David Becker: Building the First Internet Bank From Scratch

David Becker: Building the First Internet Bank From Scratch

David Becker saw friction where others saw stability, and in 1998 he built the first fully online bank in the United States with no branches, no tellers, and a safe full of candy bars to satisfy regulators. Becker, founder and CEO of First Internet Bank, traces the entire arc of his entrepreneurial career, from a childhood newspaper route in Indianapolis to five Inc. 500 companies spanning financial software, real-time ATM processing, educational technology, and point-of-sale systems. He describes the three-year regulatory gauntlet required to charter First Internet Bank, including a late-night phone call from a Washington official who had never made a business decision in his life, and how a full-page "Bank Naked" ad in USA Today helped land the bank's ideal customer: a high-net-worth, frequent traveler with an 780 average credit score. The conversation covers Becker's work bringing Switzerland's apprenticeship model to Indiana through the NCAPS program, his view that 70 percent of Indiana high school graduates have no credential post-graduation, and why he believes the Midwest dairy-farm work ethic remains a competitive advantage. He also addresses board construction, capital strategy for early-stage founders, and how First Internet Bank's AI-powered customer service bot answered 45 percent of incoming calls in one quarter with a net promoter score of 68. 0:00 Introduction and David Becker's Origin Story 3:50 Paper Routes, Hay Bales, and Early Business Lessons 5:50 Economic Development and the Missouri Recruitment Story 9:55 RDS, ViFi, and Becker's Other Inc. 500 Companies 13:45 Quitting the Boardroom to Start RDS 15:50 The ATM Fraud Problem That Inspired a Bank 17:45 Deciding to Start the First Internet Bank 18:55 Three Years of Regulatory Battles 22:45 The Friday Phone Call That Changed Everything 24:00 Launching the Bank: PR Blitz and USA Today Ads 30:50 First Internet Bank's Fishers Headquarters 31:55 Recruiting Talent and the Swiss Apprenticeship Model 40:45 Indiana Talent Pipeline and the 60 Percent Drain 43:50 AI, Customer Service Bots, and NPS Scores 53:30 Board Construction and Advice for Entrepreneurs 1:03:55 Rapid Fire Questions 1:07:45 How to Find First Internet Bank

Craig Gunckel, CEO of ODP, on Transforming Office Depot and OfficeMax

Craig Gunckel took a receipt paper company no one believed in and delivered a 15X return for investors. Now he's doing it again as CEO of ODP, the parent company of Office Depot and OfficeMax, after Atlas Holdings completed its acquisition in December 2025. Gunckel, speaking with host Toph Day at the NCAA Final Four in Indianapolis, explains how he thinks about innovation in traditional industries, why strategy matters more than culture, and what it means to lead 18,000 coworkers through a business turnaround. He also reflects on his eight years as CEO of Iconex, where he built the largest manufacturer of receipt paper and linerless labels in North America, including the label on your Starbucks cup, before selling the business in two separate strategic transactions. The conversation covers how Gunckel went from career corporate executive to Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, why he visited 36 Office Depot stores in his first four months on the job, and what he looks for when hiring: curiosity, authenticity, and strategic thinking as a process rather than a one-time exercise. He also discusses his work on the advisory board of the Daniels School of Business at Purdue University and his Silver Beaver Award from Scouting America. For leaders at any stage, his framework is direct: know where you will play, know how you will win, and revisit that strategy every month, not once a year. #InnovateOrEvaporate #ODP #OfficeDepot 0:00 Introduction and Craig Gunckel's Background 1:50 How Iconex Redefined Innovation in Paper 4:00 The Case for Paper Receipts in a Digital World 5:10 From Corporate Executive to Private Equity CEO 7:05 Selling Iconex: Two Deals, One 15X Return 9:10 Semi-Retirement, Atlas Holdings, and ODP 10:55 Taking Office Depot Private 12:00 Four Months In: 36 Stores and Counting 13:30 Strategy Over Culture: Leading a Turnaround 16:00 Earning the Red Shirt at Office Depot 18:30 Giving Back: Purdue, Scouting America 20:45 What Gunckel Looks for When Hiring Talent 22:30 Retail's Biggest Mistake and How to Avoid It 24:10 Strategy as a Monthly Process, Not a Plan 25:45 Rapid Fire: One Problem Worth Solving

