https://www.ltsventures.com/Or reach out to Tim directly on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/scheffmann/I'm on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanlegrange/Please also follow, share, and talk about the show using https://www.linkedin.com/company/how-to-lend-money-to-strangers/And if you want to get a sneak peek at some of what I'm working on, my website is currently being refreshed (even as some of the projects it mentions lag behind): https://www.brendanlegrange.com/Other friends of the show include:https://www.ogmara.com/ (customised risk management and analytic consulting)https://www.ontap.co.za/pages/hoedspruit-store-details (for all your Hoedspruit-based bathroom needs)https://flatwhiteorfoff.com/ (ask for anything other than a flat white, the answer is in the name)https://www.joinhumoni.com/ (helping international students find accommodation, work, and financial services on day one)https://www.haboomoney.com/ (making collections personalised, flexible and intelligent)https://beetlesense.ai (AI-powered day one pest detection for forestry)And since you like podcasts, I also co-create HAIghtened Senses with Christo van Zyl, which looks at the intersection between human senses and technology (and this week, flying cars)Keep well, BrendanThis is an interview I set up while at Money20/20 Asia, but they have shows around the world. If you want to make similar connections, you can get tickets at https://www.money2020.com/

Crowdfunding has always been an interesting option, but now, with AI changing how quickly and cheaply ideas can become startups, we're standing on the brink of a new golden age. I'm chatting to a crowdfunding veteran, go-to-market expert, startup advisor, and all-around fintech geek, Leonard Burger.You can find Leonard on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonardburger/But he has too many advisory roles to add here, so just go to https://lift.bio/burger if you want to reach out with something specific in mindI'm on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanlegrange/Please also follow, share, and talk about the show using https://www.linkedin.com/company/how-to-lend-money-to-strangers/And if you want to get a sneak peek at some of what I'm working on, my website is currently being refreshed (even as some of the projects it mentions lag behind): https://www.brendanlegrange.com/Other friends of the show include:https://www.ogmara.com/ (customised risk management and analytic consulting)https://www.ontap.co.za/pages/hoedspruit-store-details (for all your Hoedspruit-based bathroom needs)https://flatwhiteorfoff.com/ (ask for anything other than a flat white, the answer is in the name)https://www.joinhumoni.com/ (helping international students find accommodation, work, and financial services on day one)https://www.haboomoney.com/ (making collections personalised, flexible and intelligent)https://beetlesense.ai (AI-powered day one pest detection for forestry)And since you like podcasts, I'm also co-create hAIghtened senses with Christo van Zyl, which looks at the intersection between human senses and technology (and this week, flying cars)Keep well, Brendan

Models are important and all, but you don't build great businesses by building great models, you build great businesses by building great people - because great people build the right models and leverage them strategically. To better understand the challenges facing credit risk leaders today, Marc Gaudart and Elizabeth Reed surveyed leaders from large global banks, growing fintechs, and specialist service providers, and presented the results at The University of Edinburgh's Credit Scoring and Credit Control Conference.Key takeaway: technical excellence is essential, but today’s credit risk leaders also need:·       🤝 Interpersonal effectiveness·       🗣️ Business-focused communication·       🌐 Stakeholder engagement·       🎯 Strategic perspective with a business-wide focus·       🌱 Ability to build resilient teams for a rapidly evolving, AI-driven worldYou can find Marc on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-gaudart-168339/ Trent Advisory Services is there, too, at https://www.linkedin.com/company/trent-advisory-services/I'm on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanlegrange/Please also follow, share, and talk about the show using https://www.linkedin.com/company/how-to-lend-money-to-strangers/And if you want to get a sneak peek at some of what I'm working on, my website is currently being refreshed (even as some of the projects it mentions lag behind): https://www.brendanlegrange.com/ Oh, and if you remember Suren Rastogi from episode 174 of this show, the Kickstarter for Burnout went live a week or so ago and is already massively oversubscribed. Head on over, take a look at the final product, and if it appeals to you, order your copy - mine's already in the production queue.Other friends of the show include:https://www.ogmara.com/ (customised risk management and analytic consulting)https://www.ontap.co.za/pages/hoedspruit-store-details (for all your Hoedspruit-based bathroom needs)https://flatwhiteorfoff.com/ (ask for anything other than a flat white, the answer is in the name)https://www.joinhumoni.com/ (helping international students find accommodation, work, and financial services on day one)https://www.haboomoney.com/ (making collections personalised, flexible and intelligent)https://beetlesense.ai (AI-powered day one pest detection for forestry)And since you like podcasts, I'm also co-create hAIghtened senses with Christo van Zyl, which looks at the intersection between human senses and technology (and this week, flying cars)Keep well, BrendanMarcand Elizabeth first presented their findings at the University of Edinburgh's CRCC Conference, the call for papers of which ends this month, so head here quickly if you'd like to do the same: https://crc.business-school.ed.ac.uk/

