1 00:00:00.585 --> 00:00:02.925 And welcome back to Broker Fair 2025. 2 00:00:03.025 --> 00:00:04.125 I'm Johnny Fernandez, 3 00:00:04.345 --> 00:00:07.685 and we are gonna be talking to someone that is familiar 4 00:00:07.825 --> 00:00:09.685 to those that are here at the event. 5 00:00:10.115 --> 00:00:12.325 Nike. Nike, it's a pleasure to see you. 6 00:00:12.425 --> 00:00:15.045 So, first question, for those that don't know you 7 00:00:15.385 --> 00:00:17.285 and your company, who are you with 8 00:00:17.665 --> 00:00:18.685 and the name of your company? 9 00:00:19.315 --> 00:00:22.445 Awesome, thank you for having me. I'm Nike Patterson. 10 00:00:22.505 --> 00:00:24.845 I'm director of product at Oculus. 11 00:00:25.325 --> 00:00:27.605 Oculus is a lending AI platform. 12 00:00:27.985 --> 00:00:29.845 We analyze credit applications 13 00:00:29.905 --> 00:00:31.765 for small business funders and lenders. 14 00:00:32.625 --> 00:00:34.205 So AI is something 15 00:00:34.205 --> 00:00:36.205 that's a very interesting topic nowadays. 16 00:00:36.865 --> 00:00:41.045 So what makes you guys different than other people 17 00:00:41.045 --> 00:00:44.565 that offer similar products in this industry? 18 00:00:45.415 --> 00:00:47.605 Great question. So I'd say it's two big things. 19 00:00:48.265 --> 00:00:49.845 One, we are vertically focused. 20 00:00:50.225 --> 00:00:52.165 We were built for this industry. 21 00:00:52.455 --> 00:00:54.005 We've been in the s and b funding 22 00:00:54.005 --> 00:00:56.765 and lend lending industry for 10 years. 23 00:00:57.065 --> 00:00:59.765 We build solutions and cash flow analytics 24 00:00:59.825 --> 00:01:02.925 and fraud detection for this industry specifically. 25 00:01:03.425 --> 00:01:05.645 The second we aim to empower, 26 00:01:06.025 --> 00:01:08.245 not replace underwriters and fraud analysts. 27 00:01:08.425 --> 00:01:10.485 We wanna give you the tools to streamline your work. 28 00:01:10.485 --> 00:01:12.325 We don't wanna take away the decision from you. 29 00:01:13.425 --> 00:01:16.685 So something that's very interesting is AI 30 00:01:16.705 --> 00:01:18.005 and personal relationships. 31 00:01:18.485 --> 00:01:19.965 A lot of people fear ai, 32 00:01:19.995 --> 00:01:21.925 they think they're gonna take over everything, 33 00:01:22.425 --> 00:01:25.725 and the human aspect of it is gonna go missing. 34 00:01:26.065 --> 00:01:27.325 So the first question is, 35 00:01:27.825 --> 00:01:29.165 why is personal relationship 36 00:01:29.165 --> 00:01:31.005 important, specifically in this industry? 37 00:01:31.685 --> 00:01:34.005 I would say look around, right? We're right here. 38 00:01:34.195 --> 00:01:36.125 This is like such great evidence 39 00:01:36.125 --> 00:01:38.045 of why personal relationships matter. 40 00:01:38.345 --> 00:01:39.525 We love broker fair 41 00:01:39.525 --> 00:01:41.285 because you see so many friendly faces, 42 00:01:41.665 --> 00:01:43.565 you build relationships over the years 43 00:01:43.785 --> 00:01:46.405 and you can't replace that trust that comes from human 44 00:01:46.405 --> 00:01:47.485 to human interaction. 45 00:01:47.505 --> 00:01:48.765 So that's never going away. 46 00:01:49.545 --> 00:01:51.805 You've been to an a de banked event before. 