Is your bank actually ready for AI, or just buying it? What happens when you automate a process that was already broken? And if the model makes the decision, who is accountable when it goes wrong?
In this episode of Next Best Action, host Alex Jimenez sits down with Theo Lau, founder of Unconventional Ventures, author of Banking on Artificial Intelligence, and one of American Banker’s Most Influential Women in FinTech. Theo argues that the biggest gap between AI hype and reality is readiness, not capability. Institutions are buying AI from many vendors, but if the processes underneath are broken, they are just automating mistakes faster.

How can banks and credit unions ensure they show up when a customer asks ChatGPT for mortgage rates or account options?

In this episode of Next Best Action, host Alex Jimenez sits down with Steven Ramirez, CEO of Beyond the Arc, to explore the emerging discipline of AI visibility. With over 20 years as a fintech and marketing strategist, Steven explains why the age of "blue links" on Google is declining and why the early stages of the customer journey are now beginning on AI platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude.

In this episode of Next Best Action, host Alex Jimenez sits down with Todd Purcell, Senior Vice President and Head of Digital Strategy at TD Bank, to trace the evolution of digital banking, from the early days of dial-up internet to today’s AI-driven world. With more than 30 years of experience at J.P. Morgan Chase, American Express, Citi, and USAA, Todd has been at the forefront of that evolution, including helping develop and launch Chase’s first internet banking service.

In this episode of Next Best Action, host Alex Jimenez sits down with Neville Billimoria, Chief Marketing Officer of Mission Fed Credit Union in San Diego. Neville brings more than two decades of experience at Mission Fed, most recently stepping into the CMO role after years leading membership and community advocacy.

We closed out #FinovateFall in New York the way we like to, by asking sharp people a hard question. What's hot in fintech in 2027? One rule came with it. If you said AI, you had to say what about AI. The answers got a lot sharper.

In this episode of Next Best Action, host Alex Jimenez sits down with Kevin Miller, President and CEO of Travis Credit Union, to explore the unique strengths of credit unions in an increasingly competitive financial landscape. Drawing from his extensive experience across big banks, regionals, and fintech, Miller shares how credit unions can out-execute larger institutions through mission-driven value, community engagement, and long-term thinking.

What community banks and credit unions get right when they start with strategy instead of chasing deposits? In this episode of Next Best Action, host Alex Jimenez sits down with Chris Rigoni, EVP, Head of Partner Banking and Payments at Axiom Bank. With more than a decade of experience working with fintechs at Evolve, Coastal Community Bank, Webster Bank, Sterling National, and BBVA, Chris shares practical lessons on what separates successful partnerships from expensive failures.

What does it actually take to be a successful Chief Digital Officer in banking? In this episode of Next Best Action, host Alex Jimenez sits down with Jay Tkachuk, a seasoned digital banking leader with 18 years of experience at Security Service Federal Credit Union and Golden 1 Credit Union. Together, they pull back the curtain on one of the most misunderstood roles in financial services: the Chief Digital Officer.

The conversation explores why the CDO title means something different at every institution and why that ambiguity is both a challenge and an opportunity. Jay explains that the role goes far beyond managing a mobile app or website. It requires a unique combination of technology expertise, business strategy, marketing knowledge, and the ability to build alignment across teams. He also shares hard-earned lessons on navigating competing priorities with marketing, IT, and operations, and explains why strong support from the CEO is essential for meaningful transformation.

Alex and Jay also discuss how digital banking has evolved from an alternative channel for younger customers into the primary experience that shapes the entire member relationship. They reflect on the pandemic's role in accelerating that shift, the continued importance of branches and call centers, and why delivering a truly seamless omnichannel experience remains a challenge for many financial institutions.

Why do so many banks and credit unions sit on mountains of data and still struggle to use it? The problem is rarely the data itself.

In this episode of Next Best Action, host Alex Jimenez sits down with Lauren Kessler, Director of Marketing Analytics and Sales at BankFont Credit Union, to tackle one of the most persistent challenges in community banking: why data strategy so often fails to deliver results.

Lauren brings a unique perspective, having spent eight years in banking analytics after a career in hospitality with Hilton and Marriott, industries that are "leagues ahead" of financial services when it comes to behavioral analytics. Together, they explore why community banks and credit unions sit on mountains of data but struggle to translate it into action.

The conversation cuts through the noise to reveal that the real obstacles aren't technical. They're cultural. From data silos that emerge with every new platform, to analysts who get lost in rabbit holes chasing perfect accuracy, to leaders who confuse reports with insights, this episode explores what it actually takes to build a data-driven organization.

