Main Street AI

Ankur Patel interviews Jason Stverak, Chief Advocacy Officer at the Defense Credit Union Council.📩 Subscribe to the Main Street AI Newsletter: https://multimodal.beehiiv.com/subscribe?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=podcastDCUC is the 63-year-old trade association for the 200-plus credit unions serving the U.S. military, holding $525 billion in assets for more than 40 million members. Jason argues that with 4,200 credit unions left from north of 10,000 fifteen years ago, the small ones survive AI by pooling through CUSOs, deliberately targeting a B instead of an A-plus, and getting the NCUA to hand them a sandbox rather than a rulebook.Guest: Jason Stverak, Chief Advocacy Officer, Defense Credit Union CouncilHost: Ankur Patel, CEO & Founder, Multimodal0:00 Introduction: Meet Jason0:55 What DCUC is2:38 CU Unplugged4:44 Consolidate or die8:40 Credit unions as the AI proving ground11:31 The volunteer board pushes the agenda13:22 Automation and the member relationship15:02 Finding the dollars for software18:35 AI was supposed to democratize20:20 We need a B, not an A plus23:28 The case for an NCUA sandbox25:56 The regulator as matchmaker27:30 What Jason is protecting29:02 Closing

Ankur Patel interviews Mike Lawson, Founder and Host of CUbroadcast.📩 Subscribe to the Main Street AI Newsletter: https://multimodal.beehiiv.com/subscribe?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=podcastMike has interviewed more than 8,000 credit union leaders as host of CUbroadcast, giving him a view across the entire industry rather than one seat inside one institution. His sharpest take: the smallest credit unions are often the best AI adopters because their teams wear so many hats they have to automate, while SoFi onboards more new customers in a year than the whole industry combined.Guest: Mike Lawson, Founder and Host, CUbroadcastHost: Ankur Patel, CEO & Founder, Multimodal0:00 Introduction: Meet Mike0:39 What's changed, what's stayed the same2:26 Fintech and big bank pressure4:35 The collaborative advantage8:39 Where credit unions are in the AI journey10:17 Budgeting for AI11:55 Use cases bubbling up14:02 Why small credit unions excel at AI16:55 AI in the call center19:20 Fighting AI-powered fraud23:10 Lessons from the global movement24:07 The membership age problem28:09 Consolidation and mergers30:50 Fintech partnerships and vendor risk33:06 Two imperatives for the next five years34:40 Closing

Ankur Patel interviews Zach Cox, Director of Business Innovation, and Aaron Cain, Director of Digital Innovation at Credit Union 1.📩 Subscribe to the Main Street AI Newsletter: https://multimodal.beehiiv.com/subscribe?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=podcastCredit Union 1 deployed AI use cases before it built the governance around them, and paid for the lesson when a narrow FAQ bot burned through the credit union's initial AI spend commitment without moving a single business outcome. Zach and Cain break down the vendor terms that made that happen, Cain's Aviary AI outbound calling program that reached 7,000 members ahead of a merger, and why CU1 now maintains a human version and an AI version of the same knowledge.Guest: Zach Cox, Director of Business Innovation, Credit Union 1Guest: Cain, Director of Digital Innovation, Credit Union 1Host: Ankur Patel, CEO & Founder, Multimodal0:00 Introduction: Meet Zach and Cain1:13 What Zach and Cain each own at CU15:01 Fix the process before adding AI8:13 Deploy and learn vs infrastructure first9:57 The FAQ bot that ate the commit14:14 Don't let the vendor wag the dog20:12 Buying for value, not volume22:35 Trust and never blocking the human24:17 When AI feels more human28:14 Aviary AI outbound calling for mergers32:44 The make-a-payment bot35:46 Frontline feedback workshops40:50 Replacement through attrition43:15 What data readiness really means44:09 The chatbot that quoted a disclosure as fact48:34 What success looks like in 202750:30 Closing

Ishita Jaiswal, Head of Growth at Multimodal, interviews Ankur Patel, CEO & Founder of Multimodal.📩 Subscribe to the Main Street AI Newsletter: https://multimodal.beehiiv.com/subscribe?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=podcastMultimodal builds agentic workflows for credit unions and community banks, covering member experience and lending operations. Ankur argues that a 2027 budget has to fund three things at once, an account on one of the big three models for every single person, a hard look at whether your incumbent vendors are opening their software up or walling it off, and a few net new agentic partners, with every vendor pushed to show simulated usage numbers before anyone signs.Guest: Ankur Patel, CEO & Founder, MultimodalHost: Ishita Jaiswal, Head of Growth, Multimodal0:00 Introduction: Meet Ishita0:57 The two categories of agentic AI2:39 Where credit unions start on personal productivity3:15 Leadership, stewards, and uneven adoption6:06 Member experience and lending operations8:12 Why growth beats cost efficiency9:19 Three pieces of budgeting advice for 202713:20 Walled gardens and the SaaS apocalypse16:19 Usage pricing, tokens, and simulated numbers20:04 What Multimodal built for credit unions23:43 The ROI bar and the tuition expense25:56 Closing

Ankur Patel interviews Youssi Farag, CFO at WEOKIE Federal Credit Union.📩 Subscribe to the Main Street AI Newsletter: https://multimodal.beehiiv.com/subscribe?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=podcastWEOKIE Federal Credit Union is a $1.5B institution where Youssi's seat covers finance and accounting, compliance, and commercial lending all at once. Her argument is that AI only sticks when you start from a real problem, put IT, compliance, legal, and the frontline in the same room, and hold vendors to a date instead of accepting "it's on the roadmap."Guest: Youssi Farag, CFO, WEOKIE Federal Credit UnionHost: Ankur Patel, CEO & Founder, Multimodal0:00 Introduction: Meet Youssi0:44 What Youssi owns at WEOKIE1:51 Community bank speed vs credit union scale4:43 How technology decisions actually get made6:24 Where AI landed first: fraud, risk, and reporting8:59 Buy, build, or partner11:39 Budgeting for AI13:44 Budget discipline with mid-year pivots16:31 AI in consumer vs commercial lending19:33 How far along WEOKIE is21:39 Member-facing AI and measuring what changed23:35 Vendor green flags and red flags26:17 Structuring an experiment you can pivot out of28:51 Reward seeking vs risk mitigation31:28 Leading vs fast following33:29 Getting the team bought in34:45 What success looks like in three years36:12 Closing

