Welcome back to another episode of our Fintech OG series. I was thrilled to be joined by Michael Tannenbaum of Figure and Nicky Goulimis of Tunic Pay. From talking about our kids (5 between the 3 of us ages 4, 3, 2x2 and 1) to their time at fintech giants SoFi, Nova Credit and Brex, this was a conversation that I thoroughly enjoyed and know you will too.

Many thanks to Method and Mesh for sponsoring this week's episode!

Method is the first ever single sign-on for consumer liability and credit accounts, using only identity and consent to authenticate users. They’ve built an extensive network of coverage, supporting over 15k financial institutions to stream real-time data and make direct liability payments. Method helps companies in the personal loans and HELOC space like Figure, SoFi, Upgrade, Happy Money, and Aven incorporate repayment directly into their application flow.

Shift4, a leader in global payments, has joined forces with Mesh to enable merchants everywhere to offer seamless, secure cryptocurrency payments right at checkout. With this integration, customers can pay in crypto just like they would with a credit card, while merchants enjoy peace of mind knowing those payments convert instantly into their preferred currency, reducing conversion risks and eliminating chargebacks. It’s crypto payments made simple.

🎧The Fintech OG Series Season Two: Michael Tannenbaum and Nicky Goulimis

Podcast Episode · This Week in Fintech’s Podcast · 11/13/2024 · 41m

Apple Podcasts

Summary

Background and Introductions

Michael and Nicky start by introducing their professional backgrounds and journeys in the fintech space. Michael was an early employee at SoFi, where he worked extensively on student loan refinancing. He later joined Brex, where he held several roles, before moving to Figure, a blockchain-driven financial technology company, where he now serves as CEO. Nicky co-founded Nova Credit, a credit bureau for immigrants, before starting Tunic Pay in the U.K., a fintech focused on innovative payment solutions. Both bring a wealth of experience from their various roles across different aspects of financial technology, shaping their unique perspectives on the industry. Their initial exchanges also reflect on the evolution of fintech as a whole, including regulatory hurdles, the challenges of scaling, and their personal experiences growing companies in a competitive landscape.