Being an Entrepreneur is Uncomfortable | The Growth Mandate | Episode 1 | Chad Otar

Tokenizing eSports | Clif Chambliss - Founder & CEO of TriDefi | Ep 5

This conversation is about how prior reps shape current bets. Clif Chamblis built and sold GlomTom, then codified what worked. Now, building TriDefi, he is making the same kinds of high-leverage decisions in a tougher market. Ship before perfect. Outsource low-value work so the CEO can sell, partner, and learn from users. Build presence where the community already lives. Pivot positioning when the data says your real customer is different from the one in your head. We walk through the founder habits that compound. During GlomTom, logistics went to partners so the store could sell while he slept, freeing the day for partnerships and brand building. The same principle applies now, even if outsourcing software is messier. He shares the reality of contractors who vanish and the discipline to stop polishing and get real users through the funnel. On distribution, he rejects “build it and they will come.” The early motion is cold outreach to credible community voices, starting on Reddit, then turning those wins into sponsor case studies. It is the same muscle he used when a convention presence led to an unofficial PlayStation partnership. Partnerships over spend, again. We also cover how he makes calls fast and in sequence. Measure what actually grows clans, copy the patterns, and pivot quickly when the segment is not who you expected. That is how GlomTom moved upmarket to pros and streamers, and how TriDefi will adapt as live data reveals who shows up. Fundraising is different now. The crypto shocks raised the bar, so the plan is proof over pitch. Run several sponsored tournaments, hit thousands of active users, and take real metrics back to VCs instead of a deck. Key moments 07:31 GlomTom lessons that carry forward 10:57 Outsourcing what slows the CEO, and why dev is harder to outsource than ops 21:50 Community acquisition, cold outreach, and creator led growth 36:19 Data driven pivots and positioning changes on the fly 48:51 Partnerships over spend, again Links • TriDefi → https://tridefi.gg/ [https://tridefi.gg/] • Connect with Clif Chamblis → https://www.linkedin.com/in/clifchambliss/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/clifchambliss/] • Host: Brad Pitts → https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleypitts/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleypitts/]

Build a Digital Deposit Engine | Jen Armstrong - CEO of XpertSavers | Ep 4

This episode is for community and regional bank leaders who need deposits and a digital channel that actually converts. Jen Armstrong, founder and CEO of XpertSavers, helps $3 to 15 billion dollar banks decide when to launch a digital brand versus a digital branch, orchestrate vendors, and measure progress in weeks, not quarters. She led the CIT Direct Bank build that launched in nine months and scaled to $15 billion in deposits, so the playbook is practical. We start with the mandate. If you need core deposits, start by modernizing the front door and the first mile. A contemporary website with clear calls to action, short pages, ADA compliance, and mobile polish sets the tone. Then replace legacy account-opening with a three to four minute flow that verifies behind the scenes instead of interrogating customers. Conversion is the lever. Product mix matters. Lead with a clean set of fixed income offers. Twelve-month CDs and a competitive savings rate do the heavy lifting. You do not have to be the highest rate in market to win, especially with renewals and rollover behavior. Be in the top three or four, then let the rest of the catalog sit mid-pack. Jen explains why consumer deposits are the stabilizer for commercial banks that rely on large operating balances. She also shows where smaller banks get burned: opaque websites, no CTAs, outdated nomenclature, and long applications that were repurposed from loan workflows. These kill conversion and leave regulators unconvinced that the process is controlled. On operating model, we walk through discovery, weekly scorecards, and who to hire. Fraud managers come first. Most teams do not need a headcount surge if they instrument the funnel and keep the call center right-sized for hours and time zones. We close on execution proof points. One bank moved online account opening from near zero to meaningful share once the site and app were rebuilt. Another reframed the “internet bank” as the highest-performing branch. The ROI is faster than a physical branch and avoids long leases. Who should listen: CEOs, CFOs, and heads of consumer, deposits, marketing, or digital at community and regional banks that need stable, low cost funding and a site that passes the sniff test. Key moments 00:00 Who Jen serves and why now. 04:39 CIT Direct Bank. Launch to $15B. 12:32 Two upgrades that change conversion. Site and app. 16:58 Real-time open. What sells now. 20:51 Discovery and end-to-end CX. 32:35 Platform sprawl to a usable stack. 55:02 Treat the internet like your best branch. Links • XpertSavers → https://xpertsavers.com/?utm_source=youtube_growthmandatepodcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=ep4 [https://xpertsavers.com/?utm_source=youtube_growthmandatepodcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=ep4] • Connect with Jen Armstrong → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferarmstrong18/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferarmstrong18/] • Host: Brad Pitts → https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleypitts/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleypitts/] If this helped, follow and share with a peer who owns deposits, digital, or CX. Inquiries: podcast@theoakengroup.co [podcast@theoakengroup.co]

Deepfakes Broke KYC. Now What? | The Growth Mandate | Episode 3 | Steve Ward - CEO - Authenticate