Ankur Patel interviews Kirk Drake, Founder and CEO of CU 2.0.📩 Subscribe to the Main Street AI Newsletter: https://multimodal.beehiiv.com/subscribe?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=podcastKirk wrote the AI strategy book for banks and credit unions in 2020, before most of the industry had heard of ChatGPT, then rebuilt CU 2.0 around AI first practices and moved two-thirds of his team onto that work. He argues that 30 years of hard-won PowerPoint, spreadsheet and Word skills now count for zero, that the "we can't put our data near these models" fear is mostly an excuse, and that the AI strategy every credit union is chasing is really just learning how to move faster.Guest: Kirk Drake, Founder and CEO, CU 2.0Host: Ankur Patel, CEO & Founder, Multimodal0:00 Introduction: Meet Kirk1:08 The 2015 talk that started it6:31 Fintechs vs credit unions11:49 Why the legacy stack won't port13:15 30 years of skills at zero15:09 Why you can't show them the future18:22 You can't out-exercise your appetite19:59 Two-thirds of the company on AI work22:10 Building the impossible in 48 hours26:09 Opt-in volunteers, not mandates28:11 Don't hire a VP of AI31:38 A faster way to learn36:27 Greenfield prototyping in a day38:46 If net interest margin drops to 1%41:50 Skills catalog and workflows45:10 When IT ships 50x faster46:28 Closing

Ankur Patel interviews LeAnn Case, Chief Strategy Officer at St. Cloud Financial Credit Union.📩 Subscribe to the Main Street AI Newsletter: https://multimodal.beehiiv.com/subscribe?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=podcastSt. Cloud Financial is a $450M central-Minnesota credit union doing things most institutions its size won't touch — cannabis banking, digital asset custody, and a nationwide foundation. LeAnn's argument: adopt AI to strip out the friction (a cannabis business review takes 15 hours to file) and buy back time for members, without sacrificing the human connection that's the whole point of the place.Guest: LeAnn Case, Chief Strategy Officer, St. Cloud Financial Credit UnionHost: Ankur Patel, CEO & Founder, Multimodal0:00 Introduction: Meet LeAnn1:10 From marketing to strategy6:36 What is St. Cloud Financial7:24 A vision built on human connection8:33 The convenience-vs-connection tension11:08 Prioritizing AI use cases13:00 34 fintech pitches, one budget15:24 Member engagement and support19:09 The iPhone pace expectation20:42 Vendors who become partners23:00 AI is not plug-and-play25:09 Staff expectations and guardrails28:01 Leading versus following30:56 Evidence-backed AI and audit trails33:00 Competing with the fintechs37:54 Change management: start with the why42:26 Signals and risks ahead44:15 Closing

Ankur Patel interviews Adrian Rodriguez, former SVP of Data & Innovation at American Heritage Credit Union, now an independent Data & AI advisor.📩 Subscribe to the Main Street AI Newsletter: https://multimodal.beehiiv.com/subscribe?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=podcastAdrian built a data and innovation function from the ground up at a credit union that didn't have one, and now advises institutions navigating the same journey for AI. His argument: most credit unions skip the unglamorous foundation work — clean, governed, clearly-defined data — that decides whether AI delivers reproducible answers or just propagates the mess underneath it.Guest: Adrian Rodriguez, former SVP of Data & Innovation, American Heritage Credit Union (now an independent Data & AI advisor)Host: Ankur Patel, CEO & Founder, Multimodal0:00 Introduction: Meet Adrian1:06 Technical and operational debt as an anchor2:38 The agentic AI inflection point4:11 Standing up a data function from scratch6:40 Build, hire, or partner8:09 Why six-month timelines force partnering12:14 Getting your data house in order first15:49 The data flywheel21:46 The next dashboard evolution27:33 Top-down AI leadership28:48 What's next: the data and AI journey30:42 Finding an owner for governance34:22 Leaders vs laggards35:50 The cost of AI39:43 Staying model agnostic40:32 Closing

Ankur Patel interviews Carey Ransom, Managing Director at Bank Tech Ventures.<br /><br />📩 Subscribe to the Main Street AI Newsletter: https://multimodal.beehiiv.com/subscribe?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=podcast<br /><br />Bank Tech Ventures is a strategic investment fund backed by 125+ community banks that runs as the industry's shared R&D arm — sourcing, vetting, and connecting the technology those banks actually need. Carey argues the winners won't look like banks in five years: they'll reimagine their operating model, own a customer segment, and start from the premise that AI can do everything until they prove why it shouldn't.<br /><br />Guest: Carey Ransom, Managing Director, Bank Tech Ventures<br />Host: Ankur Patel, CEO & Founder, Multimodal<br /><br />0:00 Introduction: Meet Carey<br />0:43 What pulled Carey into community banking<br />3:21 What makes community banks distinct<br />8:40 Inside Bank Tech Ventures<br />13:36 Who they engage with at the bank<br />17:10 The technology themes banks care about<br />21:38 How they evaluate startups<br />26:16 Advice to banks and founders<br />31:28 The reset moment<br />33:56 People vs AI agents<br />40:10 The winning bank in 5 years<br />42:45 Closing

