Shows
BLOCKS 2 BAGSThe Email Marketing Playbook for 2025: Strategies That Actually WorkIn this episode, the Blocks 2 Bags hosts Micky Tesfaye and Sebuh Mesfin discuss the relevance and effectiveness of email marketing in today's digital landscape. They debunk the myth that email marketing is dead, emphasizing its continued importance and the need for quality content. The conversation explores the differences between good and bad email practices, the concept of nurture marketing, and the significance of providing value in email communications. Additionally, they touch on the role of AI in enhancing email marketing strategies and offer practical tips for crafting engaging emails.
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✅ Why newsletters are outdated (unless do...2025-03-2218 min
BLOCKS 2 BAGSKimberly Ofori: Hard Lessons in Building & Selling Startups (The Unfiltered Truth!)In this episode of Blocks 2 Bags, hosts Micky Tesfaye and Sebuh Mesfin engage in a dynamic conversation with Kimberly Ofori, a global entrepreneur and thought leader. They explore her journey from early influences to her experiences in building businesses, the challenges she faced, and the lessons learned along the way. Kimberly shares her insights on the importance of understanding value in business, the concept of camels versus unicorns, and the future of technology and AI in solving real-world problems, particularly in Africa. The discussion culminates in a quickfire round of questions, revealing Kimberly's personal philosophies and future aspirations.
2025-03-1252 min
The Bank TellersEyal Lifshitz, Founder & CEO of BluevineSmall businesses are the backbone of the economy, but banking hasn’t always worked in their favor. Enter Bluevine, the fintech building a financial operating system tailored for small businesses. In this episode of The Bank Tellers, Eyal Lifshitz, Founder & CEO of Bluevine, sits down with Micky Tesfaye to share how his company has evolved from offering credit lines to a full-scale banking platform—serving 500,000+ small businesses and providing over $14 billion in capital. They go more in depth about:-The secret sauce behind Bluevine’s success-How AI is shaping the future of finan...2025-01-3014 minThe Bank TellersAllen Rohner, Founder & Chief Technology Officer of GriffinIn the latest installment of The Bank Tellers, Money20/20 Content Lead, Micky Tesfaye, speaks with Allenn Rohner, Co-founder and CTO of Griffin Bank, a fully licensed UK bank focused on providing B2B infrastructure for fintechs. They chat about the unique positioning of Griffin in the financial services landscape, and how the founders' backgrounds in engineering give them a different perspective on operating a company. Allen details the balance between building and buying technology solutions, the challenges of regulatory compliance and offers advice for aspiring leaders in the field.Griffinhttps://griffin.com/F...2024-11-1922 minThe Bank TellersRichard Davies, CEO of Allica BankIn this episode of the Bank Tellers podcast, Richard Davies, CEO of Allica Bank, and Micky Tesfaye, Content Lead at Money20/20, dive into Allica Bank's journey and its focus on the underserved mid-sized business segment in the UK. Richard discusses the importance of execution in business strategy, the unique approach of building acquisition-focused products, and the cultural challenges faced by traditional banks compared to fintechs. He also emphasizes the significance of maintaining a youthful and innovative company culture while also providing valuable leadership insights. Allica Bankhttps://www.allica.bank/Follow Richard Davies: ht...2024-11-0430 min
Breaking Banks EuropeEpisode 239: News From The FinTech Front (July 2024)In this month’s episode of News From The FinTech Front, host and industry extraordinaire Don Ginsel unmutes Micky Tesfaye, and Grant Easterbrook discuss the latest fintech headlines from July 2024. They explore the upcoming integration of ChatGPT into Apple devices and its potential to revolutionize personal finance by serving as a voice-based advisor. This development could lead to outcomes ranging from tech companies disintermediating traditional financial firms to strengthening big banks’ dominance or even having minimal impact on market dynamics.
The episode also covers presidential candidate President Donald Trump’s recent move to embrace cryptocurrency, including a promise...2024-07-2942 min
ConvergeWhen doing good means good business: Empowering entrepreneurs in emerging markets with Matteo RizziEmerging markets like Africa are strategically important geographies brimming with immense talent. In this week's episode, fintech guru Matteo Rizzi and Money2020's Micky Tesfaye discuss the importance of supporting entrepreneurs in emerging markets, particularly in Africa. Matteo shares his experience with TimePledge, an initiative that provides free coaching and support to African entrepreneurs.
We discuss the challenges and opportunities of the African market, including the need for financial inclusion and upskilling of talent. Matteo shares the inspiring success stories of entrepreneurs in Africa and the potential for blockchain and CBDCs in remittances and cross-border payments to...2024-06-2633 min
Voice of FinTech®5th year Aniversary Special: Live from Money2020 with its Content Lead Micky TesfayeJoin us for a reality check: FinTech promise vs. reality over the last five years for a 5th Anniversary Special, live from Money2020 Europe, where Voice of FinTech founder Rudolf Falat spoke to Micky Tesfaye, Content Lead at Money2020.Here is what they discussed in more detail:A customer universe of one: customer centricity, hyper-personalization, AI, and automation. Customer centricity is no longer only a North Star aspirational goal but an absolute must for everyoneNo longer chasing growth at any cost - marketplaces and profitabilitySustainable growth and sustainable financeAre ESG ratings useful? Need to integrate climate...2024-06-1135 minConverge1% built: Opportunities and challenges in building Africa's payment infrastructuresPayments in Africa are "1% built," presenting a massive opportunity to unlock growth for businesses and improve lives - not just on the continent itself but also around the globe where migrants proliferate and prosper.
