How to Lend Money to Strangers

The team that pioneered AI-powered workflows for financial advisors, are now sharing their knowledge of agentic AI systems with the industry as a whole. If you've played around with Claude Code, you'll know how much you can now do with just an idea and some well-thought-out prompts... but you'll also know that there are still limits. Building a bank ready system requires more than just code, it needs experience and that's what they can bring. Finmate AI is at home on the internet at, not surprisingly, https://finmate.ai/They're also on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/finmate-ai/Look for Daniel there, too, with one of the cooler profile pictures on the site: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smyoo/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 ending this week. Already oversubscribed many, many times over, this is your chance ot snap it up at launch prices.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, in which looks at the intersection between human senses and technology (and this week, flying cars)Keep well, BrendanThis episode was set up by Sabrina Campbell from PodcastTalentForYou, if you'd like to get onto shows like mine, reach out to her at sabrina @ podcasttalentforyou.com

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/

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

"We live in a world where AI is transforming everything, but the real opportunity isn’t in automation: it’s in reimagining systems around people." In today's episode, I'm speaking to Dr Diederick van Thiel, fintech entrepreneur, executive, academic, and, most recently, author of Brilliant Data, a call to leaders, innovators, and policymakers to create intelligent systems that don’t just think quickly, but also care deeply. "The future doesn’t belong to those with the most data. It belongs to those who understand it".Oh, and because Dr van Thiel is a fintech founder, too, we also discuss a range of other topics, including how AdviceRobo's personality-based credit scoring can open up new sectors and thus approve more loans than traditional methods.AdviceRobo is at https://advicerobo.ai/ and at https://www.linkedin.com/company/advicerobofixingglobalcredit/Find links to the book at https://advicerobo.ai/brilliant-data/ (or via my featured book page https://www.howtolendmoneytostrangers.show/recommended-reads)Connect with me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanlegrange/As is the show, please follow its page at https://www.linkedin.com/company/how-to-lend-money-to-strangers/ (once you have followed, look for the circle with the three dots in the header section, click that and then 'invite connections' and invite any of your colleagues who you think might like the contentCommercial partners include (when you click one of these affiliate links, I earn a small commission but you won't pay a cent more)ProtonVPN Browse privately with a community-owned secure VPN that safeguards your privacy. https://go.getproton.me/aff_c?offer_id=26&aff_id=12767Ogma Risk & Analytics: Customized risk management and analytic consulting for you https://www.ogmara.com/?utm_source=HTLMTS&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=OGMA+intro&utm_id=2501Friends of the show include: https://www.ontap.co.za/pages/hoedspruit-store-details (for all your Hoedspruit-based bathroom needs), https://www.joinhumoni.com, https://www.haboomoney.com/, and https://beetlesense.aiAnd 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

Data analytics is no longer an isolated and arcane backroom activity to be understood by only a handful of geeks, it's at the core of every successful lending business.For those of us that have grown up in data science, that's great news, but that rising prominence also means that a new audience must now come to terms with the implications of machine learning versus logistic regression scores, with gini coefficients and information values and bins and weights, etc. And that new audience is an important one: the Board. Marlize Buys started her career getting hands-on with credit scorecards, then she helped to build a lending business of her own, and now she is advising the boards of major banks with that particular transition.Marlize has been so busy optimising lending businesses that she hasn't quite got her website up and running, but Most Probably is on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/most-probably/ Or you can speak to her directly https://www.linkedin.com/in/marlizebuys/ I'm on LinkedIn, too, at https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanlegrange/As is the show, please follow its page at https://www.linkedin.com/company/how-to-lend-money-to-strangers/ (once you have followed, look for the circle with the three dots in the header section, click that and then 'invite connections' and invite any of your colleagues who you think might like the contentYou can support the show by buying one of my guests via the affiliate links on my site (it doesn't cost you anything extra): https://www.howtolendmoneytostrangers.show/recommended-readsCommercial partners include (when you click one of these affiliate links, I earn a small commission but you won't pay a cent more)ProtonVPN Browse privately with a community-owned secure VPN that safeguards your privacy. https://go.getproton.me/aff_c?offer_id=26&aff_id=12767Ogma Risk & Analytics: Customized risk management and analytic consulting for you https://www.ogmara.com/?utm_source=HTLMTS&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=OGMA+intro&utm_id=2501Friends of the show include: https://www.ontap.co.za/pages/hoedspruit-store-details (for all your Hoedspruit-based bathroom needs), https://www.joinhumoni.com, https://www.haboomoney.com/, and https://beetlesense.aiAnd 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

We typically explain SME under lending as a supply gap: staid banks don't want to, or simply don't know how to, lend to new-fangled businesses. And to some extent, that is true, but there is also a demand gap. "There is a lack of knowledge, confidence, and trust when it comes to seeking growth capital through loans. While many founders hesitate to borrow, nearly 60% abandon loan applications midway, citing fear of rejection or complex terms".This "confidence gap" - and how Juice's Smart Growth Capital - is what I'm discussing today with Katherine Chan.You can get Juice (or just read more about them) at https://www.getmejuice.com/ (head on over to their Growth Hub for some great content https://www.getmejuice.com/growth-hub/growth-hub)Meanwhile, Katherine is on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/chankatherine00/ I'm on LinkedIn, too, at https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanlegrange/As is the show, please follow its page at https://www.linkedin.com/company/how-to-lend-money-to-strangers/ (once you have followed, look for the circle with the three dots in the ehader section, click that and then 'invite connections' and invite any of your colleagues who you think might like the contentYou can support the show by buying one of my guests via the affiliate links on my site (it doesn't cost you anything extra): https://www.howtolendmoneytostrangers.show/recommended-readsCommercial partners include (when you click one of these affiliate links, I earn a small commission but you won't pay a cent more)ProtonVPN Browse privately with a community-owned secure VPN that safeguards your privacy. https://go.getproton.me/aff_c?offer_id=26&aff_id=12767Ogma Risk & Analytics: Customized risk management and analytic consulting for you https://www.ogmara.com/?utm_source=HTLMTS&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=OGMA+intro&utm_id=2501Friends of the show include: https://www.ontap.co.za/pages/hoedspruit-store-details (for all your Hoedspruit-based bathroom needs), https://www.joinhumoni.com, https://www.haboomoney.com/, and https://beetlesense.aiAnd 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