August's Bank Forward connects four developments that don't seem related — until they do. The common thread: much of the infrastructure community institutions depend on is changing around them — faster than most planning cycles anticipated. bit.ly/4cnIXTv

I’m excited to keynote the New York Bankers Association Business of Banking conference, Sep 23 – 25 in Buffalo, NY. I’m looking forward to being part of that conversation and sharing a few practical ideas attendees can take back and put to work with their teams right away. Learn more: bit.ly/4i4twDl

Our website has a new look — and more importantly, a clearer voice. If you've ever wondered what Market Insights actually does and how we think, this is the best answer we've given yet. formarketinsights.com

Summer reading, just in the nick of time ☀️⏳📚 Quantum Sapiens just arrived — written by Paolo Sironi. It's a novel about AI, consciousness, and what it means to be human when the line between mind and machine starts to blur. Congrats, Paolo! #SummerReading #QuantumSapiens #AI #FintechBookClub

ICYMI: I made this point on the TechSolutions4CUs podcast with John San Filippo earlier this month and it applies just as much to community banks as CUs. It's human nature to default to what's always worked. But the pace of change doesn't leave room for that instinct. 🎙️ Full episode: finop.us/kfqz

In this on-demand @Alkamitech #AlkamiColab session, Theo Lau, Tiffani Montez, Jennifer White, and I dig into a shift that's already reshaping banking: account holders are searching with AI, spreading money across multiple relationships, and building their own financial ecosystems. buff.ly/x82t9iI

The July issue of Bank Forward (bit.ly/4fF0RDb) discussed how dollar-backed stablecoins are moving from the edges of finance into its core infrastructure. The world's biggest payments network just made stablecoins operational, not conceptual. bit.ly/4gJptvD

I was pleased to join John San Filippo on the latest episode of TechSolutions4CUs! 🎤 Complacency is the single biggest threat facing the industry, and we are unpacking the evidence-driven strategies credit union leaders need to adopt to survive: finop.us/kfqz

Happy 4th of July weekend! 🎆 Grateful today for community, for the freedom to build and dream, and for the people who make the holiday worth celebrating.

Last June, I wrote about disappearing rainbows. This June, I'm thinking about what followed - and what it cost. #PrideMonth 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ tinyurl.com/5jzz8ejb

Wishing you a safe and meaningful Memorial Day weekend.

Time is running out! The @Finovate Awards nomination deadline is this Friday, May 22, 2026. This is your last chance to showcase your #fintech innovation and gain the industry recognition you deserve. buff.ly/LPIFiwY

On my way to historic Bretton Woods. In 1944, delegates from 44 nations sat inside this ornate hotel and built a framework for a world changing faster than anyone could fully predict. That’s essentially what I’ll challenge @NEFMA attendees to do in the age of AI.

This month's Bank Forward: AI is already on the job inside a regional bank. A fintech bought a charter. A crypto exchange is building the infrastructure banks depend on. And Google just moved agentic commerce closer to checkout. A lot happened in May. tinyurl.com/yjkbxjdp

📚 Happy World Book Day! 📚 To celebrate, Fintech Book Club is launching the Fintech Book Library—a curated hub of the books shaping the future of finance (explore it here: lnkd.in/gpTSg5Gt). Your hosts: @stessacohen.bsky.social @strategistjim.bsky.social @efiglobal.bsky.social

I'll be delving into the latest fintech trends and news at #FinovateSpring. Join me there and save 20% with my code FKV2794SPK app.ingo.me/q/tekss #Finovate #fintech

Day 1 of @alkamitechnology.bsky.social Co:lab with two of the sharpest minds in the industry - @psbdc.bsky.social and Tiffani Montez. The conversations here aren’t about chasing trends — they’re about making sense of what actually matters. If day one is any indication… this is going to be epic. 💯

👉🏼 JD Power U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study just confirmed what many community banks are starting to feel: ‘soft switching’ is real. Customers now hold 3 deposit accounts on average—and 20% are already moving money. The risk isn’t losing accounts. It’s losing relevance. buff.ly/yapsGbC

Yep — that is me hanging upside down to kiss the Blarney Stone. Legend has it that since the 15th century, the stone grants the gift of eloquence to those brave (or foolish) enough to give it a kiss. As someone who makes a living speaking, I figured it was worth the risk. Happy St. Patrick’s Day 🍀

Today is #IWD2026 — and the theme, "Rights, Justice, Action," is a powerful reminder of the work yet to be done. To the #WomenInBanking and #WomenInFintech who fight for equality and justice — in boardrooms, branch offices, and everywhere in between — your work matters. Thank you 🙏🏼

Just wrapped up my talk on #AgenticAI at the @IndianaBankers Cyber, Fraud & Physical Security Conference. Meanwhile in the real world: Affirm + Stripe are combining BNPL with agentic commerce. Signals of where payments are headed: buff.ly/9jbkLQj

I'm excited to be a part of the upcoming @mibankers #MBABEST Conference on May 11-13 at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa in Traverse City! Join my session as we dive into #AgenticAI. Check out the program details and secure your spot by registering here: bit.ly/MBABESTConfe....

AI in education isn’t a crisis — avoidance is. Students will use AI. The real question is whether they’ll learn to use it well. Graduates who can’t work alongside AI will be at a disadvantage in every field. Framing it as “cheating” misses the point. We need to educate the educators.

This month’s Bank Forward looks at one big question: who controls deposits — and where they live next — as stablecoins, consolidation, and charter activity reshape the competitive landscape for community banks and credit unions. tinyurl.com/5cdx5aya via @LinkedIn

"The first 60 to 90 days of a relationship are increasingly viewed as the make-or-break window, and better onboarding tools are one of the most measurable ways to improve that outcome." - @strategistjim.bsky.social Why small banks, credit unions are buying onboarding tech tinyurl.com/4p7hwk2v

Looking forward to joining a great group of speakers on the Marketing Track at @ilbanker’s ONE Conference next month. I’ll be sharing a session on “The Emerging Consumer: What’s New? What’s Next?!” Hope to see some familiar faces there. buff.ly/abkazZJ

On my flight back from #AOBA26, I read Brett King's latest thoughts on why #AI may upend the assumptions that have anchored capitalism for centuries—and why “waiting for proof” of disruption could be dangerously late. #FuturistFriday 👉🏼https://tinyurl.com/3jsjyz7d

My day two takeaways from @BankDirector's #AOBA26 —on execution, culture, and what bankers really expect in 2026 buff.ly/gbZFd6h

ICYMI: While many of us enjoyed the warm, sunny days at #AOBA26, #PunxsutawneyPhil saw his shadow at Gobbler's Knob in PA, predicting 6 more weeks of winter. 🥶 Happy #GroundhogDay

Shared a few takeaways from day one of @BankDirector’s Acquire or Be Acquired conference—on M&A readiness, shrinking deal pools, and why banks need to think beyond their own vertical. 👉🏼 buff.ly/UFqxlbG #AOBA26