Social Currency

Tyler Seydel and Eric Schurr
  • 5.0 (3)
  • INVESTING
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Social Currency, powered by Sunrise Banks, is a podcast that introduces you to some of the most innovative changemakers in finance, technology and social impact, and how they are dismantling barriers and reshaping their industries for a more inclusive, equitable and sustainable future. Here we speak to those at the forefront of positive change through social entrepreneurship to unveil the stories behind the revolution that is propelling us toward a world where everyone has equitable access to opportunities.

Episodes

  1. JAN 27

    Wealth Beyond Money: Building Security, Choice, and Control

    This episode explores the mission of advancing financial stability and generational wealth for traditionally underserved individuals and families through the lens of  founder and CEO of The Savings Collaborative Barbara Freeman. The conversation highlights her global career in finance, consulting, and development, and how her personal experiences with financial uncertainty and deeply held values around fairness shaped the founding of the Savings Collaborative. Barbara shares how her work bridges systems, education, and economic opportunity to address the everyday financial fragility faced by working families, ultimately reframing wealth not just as money, but as security, choice, and control over one’s life. Bio: Dr. Barbara Freeman is the founder and CEO of The Savings Collaborative. She combines her global experience in finance, education, and social impact to help people and communities expand opportunity. She is also a senior consultant to the World Bank, where she focuses on technology and innovation in education. She was a Visiting Scholar at UC Berkeley and is a certified financial counselor. Barbara created award-winning digital learning tools for English learners and students with special needs, making learning more accessible and engaging for diverse students. Earlier in her career, she helped pioneer one of the first global derivatives portfolios as a currency options dealer with UBS and HSBC, and co-founded KPMG Consulting’s Risk Management practice in Asia, building it into a 400-person team.

    37 min

  2. 07/29/2025

    Gamifying Financial Literacy: Preparing the Next Generation for Financial Wellness with Modak

    In this episode of Social Currency, hosts Tyler Seydel and Eric Schurr speak with Madhu Yalamarthi co-founder and CEO of Modak — a fintech platform empowering families to teach financial literacy through gamification. Madhu shares how Modak is helping teens build smart money habits using real-world tools like debit cards and paycheck simulations. He also opens up about his personal journey from a small farming village to Stanford and venture capital, and how that shaped his mission to use business and technology for social impact. This conversation dives into why financial literacy is not just about money, but about empowerment, equity, and preparing the next generation for a better future.

    42 min

  3. 06/24/2025

    Unapologetic Leadership: Empowering Women and Disrupting the Status Quo

    In this empowering episode of Social Currency, Eric Schurr and guest host Maria Wilkison sit down with Kristi Hemmer, and dive deep into real-world solutions for closing gender equity gaps and building confident leaders. Kristi—founder of the Academy for Women’s Empowerment (AWE), author, experienced educator, and certified social entrepreneur—shares a robust toolkit built from 20+ years of classroom experience and a mission to disrupt systems that hold girls and women back.

    28 min

  4. 05/27/2025

    Navigating the Shift: Emerging Trends in Digital Payments

    In the latest episode of the Social Currency podcast, Tony McGee, Senior Director, FI & Fintech Sales at Onbe, shares his insights on the evolving landscape of digital payments. As consumer expectations shift towards speed, convenience, and choice, digital payment systems are becoming more integral than ever. Tony discusses the current trends he’s observing, including the rise of embedded finance, the expansion of real-time payments, and the growing demand for sustainable and inclusive payment solutions. He also explores how businesses are adapting to these changes and what the future holds for digital transactions. Tune in to understand how these developments are shaping the way we pay and get paid.

    38 min

  5. 04/29/2025

    Battling Fraud in Fintech: How Banks and Fintechs can Stay Ahead

    Join hosts Tyler Seydel and Eric Schurr as they talk with John Barbella, Founder and President of Neighborli, about preventing fraud in fintech. With over 30 years in financial services, John shares insights on compliance, the evolving fraud landscape, and how banks and fintechs can collaborate to stay ahead. Tune in to learn how Neighborli is bridging the gap between financial institutions and fintechs to create a more secure and innovative digital banking future.

    39 min

  6. 03/11/2025

    Closing the Legacy Gap: Transforming Transitions with Paige

    In this episode of Social Currency, hosts Tyler Seydel and Eric Schurr sit down with Emily Cisek, co-founder and CEO of Paige (Formerly The Postage®), a platform dedicated to simplifying long-term financial planning and legacy management. Emily shares her journey from startup life to founding Paige, inspired by personal experiences with loss and the challenges of end-of-life planning. They discuss the importance of financial preparedness, overcoming the social friction of these conversations, and how Paige is helping families and small business owners secure their futures. Tune in for insights on financial wellness, social connection, and the evolving role of community banks in supporting generational transitions.