How David Meltzer Lost Everything — and Found Purpose

David Meltzer lost over $100 million, his mother's home, and nearly his marriage before rebuilding his life around faith, gratitude, and intentional living. The chairman of the Napoleon Hill Institute and former CEO of Leigh Steinberg Sports & Entertainment, the agency that inspired the film "Jerry Maguire," Meltzer joins host Toph Day at the Rally conference to discuss the turning points that reshaped his life and business philosophy. Meltzer traces his path from a working-class upbringing in Akron, Ohio, through early success selling legal research on the internet in 1992, to becoming CEO of Samsung's first data phone division. He speaks candidly about the moment his wife told him she was leaving, the day he had to tell his mother he had lost her home to foreclosure, and how both moments forced a reckoning with who he had become. The conversation covers the role faith plays in daily decision-making, the difference between seeking equality and appreciating difference, and the framework Meltzer uses to structure his time around non-negotiable behaviors: sleep, movement, nutrition, family, finance, and faith. He also shares the philosophy behind his mission to empower more than one billion people to be happy, a goal rooted in his belief that generosity and receiving are both acts of faith. Meltzer's book "Connected to Goodness" is available at no cost, including shipping, by emailing david@dmeltzer.com. #BusinessPodcast #DavidMeltzer #PersonalDevelopment

Dave Neff on Leading the 500 Festival and Building Trust

In this episode of Innovate or Evaporate, host Toph Day sits down with Dave Neff, CEO of the 500 Festival, to explore how relationships, trust, and innovation shape one of Indiana’s most iconic civic traditions. Dave shares his journey from the Indiana Pacers to EDGE Mentoring, the Boilermaker Alliance, and now the 500 Festival, revealing how leadership, mentorship, and community engagement create lasting impact. He also breaks down the full scope of what the 500 Festival actually produces: the Indianapolis Mini Marathon, which drew more than 33,000 participants this year including an 11-year-old who set a half marathon world record, the Indy 500 Parade presented by Lucas Oil, Kids Day on Monument Circle, a STEM-based education program reaching one-third of all Indiana fourth graders, and a 2,500-person volunteer corps with members who have served for decades. Neff also addresses what he calls the loneliness epidemic among men in their 30s and 40s, the case for Indianapolis embracing the "Speed City" identity, and why feedback is the most underrated tool for anyone trying to lead or innovate. Dave is also the host of Talent Scout, a podcast on the IBJ Media podcast network.

Ed Carpenter on Building ECR and Racing the Indy 500 at 45

Ed Carpenter has spent more than two decades competing in the Indianapolis 500 while simultaneously running the team that fields his car. The owner-driver of Ed Carpenter Racing discusses what it takes to survive and compete as an independent team in a sport increasingly dominated by manufacturer programs and private equity. Carpenter traces his path from quarter midgets at age 8 to three Indy 500 pole positions, reflecting on the pivotal moments that shaped his career, including his 2003 Freedom 100 victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the decision to co-found ECR in 2012. He breaks down how the team operates with roughly 60 people, six engineers per car, and more than 100 sensors generating real-time telemetry data during every race. The conversation also covers IndyCar's new charter system and what it means for team valuations and long-term stability, the evolution of driver safety technology from SAFER barrier walls to windscreens, the role Chevrolet plays as a technical partner, and why Carpenter believes pit stop athleticism is now as important as car setup. Carpenter also reflects on the sport's broader growth, including a 44 percent increase in television viewership since moving to Fox. Follow Ed Carpenter Racing at ecrind.com and on social media at ECRIndy. #IndyCar #Indy500 #IndyCarPodcast