Best Fintechs to Work For

A business world gone suddenly virtual played to the strengths of fintech companies. After all, they are built on digital alternatives to analog processes, from making loans to trading securities.

But even though many fintechs saw growth accelerate over the last 12 months, they were not immune to the political, social and financial turmoil wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 49 companies that earned a spot in our ranking of the Best Fintechs to Work For this year had to respond nimbly, as the crisis demanded shifts in business strategy and leadership style.

Top executives from each company – which include those in banking, mortgages, payments and wealth management – detailed how their businesses evolved and what they did differently to attract talent in the midst of the coronavirus crisis. They also talked about what qualities proved to be the most important for leaders. The ability to communicate emerged as a common theme. But so did trust, empathy and resilience.

Here is some of what these executives have taken away from the past year.

(Note that employee totals for each company are for U.S. staff only, and some companies may have higher overall headcounts.)

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IntraFi Network

Business: Banking technology provider
Location: Arlington, Va.
Employees: 217
CEO: Mark Jacobsen
Website: intrafi.com
Twitter: @IntraFi

What is the most important quality in a leader?

“We look for managers who acknowledge that their staff know more about their subjects than they do while still inspiring them,” said Mark Jacobsen, CEO of IntraFi Network. “This requires managers with a high degree of self-awareness, a high EQ. The workforce has become increasingly transient and training costs continue to rise, so worker retention is more important than ever to the bottom line. Managers who connect with the needs of their staff are better at keeping employees on board and motivated.”

Read more: Promontory Interfinancial rebrands as IntraFi, looks to diversify (Oct. 29, 2020)

Pictured: IntraFi's diversity and inclusion committee.
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Smiley Technologies

Business: Banking technology provider
Location: Little Rock, Ark.
Employees: 50
President and CEO: Elizabeth Glasbrenner
Website: sibanking.com
Twitter: @SmileyTechno

What is the most important quality in a leader?

“The qualities may vary, depending on the type of company, industry and stage of growth. However, in my opinion, transparency is independent of those factors and is necessary to create trust, to convey to your employees they matter, and to solve significant problems,” said Elizabeth Glasbrenner, CEO of Smiley Technologies.

Pictured: Smiley's employees and families participating in an obstacle course.
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Vestwell

Business: 401(k) record-keeping platform
Location: New York
Employees: 76
CEO: Aaron Schumm
Website: vestwell.com/
Twitter: @Vestwell

How has your company evolved since it launched?

“As we continue to mature the business, we have had to be more strategic about what we say ‘yes’ to versus what we politely decline. Partnerships that we decline to engage in today would’ve likely been a ‘sure’ just a few years back,” said Aaron Schrum, CEO of Vestwell.

Pictured: Vestwell CEO Aaron Schumm.
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Braviant Holdings

Business: Online lender for underserved consumers
Location: Chicago
Employees: 37
CEO: Stephanie Klein
Website: braviantholdings.com
Twitter: @braviant

What is the most important quality in a leader?

“Resilience. It's easy to feel enthusiastic and energized when everything is going to plan. The true leadership test comes when things start to veer off track,” said Stephanie Klein, Braviant’s CEO. “In a year as unprecedented as last year, many leaders, myself included, had to make incredibly tough decisions in the face of massive uncertainty. No matter how heavy the weight of those decisions might feel, it's critical to remember that the rest of the organization is still counting on you to lead.”

Pictured: A "Whirlyball" company outing.
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Alloy

Business: Banking technology provider
Location: New York
Employees: 55
CEO: Tommy Nicholas
Website: alloy.co
Twitter: @usealloy

What is the most important quality in a leader?

“Helpfulness: The best leaders are the best helpers,” said Tommy Nicholas, CEO of Alloy. “Why would you want to follow someone who can't or won't help you?”

Pictured: Virtual team event visit to a Goal Sanctuary Tour.
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Pipe

Business: Banking technology provider
Location: Los Angeles
Employees: 16
Co-CEO: Harry Hurst
Website: pipe.com
Twitter: @pipe

In the midst of the pandemic, how have you been able to attract tech talent?

“As we’ve grown the team beyond the founding team, the pandemic has opened up the opportunity for us to hire the best talent globally — rather than optimizing for proximity to a central office location. In doing so we’ve hired tech talent from all corners of the U.S., as well as Europe,” Harry Hurst, co-CEO of Pipe.

Pictured: Pipe Co-CEO Harry Hurst.
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Payrailz

Business: Money transfer and bill payment products
Location: Glastonbury, Conn.
Employees: 44
CEO: Fran Duggan
Website: payrailz.com
Twitter: @payrailz

There has been a lot of discussion about creating a special purpose charter for fintechs. Would your company be interested in applying for such a charter?