Ankur Patel interviews Phillip Autrey, COO at CUltivate.📩 Subscribe to the Main Street AI Newsletter: https://multimodal.beehiiv.com/subscribe?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=podcastCUltivate is a CUSO and AI platform built for credit unions by credit union insiders. Phillip makes the case that big-tech AI hasn't earned the trust credit unions need to deploy it, the product should amplify employees instead of replacing them, and the smaller shops without IT staff are the ones most underserved by what's on the market today.Guest: Phillip Autrey, COO, CultivateHost: Ankur Patel, CEO & Founder, Multimodal0:00 Introduction: Meet Phillip1:09 What is CUltivate6:43 Why trust is the real barrier to AI adoption10:26 The credit union journey13:27 Context engineering15:39 The orchestration layer that picks the right tool18:47 The shared knowledge commons21:55 The credit union movement vs public banking23:45 What it takes to trust an AI tool30:21 Job displacement31:12 "If I only had time"34:42 Why AI makes you more ambitious, not idle36:59 Member experience and the human-agentic model40:32 The adoption curve across 4,500 credit unions45:11 Five years out and the off-ramps49:16 Closing

Ankur Patel interviews Phil Caputo, Executive Vice President & Director of the Enterprise Project Management Office at State Employees' Credit Union.📩 Subscribe to the Main Street AI Newsletter: https://multimodal.beehiiv.com/subscribe?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=podcastPhil runs the EPMO at SECU — the second-largest credit union in the US, nearly 3 million members, $60 billion in assets, on a core system older than many of its members. He makes the operator's case for being deliberately conservative on AI: why a late mover with a loyal, member-service-first base can afford to learn from others' pitfalls, how he separates real strategy from a wall of projects, and where AI does and doesn't earn a seat — governance and member service in, autonomous decisions out.Guest: Phil Caputo, Director of the Enterprise Project Management Office, State Employees' Credit UnionHost: Ankur Patel, CEO & Founder, Multimodal0:00 Introduction: Meet Phil0:43 What Phil walked into: a $60B credit union with no project governance2:12 Building structure and who pushes back hardest3:28 The missing middle: strategy between goals and projects5:31 Going from big idea to real outcome: the digital overhaul8:00 How governance and execution actually work at SECU9:00 Post-implementation reviews and the rewards-card example10:03 KPIs that measure outcomes, not activity11:51 Buy versus build15:02 AI as the next level of integration15:59 When is a conservative AI policy grounded versus behind18:34 Lessons from being conservative on prior technologies23:58 What actually motivates SECU to move25:13 Discovery: member requests, advisory boards, and tech debt27:00 Recurring themes for improving member satisfaction28:47 Which parts of the digital experience needed the most work31:06 Unifying channels into one member experience32:35 The members SECU has been missing33:19 Where AI could materially improve member experience in three years35:09 Closing

Ankur Patel interviews Randy Salser, President & CEO of NACUSO.📩 Subscribe to the Main Street AI Newsletter: https://multimodal.beehiiv.com/subscribe?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=podcastRandy explains how the CUSO model empowers credit unions to compete on AI and stablecoin — how shared service organizations give a $500M institution a seat at the table next to JPMorgan, why the arbitrary 1% investment capital cap is the fight on Capitol Hill, and why AI adoption is a culture project led from the executive suite, not an IT project.Guest: Randy Salser, President & CEO, NACUSOHost: Ankur Patel, CEO & Founder, Multimodal0:00 Introduction: Meet Randy0:44 How Randy ended up running NACUSO2:10 Mapping the credit union, CUSO, and NACUSO model5:09 How CUSOs work and the seat at the table they buy10:34 Legacy tech stacks and the integration problem12:51 The friction NACUSO is trying to solve: the 1% cap13:51 Stablecoin, the Genius Act, and the capital cap fight16:35 Why advocacy matters for small credit unions18:38 What's actually blocking credit unions on AI26:24 Why stablecoin has to flow through CUSOs29:22 The cultural move before AI works technically33:17 The fintech threat: credit unions reduced to back-end37:46 What success looks like for NACUSO in 5-10 years38:51 Closing

Ankur Patel interviews Michael Heller, Associate Attorney at Messick Lauer & Smith.📩 Subscribe to the Main Street AI Newsletter: https://multimodal.beehiiv.com/subscribe?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=podcastMichael Heller is an Associate Attorney at Messick Lauer & Smith, where he focuses on vendor management, technology contracts, due diligence, and fintech partnerships for credit unions and CUSOs.Guest: Michael Heller, Associate Attorney, Messick Lauer & SmithHost: Ankur Patel, CEO & Founder, Multimodal0:00 Introduction0:42 How Michael started in vendor management for CUs2:56 Credit unions, CUSOs, and where fintechs fit in4:14 The nature of the deals: vendor, M&A, and CUSO formation5:32 Where credit union and tech vendor deals actually go wrong7:39 Regulated stability vs. move-fast disruption9:26 Honeymooning and the seeds of discontent12:16 Why agentic AI deals are harder than traditional software14:53 Clear exit pathways and a robust change management process16:32 Indemnification, liability caps, audit rights17:58 Building a risk framework20:00 Tricks of the trade24:13 Setting up a long-term partnership and allocating risk25:00 AI in credit decisioning: who holds the liability?26:13 You can't outsource risk27:44 AI as a tool: the human in the loop stays on the hook29:44 State vs. federal AI regulation31:16 Right-sizing AI adoption for smaller credit unions34:17 How AI is reshaping the legal profession37:08 Why lawyers are a shield and the cost of getting it wrong38:14 What a credit union that gets this right looks like in 2-3 years40:08 Closing

