Is 2018 the New 2017 for Fintech Partnerships?
Printer-friendly version (PDF) At the end of 2016 and in early 2017, I attended several conferences at which prominent experts stated that 2017 was going to be the year of…
Third Quarter Numbers: Reduce Expenses… Again!
Printer-friendly version (PDF) Each quarter my colleague, Bob Browne, sends out the most recent FDIC bank performance data to clients and friends. For any investor or analyst, this database of…
FIC Advisors, Inc. Explained
Printer-friendly version (PDF) Beyond emailing a newsletter, what does FIC do? Despite operating for more than 20 years, I often come across colleagues and potential clients who are unclear about…
Too Lazy or Parochial to Succeed?
Printer-friendly version (PDF) Banks, both big and small, now have an unparalled opportunity to work with third-party Fintech-oriented players in multiple areas. But, many, if not most, banks are missing…
Bad Customer Service is Rampant in Banking
Printer-friendly version (PDF) Many banks may need to take a pause before getting too focused on becoming “Fintechs” or “digital banks.” First, they should reexamine their fundamental approach to customer…
High Touch and High Tech
Printer-friendly version (PDF) One of the major management challenges faced by senior bankers today concerns their ability to balance the two worlds in which they operate. They need to support…
“Just Do It” Is Not Realistic
Printer-friendly version (PDF) In my last newsletter I wrote: “Most bankers know what they should do; they just do not want to do it.” On reflection, both parts of that…
My Last Florida Hurricane
Printer-friendly version (PDF) Sunday September 10. While I usually write about financial services, being a newly minted Miamian, Hurricane Irma is way more on my mind. Besides, let’s face it,…
My First Florida Hurricane
Printer-friendly version (PDF) Up to now, my biggest concern about living in Miami involved a fear of overtanning. But, Irma is approaching and a sense of anticipation and a bit…
In Praise of Incrementalism
Printer-friendly version (PDF) I just read an excellent but, unfortunately, naïve monograph by an accounting firm most recently best known for its Academy Awards snafu. Its focus centers on the…