1 00:00:00.395 --> 00:00:03.445 Welcome to the 2025 Deep Banked Connect in Miami. 2 00:00:03.825 --> 00:00:05.965 I'm now joined with Mari Tahan from 3 00:00:06.375 --> 00:00:07.965 SMART MCA. How are you doing? 4 00:00:08.265 --> 00:00:10.485 I'm doing great, thank you. It's exciting to be here. 5 00:00:10.695 --> 00:00:11.765 We're excited to have you. 6 00:00:11.875 --> 00:00:13.885 What are we doing being smart about this year? 7 00:00:14.225 --> 00:00:15.925 So we are, we're a software platform 8 00:00:16.225 --> 00:00:20.725 and we're all about, uh, helping MCA funders fund smarter, 9 00:00:20.785 --> 00:00:24.045 faster, better, um, all about saving them money 10 00:00:24.345 --> 00:00:25.565 and, uh, we're, yeah, we, 11 00:00:25.565 --> 00:00:27.325 we bring together many different features, 12 00:00:27.325 --> 00:00:28.605 integrate all kinds of systems. 13 00:00:28.625 --> 00:00:31.325 So they have one platform to, to work off of 14 00:00:31.325 --> 00:00:33.165 and not have to deal with many different platforms. 15 00:00:33.265 --> 00:00:34.565 And yeah, we're very excited to bring 16 00:00:34.565 --> 00:00:35.685 in new funders, new business. 17 00:00:35.715 --> 00:00:38.445 It's really, it's a, it's a very much growing business, 18 00:00:38.475 --> 00:00:39.485 growing industry. 19 00:00:39.545 --> 00:00:40.805 So yeah, we're really excited to be 20 00:00:40.805 --> 00:00:41.805 Here. Tell me about some of 21 00:00:41.805 --> 00:00:42.325 these features 22 00:00:42.325 --> 00:00:44.045 that make you stand out amongst the rest. 23 00:00:44.435 --> 00:00:46.365 Sure. So, um, we automate as much 24 00:00:46.365 --> 00:00:47.885 as possible, that's really our focus. 25 00:00:48.025 --> 00:00:51.485 So from the submission side all the way to the post-funding 26 00:00:51.705 --> 00:00:52.965 and then collection side of it. 27 00:00:53.025 --> 00:00:55.405 So we really try to automate everything, you know, from, 28 00:00:55.475 --> 00:00:56.765 from the beginning to end. 29 00:00:56.785 --> 00:00:58.325 So pre-funding, post-funding, 30 00:00:58.325 --> 00:01:00.605 so we bring in email submissions automatically. 31 00:01:00.605 --> 00:01:04.005 We're using AI now to be able to analyze that data, 32 00:01:04.035 --> 00:01:06.645 extract all the information, categorize things properly, 33 00:01:06.705 --> 00:01:09.285 and really give the funder a good analysis 34 00:01:09.285 --> 00:01:12.085 and understanding of the merchant as quickly as possible 35 00:01:12.105 --> 00:01:14.045 so they can fund faster and fund better. 36 00:01:14.505 --> 00:01:16.165 That's what we need, right? Quick and easy. 37 00:01:16.335 --> 00:01:17.365 Quick and easy. That's 38 00:01:17.365 --> 00:01:18.685 what this industry is all about really. 39 00:01:18.785 --> 00:01:20.245 And, and that's very high risk. 40 00:01:20.345 --> 00:01:22.045 So it's important that they can analyze 41 00:01:22.045 --> 00:01:23.205 it very fast, very easy. 42 00:01:23.665 --> 00:01:26.045 Do you find using AI being a high risk? 43 00:01:26.745 --> 00:01:28.885 No. Actually, if you do it right? Right. 44 00:01:29.185 --> 00:01:31.085 AI is extremely powerful. 45 00:01:31.125 --> 00:01:33.045 I mean, it's changing our lives on a daily basis. 46 00:01:33.245 --> 00:01:36.365 I use it every single day in every part of my business. 47 00:01:36.505 --> 00:01:38.725 Not even just for our platform itself, 48 00:01:38.725 --> 00:01:40.285 but even just software development. 49 00:01:40.285 --> 00:01:42.525 We utilize AI in everywhere we can go. 50 00:01:42.625 --> 00:01:45.045 So is are there risks? A hundred percent. 51 00:01:45.045 --> 00:01:46.125 There's risks in everything, 52 00:01:46.145 --> 00:01:48.165 but, uh, it's very important that you, 53 00:01:48.235 --> 00:01:49.965 that you properly protect yourself. 54 00:01:49.985 --> 00:01:52.965 So like we're, we're fully sock two type two certified. 55 00:01:53.375 --> 00:01:54.925 We've gone through many different audits 56 00:01:54.925 --> 00:01:56.085 with Experian, with Clear. 57 00:01:56.545 --> 00:01:59.205 So, uh, it's very important for us security and safety, 58 00:01:59.705 --> 00:02:01.285 and this is sensitive information. 59 00:02:01.285 --> 00:02:02.685 So a hundred percent it's important 60 00:02:02.685 --> 00:02:05.325 to have the right agreements in place with the AI companies. 61 00:02:05.325 --> 00:02:06.925 It's important to have your own LLMs 62 00:02:06.925 --> 00:02:09.085 that are building these things and you're designing it out 63 00:02:09.145 --> 00:02:13.005 and it also helps you really focus the product right, 64 00:02:13.005 --> 00:02:14.605 in the right direction when you build your own. 65 00:02:14.705 --> 00:02:17.565 So, so yeah, for sure. Security is very important. So yeah. 66 00:02:17.635 --> 00:02:19.125 With AI being so new 67 00:02:19.185 --> 00:02:21.325 and it's great that it's being so implemented, 68 00:02:21.665 --> 00:02:24.285 but how are you reassuring your customers 69 00:02:24.285 --> 00:02:25.765 that it is safe and it is secure? 