How a Small Bank is Quietly Disrupting Big Finance

What happens when a former Wall Street investment banker takes over a small community bank in Kansas—and decides to shake up the entire financial industry? In this episode of The Disruption Lab, we sit down with Matt Michaelis, CEO of Emprise Bank, to uncover how he's transforming a legacy institution into a tech-forward, innovation-focused force in fintech—without losing the soul of community banking. You’ll hear: Why personalized banking is the future (and what big banks are getting wrong) How embedded finance is reshaping everything from Uber to restaurants The truth about fintech saturation—and where the real opportunity lies Why Kansas City is becoming a growth hub for finance, tech, and startups What civic leaders can actually do to support entrepreneurship Whether you’re a founder, fintech builder, or civic changemaker, this episode pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to innovate in one of the world’s oldest industries.