Ankur Patel interviews Courtney Rowan, SVP and Chief Digital and Transformation Officer at Citadel Credit Union. Courtney has spent 27 years watching digital go from a side project to the only front door, and she brings the rare full-arc operator perspective on what it takes to make that shift work. She breaks down the non-documentary onboarding rebuild that lifted funnel conversion 212%, the CDP/CXP stack overhaul behind true member individualization, and the three-pillar AI steering committee setting Citadel's strategy.📩 Subscribe to the Main Street AI Newsletter: https://multimodal.beehiiv.com/subscribe?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=podcastGuest: Courtney Rowan, SVP and Chief Digital and Transformation Officer, Citadel Credit UnionHost: Ankur Patel, CEO & Founder, Multimodal0:00 Introduction: Meet Courtney0:55 What Courtney owns at Citadel1:54 Digital evolution: from side project to the front door5:00 Rewiring piecemeal digital channels so AI can be excellent7:51 One continuous experience across every channel10:04 What a charter expansion actually involves13:07 Onboarding with no branch: human-led, digitally enabled18:07 The fintech onboarding playbook19:46 The results: 212% funnel conversion and more21:35 Gen Z, values, and why credit unions get stuck25:15 Lots of data, no unified brain: building a CDP and CXP28:00 Don't drive a Porsche like a Ford31:13 Standing up an AI innovation steering committee32:52 Governance, education, enablement36:18 Adopting AI individual by individual37:57 AI as copilot, not a layoff plan39:02 Separating AI marketing hype from reality41:03 How Citadel employees use AI today44:15 Working with incumbent and new AI vendors46:58 The 3-5 year vision: banking that feels effortless48:55 Closing

Ankur Patel interviews Chris Ortega, who leads technology transformation at Lake Michigan Credit Union, a $17B asset institution and the 13th largest credit union in the US. What's distinct about Chris's approach is that he restructures how the organization operates before deploying the tools — agile teams, a Center of Excellence, and a single Emerging Technology Governance Board that owns AI, RPA, and stablecoin. The episode covers how that structure was built, where RPA vs. agentic AI is the right call, and the cost discipline that keeps emerging tech from running away from the institution.📩 Subscribe to the Main Street AI Newsletter: https://multimodal.beehiiv.com/subscribe?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=podcastGuest: Chris Ortega, CIO, Lake Michigan Credit UnionHost: Ankur Patel, CEO & Founder, Multimodal0:00 Introduction: Meet Chris Ortega0:32 Stabilizing the IT landscape at LMCU1:40 Inside a top credit union3:23 Building conviction for transformation5:20 The Center of Excellence and the three C's7:43 What surprised him about emerging tech9:31 Where traditional project management falls short11:25 Why agile fits today's pace14:06 One committee for AI, stablecoin, and whatever comes next15:53 From planning to execution to ROI18:33 Closing the gap between business and engineering22:09 Building trust through real back-and-forth24:35 Why remote teams are an asset, done right26:44 What smaller credit unions can take away29:20 Pick your tech, then match your partners to it33:25 Where agentic AI is showing up35:45 The HUMDA win: 150 steps cut to 1536:56 Mortgage, the call center, fraud, and audit38:51 The token-bill trap40:46 RPA vs. agentic AI44:13 AI bootcamps, lunch and learns, and Co-Pilot48:42 Star Trek, not Terminator

Ankur Patel interviews Lisa Highley, Chief Lending Officer at University of Kentucky Federal Credit Union (UKFCU). They chat about the credit union's new mortgage department, a rebuilt commercial lending operation, Zest AI live in consumer lending, GLIA live in the call center, and the institution's first merger.📩 Subscribe to the Main Street AI Newsletter: https://multimodal.beehiiv.com/subscribe?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=podcastGuest: Lisa Highley, Chief Lending Officer, University of Kentucky FCUHost: Ankur Patel, CEO & Founder, Multimodal0:00 Introduction: Meet Lisa Highley1:03 UKFCU at $1.75B and the full lending portfolio2:30 Why the change agenda4:01 Diversifying out of indirect auto and home equity dependence5:46 Branch referrals driving the new mortgage department7:05 Build vs. buy9:04 What Empower automates in mortgage origination13:02 Document review pain still left for AI to solve17:13 How many hours a mortgage file still takes today18:27 Staying competitive in indirect auto22:00 Where software actually helps24:52 Why same-day funding matters to dealers25:57 Zest AI rollout, year-one goals, six-month review29:04 How UKFCU decides what Zest can auto-approve32:11 GLIA on day two33:30 Reducing after-hours call support by 70%34:30 Voluntary staff repurposing, not layoffs35:43 The case for AI close to the member37:03 Lessons from UKFCU's first merger40:17 Two-to-three-year vision

Ankur talks with Steve Zich, Chief Marketing Officer at Capital Credit Union in Green Bay, Wisconsin, about an operator's playbook on deploying AI in the marketing department. The conversation goes deep on personalization done right (vs. creepy), competing with big banks and fintechs on community rather than spend, and the team-level mindset shift that makes AI adoption stick.📩 Subscribe to the Main Street AI Newsletter: https://multimodal.beehiiv.com/subscribe?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=podcastGuest: Steve Zich, Chief Marketing Officer, Capital Credit UnionHost: Ankur Patel, CEO & Founder, Multimodal00:00 Intro00:38 What a credit union marketing operation actually owns01:34 Filtering AI signal from marketing theater — Steve's three filters05:06 Differentiating brand voice in a world driven by AI07:56 Rolling out Jasper12:56 Measuring ROI14:29 Content cannibalization16:45 What good personalization actually feels like21:49 Personal vs. creepy — drawing the line in member outreach24:34 Competing with big banks and fintechs on community + data33:17 The fear narrative around AI38:57 Why generations are shrinking40:23 Closing

Ankur Patel interviews Hashim Forrester, SVP of Remote Service Delivery at Wescom Financial — one of the largest credit unions in Southern California. Hashim brings three decades of operations and service delivery experience, and his team has become the trailblazers for AI adoption at Wescom — running Copilot in production, deploying intelligent virtual assistants on the phone system, and building out AI-driven quality assurance.📩 Subscribe to the Main Street AI Newsletter: https://multimodal.beehiiv.com/subscribe?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=podcastGuest: Hashim Forrester, SVP of Remote Service Delivery, Wescom FinancialHost: Ankur Patel, CEO & Founder, Multimodal0:00 Introduction: Meet Hashim Forrester1:02 Inside Wescom's remote service delivery1:54 From single-channel to omnichannel banking3:52 Volume across channels: 1M+ inbound calls5:01 The Anywhere Branch7:46 Omnichannel's knowledge problem10:56 Rolling out Copilot14:54 Why the first Copilot launch failed17:25 Where Copilot ends and member data begins20:46 Three years of intelligent virtual assistants24:46 Moving QA from random sampling to 100% coverage27:48 Prioritizing AI use cases: member-first, not tech-first30:06 Build vs. buy35:27 Driving real ROI39:04 Closing the AI adoption gap44:06 The future: agentic AI, but with humans in the driver's seat

