Debt Consolidation Gap: Happy Money's Matt Tomko

In this episode, Matt Tomko (CRO, Happy Money) breaks down why 42% of Americans are stressed about debt but only 8% use consolidation loans. After 30 years building portfolios at MBNA, Sallie Mae, and OneMain, he's rebuilding Happy Money's capital model from credit union dependency to diversified funding across banks and credit funds.This episode covers the partnership opportunity in personal lending, why most institutions won't build this product in-house, and what it takes to scale responsibly in consumer finance. For lenders, capital providers, and fintech operators working in debt solutions,New study from Happy Money: https://happymoney.com/articles/credit-check-in-2025Survey data: one-third of stressed borrowers losing sleep, 40% reporting mental health impact. The market gap is massive. The execution challenge is distribution and education.Contact Matthew Tomkohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-tomko-atxhttps://happymoney.com/