What happens when your “verified” user is a deepfake? We talk with Authenticate’s Founder & Head of Sales about building identity that holds up under modern attacks, without breaking CX. Identity is now both the front door and the backstop. Steve Ward, founder and Head of Sales of Authenticate, shares how his team is simplifying verification for product and operations leaders facing deepfakes, social engineering, and rising fraud costs. Authenticate rolls KYC and KYB, AML and watchlists, background checks, and consented re-checks into one platform. Teams can start with a no-code flow or wire it in by API. The aim is straightforward: raise assurance, cut manual work, and avoid multi-vendor sprawl. We dig into patterns that hold up under pressure. A single link triggers a pre-configured journey, so call-center agents get to resolution faster. Friction is added only when signals warrant it, like device anomalies, location risk, or proxy use, so good customers move through quickly. Continuous monitoring replaces one-off audits and keeps watch between events. Steve also opens up about a pricing decision. They are phasing out open-ended promotional credits in favor of a one-time onboarding incentive, with optional commitments for lower unit rates. It protects margin and gives customers a clear choice between flexibility and price, without locking anyone into multi-year contracts. Use cases include fintech onboarding, short-term rentals with ID-to-card match and guest screening, age-gated communities, e-signature and remote notarization, and account recovery. The common thread is verifying the person behind the device and placing the right speed bumps where they matter. Looking to the next 12 months, Authenticate plans to deepen in the verticals where it sees traction, expand marketplace integrations for discovery, and ship more device intelligence so risk engines stay ahead of new attacks. Who should listen: CEOs, GMs, and leaders across fintech, marketplaces, hospitality, healthcare, and any business where trust and speed need to coexist. Key moments 00:00 What Authenticate is and who it serves 03:54 Deepfakes, call-center flows, and purposeful friction 07:31 Configuring Medallion checks to match your risk 09:33 Short-term rentals: chargebacks and guest screening 18:35 Continuous monitoring vs periodic rechecks 19:56 Growth via marketplaces and device-signal roadmap 31:10 Pricing decision: promos to commitment options 42:51 Outbound engine, agency first, then hire Links Authenticate — https://authenticate.com/ [https://authenticate.com/] Authenticate on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/authenticatedotcom/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/authenticatedotcom/] Guest: Steve Ward — https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenbward/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenbward/] Host: Brad Pitts — https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleypitts/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleypitts/] Inquiries: podcast@theoakengroup.co [podcast@theoakengroup.co]

Disrupting the U.S. BNPL Market | The Growth Mandate | Episode 2 | Peter Maher - CEO Ovanti

Peter Maher, CEO of Ovanti walks through an affordability-first BNPL built on open banking cashflow, not credit scores. The aim is simple: include the debit/cash-first majority without taxing them with fees, APR, or late fees. We detail the decisioning stack (bank-account linking, device biometrics, and cashflow views via partners like Plaid/Finicity) to harden identity and run real-time affordability checks. Then the operational design: schedule repayments “payday +1” to line up with when money actually hits accounts. Loss control comes from product design, not penalty fees. Peter draws bright lines on use cases: groceries, tickets, school/shop essentials, even deductibles. Luxury goods, auto loans, long-haul flights, not really their core market. The competitive set isn’t other BNPLs so much as the “debit-only” ceiling at checkout; Ovanti is built to sit alongside existing payment methods and convert the customers who otherwise walk. Go-to-market is partner-led: a small number of deep acquirer relationships plus orchestration partners, with direct ties to flagship merchants. Under the hood, the team chose microservices and multi-acquirer readiness from day one to avoid a monolith and the rewrites that follow. Who should listen: CEOs, GMs, and functional leaders in banking, payments, lending, and fintech platforms who need a defensible way to expand conversion without courting delinquency. Retailers who manage payment options. Links • Ovanti → https://ovanti.com/ [https://ovanti.com/] • Ovanti on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/ovanti/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/ovanti/] • Connect with Peter → https://www.linkedin.com/in/ptmaher/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ptmaher/] • Host: Brad → https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleypitts/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleypitts/] Inquiries: podcast@theoakengroup.co [podcast@theoakengroup.co]

Being an Entrepreneur is Uncomfortable | The Growth Mandate | Episode 1 | Chad Otar

The Growth Mandate: Episode 1 — Chad Otar (Lending Valley) Brad sits down with Chad Otar, founder and CEO of Lending Valley, to unpack one pivotal choice: build underwriting in-house instead of outsourcing. That move cut bank-style timelines from about 30 days to roughly an hour while keeping people in the loop. In this episode * Time to yes as the product * Insourcing underwriting; AI speeds, people decide * Practical signal stack: corporate records, bank behavior, identity and social checks, positions and holdbacks, cash flow * Fraud lesson that tightened controls and the credit box * Go to market without a sales team: independent ISOs and selective integrations * Founder reality: high risk calls and wires, and what to delegate next Who this helps Leaders in revenue, product, or distribution who want clear examples of trade offs, sequencing, and operating cadence. About the show The Growth Mandate brings you into the decision room with CEOs and operators in fintech and financial services. Each episode focuses on one consequential decision, what options were considered, why a path was chosen, and what changed as a result. Guest Chad Otar, Founder and CEO, Lending Valley Host Brad Links Guest site: https://lendingvalley.com/ [https://lendingvalley.com/] Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadotar/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadotar/] Host LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleypitts/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleypitts/] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAorkdxaOVb5u5wqd_5uYwQ]