47 00:01:52.545 --> 00:01:56.285 So have you had relationships that you've met and built here 48 00:01:56.425 --> 00:01:59.165 and it started of, uh, and it, 49 00:01:59.165 --> 00:02:00.525 and it streamlined to like a, 50 00:02:00.605 --> 00:02:02.765 a professional business relationship that you carried on 51 00:02:02.795 --> 00:02:04.365 that helped your business? Yeah, 52 00:02:04.435 --> 00:02:05.435 Literally. Yes. 53 00:02:05.435 --> 00:02:08.045 It's such a great point and I'm glad you asked that 54 00:02:08.045 --> 00:02:09.885 because I've made some 55 00:02:09.885 --> 00:02:12.445 of my best deepest client relationships here 56 00:02:12.825 --> 00:02:16.165 and in some cases I've only had the chance to email 57 00:02:16.265 --> 00:02:17.325 or zoom with a client 58 00:02:17.345 --> 00:02:19.285 and then you finally meet them in person here 59 00:02:19.465 --> 00:02:21.125 and it's like the lights go off 60 00:02:21.125 --> 00:02:22.485 and you're finally in person. 61 00:02:22.585 --> 00:02:24.445 You finally really cement the relationship. 62 00:02:24.965 --> 00:02:26.405 I love doing that. I love this event. 63 00:02:27.185 --> 00:02:31.005 So overall, I mean it's, it's a very interesting time 64 00:02:31.185 --> 00:02:32.485 to be in this industry. 65 00:02:33.065 --> 00:02:35.845 Um, when you think about growing your relationships, 66 00:02:36.355 --> 00:02:38.685 when you think about the changes that happen, 67 00:02:39.155 --> 00:02:41.325 what does 2025 look like for you guys? 68 00:02:41.945 --> 00:02:44.965 Oh my gosh, 2025 is such an exciting year. 69 00:02:45.065 --> 00:02:49.445 If you look at the macro climate, it is so exciting. 70 00:02:49.475 --> 00:02:51.885 There's so much happening. There's a little volatility. 71 00:02:51.985 --> 00:02:54.685 And I would say it really behooves us to get together 72 00:02:54.745 --> 00:02:55.805 and talk about it in person. 73 00:02:56.145 --> 00:02:58.045 So, you know, regardless of 74 00:02:58.045 --> 00:02:59.540 where you think the economy's going, 75 00:02:59.540 --> 00:03:01.485 where you think the funding industry is going, 76 00:03:01.595 --> 00:03:03.245 there's gonna be some exciting debates, 77 00:03:03.245 --> 00:03:04.965 there's gonna be some spicy conversations. 78 00:03:05.105 --> 00:03:07.645 You wanna do it in person, you wanna have those chats here. 79 00:03:08.505 --> 00:03:10.925 So if someone's interested in getting in contact with you 80 00:03:10.985 --> 00:03:12.365 to work with you guys, what's 81 00:03:12.365 --> 00:03:14.165 the best way for them to reach you? Yeah, 82 00:03:14.185 --> 00:03:17.485 So go to oculus.com, stop by our booth, 83 00:03:17.825 --> 00:03:19.965 hit me up at Nike Patterson on LinkedIn. 84 00:03:20.465 --> 00:03:21.845 We wanna talk to you and 85 00:03:21.865 --> 00:03:23.525 Go ahead and spell out the company name 86 00:03:23.525 --> 00:03:25.485 to make sure people get it correctly. It's, 87 00:03:25.485 --> 00:03:26.485 It's great. So it's 88 00:03:26.485 --> 00:03:30.325 Oculus, O-C-R-O-L-U-S. 89 00:03:30.505 --> 00:03:33.805 So not like the goggles, not Oculus, it's Ocross. 90 00:03:34.785 --> 00:03:39.045 And then specifically, what specific type of customers 91 00:03:39.045 --> 00:03:40.645 or clients are you looking to work with? 92 00:03:41.225 --> 00:03:44.085 That's a great question. So we work with SMB Funders, 93 00:03:44.365 --> 00:03:47.165 SMB lenders, merchant Cash, advance Equipment Finance. 94 00:03:47.705 --> 00:03:50.885 We even work with brokers. So come on down, talk to us. 95 00:03:50.885 --> 00:03:53.085 There's probably something we can do to help. Awesome. 96 00:03:53.085 --> 00:03:55.885 Well, Nike, thank you so much for your time. Likewise. 97 00:03:55.885 --> 00:03:58.525 Again, Nike Patterson, very interesting product. 98 00:03:58.585 --> 00:03:59.925 And again, we're gonna be talking 99 00:04:00.155 --> 00:04:02.405 with different people throughout our time here. 100 00:04:02.625 --> 00:04:04.325 So you're not gonna wanna miss out on any 101 00:04:04.325 --> 00:04:05.285 of those conversations.