70 00:02:25.765 --> 00:02:26.885 Because I feel like a lot 71 00:02:26.885 --> 00:02:28.885 of people are still on the fence about using AI 72 00:02:29.265 --> 00:02:30.445 in software as in business. 73 00:02:30.755 --> 00:02:32.565 Sure. Uh, in general, when you're dealing 74 00:02:32.565 --> 00:02:35.125 with new technologies, people are always a little bit more 75 00:02:35.605 --> 00:02:38.085 hesitant and it's, there's, there's more risk involved and, 76 00:02:38.085 --> 00:02:40.605 but slowly people are becoming more and more aware 77 00:02:41.145 --> 00:02:42.645 and people are using it more and more 78 00:02:42.645 --> 00:02:43.925 and becoming more comfortable with it. 79 00:02:43.945 --> 00:02:47.165 And that works with, even when cars started coming out on 80 00:02:47.165 --> 00:02:49.205 the roads and people are like, that's crazy. 81 00:02:49.225 --> 00:02:51.085 You're driving, you know, on the road at high 82 00:02:51.105 --> 00:02:52.405 speeds and that's not safe. 83 00:02:52.865 --> 00:02:54.485 So everything in general, right? 84 00:02:54.585 --> 00:02:56.005 Slowly we adopt it more 85 00:02:56.005 --> 00:02:57.485 and more, we become more comfortable with it. 86 00:02:57.945 --> 00:03:00.685 But implementing the right security features 87 00:03:00.685 --> 00:03:03.285 and showing that, like the first thing on our website is all 88 00:03:03.285 --> 00:03:04.445 about our security compliance. 89 00:03:04.475 --> 00:03:06.005 Like, that's, that's our biggest thing 90 00:03:06.005 --> 00:03:08.245 that we put out there, both from a trust perspective, just 91 00:03:08.245 --> 00:03:09.365 so funders can trust us. 92 00:03:09.765 --> 00:03:11.525 'cause we're software developers, the biggest challenge 93 00:03:11.525 --> 00:03:14.485 that they have is making sure that the software 94 00:03:14.485 --> 00:03:16.285 that they're utilizing is not stealing their deals 95 00:03:16.345 --> 00:03:17.405 or they call it backdooring. 96 00:03:17.565 --> 00:03:19.085 Right? And that's, that's a huge concern. 97 00:03:19.505 --> 00:03:21.405 So what we try to assure our customers is 98 00:03:21.405 --> 00:03:22.565 that we're not funders. 99 00:03:22.615 --> 00:03:25.085 We've never funded before. We have no interest in funding. 100 00:03:25.085 --> 00:03:27.645 We're software guys. We know software, I don't know funding. 101 00:03:27.825 --> 00:03:29.965 That's why I have an advisory board of funders. 102 00:03:30.325 --> 00:03:32.485 Actually, my clients get to join the advisory board 103 00:03:32.485 --> 00:03:34.245 and tell us how we should better cater 104 00:03:34.305 --> 00:03:35.565 the, the software to them. 105 00:03:35.985 --> 00:03:37.405 So we take all that input 106 00:03:37.405 --> 00:03:39.125 and we try to make it, help make it better. 107 00:03:39.505 --> 00:03:42.245 And they're also part of helping us make the other, 108 00:03:42.345 --> 00:03:44.805 our new customers and themselves feel more comfortable, 109 00:03:44.805 --> 00:03:47.085 especially about things like ai. That's really important. 110 00:03:47.675 --> 00:03:48.685 It's all really important 111 00:03:48.745 --> 00:03:49.765 and it seems like you're doing 112 00:03:49.765 --> 00:03:50.845 a good job with it. Yeah, it works. 113 00:03:50.845 --> 00:03:52.285 Definitely trying hard. Yeah. 114 00:03:52.785 --> 00:03:54.765 So what else are you implementing for this year? 115 00:03:55.385 --> 00:03:57.685 So this year is really focused on 116 00:03:57.685 --> 00:03:58.805 the pre-funding side of it. 117 00:03:58.905 --> 00:04:00.925 So we have things like automated submissions, 118 00:04:00.925 --> 00:04:03.485 we have things like automated underwriting, uh, 119 00:04:03.485 --> 00:04:04.885 especially now with ai. 120 00:04:04.945 --> 00:04:07.765 So we're taking it like, as far as it can go really, 121 00:04:07.785 --> 00:04:10.405 and trying to, to really get in the head of a funder 122 00:04:10.905 --> 00:04:12.805 and try to translate that into the ai. 123 00:04:12.805 --> 00:04:16.205 So it's a very heavy focus on, on the AI side of it, um, 124 00:04:16.225 --> 00:04:18.885 and really building almost like a smart underwriter into the 125 00:04:18.885 --> 00:04:21.525 system itself to really help the un the underwriter kind 126 00:04:21.525 --> 00:04:23.205 of just do their job a lot faster and a lot better. 127 00:04:23.205 --> 00:04:24.885 That's a huge focus for us this year. 128 00:04:25.415 --> 00:04:27.445 Hence the smart MCA. That's correct. 129 00:04:27.625 --> 00:04:28.925 Yes, definitely. Well, 130 00:04:28.925 --> 00:04:30.645 It sounds like you're doing it all the right things, 131 00:04:30.865 --> 00:04:32.445 so thank you so much for joining me. 132 00:04:32.625 --> 00:04:34.205 And there's still more to come from Miami.