Building Mercury with Immad Akhund, Founder & CEO

Cambrian Fintech with Rex Salisbury

Cambrian Fintech with Rex Salisbury

33:58

In this episode, we delve into the concept of being "qualified" in the workplace, examining who gets labeled as such, who doesn't, and the underlying reasons. We explore "competency checking"—the practice of scrutinizing individuals' abilities—and how it disproportionately affects underrepresented groups, often going unnoticed or unchallenged. Our discussion aims to redefine qualifications in a fair, equitable, and actionable manner. Our guest, Shari Dunn , is an accomplished journalist, former attorney, news anchor, CEO, university professor, and sought-after speaker. She has been recognized as Executive of the Year and a Woman of Influence, with her work appearing in Fortune Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Ad Age, and more. Her new book, Qualified: How Competency Checking and Race Collide at Work , unpacks what it truly means to be deserving and capable—and why systemic barriers, not personal deficits, are often the real problem. Her insights challenge the narratives that hold so many of us back and offer practical solutions for building a more equitable future. Together, we can build workplaces and communities that don’t just reflect the world we live in, but the one we want to create. A world where being qualified is about recognizing the talent and potential that’s been overlooked for far too long. It’s not just about getting a seat at the table—it’s about building an entirely new table, one designed with space for all of us. Connect with Our Guest Shari Dunn Website& Book - Qualified: https://thesharidunn.com LI: https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/sharidunn TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thesharidunn Related Podcast Episodes: How To Build Emotionally Mature Leaders with Dr. Christie Smith | 272 Holding It Together: Women As America's Safety Net with Jessica Calarco | 215 How To Defy Expectations with Dr. Sunita Sah | 271 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music…

2 года назад 34:58

MP3•Главная эпизода

Incredibly excited for this conversation with Immad Akhund, the Founder of Mercury, a business bank for startups.

Mercury was founded in 2017 when almost no on had tried to build to a neobank for business. Today, Mercury has over 100,000 business customers and provides a suite of banking products

Checking and Savings
Credit Cards and expense management
Treasury
Venture Debt

In this conversation, we talk about just how hard, but rewarding the journey has been. Each year has been radically different from previous:

2017 how?
2018 build!
2019 launch!
2020 covid
2021 ecommerce boom & tech bubble
2022 tech crash
2023 SVB fails...

Most recently, the failure of SVB, their primary incumbent competitor, was a huge accelerant of the business with $2 Billion in deposits flow in a matter of weeks.

This is a great story of what it takes to build in fintech.

21 эпизодов

Building Mercury with Immad Akhund, Founder & CEO

Cambrian Fintech with Rex Salisbury

published 2 года назад

MP3•Главная эпизода

Incredibly excited for this conversation with Immad Akhund, the Founder of Mercury, a business bank for startups.

Mercury was founded in 2017 when almost no on had tried to build to a neobank for business. Today, Mercury has over 100,000 business customers and provides a suite of banking products

Checking and Savings
Credit Cards and expense management
Treasury
Venture Debt

In this conversation, we talk about just how hard, but rewarding the journey has been. Each year has been radically different from previous:

2017 how?
2018 build!
2019 launch!
2020 covid
2021 ecommerce boom & tech bubble
2022 tech crash
2023 SVB fails...

Most recently, the failure of SVB, their primary incumbent competitor, was a huge accelerant of the business with $2 Billion in deposits flow in a matter of weeks.

This is a great story of what it takes to build in fintech.