“We could see that being an option for tech companies looking to break into the financial industry, but we don’t see that in our own future. We view technology in two camps: one being ‘TechFin’ or those companies that want to offer financial services that compete with financial institutions and one that is closer to our definition of ‘fintech,’ which is to provide solutions that help financial institutions better compete and serve the needs of their customers or members,” said Fran Duggan, CEO of Payrailz.

Read more about Payrailz, which also appeared on the 2020 list of Best Fintechs to Work For: When moving to a fintech job doesn't involve moving at all
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Snappy Kraken

Business: Digital marketing for financial services
Location: Ormond Beach, Fla.
Employees: 36
CEO: Robert Sofia
Website: snappykraken.com
Twitter: @SnappyKraken

What is the most important quality in a leader?

“To borrow an old quote from a French writer: ‘If you want to build a ship, don’t herd people together to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.’ To me, this expresses the very essence of leadership,” said Robert Sofia, CEO of Snappy Kraken.

Pictured: Snappy Kraken CEO Robert Sofia (third from right).
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Apiture

Business: Open API banking platform
Location: Wilmington, N.C.
Employees: 198
CEO: Chris Babcock
Website: apiture.com
Twitter: @apiture

How has your company evolved since it launched?

“Our goal has always been to transform the capabilities of digital banking to allow banks and credit unions of all sizes to compete, but some of our goals have been accelerated as digital banking has become of increased importance for many institutions,” said Chris Babcock, Apiture’s CEO. “We also realized that there was a huge opportunity to not only provide our customers with great products, but to become true partners. We have expanded our customer experience to include a much more consultative approach in helping our customers manage their digital needs.”

Pictured: Ribbon cutting ceremony in the new Wilmington, NC Office.
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ActiFi

Business: Technology and consulting for financial advisers
Location: St. Louis Park, Minn.
Employees: 19
CEO: Spenser Segal
Website: actifi.com/
Twitter: @ActiFi

As a small company, Actifi strives to foster an entrepreneurial environment for its employees. The company called on that spirit to develop its response to the coronavirus. Managers and employees collaborated on developing and implementing Actifi’s COVID-19 preparedness plan, which covers everything from cleaning to communications.

Pictured: ActiFi CEO Spenser Segal (left) and SVP Oleg Iatic.
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T-REX

Business: Provider of capital-markets technology
Location: New York
Employees: 18
CEO: Benjamin Cohen
Website: trexgroup.com
Twitter: @TREXTALK

How has your company evolved since it launched?

“We began with a very narrowly focused proposition that solved for a real challenge in the industry, namely solar project finance. Strategically though, we built our offering in a very thoughtful way, allowing for the build out of different components and functionality. As we began speaking to more industry participants and they found value in our product, they had us start to look in two different directions. One, towards new asset classes and the other towards structured finance,” said Benjamin Cohen, CEO of T-REX.

Pictured: Benjamin Cohen, CEO at T-REX.
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Redtail Technology

Business: Software for wealth management CRM
Location: Sacramento, Calif.
Employees: 121
CEO: Brian McLaughlin
Website: redtailtechnology.com
Twitter: @RedtailCRM

In the midst of the pandemic, how have you been able to attract tech talent?

“The only real substantive recruitment change we’ve put into place is opening up employment opportunities for most positions across all Redtail office locations, rather than restricting a given position based upon geography. Work-from-home has made it clear that, for most job functions, location doesn’t factor into a given applicant’s ability to perform that role successfully,” said Brian McLaughlin, Redtail’s CEO.

Pictured: At the Sacramento Pride march.

How Brian McLaughlin keeps Redtail's spirit alive while working from home


When Sarah Thomas saw a job posting in 2015 for a customer service position in an office full of puppies and foam rocket battles, it seemed almost too good to be true.

Six years later, Thomas, now a managing team lead in Redtail's customer support staff, can't imagine wanting to work anywhere else. It would seem Redtail CEO Brian McLaughlin's dedication to turn customers into "raving fans" has a similar effect on many employees.

"The people, all the way from the top down to your everyday, front-line employee, we're not a number. Every person matters," Thomas says. "It's a family environment."

Click here to read the full profile.
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Member Driven Technologies

Business: Banking technology provider
Location: Farmington Hills, Mich.
Employees: 147
President and CEO: Larry Nichols
Website: mdtmi.com
Twitter: @memberdriven

What is the most important quality in a leader?

