Consumer Credit Matters

William Black
  • 5.0 (1)
  • BUSINESS
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

Welcome to the Consumer Credit Matters podcast, where we discuss and analyze the world of consumer credit, credit risk and finance!

  1. Collections 2026: An Insider's View

    4D AGO

    Collections 2026: An Insider's View

    Collections is often discussed from the consumer angle. In this episode, Will Black goes inside the collector side of the business with John Bedard (Bedard Law Group), who advises debt collectors, debt buyers, and creditors on compliance, regulation, and litigation risk. We cover what “reg-lite” can mean in practice, how state and local requirements continue to shape day-to-day collections strategy, and why navigating federal, state, and even municipal rules is a core operating competency in 2026. We also dig into: How serious operators build and maintain compliance management systems What AI changes in collections, including the idea of software as the “near-perfect collector” when trained to stay inside jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction guardrails Credit reporting and medical debt, including the state-level push to restrict reporting and the legal uncertainty that follows #consumercredit #collections #compliance

    42 min
  2. VantageScore Challenges FICO

    JAN 22

    VantageScore Challenges FICO

    Mortgage credit scoring is entering a new competitive phase—raising practical questions for originators, aggregators, guarantors, and RMBS investors about calibration, comparability, and workflow adoption. In this episode, VantageScore leaders, Rikard Bandebo and Tony Hutchinson, break down what’s changing, why it matters, and what to watch next—including the push toward cash-flow and open-banking data. What we cover: • Why mortgage scoring is changing—and what “FICO classic” really means • Trended data and newer risk signals: what improves, what doesn’t • Adoption friction: workflow inertia across the mortgage ecosystem• Investor questions: disclosure, comparability, and spread implications • The next frontier: open banking / cash-flow data and “VantageScore 4 Plus” Listen and subscribe

    1h 1m
  3. Big-Box Holiday Outlook

    11/29/2025

    Big-Box Holiday Outlook

    Retailers are navigating a complicated environment marked by structural shifts, uneven consumer strength, and lingering pandemic-era distortions. In this episode, retail expert Charlie O’Shea, known for his clear-eyed analysis, returns to break down why some big-box operators continue to outperform—and why Target’s Q3 numbers require a more nuanced read than the headlines suggest. What we cover:• How years of strategic investment created today’s retail “haves and have-nots”• The role of store-based fulfillment and the rise of buy-online-pickup-in-store• Why Target’s Q3 results are misunderstood—and what the underlying data shows• The changing profile of today’s consumer and the impact of inflation, SNAP, and credit• A realistic holiday spending outlook based on Q3 earnings and consumer behavior Topics:consumer credit, abs, securitization, retail, big-box, Target, Walmart, consumer spending, credit risk, store cards, Charlie O’Shea #consumercredit #abs #securitization #lending #capitalmarkets #retail #bigbox #consumertrends #creditrisk

    42 min
  4. Inside Crypto Lending: Risk, Servicing, and Securitization with Emily Barron of Zaria | E21

    11/18/2025

    Inside Crypto Lending: Risk, Servicing, and Securitization with Emily Barron of Zaria | E21

    Crypto-backed lending is re-emerging as a serious funding channel — but only if lenders can meet institutional standards around collateral control, servicing, and risk management. In this episode, Emily Barron, CEO and co-founder of Zaria, breaks down the operational and capital-markets infrastructure needed to bring crypto margin loans into warehouse lending and securitization. What we cover:• How crypto-backed lending works today (LTVs, liquidation mechanics, stablecoins)• Why collateral segregation and custody infrastructure matter for institutional credit• How to structure servicing, backup servicing, and key agent functions in digital asset lending• Lessons from crypto winter, rehypothecation failures, and margin controls• What it will take for banks, ABS investors, and regulators to support crypto-secured loans

    50 min
  5. E20 The Tricolor Collapse: Vervent's Inside View as Successor Servicer

    10/28/2025

    E20 The Tricolor Collapse: Vervent's Inside View as Successor Servicer

    In this episode of Consumer Credit Matters, host William Black talks with David Johnson (CEO) and Derek Gamble (CLO) of Vervent, the firm that stepped in as successor servicer following the Tricolor Auto bankruptcy. They share what it takes for a backup servicer to become the front line in a lender collapse—managing data integrity, cash flow disruption, and investor communication—while highlighting what the case reveals about risk oversight in subprime auto ABS. Topics include: Vervent’s rapid mobilization as successor servicer Coordination with trustees and warehouse lenders How double-pledging and weak data controls can cripple a platform What Tricolor’s failure signals for subprime auto Listen, subscribe, and read more at https://www.consumercreditmatters.com