Ankur Patel interviews Jeffrey Staw, Chief Information and Innovation Officer at Firefighters First Credit Union. Firefighters First has one of the most unique membership models in the industry, serving career firefighters and their families exclusively. Jeffrey brings a rare dual perspective, having previously led one of the most influential CUSOs in the country doing large-scale technology work for some of the biggest credit unions in the US.📩 Subscribe to the Main Street AI Newsletter: https://multimodal.beehiiv.com/subscribe?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=podcastGuest: Jeffrey Staw, Chief Information and Innovation Officer, Firefighters First Credit UnionHost: Ankur Patel, CEO & Founder, Multimodal0:00 Introduction: Meet Jeffrey Staw1:01 Inside the firefighters-only membership model3:27 Specialty products for a specialty membership10:23 High tech + high touch at national scale14:25 Best-of-breed vs. single-vendor20:07 Why he says no to AI-first vendor pitches24:27 Deploying Copilot across the org28:02 Closing the AI adoption gap with frontline employees33:37 What RPA can teach us about the agentic wave39:29 The data exfiltration risk everyone's forgetting42:03 Adapting AI to non-technical executives44:40 Lessons from the CUSO world46:54 The 5-year vision

At Multimodal, agentic AI is reshaping how the team ships product, hires, and thinks about work itself. In this episode of Main Street AI, Ankur Patel sits down with Ishita Jaiswal, Head of Growth at Multimodal, for an internal look at how a 3-year-old agentic AI startup is operating in a market where the last three months brought more change than all of 2025. What makes this conversation different: just a candid conversation between two operators about what's actually changed. Why prompt engineering is dead. Why planning now takes 25 minutes and execution takes 5. Why Multimodal scrapped entire product lines when Claude and ChatGPT caught up. Why the team is doubling down on agentic coding before hiring more engineers. And why "10x workers" are about to become the norm across every function — not just engineering.📩 Subscribe to the Main Street AI Newsletter: https://multimodal.beehiiv.com/subscribe?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=podcastGuest: Ishita Jaiswal, Head of Growth, MultimodalHost: Ankur Patel, CEO & Founder, Multimodal0:00 Introduction: The last 3 months changed everything1:08 How agentic AI reshaped product development at Multimodal3:18 What taste and judgment look like when execution is free5:21 The product lines we scrapped in 2026 (and why)7:30 Why prompt engineering is dead9:50 Planning 25 minutes, executing 5: the new workflow12:48 Working more, not less — the magical powers problem13:57 Inside Multimodal's lean engineering team16:29 How GTM is changing alongside engineering17:51 What we hire for now vs. a year ago20:54 Specialists vs. generalists in an agentic world22:30 What this means for banks, credit unions, and legacy institutions23:57 Closing Thoughts

Ankur Patel interviews Jed Meyer, CEO of St. Cloud Financial Credit Union — a 5-branch, $425M institution serving 28,000 members in central Minnesota. Jed has driven 400% organic growth in nearly 12 years at the helm, with 2025 marking the best year in the credit union's 96-year history. Jed is focused on using technology to create more human connection, not less. From launching the first-ever CU Digital Asset Vault, to deploying ITMs without removing the human behind the window, to a meaningful difference program that empowers every teller to impact a member's life.📩 Subscribe to the Main Street AI Newsletter: https://multimodal.beehiiv.com/subscribe?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=podcastGuest: Jed Meyer, CEO, St. Cloud Financial Credit UnionHost: Ankur Patel, CEO & Founder, Multimodal0:00 Introduction: Meet Jed Meyer0:52 What drove 400% growth and a record-breaking 20253:08 Competing as the 3rd smallest in a market of 41 institutions5:49 Price, convenience, service11:34 Operationalizing human connection at scale17:58 Where AI fits (and where it doesn't)26:03 ITMs, drive-throughs, and why the human still sits behind the window30:25 How a $400M credit union invests in tech vs. the $5B competitors36:08 The 2026 roadmap: doubling to $1B and 50,000 members41:00 Tech for survivors of domestic abuse42:37 Closing thoughts

While many financial institutions are still figuring out their digital strategy, Meghan Gound is running digital at a scale most will never see. In this episode of Main Street AI, Ankur Patel chats with Meghan Gound, SVP of Digital at Navy Federal — the world's largest credit union with over 15 million members across the military community, veterans, and families. Meghan owns digital strategy across online banking, mobile, chat, and the omni-channel experience that ties it all together. Navy Federal has 10M+ members logging into digital every month — 27 times a month on average — from every corner of the globe. Meghan's team is blurring the lines between self-service and human-assisted channels, extending the same digital interface to team members in a 24/7 contact center, rolling out features like Trusted User for deployed military, and thinking hard about what conversational AI looks like when "human in the loop" isn't a buzzword but a design principle.📩 Subscribe to the Main Street AI Newsletter: https://multimodal.beehiiv.com/subscribe?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=podcastGuest: Meghan Gound, SVP of Digital, Navy Federal Credit UnionHost: Ankur Patel, CEO & Founder, Multimodal0:00 Introduction: Meet Meghan Gound0:40 Leading digital at the world's largest credit union1:20 What "digital" actually means at Navy Federal2:18 Why 380+ branches still matter3:30 The scale challenge: 10M members, 27 logins a month5:20 How AI is reshaping the digital roadmap7:50 The context problem across channels10:00 Keeping AI authentic: human in the loop12:30 How the roadmap actually gets built14:30 The Trusted User story16:13 Balancing digital with human connection20:45 Where new ideas come from22:00 How Navy Federal tests and pilots25:00 How being member-owned shapes decisions28:30 What the rest of the industry can learn30:40 What keeps Meghan up at night31:50 The 5-year vision: transactional to conversational32:17 Closing thoughts