“Family first. When we take care of our team; they take care of our clients. We’ve always taken a strong stance on work/life balance, and COVID has allowed us to prove that we really mean it,” said Larry Nichols, CEO of Member Driven Technologies.

Pictured: MDT employees volunteering at Gleaners Community Food Bank in Warren, Michigan.
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Bankers Healthcare Group

Business: Lender for healthcare professionals
Location: Davie, Fla.
Employees: 685
CEO: Albert Crawford
Website: bankershealthcaregroup.com
Twitter: @BHGstat

What do you see as the most important quality in a leader?

“When your only way of working with a team is through video, phone, and email, your communication skills need to be precise. Not only do you need to work harder on verbal communication to ensure you’re being understood and you understand, but leaders must tune in to other cues like body language, tone of voice, and quality of work,” said Albert Crawford, CEO of Bankers Healthcare Group. “They also should take a genuine interest in their people and build meaningful relationships.”

Pictured: "BHG builds people who build BHG"
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Ethic

Business: Asset-management technology for sustainable investing
Location: New York
Employees: 29
CEO: Doug Scott
Website: ethicinvesting.com
Twitter: @ethicinvesting

There has been a lot of discussion in policy circles about creating a special purpose charter for fintechs. Would your company be interested in applying for such a charter?

“We are very supportive of any forward-thinking policy or legislation that encourages more innovation, particularly in financial services,” said Doug Scott, CEO of Ethic. “Fintechs play an essential role in the financial services ecosystem, driving change and ultimately achieving better outcomes for consumers.”

Pictured: Ethic CEO Doug Scott.
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MPOWER Financing

Business: Lender to international students
Location: Washington, D.C.
Employees: 19
CEO: Manu Smadja
Website: mpowerfinancing.com
Twitter: @mpowerfinancing

In the midst of the pandemic, how have you been able to attract tech talent?

“De-emphasizing facetime in the recruiting process enabled us to leverage the technology we already use in the course of operations to streamline and accelerate how we interview candidates for new roles. We've been able to cut down our cycle time from resume submission to hire and, from feedback, we know that our recruiting process has become much more efficient and enjoyable for candidates,” Manu Smadja, CEO of MPOWER Financing.
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Halo Investing

Business: Investment-management technology platform
Location: Chicago
Employees: 52
CEO: Biju Kulathakal
Website: haloinvesting.com
Twitter: @HaloInvesting

There has been a lot of discussion in policy circles about creating a special purpose charter for fintechs. Would your company be interested in applying for such a charter?

“Halo would be interested,” said Biju Kulathakal, Halo’s CEO. “New technology makes financial products and services easier to use and more accessible. It also allows a wider range of consumer preferences and demands to be met. However, the financial industry is heavily regulated, and the regulations often can’t keep up with the rate of innovation. Special purpose charters would allow for more flexibility for fintechs to innovate faster to increase efficiency and accessibility while better serving their customers.”

Pictured: Halo bootcamp.
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MX

Business: Data aggregation and analytics
Location: Lehi, Utah
Employees: 497
CEO: Ryan Caldwell
Website: mx.com
Twitter: @mx

What is the most important quality in a leader?

“The primary role of a leader is to influence the collective resources of the team so that their maximum competency and energy is focused towards achieving the vision of that team. The ultimate leader is the individual who can do this to the greatest extent possible and for the longest sustained time,” said Nate Gardner, MX’s chief customer officer. “Such extraordinary leaders also inspire the creation of a multitude of emergent leaders who continue achieving that vision.”

MX, a fast-growing firm, nurtures a play-hard, work-hard vibe


MX Technologies emphasizes a core value — "exuberance for life" — on its website and in recruitment materials, and it lives up to that attitude with energizing benefits and perks.

The 11-year-old financial data aggregation firm, based in Lehi, Utah, relies on workers to maintain a brisk growth pace, which will likely accelerate this year following the company's recent win of $300 million in venture capital for further expansion.

Even during the pandemic, MX's headcount increased by about 10%, as its customer-permission data-sharing platform serving 2,000 financial institutions and corporate customers saw more activity in consumer money management.

To attract and keep its 555 employees, MX encourages a playful attitude by devoting the first floor of its offices to entertainment and comfort with video games, ping pong, a pool table and a lounge area.

The shelves and refrigerators of a large break room are fully stocked with snacks and beverages — including the popular candy zone. Employees are encouraged to take off on bicycles, skateboards and a golf cart when they need to clear their minds.