    1h 4m
  6. E19 After Tricolor: How Technology Could Close the Double-Pledging Gap

    10/18/2025

    E19 After Tricolor: How Technology Could Close the Double-Pledging Gap

    Summary:In this episode of Consumer Credit Matters, William Black sits down with Sid Siddhartha (CEO, Intain) to discuss how AI and blockchain could help prevent issues like the alleged double-pledging at Tricolor Auto. They explore what went wrong, how real-time data could change collateral monitoring, and whether this moment could finally push the securitization industry toward modernization. Chapters: Chapters:Intro• The Tricolor Shock • Lagging Data, Late Warnings• The Double-Pledging Problem• The Road to Adoption• Conclusion and Final Thoughts Takeaways: The Tricolor bankruptcy reveals major vulnerabilities in consumer credit. Double-pledging poses serious risk across warehouse and ABS financing. AI can enable real-time collateral performance monitoring. Blockchain offers immutable, auditable records to prevent duplication. Lenders and trustees are beginning to pilot these solutions with FIS. Regulatory shifts may accelerate technology adoption. Sound Bites: “We need early warning signals.”“Double pledging is a big issue.”“The technology is here and now.” About the show:Consumer Credit Matters is hosted by William Black, a structured-finance analyst and founder of Black Analytics LLC. The podcast features insights and interviews with industry leaders across consumer credit, securitization, and fintech innovation. #Tricolor #AutoFinance #Blockchain #AI #Securitization #ConsumerCredit #Fintech #StructuredFinance #ABS #WilliamBlack #ConsumerCreditMatters #Intain #SidSiddhartha

    26 min
  7. E18 Driving Into Default: Tricolor and the Subprime Auto Fallout

    10/11/2025

    E18 Driving Into Default: Tricolor and the Subprime Auto Fallout

    In this episode of the Consumer Credit Matters podcast, host William Black and guest Rod Dubitsky (aka The People's Economist) discuss the recent Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing of Tricolor, a subprime auto lender. They explore the unique business model of Tricolor, the implications of fraud allegations, and the role of securitization and warehouse lending in the company's downfall. The conversation also touches on the broader implications for the subprime auto lending market and the economic pressures facing borrowers. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to TriColor's Collapse 09:28 Straight to Chapter 7 Bankruptcy 12:24 Tricolor's Business Model 18:15 The Role of Securitization 31:40 The ABS ratings 44:29 Economic Headwinds or Immigration Policy? 57:22 The Role of the Backup Servicer 01:03:08 Social Bonds and ESG Considerations 01:08:08 Idiosyncratic vs. Systemic

    1h 21m
  8. Legalese Meets AI: Augmenting Decision-Making Across Structured Finance

    05/28/2025

    Legalese Meets AI: Augmenting Decision-Making Across Structured Finance

    In this episode of the Consumer Credit Matters podcast, host William Black interviews Peter Jasko, CEO and co-founder of Semeris, a company focused on enhancing the efficiency of reading and analyzing legal documents in the securitization market. They discuss the role of technology, particularly AI, in transforming document analysis, the challenges of accessing legal documents, and the expansion of Semeris into new asset classes. The conversation also touches on the competitive landscape, the evolution of legal documentation, and the future of private credit. Chapters 00:00 Punching Through the Noise: Welcome to Semeris 04:45 Meet the Founder: Peter Jasko on the Origins of Semeris 10:16 Case Study: CLO Documentation Review Process 13:39 The AI Leap: Beyond NLP Frustrations 16:51 Analyst Augmentation and Operational Efficiency 18:25 How Semeris Stands Apart 23:15 Beyond CLOs: Semeris Goes Multi-Asset 41:17 Build or Buy?: Competing in the Legal AI Race 50:18 Complexity in Legal Documentation and Its Implications 56:53 What's in a Name: The Story Behind "Semeris"

    1 hr
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About

Welcome to the Consumer Credit Matters podcast, where we discuss and analyze the world of consumer credit, credit risk and finance!

Information

  • Creator
    William Black
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © William Black
  • Show Website
    Consumer Credit Matters