While many are still theorizing about AI in financial services, Amy Stevens is running it in production. In this episode of Main Street AI, Ankur Patel sits down with Amy Stevens, SVP of Member Experience at GreenState Credit Union — Iowa's largest credit union with $11B in assets, 450,000 members, and a fast-growing footprint across Illinois and Nebraska. Amy owns the contact center, the NPS program, and the hard work of figuring out what members actually need. What makes this conversation different: Amy's team has real AI in the wild. Co-pilot mining, NPS feedback analysis, real-time sentiment scoring that guides agents mid-call, voice biometrics that just went live last week, and a roadmap toward full agentic AI that becomes part of the team.📩 Subscribe to the Main Street AI Newsletter: https://multimodal.beehiiv.com/subscribe?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=podcastGuest: Amy Stevens, SVP of Member Experience, GreenState Credit UnionHost: Ankur Patel, CEO & Founder, Multimodal0:00 Introduction: Meet Amy Stevens0:48 A day in the life of an SVP of Member Experience2:29 Why GreenState is still opening branches4:21 Expanding into Illinois & Nebraska6:00 Why digital members are the most profitable7:55 Scaling without losing the personal touch9:51 Bringing AI into member experience (without the slop)14:13 The multi-channel member experience, then and now15:15 The COVID pivot that members loved17:50 AI's first quick win: quality management19:21 Real-time sentiment and "happy endings"20:59 Voice biometrics goes live21:35 The agentic AI roadmap22:52 Why AI makes agents *more* human27:27 Chatbots, ITMs, and AI in branches28:00 Replacing jobs or augmenting them?29:37 Closing the gap with consumer apps30:33 The 5-year vision: frictionless and ethical32:22 What keeps Amy up at night34:05 Closing thoughts

Read the blog post: http://www.multimodal.dev/pioneers-content/how-mid-market-banks-can-leverage-ai-for-growthSubscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://www.multimodal.dev/pioneersWhy do so many financial institutions struggle to scale AI beyond pilots?Amman, Chief Strategy Officer at Tribeca Softech, joins Ankur on Pioneers to unpack the realities of AI adoption in financial services. Despite widespread experimentation with AI, Amman explains why only a small fraction of organizations achieve enterprise-wide impact—pointing to misalignment, legacy system constraints, and cultural resistance as key blockers. The conversation explores how governance, compliance, and risk management can become competitive advantages, the differences in AI maturity between mid-market firms and large enterprises, and what lagging organizations can learn from early adopters. They also discuss generative AI’s growing influence and the strategic role AI plays in private equity decision-making.Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction: AI Adoption and Scaling Challenges02:33 Guest Introduction: Amman from Tribeca Soft Tech03:44 AI as a Business Transformation Tool04:35 Challenges in AI Implementation05:50 Strategies for Financial Institutions10:01 Mid-Market vs. Enterprise AI Adoption23:18 Private Equity and AI Adoption27:00 2026 AI Adoption Insights35:09 Conclusion and Future OutlookFollow Ankur Patel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankurpatel9/Follow Ankur Patel on X: https://x.com/aapatel09Follow Multimodal on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/multimodalai/Follow Multimodal on Twitter: https://x.com/MultimodalAI

Read the blog post: www.multimodal.dev/pioneers-content/igniting-change-in-credit-unionsSubscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://www.multimodal.dev/pioneersHow is AI bridging the gap between credit unions and FinTechs?Julie Esser, founder of IgniteFI, joins Pioneers to discuss the rapid advancements in AI and its critical role in transforming credit unions. Julie explains how aligning values, scalability, and compliance can drive successful partnerships between credit unions and FinTechs. She also highlights the role of Credit Union Service Organizations (CUSOs) in providing smaller credit unions with access to modern digital solutions. The conversation delves into common obstacles in FinTech adoption, the importance of data readiness, and actionable advice for credit unions to stay relevant through innovative collaborations without losing sight of their member-first mission.Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to AI in Credit Unions02:20 Meet Julie Esser: A FinTech Matchmaker03:00 The Role of FinTech in Credit Unions04:08 Challenges and Benefits of FinTech Partnerships05:22 The Importance of CUSOs07:51 Evaluating FinTech Partnerships08:51 Future of Credit Unions with Emerging Technologies12:43 Ignite FI: Bridging the Gap18:33 AI Adoption in Credit Unions34:39 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsFollow Ankur Patel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankurpatel9/Follow Ankur Patel on X: https://x.com/aapatel09Follow Multimodal on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/multimodalai/Follow Multimodal on Twitter: https://x.com/MultimodalAI

Read the blog post: www.multimodal.dev/pioneers-content/where-ai-fits-and-where-it-should-not-in-insuranceSubscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://www.multimodal.dev/pioneersHow can AI modernize insurance without losing the human elementJustin Hinson, Product Leader at CompSource Mutual, joins Pioneers to explore where AI truly fits, and where it doesn’t, in workers’ compensation insurance. Drawing on more than 25 years across claims, underwriting, and product, Justin explains why one of the most regulated and personal lines of insurance resists full automation, and why human judgment and empathy remain essential. He breaks down how AI creates real value today by preparing work for adjusters and underwriters, not replacing them, and why data readiness, workflow quality, and governance must come before any AI rollout. The conversation also covers how to cut through vendor noise, build trust and adoption internally, and introduce AI in a way that improves speed and insight without sacrificing care for injured workers.Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to AI in Insurance02:16 Guest Introduction: Justin Hinson's Journey03:16 Justin's Career Path and Technological Evolution07:08 Challenges in Workers' Compensation11:42 AI's Role in Enhancing Insurance Processes22:24 Selecting the Right AI Vendor27:51 CompSource's Approach to AI Adoption33:14 Future Directions and Advice for Carriers45:19 Concluding Thoughts and Final RemarksFollow Ankur Patel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankurpatel9/Follow Ankur Patel on X: https://x.com/aapatel09Follow Multimodal on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/multimodalai/Follow Multimodal on Twitter: https://x.com/MultimodalAI