Click here to read the full profile.
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YCharts

Business: Financial data research platform
Location: Chicago
Employees: 65
President and CEO: Sean Brown
Website: ycharts.com
Twitter: @ycharts

Read more about Ycharts, which topped the 2020 list of Best Fintechs to Work For: What is the YCharts approach to a great workplace culture?

What is the most important quality in a leader?

“The ability to inspire,” said Sean Brown, the president and CEO of YCharts. “A leader with a great vision, strong strategic orientation, adaptability, integrity, and compassion who is unable to inspire their team will fail to reach the same heights as one who does.”

Pictured: Sean Brown, President and CEO of YCharts.
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Sila Money

Business: Payment platform
Location: Portland, Ore.
Employees: 20
CEO: Shamir Karkal
Website: silamoney.com
Twitter: @SilaMoney

How has your company evolved since it launched?

“Our go-to-market plan has evolved quite a bit. We have become much better at finding customers online, signing them up virtually, and doing customer service in an all-remote world,” said Shamir Karkal, Sila Money’s CEO. “This has really helped broaden our customer base and speed up sales processes. A large part of the company is still based in Portland, but we now have salespeople in Missouri and Florida, as well as employees in other remote locations.”

Sila's craftsmanship culture treats new hires as apprentices


Sila Money, a venture-backed company that specializes in creating banking and payment platform APIs for other fintechs, attracts new recruits through a culture of learning.

This is especially important in the fast-paced world of financial services technology, where companies and their employees must adapt rapidly to stay ahead of global trends in their industry — digital currencies, challenger banks and more.

"There is no internet protocol for money," said Shamir Karkal, co-founder and CEO of Sila Money. "Programming for a neo bank is difficult. We have people who come to us deep in technical skills but needing to be shown how to apply them for money movement. Our craftsmanship culture teaches people the tribal knowledge they need to build quality APIs that our clients love. We celebrate each other's work and take great pride in helping people learn."

Click here to read the full profile.
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Teslar Software

Business: Banking technology provider
Location: Springdale, Ark.
Employees: 30
CEO: Joe Ehrhardt
Website: teslarsoftware.com/
Twitter: @teslarsoftware

In the midst of the pandemic, how have you been able to attract tech talent?

“We have largely cut back on our broad recruiting efforts like online job postings … and have focused much more on referrals and social networks to find talent. This method gives us a talent pool that we trust and trusts us, which helps build the foundation of our culture. And that pool continues to grow and further diversify as we add additional team members,” Joe Ehrhardt, CEO of Teslar Software. “When utilizing this method, though, it is key to keep diversity top of mind and not just hire from your social circles.”

Pictured: Teslar team members last Halloween.
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FourQ Systems

Business: Intercompany payment technology
Location: Westport, Conn.
Employees: 45
CEO: Varun Tejpal
Website: fourq.com/

How has your company evolved since it launched?

“One key differentiator for us over the past 12 months is that we have realigned our focus to be problem solvers instead of software sellers,” said Varun Tejpal, FourQ’s CEO. “Customers are weary of buying a piece of software that does not solve the underlying problem. Our approach has been retooled to drive true transformation for our customers whereby we use our world-class experts to help bridge the gap between ‘where the customer is’ to ‘where they want to go.’”

Pictured: Company trip in Cancun.
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280 CapMarkets

Business: Fixed-income trading platform
Location: San Francisco
Employees: 50
CEO: Gurinder S. Ahluwalia
Website: 280capmarkets.com
Twitter: @280capmarkets

How has your company evolved since it launched?

“My team and I understand that it is not enough to give advisors cutting-edge technology — they also need advocates on their side of the table, especially when buying and selling bonds in what has been a historically opaque marketplace,” said Gurinder Ahluwalia, CEO of 280 CapMarkets.

Pictured: Dave Rudd, President of 280 CapMarkets.
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Facet Wealth

Business: Financial planning technology
Location: Baltimore
Employees: 172
CEO: Anders Jones
Website: facetwealth.com
Twitter: @FacetWealth

What is the most important quality in a leader?

“The more that a leader can leverage the collective wisdom of the team, the better off the company will be. I'm a big believer in recruiting the best people possible, setting a bold strategic vision, and then getting out of the way to let the team make the magic happen,” said Anders Jones, Facet Wealth’s CEO.

Pictured: Facet Wealth CEO Anders Jones.

Facet Wealth re-thinks office space as it doubles employee count


Facet Wealth, the flat-fee wealth management fintech for mass affluent clients, is re-thinking what an office will look like once its employees feel comfortable meeting in-person again. As for now, much of its furniture and equipment is in storage.