In this episode of Next Best Action, host Alex Jimenez sits down with CarrieAnne Cormier, founder of BankSmart Studio and former COO of IC Credit Union. Together, they pull back the curtain on why so many digital transformations at community banks and credit unions fail to gain momentum. CarrieAnne shares hard-won lessons from the trenches, from her early days at Avidia Bank to her COO role, revealing that the biggest red flags have nothing to do with the tech stack. From "analysis paralysis" and misaligned language to leaders who don't use their own apps, this conversation is a masterclass in what it actually takes to create a culture of digital transformation.

What happens to relationship banking when the branch disappears and everything moves to a screen? For nearly two decades, banks have been racing to digitize, but something fundamental has been lost along the way, the human connection that built trust in the first place.

In this premiere episode of Next Best Action, host Alex Jimenez sits down with Scott Hurlbert, SVP of Digital Channels at Provident Bank and a 19-year veteran of digital banking. Together, they explore how community banks and credit unions can bridge the gap between high-tech convenience and high-touch relationships. From navigating mergers to leveraging data for personalization, Scott shares hard-won lessons on what it really takes to build trust when there's no banker in the room.

Dive into the world of FinTech with our latest episode of One Vision — the FinTech Fuse. Join Theo and our guest Alex Jimenez, the OG of FinTech OG, as they explore the major themes for 2026 from innovation to governance, as AI and M&A take center stage. Explore how money movement might become ‘invisible’. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on the future of AI, digital transformation, and the evolving landscape of the banking industry.

In the this episode of our commercial banking takeover, Peter Tapling of PTap Advisory joins guest host Alex Jimenez to explore the intersection of faster payments, fraud risk, and trust in commercial banking. Learn how to balance the adoption of new rails like FedNow with client education, fraud prevention, and smart execution strategies. If you’re leading modernization efforts, this episode is essential listening.

In this episode of our commercial banking takeover, Alan Koenigsberg, founder of Koenigsberg Insights and former Global Head at Visa, sits down with guest host Alex Jimenez to share how banks can modernize working capital, embedded finance, and B2B infrastructure. This episode is packed with insight into scaling safely, transforming legacy systems, and building operational models that last.

En un mundo donde la tecnología avanza más rápido que las regulaciones y los hábitos de los usuarios, la banca enfrenta un desafío decisivo: cómo conectar con las personas en la era digital. Hoy, la inteligencia artificial y el Engagement Banking están redefiniendo la forma en que los bancos se relacionan con sus clientes, impulsando la inclusión financiera y, al mismo tiempo, mejorando la rentabilidad.

En este episodio de Helvic Talks, conversamos con Alex Jimenez, Lead Principal Strategy Consultant en Backbase, una de las voces más influyentes en estrategia bancaria y transformación digital.

In the fourth episode of our commercial banking takeover, Jessika Wood, SVP of Commercial Payment Products at Fifth Third Bank, joins guest host Alex Jimenez to explore how banks can simplify complexity and scale growth through smarter commercial payments. With insights from fintech and traditional banking, Jessika shares what it takes to move from siloed services to integrated money movement ecosystems.

In the third episode of our commercial banking takeover, Jack Hubbard of The Modern Banker joins guest host Alex Jimenez to talk about modernizing the commercial banking sales playbook. From trust-based selling and power questions to effective second meetings and blended outreach strategies, this episode is a masterclass in how to sell through conversation, not pressure.

In the second episode of our commercial banking takeover, Jennifer Wilson, former Chief Digital Officer at Western Alliance Bank, shares how commercial banking teams can use UX and digital strategy to drive measurable acquisition and retention. Guest host Alex Jimenez guides a conversation on design thinking, reducing friction, and what real transformation looks like when banks focus on customer needs instead of internal assumptions.

In this first episode of our commercial banking takeover, J.P. Nicols of Alloy Labs joins guest host Alex Jimenez to explain how commercial banks can move beyond superficial innovation efforts and start delivering real business outcomes.

In this episode of the FinWise EYE ON: podcast, host Sarah Grotta is joined by Alex Jimenez, Lead Principal Strategy Consultant at Backbase, to discuss the trends and future of corporate payments. They delve into the lag in user experience for corporate payments compared to consumer-side innovations, and explore the current state and challenges in the industry. Topics covered include the role of real-time payments, the complexity of implementing digital solutions for businesses, and the potential impact of technologies like stable coins and AI. Alex shares insights from his experience and recent conversations with business leaders, offering a grounded perspective on the future of financial solutions in the corporate sector.