Banking Transformed with Jim Marous

The biggest competitive advantage in banking right now isn’t scale … it’s speed. According to PwC, GenAI is reshaping the balance of power across financial services, and the banks that move fastest will define the next era of growth. In fact, 58% of banking leaders believe generative and agentic AI will be the single most transformative force in the industry over the next three years, and 55% already consider it their top investment priority—more than any other sector in financial services. What’s truly disruptive is that AI is leveling the playing field. Smaller, more agile institutions now have access to the same intelligence, decision-making power, and client insights that once required massive scale. Speed—not size—is becoming the key differentiator. And this shift is pushing banks from asset-focused growth toward client-centered growth, where relevance, responsiveness, and rapid innovation drive real competitive advantage. Today, I’m joined on the Banking Transformed podcast by Sean Viergutz, Banking & Capital Markets Advisory Leader at PwC, to break down what this transformation means for leaders right now. We’ll explore how banks can redesign operating models, build new capacity for growth, and turn AI from a cost-saving tool into a true driver of client value.

Consumers don’t want more banking messages — they want relevance. And right now, most banks are wildly out of sync with what their communities actually need. Consumers want communication that reflects their neighborhood, life stage, and immediate financial needs — and broad, one-size-fits-all marketing isn’t effective. Hyperlocal strategies are emerging as some of the most powerful ways to drive acquisition, strengthen relationships, and capture market share. In this episode of Banking Transformed, I talk with Fred Cadena, Head of Client Strategy at Vericast, about how real-time data, household insights, and neighborhood-level trends are changing the way banks compete. Fred explains why “relevance beats reach,” how new mover and life-event signals drive growth, and what it takes to activate hyperlocal marketing without adding complexity. If your institution is seeking affordable, data-driven strategies to boost growth in 2025, this conversation provides a clear roadmap — and questions long-standing assumptions about how banks engage with their communities. This episode of Banking Transformed is sponsored by Vericast Vericast’s Hyperlocal Marketing solution is a fully managed, precision-engineered, data-driven approach to personalized digital advertising at the branch level enabling financial institutions to build stronger community connections, increase engagement and conversions, and optimize advertising spend for maximum impact. Vericast.com

In this video, Jim Marous broadcasts from Miami’s Wynwood Arts District — one of the most vibrant creative hubs in the world. Using the evolution of Wynwood as a backdrop, Jim explores why so many financial institutions struggle to differentiate, why creativity has become a strategic imperative, and how banks can learn from brands and artists unafraid to take bold, distinctive stands. From the history of Wynwood’s transformation to the sameness of today’s mobile banking experiences, Jim breaks down the hidden cost of playing it safe and what it will take for banks and credit unions to stand out in a crowded, commoditized marketplace. If you want your organization to compete on something other than price, convenience, or compliance, this episode is a wake-up call — and a path forward.

Today on Banking Transformed, I sit down with someone who never holds back – Kevin O’Leary from Shark Tank. We recorded this conversation live at the Catalyst Strategic Summit in Austin, where Kevin and I explored one of the biggest questions facing the industry today: What is the real future of retail banking—and where do smaller financial institutions still have a competitive edge? Kevin shares his unfiltered views on consolidation, regulation, innovation, leadership, and why he believes niche banks and credit unions may actually be better positioned than the giants if they’re willing to move faster, specialize, and rethink what value really means for customers.

The secret to breakthrough innovation isn't having more resources. It's all about learning faster. SpaceX went from near-bankruptcy to reshaping a $400 billion industry by compressing learning loops from years to weeks. This isn't just a space story. It's a blueprint for any regulated industry. If you change the speed of learning, you'll change the slope of performance. In this video, I share four lessons and one 90-day framework to compress your innovation cycles from months to weeks. Only 11% of banks have successfully scaled digital innovation, and 70% of executives expect non-traditional players to dominate by 2030. The winners won't be the largest institutions. They'll be those who disrupt themselves first. The question is whether your institution is ready?