The company, which had already been largely remote pre-pandemic, closed the doors of its headquarters in Baltimore on a Thursday night last March. With the crisis still ongoing by June 2020, CEO Anders Jones decided to wait out the pandemic and not re-sign the lease.

A year after the pandemic began in the U.S., one thing has become abundantly clear: "I certainly have zero desire to go back to commuting into an office every day," says Jones, who is currently residing in Florida with family.

Click here to read the full profile.
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Self Financial

Business: Consumer financial technology
Location: Austin, Texas
Employees:104
CEO: James Garvey
Website: self.inc
Twitter: @selfcreditapp

What is the most important quality in a leader?

“Leadership isn't about the leader. It's about bringing together great people who work towards building something greater than the sum of its parts. Five years ago, I would have said integrity, accountability, and communication — but without high-performing teams of people, leadership is meaningless,” said James Garvey, CEO of Self Financial.

Pictured: Taking a break at recreation time.
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Alkami

Business: Cloud-based mobile and digital banking services
Location: Plano, Texas
Employees: 572
CEO: Mike Hansen
Website: alkami.com
Twitter: @alkamitech

In the midst of the pandemic, how have you been able to attract tech talent?

“We have a culture that is intentional. It’s how we think, act, and interact with our clients, our community, and each other. Because it’s part of everything we do, our culture has become a competitive differentiator for us and one of the reasons that we are able to attract top talent in fintech — even as the pandemic wears on,” said Mike Hansen, CEO of Alkami.
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Nova Credit

Business: Alternative credit scoring
Location: San Francisco
Employees: 55
CEO: Misha Esipov
Website: novacredit.com
Twitter: @Nova_Credit

Many companies have taken stands on social and political issues in recent years. If your company is one of them, what concrete/practical steps have you taken to support those stands?

“In April 2020, we penned an open letter to several members of Congress, calling for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to extend all deadlines and statuses for nonimmigrant visa holders until 90 days after the state of emergency had closed,” said Misha Esipov, CEO of Nova Credit. “We hoped to acknowledge the disruption that the pandemic had caused to standard immigration procedures and motivate reasonable reforms to ease the uncertainty felt by millions of immigrants last year.”

Pictured: Nova Credit employees at the company's first in-person socially distanced gathering.
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PeerStreet

Business: Alternative investment platform
Location: Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Employees: 152
CEO: Brew Johnson
Website: peerstreet.com
Twitter: @peerstreet

Many companies have taken stands on social and political issues in recent years. If your company is one of them, what concrete steps have you taken to support those stands?

“PeerStreet recently launched a charitable initiative called the Evolving Neighborhood Uplift Fund project,” said Brew Johnson, CEO of PeerStreet. “The goal of the E.N.U.F. project is simple — to equip aspiring real estate entrepreneurs with the tools and capital they need to invest in real estate projects and, in doing so, invest in their communities.”

Pictured: PeerStreet team in the office wearing green.
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Bank OZK Innovation Labs

Business: In-house innovation lab for the bank
Location: St. Petersburg, Fla.
Employees: 48
Managing Director: Brian Smith
Website: ozk.com
Twitter: @BankOZK

What is the most important quality in a leader?

“An effective leader must continuously communicate in such a manner that each individual is inspired by the company vision, has a clear understanding of how their individual performance contributes to that vision, and has the tools and resources to perform their jobs with excellence,” said Brian Smith, managing director for Bank OZK Innovation Labs. “Those have always been core leadership qualities, but with COVID-19 causing more work to be done remotely, and more strategic meetings held virtually, the need for effective communication has been even greater.”

Pictured: Bank OZK CEO George Gleason hosting a meeting at the company's Labs office with leadership and product teams.
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Kasasa

Business: Banking products
Location: Austin, Texas
Employees: 464
CEO: Gabriel Krajicek
Website: kasasa.com/
Twitter: @Kasasa

What is the most important quality in a leader?

“For a team to tap into the best of themselves, they must trust their leader. Employees must trust that you are in it for them and that they are committed to a mission that matters. Conveying that is my number one job,” said Gabe Krajicek, Kasasa’s CEO. “This unchanging idea has helped us through a lot of rough times, the pandemic included.”

Pictured: Twice a year Kasasa hosts an all-company offsite called "Symposium of Peers" for employees to gather and reflect on goal achievement, financial performance, focus on the future and receive "Patch Awards" for embodiment of company values.
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Cross River Bank

Business: Provides banking platform for fintech firms
Location: Fort Lee, N.J.
Employees: 363
CEO: Gilles Gade
Website: crossriver.com
Twitter: @crossriverbank

In the midst of the pandemic, how have you been able to attract tech talent?