Read the blog post: www.multimodal.dev/pioneers-content/mortgage-ai-from-an-operators-perspectiveSubscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://www.multimodal.dev/pioneersHow is AI reshaping one of the most regulated industries in finance?Jason Harris, Strategic Initiatives Manager at American Portfolio Mortgage, joins Pioneers to unpack how AI is transforming mortgage lending from the inside out. Drawing on deep industry experience, Jason explains why a highly commoditized, Dodd-Frank–regulated market is primed for disruption, and how automation is already changing everything from underwriting to borrower experience. He shares why reducing manual processes is no longer optional, what lenders risk by delaying AI adoption, and how today’s shift mirrors past industry shakeups. The conversation also explores the broader macroeconomic backdrop, the future of interest rates, and how lenders should think about building, buying, or partnering on AI to stay competitive and scale responsibly.Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to AI in the Mortgage Industry02:12 Guest Introduction: Jason Harris02:39 Evolution of Mortgage Technology04:33 Automation and AI in Mortgage Processes07:32 Current Applications of AI in Lending10:34 Impact of AI on Mortgage Professionals16:33 Macro Environment and Market Trends22:22 Strategic Investments in AI25:50 Build vs. Buy: AI Solutions for Lenders29:53 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsFollow Ankur Patel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankurpatel9/Follow Ankur Patel on X: https://x.com/aapatel09Follow Multimodal on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/multimodalai/Follow Multimodal on Twitter: https://x.com/MultimodalAI

Read the blog post: https://www.multimodal.dev/pioneers-content/how-to-make-enterprise-ai-work-ft-tim-piemonteSubscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://www.multimodal.dev/pioneersHow do enterprises move from AI experimentation to real, scalable impact?Tim Piemonte, President and Co-Founder at Tribeca Softech, joins Ankur Patel to break down what it actually takes to implement AI successfully inside large organizations. Drawing from hands-on enterprise experience, Tim explains why aligning key stakeholders early is non-negotiable, how security and governance shape every AI decision, and why education and skill development often matter more than tooling. He also shares how leaders can communicate AI value to the C-suite, evaluate internal capabilities, balance quick wins with long-term strategy, and cut through the noise in an increasingly crowded AI vendor landscape.Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to AI and DevSecOps02:03 Guest Introduction: Tim Piemonte02:43 The Importance of AI Strategy03:48 Challenges in AI Adoption05:21 Interdependencies in AI Implementation08:08 Shadow IT and AI09:40 People, Process, and Platform15:40 Quick Wins and ROI in AI27:14 Build, Buy, or Partner: Navigating AI Solutions34:11 The Role of the CISO in AI Implementation37:27 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsFollow Ankur Patel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankurpatel9/Follow Ankur Patel on X: https://x.com/aapatel09Follow Multimodal on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/multimodalai/Follow Multimodal on Twitter: https://x.com/MultimodalAI

Read the blog post: https://www.multimodal.dev/pioneers-content/how-valley-bank-uses-ai-to-drive-banking-innovationSubscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://www.multimodal.dev/pioneersHow are traditional banks reinventing themselves for the fintech and AI era?Izge Cengiz Ercan, Director of Strategic Innovation at Valley Bank, joins Ankur Patel to share how she’s bridging legacy banking with emerging technologies, from agentic AI to startup partnerships and responsible innovation frameworks. She reveals why speed and governance don’t have to conflict, and how collaboration with risk and compliance teams can actually accelerate adoption.Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction: AI in Banking00:09 Future of Commercial Lending00:18 Build vs Partner: The Next Five Years00:28 Defining Innovation in 202600:37 Common Mistakes with Fintechs00:49 Overhyped AI Trends01:03 Key KPIs for Innovation01:11 Challenges in Scaling Innovation01:22 Misconceptions About Bank Innovation01:34 Future of Strategic Innovation01:45 ConclusionFollow Ankur Patel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankurpatel9/Follow Ankur Patel on X: https://x.com/aapatel09Follow Multimodal on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/multimodalai/Follow Multimodal on Twitter: https://x.com/MultimodalAI

Can AI make brokers superhuman instead of obsolete?Cheynna Massie, Managing Partner & CFO at Massie Risk and Founder of Agent 3, joins Ankur Patel to discuss how generative AI is reshaping commercial insurance, from automating back-office tasks to scaling broker intelligence. She breaks down why the real profit bottleneck isn’t technology, but human bandwidth, and how Decision AI can change that equation.

Can AI finally fix the broken economics of fleet insurance?Felix Kuhlmann, co-founder of Drive-In and Insurance Executive in Residence at Accenture’s FinTech Innovation Lab, unpack why commercial fleet insurance has been unprofitable for decades and how agentic AI, telematics, and better data pipelines could change that. From underwriting to risk sharing, Felix explains where AI can truly deliver impact for carriers and fleet operators alike.onomics of fleet insurance?

Why is AI adoption in financial services so slow? According to NayaOne’s Managing Director, Scott Sambucci, it’s the bureaucracy, not technology gaps.In this episode, he joins Ankur Patel to unpack what’s really stopping organizations from adopting AI, like endless committees, and share frameworks for testing AI responsibly, yet quickly. Tune in to learn why you should run structured validations and build a “fail fast” internal culture.