    28 min

  7. 09/24/2024

    Mastering Product Leadership: Balancing Strategy, Management, and Humanity

    Featuring Colleen Wilson, Fintech Advisor and Product Executive  Technology, your customer base, your business—these things are constantly changing, and in order to be a good product manager, understanding each piece of the puzzle is essential. In this episode, Colleen Wilson, Fintech Advisor and Product Executive breaks down how you can be a strong product leader by effectively managing both product management and product strategy to bring humanity back to [product] leadership and grow business.

    36 min

  8. 07/23/2024

    Blueprints for Change: Lessening Your Climate Change Impact Through Net Zero Banking

    Big banks in U.S. banks allocate up to 30% of their investments to carbon-intensive industries, inadvertently fueling climate change. Many people are unaware that their bank accounts could be significant contributors to carbon emissions. In this episode, we delve into the story of Firefly, a pioneering sustainable apartment building on Grand Avenue in South Minneapolis. Architect Adam Bradley Jonas and developer Jay Rajaratnam share their insights on overcoming unique challenges in creating net zero buildings. They discuss their collaboration with Sunrise Banks and its innovative Net Zero Banking Program. Laura Wildenborg, VP of Strategic Lending at Sunrise Banks, explains how Net Zero Banking can effectively reduce emissions and drive climate action, empowering both organizations and individuals to kickstart sustainability initiatives.

    25 min

  9. 06/25/2024

    Balancing Innovation and Regulation: Navigating New Frameworks in Fintech

    Featuring Kirsten Muetzel, Principal, KLM Advisory As financial systems innovate to offer new products and address problems facing our communities, they may be subject to new processes like novel activities exams. In this episode, we delve into the complexities of regulatory frameworks with Kirsten Muetzel, Principal at KLM Advisory. Tune in to understand how fintechs and bank partners are adapting to innovative activities and what it means for safety, soundness, and consumer protection in the ever-evolving financial ecosystem.

  10. 05/21/2024

    Revolutionizing Credit Building: How Self Financial is Leading the Way

    Featuring Paul Brady, SVP of Risk, Self Financial Traditionally, to get credit, you needed credit. It’s a catch-22, and a system that is set up against many of us. Joined by Paul Brady, Senior Vice President of Risk at Self Financial, this episode delves into how Self is pioneering innovative solutions to empower individuals in their journey toward financial stability. From the inception of the Credit Builder Account to the recent acquisition of their Rent and Bills Reporting services, Self is reshaping the landscape of credit building by meeting customers where they are and providing them with the tools and education needed to thrive. (edited)

    15 min

  11. 04/23/2024

    Innovation for Inclusion: MoCaFi’s Vision with CEO Wole Coaxum

    Featuring Wole Coaxum, Founder & CEO of Mobility Capital Finance, Inc. (MoCaFi) In this episode of Social Currency, we sit down with Wole Coaxum, CEO and Founder of Mobility Capital Finance (MoCaFi,) to explore his journey from financial services to social entrepreneurship. Discover how MoCaFi is expanding access to financial resources for underbanked individuals via a cost-effective technology pilot program in New York City distributing pre-paid immediate response cards to asylum seekers. Learn how Wole envisions scaling similar programs to help the unbanked and underbanked while creating efficiencies for other local economies.

    25 min

  12. 03/22/2024

    Ahead of the Curve: Strategic Foresight with Eric Schurr

    Eric Schurr, Chief Strategy Officer, Sunrise Banks and Social Currency Podcast Co-Host As a certified practitioner in strategic foresight, Eric unravels how organizations can solve market opportunity challenges using provocative questions to help anticipate and better prepare for change. By re-imagining opportunities for our organizations, strategic foresight can give us the tools to become future-looking. If adopted, the language of foresight begins to infiltrate the language of projects and everyday work.

    30 min
  • 12 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Social Currency, powered by Sunrise Banks, is a podcast that introduces you to some of the most innovative changemakers in finance, technology and social impact, and how they are dismantling barriers and reshaping their industries for a more inclusive, equitable and sustainable future. Here we speak to those at the forefront of positive change through social entrepreneurship to unveil the stories behind the revolution that is propelling us toward a world where everyone has equitable access to opportunities.

Information

  • Creator
    Tyler Seydel and Eric Schurr
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    12
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    ©2024 Provoke.fm Media, LLC
  • Show Website
    Social Currency