“Since March 2020, Cross River has hired more than 120 employees, many of whom joined our technology and development teams — our largest teams in the company,” said Phil Goldfeder, Cross River’s senior vice president for public affairs, adding that he believes the bank’s “mission and focus” are a draw, as well as its attractive benefits package. “We added additional benefits for employees and their families during the pandemic, such as expanded medical coverage, children’s programming, flexible schedules, work-from-home stipends and sent care and wellness packages to every employee.”

Pictured: Cross River employees spend a Day of Giving sorting and packing clothing with local organizations in New Jersey as part of the Cross River Community Service Program.
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SmartBiz

Business: Facilitates Small Business Administration loans
Location: San Francisco
Employees: 109
President and CEO: Evan Singer
Website: smartbizloans.com
Twitter: @smartbizloans

Many companies have taken stands on social and political issues in recent years. If your company is one of them, what concrete steps have you taken to support those stands?

“Over 50% of the SBA and conventional loans our partner banks originate utilizing our software and services are for women-owned, minority, or veteran businesses. We believe that funding for these underserved sectors is one of the big keys to economic recovery,” said Evan Singer, the president and CEO of SmartBiz.

Pictured: Austin employees in the new downtown office.
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PayTrace

Business: Online payment processing
Location: Vancouver, Wash.
Employees: 58
CEO: Scott Judkins
Website: paytrace.net
Twitter: @Paytrace

What is the most important quality in a leader?

“PayTrace is always looking to attract and retain people who lead with empathy and demonstrate courage by being vulnerable. We value leaders who hold accountability as a healthy way to learn from our experiences and celebrate accomplishments that matter. We believe these characteristics are even more important now than ever before,” said Scott Judkins, PayTrace’s founder and CEO.

Pictured: PayTrace employees in a weekly "show and tell" where a team has the floor to show off what they've accomplished, review changes that were made, and answer questions.
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Flyhomes

Business: Home-buying technology provider
Location: Seattle
Employees: 146
CEO: Tushar Garg
Website: flyhomes.com
Twitter: @realflyhomes

What is the most important quality in a leader?

“Great leaders have to recognize failure as a key component to success. When you run a startup, something is always blowing up. It’s a constant game of two steps forward and one step back. I’ve learned to stop worrying about single setbacks and to focus on the future. When you are creating something new, there will be failures. Take what you can learn from them, move on, and remember that they are as much a part of the story as success is,” said Tushar Garg, CEO of Flyhomes.

Pictured: Weekly town hall at Flyhomes.
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Promontory MortgagePath

Business: Digital mortgage company
Location: Washington, D.C.
Employees: 121
CEO: Gene Ludwig
Website: mortgagepath.com
Twitter: @Prom_MtgPath

Many companies have taken stands on social and political issues in recent years. If your company is one of them, what concrete steps have you taken to support those stands?

“In October 2020, we announced an initiative to support minority depository institutions and community development financial institutions,” said Gene Ludwig, CEO of Promontory MortgagePath. “MDIs and CDFIs that join will leverage our technology, mortgage fulfillment services, and joint marketing program at an aggressive discount.”

Pictured: Gene Ludwig, Chairman and CEO of Promontory MortgagePath.
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Jack Henry & Associates

Business: Banking technology provider
Location: Monett, Mo.
Employees: 6,844
CEO: David Foss
Website: jackhenry.com
Twitter: @jackhenryassoc

What is the most important quality in a leader?

“Although I would have always had empathy on the list of key qualities, I don’t know that it would have been first on the list for me five years ago. Things are pretty challenging for a lot of people these days and the ability to recognize what the other person is going through is key to the leader’s success,” said Dave Foss, CEO of Jack Henry &Associates.
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CSI

Business: Banking technology provider
Location: Paducah, Ky.
Employees: 1,241
Chairman and CEO: Steven Powless
Website: csiweb.com
Twitter: @CSIsolutions

What is the most important quality in a leader?

“This year has tested everything we thought we knew, and it’s forced us to adapt at an astounding pace. I’m not sure any of us could have anticipated the impact of a global pandemic, but I believe the best leaders adjust quickly, and do so with purpose,” said David Culbertson, CSI’s president and chief operating officer. “They also keep focus on the human element and work extra hard to expand communication and demonstrate real empathy with those they lead.”