Why is AI adoption in financial services so slow? According to NayaOne’s Managing Director, Scott Sambucci, it’s the bureaucracy, not technology gaps.In this episode, he joins Ankur Patel to unpack what’s really stopping organizations from adopting AI, like endless committees, and share frameworks for testing AI responsibly, yet quickly. Tune in to learn why you should run structured validations and build a “fail fast” internal culture.

How do you make insurance work for small businesses?Henry Tam, Head of Business Development at Next Insurance, joins Ankur Patel to share how AI and automation are transforming underwriting, claims, and customer experience. From instant decisions to dynamic coverage, Henry explains how Next is reimagining insurance for Main Street America, while keeping customer simplicity at the core

What comes after SaaS in finance?Pete Keenan, VP of Finance at 645 Ventures, discusses the rise of agentic AI and what it means for high-stakes workflows in venture capital and beyond. From portfolio reporting to fund modeling, Pete shares where AI agents can deliver leverage today, why governance and explainability are non-negotiable, and how VCs can help their portfolio companies adopt AI, not just invest in it.

How are major banks embracing fintech with purpose?Malcolm Jussawalla, fintech leader and innovation strategist at TD Bank, joins Ankur Patel to share how he helps bridge the gap between startups and one of North America’s largest financial institutions. From de-risking innovation to building lasting partnerships, Malcolm offers a front-row look at making fintech work inside the enterprise.

What happens when a founder-turned-investor takes on AI?Colin Wallace, Managing Director at Lobby Capital and former Head of Innovation at Grubhub, joins Ankur Patel to explore the messy middle between product, trust, and experimentation. From investing in AI-first startups to building companies at the edge of automation, Colin shares how he evaluates founders and why thoughtful constraint often beats unbounded ambition.

How does a credit union compete with big banks - without big budgets?Chris Ferguson, VP of Consumer Lending at Forum Credit Union, joins Ankur Patel to share how his team is using Multimodal's AI to automate routine tasks, reduce errors, and scale auto lending without growing headcount. From trust-building to culture change, this episode explores what it really takes to bring AI into a highly regulated, member-first environment.

What’s really holding back AI in finance? Former Superintendent of Financial Services for the State of New York, Maria Vullo, joins Ankur Patel to unpack compliance risks, regulatory blind spots, and why explainability, not just capability, is key to enterprise AI adoption. Tune in for a practical, unfiltered look at how AI and regulation collide in the real world.

What do banks and insurers really want from AI? Luke Giancarlo, Director of the FinTech Innovation Lab, joins Ankur Patel to break down what’s working, what’s hype, and how startups can actually land deals with enterprise. From agentic AI to blockchain’s return, this episode unpacks the trends shaping financial innovation behind closed doors.

Austin Moss - entrepreneur, venture investor, and operator of seven companies- explores how founders can stand out in today’s noisy AI startup landscape. From vertical focus to scalable intelligence, we dig into due diligence, go-to-market moats, and why capital-efficient companies are rising fast. A must-watch for founders and investors navigating AI’s next wave

Christopher McDaniel, President of the Institutes Catastrophe Resiliency Council, joins Ankur Patel to unpack what it really takes to modernize the complex, risk-averse insurance industry. From climate risk to data silos, they explore how shared infrastructure, cross-industry collaboration, and regulatory engagement are redefining resilience in insurance. This conversation mentions, but goes beyond, blockchain and AI hype, focusing instead on the hard work of aligning innovation with real-world impact.

How do you get real business value from AI, without ripping out your legacy systems? Jimmy Iliohan, GM at LINKITSYSTEMS, shares practical insights from insurance, logistics, and manufacturing. From design blueprints to POC pitfalls, this episode is full of hard-won lessons on driving real outcomes with AI.

What does it take to scale AI inside massive enterprises? Sam Nasser, investor at ADP Ventures, shares how startups can partner with ADP, the real challenges in enterprise adoption, and what CVCs look for beyond financial returns. A must-watch for founders aiming to sell into the enterprise.

Bhavesh Dayalji, Chief AI Officer at S&P Global and CEO of Kensho, joins Ankur to explore the future of agentic AI. From AI-ready data to Spark Assist and multi-agent systems, this episode explores how enterprises are adopting AI at scale with trust, actionability, and impact at the core.

David Mocklow, Head of Strategy & Transformation at MSIG, joins Ankur to discuss why claims modernization isn’t optional anymore. From aging adjusters to rising litigation tech, the pressure is on. They cover why AI matters, why TPAs might outpace carriers, and how better claims data could reshape underwriting in real time.

Multimodal was selected as 1 of 15 startups globally for the Google Cloud AI Accelerator. In this episode, Ankur Patel, the founder and CEO, and Andrew McKishnie, VP of Engineering, reflect on what this means for Multimodal, what it was like attending Google Cloud Next, and how this experience will help Multimodal build agentic AI for finance and insurance.

Lenders missed millions during the last refi boom. If you don’t want to repeat history, this episode is for you. Ankur Patel and Matt Chojnacki, Account Executive at Multimodal, discuss how agentic AI can help ops teams handle more volume with fewer bottlenecks. From document parsing to decisioning, learn how to future-proof your workflows before the next wave hits.

Enterprises are finally moving past AI pilot purgatory — and Suzanne Rabicoff, Chief of Field at Multimodal, explains why. In this episode, she shares how agentic AI is helping companies scale smarter and faster.From underwriting to customer experience, AI agents are transforming workflows by embedding knowledge, boosting productivity, and freeing teams from repetitive tasks. This is more than automation — it’s orchestration.If you're serious about deploying AI at scale, this episode is packed with sharp insights on safety, compliance, and choosing the right vendors. The future belongs to businesses that act, not wait.

Mora Freire, product manager and customer success lead at Multimodal, and Ankur Patel discuss AgentFlow, a platform designed to simplify agentic AI integration in financial services.They talk about why they built AgentFlow, how it’s different from anything else on the market, and how it works under the hood.Key takeaways include the need for tech adaptation and seamless collaboration between AI Agents and human workers.