This episode was recorded live at Money20/20 in Bangkok, so first and foremost, a huge thanks to the team there that are always exceptionally professional. If it weren't for them, there is no way you'd be getting this episode just a day after it was recorded. Still, it's no substitute for being there, especially now with shows in Europe, Asia, America, and the Middle East, so head on over to https://www.money2020.com/ to get yourself a pass for the one closest to you.Earlier in my career, I spent 5 years flying in and out of Manila, helping to build the country's first comprehensive credit bureau... and then it seems, the very day I left, Christo Georgiev arrived on the local credit scoring scene wth a pioneering alternative data product. Years have passed and jobs have changed since then, but credit information in the Philippines is still dispersed across multiple ecosystems, and lenders and borrowers are both still paying the price. So, to put things right, Christo has spent the last year-and-a-half building LenderLink to aggregate and standardise credit data, and to make it available via a unified API. We'll be discussing Christo's path to this point; the Philippine lending landscape, then and now; the data gaps that still persist and how LenderLink will help to close them; and Christo's vision for the future.You can find Christo on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/christo-georgiev-40bb0156/LenderLink is at home at https://lenderlink.ph/I'm there, too, at https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanlegrange/Please also follow, share, and talk about the show using https://www.linkedin.com/company/how-to-lend-money-to-strangers/Oh, and if you remember Suren Rastogi from episode 174 of this show, the Kickstarter for Burnout went live this week. Head on over, take a look at the final product, and if it appeals to you, order your copy - mine's already in the production queue.Other friends of the show include:https://www.ogmara.com/ (customised risk management and analytic consulting)https://www.ontap.co.za/pages/hoedspruit-store-details (for all your Hoedspruit-based bathroom needs)https://flatwhiteorfoff.com/ (ask for anything other than a flat white, the answer is in the name)https://www.joinhumoni.com/ (helping international students find accommodation, work, and financial services on day one)https://www.haboomoney.com/ (making collections personalised, flexible and intelligent)https://beetlesense.ai (AI-powered day one pest detection for forestry)And since you like podcasts, I'm also co-create hAIghtened senses with Christo van Zyl, which looks at the intersection between human senses and technology (and this week, flying cars)Keep well, BrendanFor more info on Money20/20 and their shows around the world, check out https://www.money2020.com/