Pictured: Volunteers from CSI in Valpairaso, Ind., doing outdoor chores and yardwork for the United Way Day of Caring in August 2020.
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StrategyCorps

Business: Checking products
Location: Brentwood, Tenn.
Employees: 63
Partner: Mike Branton
Website: strategycorps.com
Twitter: @StrategyCorps

What new HR policies have you implemented in the last year? Is there one that has proven popular and that will remain in place as the pandemic ebbs?

“StrategyCorps has always been focused on providing a work/life balance to employees, but remote work has allowed even more flexibility for employees. We plan to keep the remote policy in place and our office is also open with observed health and safety practices for those employees that want or need to work in the office,” said StrategyCorps’ partner Mike Branton. “We have always been a company to ‘gather and celebrate’ so even though remote work is in our future, we look forward to celebrating employee life events, recognition and other occasions in person once we have a healthy and safe environment.”

Pictured: StrategyCorps employees celebrating the company's United Way campaign with "The Game of Life."
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Abrigo

Business: Banking technology provider
Location: Austin, Texas
Employees: 422
CEO: Wayne Roberts
Website: abrigo.com
Twitter: @weareabrigo

Many companies have taken stands on social and political issues in recent years. If your company is one of them, what concrete steps have you taken to support those stands?

“We’ve made specific changes in our recruiting policies that require we source and interview diverse candidates. It isn’t optional,” said Wayne Roberts, CEO of Abrigo. “There was some initial concern amongst some that it would slow down hiring. It did not. And we are making meaningful progress in improving diversity and talent level in our company.”

Pictured: Monthly Abrigo happy hour.
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Advyzon

Business: Wealth-management CRM software
Location: Chicago
Employees: 39
CEO: Hailin Li
Website: advyzon.com
Twitter: @advyzon

How has your company evolved since it launched?

“Our company has evolved from an early startup mentality of folks wearing many hats to more a division of labor, focusing on employing and growing everyone’s core strength as subject matter experts, while collectively achieving a goal. Recently, we’ve focused more on scalability of our product and service while working with strategic partners,” said Hailin Li, CEO of Advyzon.

Pictured: Company bowling night at Punch Bowl Social.
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Envestnet

Business: Financial-planning services provider
Location: Berwyn, Pa.
Employees: 1,623
CEO: Bill Crager
Website: envestnet.com
Twitter: @ENVintel

In the midst of the pandemic, how have you been able to attract tech talent?

“Our mission and vision are key components when it comes to recruiting talent. We are a purpose-driven company and believe that the work we do, and in the future will do, can impact the quality of life for millions and millions of families. This is what drives us. People want to enroll in that,” said Bill Crager, CEO of Envestnet.

Pictured: Office ping pong tournament in Virginia.
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Allied Payment Network

Business: Banking technology provider
Location: Fort Wayne, Ind.
Employees: 33
CEO: Ralph Marcuccilli
Website: alliedpayment.com
Twitter: @AlliedPayment

How has your company evolved since it launched?

“I learned soon after launching Allied that — despite my banking background — selling to financial institutions wasn’t going to be as easy as I expected. I learned I could not sell our technology, despite it being leading edge, without offering a complete vision — the strategic benefits and value we add for our clients and their end-users,” said Ralph Marcuccilli, CEO of Allied Payment Network.

Pictured: "Separate but still one team."
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ClickSWITCH

Business: Banking technology provider
Location: Minneapolis
Employees: 51
CEO: Cale Johnston
Website: clickswitch.com
Twitter: @Click_Switch

In the midst of the pandemic, how have you been able to attract tech talent?

“No longer is it necessary for our organization to only recruit in our home city of Minneapolis. We now have 10 of our 56 employees that live outside the state of Minnesota. The tech talent in our industry seems to be enjoying a ‘work from home’ lifestyle and I foresee our organization continuing to hire in different geographies post-pandemic life,” said Cale Johnston, CEO of ClickSWITCH.

Pictured: ClickSWITCH CEO Cale Johnston.
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Urban FT Group

Business: Banking technology provider
Location: New York
Employees: 56
CEO: Richard Steggall
Website: urbanft.com
Twitter: @Urban_FT

What is the most important quality in a leader?

“Five years ago, I would have said that being a problem-solver was the most important quality in a leader. A year ago, I would have said that being innovative was the most needed. Today, my pick for the most critical leadership quality has evolved to be more encompassing. I’d say that being agile is the key for successful leadership. Leaders need to be nimble and quick, accepting that nothing will ever go exactly to plan. Agility can help prepare for that. Agility can also fundamentally support innovation and problem-solving,” said Richard Steggall, CEO of Urban FT Group.
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Plaid

Business: Financial technology provider
Location: San Francisco
Employees: 546
CEO: Zach Perret
Website: plaid.com
Twitter: @Plaid

Many companies have taken stands on social and political issues in recent years. If your company is one of them, what concrete steps have you taken to support those stands?