21 эпизодов

Все серии

Cambrian Fintech with Rex Salisbury

1
State of Startups: Everything You Need to Know, with Peter Walker of Carta 1:06:23

6 дней назад1:06:23

1:06:23

In this episode I sit down with Peter Walker, head of insights at Carta, to discuss the sweeping changes in how founders are building and funding startups in 2024. Peter shares fresh data on AI’s outsized influence across every stage, why more founders are bootstrapping, and the real story behind down rounds and bridge rounds. We also dive into founder ownership trends, vesting schedules, and why hiring has slowed even as dry powder sits on the sidelines. If you’re curious about where venture is headed, and how to navigate the current market, this deep dive offers plenty of practical takeaways. 00:00:00 - Why 2024 Feels Different 00:02:00 - Comparing 2024 to 2021 Boom 00:03:58 - Why IPOs and AI Dominate Talk 00:06:17 - Stage-by-Stage Funding Trends 00:09:09 - Bridge Rounds & Down Rounds Return 00:11:24 - Founder Ownership & Vesting 00:14:17 - Solo Founders & AI Bootstrapping 00:19:35 - Equity for Advisors & Early Hires 00:22:50 - Safes, Valuation Caps & Dilution 00:30:37 - Major Slowdown in Startup Hiring 00:38:10 - Geographic Hubs: SF, NYC & Miami 00:43:25 - Venture Funds Struggle With Returns 00:59:22 - 2025 Outlook: IPOs & Efficiency 01:02:03 - Closing Thoughts ___ Connect with Rex on social media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rexsalisbury/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/rexsalisbury TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rex.salisbury Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rexsalisbury/…

Cambrian Fintech with Rex Salisbury

1
Fintech’s Biggest Shift Is Happening Now, with Sheel Mohnot of BTV 45:47

15 дней назад45:47

45:47

In this episode Rex chats with Sheel Mohnot from Better Tomorrow Ventures. Sheel shares his journey of living on a dollar a day in India, founding and selling multiple companies (including one sparked by a chance meeting on a train), and even hosting nine weddings—one of them sponsored by Taco Bell in the metaverse. They dive into Sheel’s evolving personal finance stack, from traditional banks to Robinhood’s gold credit card, and discuss why consumer fintech is suddenly exciting again. Sheel also unpacks how AI-driven solutions are transforming bookkeeping, mortgage operations, and more. From vertical SaaS insights to San Francisco’s culture of radical experimentation, this conversation is a whirlwind tour of where fintech is headed. 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:01:00 - BTV Office & Life Above Work 00:02:46 - Microfinance & Typhoid Stories 00:04:01 - Half-Billion Domain Startup 00:05:13 - Nine Weddings & Taco Bell 00:06:28 - Building a Modern Finance Stack 00:08:14 - Credit Cards & Margin Lending 00:10:24 - Bank Inefficiencies & Chime’s IPO 00:11:33 - Consumer Fintech: Lessons & LTV 00:15:50 - B2B Focus & Early-Stage Strategy 00:19:15 - AI in Services: Accounting & Mortgage 00:23:07 - Vertical SaaS & Embedded Finance 00:31:10 - AI’s Impact on Low-Margin Services 00:33:34 - Doing More with Less & Moats 00:40:01 - Regulatory Shifts & SF’s Future…

Cambrian Fintech with Rex Salisbury

1
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40:03

In this episode, we dive into fintech and commerce enablement with Jay Ganatra, one of the founders of Infinity Ventures. Learn how this former PayPal Ventures team brings expertise in payments, lending, risk, and financial infrastructure to back the next generation of startups. We explore the backstory of PayPal Ventures, the challenges and opportunities in fintech investments, and why corporate venture arms play a unique role. Hear insights on the current fintech M&A landscape and how strategic partnerships shape success for founders. Jay also shares his journey in founding Infinity Ventures and their approach to identifying and supporting high-potential fintech companies. If you're a founder or investor looking to better understand the fintech ecosystem, this conversation is packed with valuable advice! I / jayganatra 00:00:00 – Introduction to Infinity Ventures and PayPal’s Legacy 00:01:30 – Infinity Ventures Investment Focus 00:03:00 – PayPal Ventures: Impact and Acquisitions 00:05:00 – PayPal's Global Reach and Market Expansion 00:07:00 – Challenges and Lessons from Corporate Ventures 00:08:30 – Success Stories: Plaid and TRM Labs 00:11:00 – Infinity Ventures Founding Journey 00:12:30 – Fundraising and Building Infinity Ventures 00:15:00 – Key Investments: Vinyl and Transfer Agent Disruption 00:18:00 – Navigating Regulation and Market Entry for Vinyl 00:24:30 - Exploring Simple Closure: Shutting Down Businesses 00:30:15 - Addressing Market Misconceptions…

Cambrian Fintech with Rex Salisbury

1
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25 weeks назад45:27

45:27

Last week, I had an insightful podcast interview with Hamel Kothari, the co-founder and CTO of Brigit. We discussed how they've grown to over $100M in revenue, 1 million paying subscribers, and stayed profitable for more than two years. Brigit has built one of the top financial apps, ranking above companies like Barclays and Robinhood in the App Store. In the episode, we explore how they thrived in a space many investors were skeptical about. If you're interested in fintech or scaling a business, this podcast offers some valuable lessons on building a successful consumer fintech company. ___ Connect with Rex on social media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rexsalisbury/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/rexsalisbury TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rex.salisbury Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rexsalisbury/…

