Join us as Chase Harmer, a seasoned entrepreneur with over 20 years in the fintech industry, dives deep into the challenges and innovations of building a fintech company with heart. In this episode, we explore the intersection of financial technology and charitable giving through Chase's latest venture, Wishes—a platform designed to transform how we support causes we care about.
Episode Highlights:
- The Genesis of Wishes: From overcoming compliance hurdles to raising $30 million, Chase shares the behind-the-scenes of starting and scaling a fintech venture focused on solving real-world problems, such as hotel booking issues and incentivizing charitable donations with cashback rewards.
- A New Era for Charities: Discover how Wishes is redefining charitable giving by ensuring transparency, reducing administrative costs, and enhancing donor engagement through innovative features like virtual cards and a rewards system.
- Blockchain Meets Charity: Learn about the role of blockchain in fintech and how Wishes utilizes this technology alongside traditional systems to create a hybrid model that promotes transparency and efficiency in charitable transactions.
- The Cost of Innovation: Chase breaks down the financial realities of building a fintech company—from the initial $2 million launch cost to ongoing platform and compliance expenses.
- Strategic Nonprofit Partnerships: Hear how Wishes is not just a tech platform but a community builder, fostering strong connections between nonprofits and donors, and addressing challenges like homelessness through financial technology.
- Looking Ahead: Chase discusses the future of fintech in the nonprofit sector and his vision for scaling Wishes to ensure a positive impact on the charity landscape.
Don't miss this insightful conversation about the fusion of technology and philanthropy, where passion meets purpose in the fintech space.
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This episode is sponsored by Full Scale:
https://fullscale.io
Visit the Wishes Inc. website:
https://www.wishes.inc
Learn more about Chase Harmer:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chase-harmer-657a5b5
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Highlighted Discussion Points
- Entrepreneurship, FinTech, and building a charity-related FinTech company. 0:32
- Building a tech company in FinTech, compliance challenges, and scaling. 3:42
- Charity platform Wishbone, its features, and how it solves problems in the charity space. 9:48
- Charity work and nonprofit alignment in FinTech industry. 15:31
- Blockchain technology and its potential in the financial industry, with a focus on transparency and revenue generation for non-profit organizations. 18:07
- The high costs of building and maintaining a FinTech company, including compliance, platform fees, and ongoing expenses. 23:45
- Startup challenges and nonprofit fundraising strategies. 29:08
- Nonprofit fundraising and payment processing. 31:38
- Disrupting the nonprofit charitable giving industry with innovative technology. 37:01
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