“In an effort to bridge to a more equitable financial system, we created FinRise, a program that supports founders that are Black, indigenous, or people of color, by providing resources to launch and grow early-stage businesses,” said Zach Perrett, CEO of Plaid.

Read More: Plaid’s deal to be acquired by Visa for $5.3 billion has been scuttled. What now?

Pictured: At the Pride parade in San Francisco (2019).
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Baker Hill

Business: Banking technology provider
Location: Carmel, Ind.
Employees: 123
President and CEO: John Deignan
Website: bakerhill.com
Twitter: @bakerhill

In the midst of the pandemic, how have you been able to attract tech talent?

“We believe that we’ve been able to do this by not only focusing on the health and safety of our employees, but by also still putting emphasis on creating a positive company culture even in a remote environment. We’ve continued to host virtual health and wellness challenges, virtual gatherings like a company picnic, and communicating frequently from the top of the organization down. I think this has helped to set that tone that even when we’re not physically together, we’re still a team and that is appealing to many during a time of isolation,” said John Deignan, president and CEO of Baker Hill.

Pictured: John Deignan, president and chief executive officer of Baker Hill.
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BlueVine

Business: Online business bank
Location: Redwood City, Calif.
Employees: 189
CEO: Eyal Lifshitz
Website: bluevine.com/
Twitter: @bluevine

What is the most important quality in a leader?

“Awareness,” said BlueVine CEO Eyal Lifshitz. “As leaders, we can’t just say, ‘I’m going to do what X did, and it’s going to work out.’ It simply doesn’t work like that. Leaders need to be in ‘receiving mode’ in order to learn, adapt and ultimately make the right decisions for their employees, customers, partners and business, overall. The only way we can do that is if we’re aware of everything that’s happening.”

Pictured: BlueVine employees in New Jersey ready for a day of giving back to the community.
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Finicity

Business: Financial data aggregation and analysis
Location: Murray, Utah
Employees: 161
CEO: Steve Smith
Website: finicity.com
Twitter: @finicity

Many companies have taken stands on social and political issues in recent years. If your company is one of them, what concrete steps have you taken to support those stands?

“Over the years, data ownership, use and privacy have been at the forefront of social and political issues, as well as the convergence of open banking, consumer data rights and identity. Finicity took a strong stance on consumer-permissioned data and became the only open banking/data agent that is also a registered consumer reporting agency,” said Steve Smith, CEO of Finicity.

Pictured: Finicity employees participating in a gingerbread house decorating contest during the holiday season.

Finicity plots growth in mortgage and credit in yellow sneakers


Finicity encourages employees to innovate in ways that help the company through both positive peer feedback and annual company-wide awards.

Though it listed 161 people in its Salt Lake City office at the time it submitted its data to the Best Fintechs rankings, since then it has grown to nearly 200. The company has additional employees that make up a "field team" throughout the United States, along with workers in Mumbai, for a total of about 675 employees overall.

While Finicity is now working with a larger and more established player, it holds onto its identity as a fintech. For one, becoming part of Mastercard hasn't stopped the company from offering its signature yellow Converse sneakers to its employees and customers.

The company's adoption of the sneakers as a symbol "started with a traditional financial services conference with a lot of suits and ties, where we wanted to express that using this type of data makes companies stand out," Capener said.

Click here to read the full profile.
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United Wholesale Mortgage

Business: Mortgage lending
Location: Pontiac, Mich.
Employees: 6,896
CEO: Mat Ishbia
Website: uwm.com
Twitter: @UWMlending

What is the most important quality in a leader?

“The ability to change, the ability to know that things are not always going to go as you planned, that your thoughts aren’t always right,” said Mat Ishbia, CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage. “The second one is a positive attitude. There’s no playbook for COVID. You have to have a positive attitude.”

Pictured: UWM employees collaborating.
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Best Fintechs to Work For 2020

See which fintechs also earned a spot in the ranking last year.

Ranking methodology

The 2021 Best Fintechs to Work For ranking was compiled by Best Companies Group. Participating organizations must complete a two-part process to be considered for inclusion on the list.

The first part consists of an independent evaluation of participating organizations’ workplace policies, practices, and demographics and is worth approximately 25% of the total evaluation.

The second part consists of an employee survey to measure the employee experience and is worth approximately 75% of the total evaluation.

The combined scores determine inclusion and ranking on the list.
This article originally appeared in American Banker.
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