Cambrian Fintech with Rex Salisbury

1
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55:01

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Cambrian Fintech with Rex Salisbury

1
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37 weeks назад54:39

54:39

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Cambrian Fintech with Rex Salisbury

1
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44:04

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Cambrian Fintech with Rex Salisbury

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Keith Rabois' Unique Investment Strategy (Exclusive Interview 2024) 56:58

45 weeks назад56:58

56:58

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Cambrian Fintech with Rex Salisbury

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51:16

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Cambrian Fintech with Rex Salisbury

1
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Cambrian Fintech with Rex Salisbury

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57:59

Pete Flint is a prominent figure in the technology and real estate industries, best known for his co-founding role at Trulia and his involvement with NFX, a venture capital firm. As one of the co-founders of Trulia, a real estate platform that gained widespread popularity, Flint played a pivotal role in revolutionizing the way people search for homes online. His entrepreneurial spirit and innovative approach have made him a respected leader in the prop-tech space. Beyond Trulia, Flint has continued to contribute to the startup ecosystem through his association with NFX, a venture capital firm that focuses on investing in seed-stage companies.…

Cambrian Fintech with Rex Salisbury

1
Building Propel with Jimmy Chen, Founder & CEO 35:29

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35:29

Jimmy Chen founded Propel in 2014 with the ambitious vision of improving America’s safety net. $65 Billion of government benefits go unclaimed because of cumbersome and opaque processes. Even when those benefits are claimed, the user experience is frustrating. Propel started by making one of America's most important social benefit programs, SNAPs, formerly known as food stamps more user friendly. Propel makes it possible for any of the 42 million Americans on SNAPs to check their balance from their phone instead of having to call a 1-800 number and wade through a cumbersome phone tree. Today, Propel serves over 5 million people in all 50 states To share how Propel vision expanded beyond SNAPs to become an all-in-one money app to include mobile banking, benefits info with the goal of patching America’s broken safety net, I’m excited to have Jimmy Chen here to share his story. https://www.joinpropel.com/…

Cambrian Fintech with Rex Salisbury

1
Building Simple with Founder Shamir Karkal 53:10

2 years назад53:10

53:10

Today, I’m talking to fintech pioneer, Shamir Karkal, the Founder and CEO of Simple. Founded in 2009, Simple was one of the very first neobanks, meaning they offered banking services, but were not themselves a bank. Simple built the user experience and tech, but partnered with a bank to provide the charter. In 2009, it was not at all obvious this was even possible. Simple helped prove it was and grew a cult-like customer base in the 100s of thousands. It’s hard to overstate how important the neobank model has become for fintech in the decade plus. Today, there are 100+ Neobanks and 20+ banking as a service platforms. But the bank-as-a-service model, is not just a story of neobanks. It’s been crucial to the growth of fintech, especially embedded fintech, more broadly. So, today, we’re going to talk w/ Shamir about what it took build Simple and pioneer a category. But, like any good pioneer, Shamir’s not finished. Today, he’s founded Sila, a banking-as-a-service platform, informed from his time building Simple. We’ll talk cover that as well as what Shamir see’s in the future of financial infrastructure.…

Cambrian Fintech with Rex Salisbury

1
Building Mercury with Immad Akhund, Founder & CEO 34:58

2 years назад34:58

34:58

Incredibly excited for this conversation with Immad Akhund , the Founder of Mercury, a business bank for startups. Mercury was founded in 2017 when almost no on had tried to build to a neobank for business. Today, Mercury has over 100,000 business customers and provides a suite of banking products Checking and Savings Credit Cards and expense management Treasury Venture Debt In this conversation, we talk about just how hard, but rewarding the journey has been. Each year has been radically different from previous: 2017 how? 2018 build! 2019 launch! 2020 covid 2021 ecommerce boom & tech bubble 2022 tech crash 2023 SVB fails... Most recently, the failure of SVB, their primary incumbent competitor, was a huge accelerant of the business with $2 Billion in deposits flow in a matter of weeks. This is a great story of what it takes to build in fintech.…

Cambrian Fintech with Rex Salisbury

1
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2 years назад30:45