Life got in the way of my episode release schedule for a bit there, and so a few months have passed since I sat down with Josip Rupena to discuss crypto-backed mortgages. In the world of crypto, a few months can be a lifetime, and, in this case, not the easiest lifetime, and yet, Milo has just issued its largest single transaction ever: a $12 million crypto mortgage. The demand is real, from high net worth individuals buying homes with Bitcoin to clients tapping home equity to buy more, and, if anything, the recent dips in crypto prices reflect a story of growing resilience rather than one of growing volatility, and that's a very good thing for the industry.Jospi Rupena is the founder and CEO of Milo, a financial technology company and pioneer in crypto lendingYou can learn more about Milo at https://www.milo.io/Josip is on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/josiprupena/Milo is there at https://www.linkedin.com/company/startmilo/I'm there, too, at https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanlegrange/Please also follow, share, and talk about the show using https://www.linkedin.com/company/how-to-lend-money-to-strangers/Oh, and if you remember Suren Rastogi from episode 174 of this show, the Kickstarter for Burnout is going live on the 21st of April, head on over, take a look at the final product, and if it appeals to you, order your copy - I didOther friends of the show include:https://www.ogmara.com/ (customised risk management and analytic consulting)https://www.ontap.co.za/pages/hoedspruit-store-details (for all your Hoedspruit-based bathroom needs)https://flatwhiteorfoff.com/ (ask for anything other than a flat white, the answer is in the name)https://www.joinhumoni.com/ (helping international students find accommodation, work, and financial services on day one)https://www.haboomoney.com/ (making collections personalised, flexible and intelligent)https://beetlesense.ai (AI-powered day one pest detection for forestry)And since you like podcasts, I also co-create hAIghtened senses with Christo van Zyl, in which looks at the intersection between human senses and technology (and this week, flying cars)Keep well, BrendanThis episode was set up by Kirstin Robison from Pitch PR, a boutique firm specializing in national media for consumer and business-to-business companies. If you'd like to get onto shows like mine, reach out to them at https://pitchpublicrelations.com/

Smarter advice leads to smoother lending, so today I am sitting down with James Tucker, CEO at Twenty7tec Group, talking about how his solutions, helps lenders maximise product visibility, streamline applications, and improve adviser engagement.James is on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamestuckeruk/?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_feed%3BBdGz3l8tSXaaIkiaeaOlwQ%3D%3DTwenty7Tec is at https://www.twenty7tec.com/I'm there, too, at https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanlegrange/Please also follow, share, and talk about the show using https://www.linkedin.com/company/how-to-lend-money-to-strangers/Oh, and if you remember Suren Rastogi from episode 174 of this show, the Kickstarter for Burnout is going live on the 21st of April, head on over, take a look at the final product, and if it appeals to you, order your copy - I didOther friends of the show include:https://www.ogmara.com/ (customised risk management and analytic consulting)https://www.ontap.co.za/pages/hoedspruit-store-details (for all your Hoedspruit-based bathroom needs)https://flatwhiteorfoff.com/ (ask for anything other than a flat white, the answer is in the name)https://www.joinhumoni.com/ (helping international students find accommodation, work, and financial services on day one)https://www.haboomoney.com/ (making collections personalised, flexible and intelligent)https://beetlesense.ai (AI-powered day one pest detection for forestry)And since you like podcasts, I'm also co-create hAIghtened senses with Christo van Zyl, in which looks at the intersection between human senses and technology (and this week, flying cars)Keep well, Brendan

Happy New Year! I'm in Tallinn, hopefully showing my South African nieces some snow, though this winter is staying stubbornly mild. Anyway, that's not why you're here. The flipping over of the calendar is also a great time to think of the year ahead, and the trends that might shape it - and that's exactly what I did with David Silverstein, founder and CEO of Ned, whose 'Beyond the Breaking Point' report describes how lenders are looking to navigate volatility and rebuild for 2026.Built for growth. Powered by cash flow. Ned's white-label platform transforms real-time financial data into faster credit decisions, smarter portfolio management, and more transparent borrower experiences. You can find them at home online at https://www.nedhelps.com/ David is on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-silverstein-b904a27b/ (or https://www.linkedin.com/company/nedhelps/)I'm there, too, at https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanlegrange/Please also follow, share, and talk about the show using https://www.linkedin.com/company/how-to-lend-money-to-strangers/Friends of the show include:https://www.ogmara.com/ (customised risk management and analytic consulting)https://www.ontap.co.za/pages/hoedspruit-store-details (for all your Hoedspruit-based bathroom needs)https://flatwhiteorfoff.com/ (ask for anything other than a flat white, the answer is in the name)https://www.joinhumoni.com/ (helping international students find accommodation, work, and financial services on day one)https://www.haboomoney.com/ (making collections personalised, flexible and intelligent)https://beetlesense.ai (AI-powered day one pest detection for forestry)And since you like podcasts, I'm also co-create hAIghtened senses with Christo van Zyl, in which looks at the intersection between human senses and technologyKeep well, Brendan