Join Benjamin Fernandes, CEO of Nala, a cross-border payments and remittances fintech focusing on building Africa's modern payment infrastructure, to discuss the challenges and opportunities in African payments. With unconscionably high costs and complexities, payments within and to/from Africa illustrate the pressing need for infrastructure and regulatory improvements - and Benjamin and Nala are at the helm.
Co-hosted with Money2020...2024-02-2850 min
Fintech Family HourBehind The Scenes of Fintech's Family Reunion: Micky Tesfaye, Money20/20Money 20/20 roll call! It’s dawned on me that while I come to you as a humble podcast host, you’re all constantly hearing me talk about this Money20/20 thing…And based on what I see in the comments, most people are wondering:What the hell is even a content director??So, on this episode, not only do I deep dive into what life is like in this role, but I also had a chance to get the Euro perspective from our guest, Micky Tesfaye, the Content Lead fo...2024-02-0556 min
The MoneyPotUnearthing Africa's FinTech Potential: A Conversational Journey with Nala Money's CEO, Benjamin FernandezAre you prepared to navigate the thrilling maze of Africa's FinTech landscape? With our esteemed guest Benjamin Fernandez, CEO of Nala Money, we journey through the continent's dynamic financial terrain. We uncover the vast opportunities brought about by Africa's rapidly expanding population and the intricate tangle of diverse currencies and regulation. Get an insider's view into the bustling world of mobile money transactions and understand why it is often described as a sleeping giant.The second half of our discussion shifts gears, focusing on the nuts and bolts of making and receiving payments in Africa. We throw...2023-12-0724 min
BLOCKS 2 BAGSRestaurant Business vs Takeaway Business - Which One is Better?On this week’s Blocks2Bags episode, we switched things up a little. With a special quickfire episode on the value of restaurants as opposed to takeaways, our host Sebuh Mesfin (@sebuhmesfin) sat down with previous guest Khalid Elmourie (@arablaq), and one of our hosts, Micky Tesfaye (@mekebeb.b), whose successes in both establishments provided a unique insight into which path is truly worth taking. But their key gems on the business of food entrepreneurship didn’t stop there; with discussions on new innovations and the level of traction in new ventures like dark kitchens, we considered it all. Tap...2023-12-0313 minThe MoneyPotInside the Marqeta Acquisition: A Heart-to-Heart with Power's Co-founder, Randy FernandoStrap in for a riveting conversation with Randy Fernando, co-founder of Power, a company that has recently been acquired by Marqeta for a whopping $275 million! Randy, a trailblazer in the Fintech industry, has some compelling insights to share. His journey with Power is far from over, and we get an exclusive look into its inception, its growth, and what lies ahead post-acquisition. Not only that, Randy also talks about his experiences from the Money 2020 conference, an event that played a pivotal role in connecting him with investors and shaping his entrepreneurial journey.We dive deeper into the...2023-11-3027 min
BLOCKS 2 BAGSStock Market Explained - Money Matrix with Micky Tesfaye & Sebuh MesfinIn this episode of Money Matrix, hosts Micky Tesfaye and Sebuh Mesfindelve into the intriguing world of the stock market, providing a detailed overview of its historical roots, major milestones, and global dynamics. They navigate through the evolution of stock markets, touching upon key events and developments, including the creation of the first modern stock market in Amsterdam and the formation of iconic exchanges like the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq.
2023-11-2527 minThe MoneyPotYou Don't Have to Look the Part: How East Asian Women Thrive as Entrepreneurs- with author Winnie WongAUTHOR SERIES!!!! In the true spirit of our RiseUp initiative, we have an interview with Winnie Wong, the author of You Don't Have to Look the Part: How East Asian Women Thrive as Entrepreners. Women-led start-ups get only 2% of venture capital funding, even though women own 1 in 3 businesses globally. Of that percentage, East Asian women-led startups only receive a small sliver of that 2%. Despite this disparity, women-founded businesses return more than twice as much per dollar invested than those founded by men.But this book is all about getting women who...2023-11-0730 min
BLOCKS 2 BAGSFrom Homegrown Londoner To Scottish Food Entrepreneur: How Khalid Elmourei Grew His Family BusinessIn today’s episode of @Blocks2Bags, hosts, Sebuh Mesfin and Micky tesfaye speak with Scottish takeaway owner Khalid Elmourei on everything from his family’s roots in business to growing out of the London-only mindset in business. Join us for gems on the importance of finding a middle-ground when working with family, making an impact in an unfamiliar place, and how success is a journey that’s anything but linear 🚀 We talk about how building up a profitable venture means innovation on all fronts. From Blocks 2 Bags, discover what it means to build up from a foundation — and how you can...2023-10-1243 min
BLOCKS 2 BAGSSaudi Arabia £5BN Investment In Global Sports - Money Matrix with Sebuh Mesfin & Micky Tesfaye by@blocks2bagsDive into the realm of sports and investments with Money Matrix by @blocks2bags Join hosts Sebuh Mesfin and Micky Tesfaye as they unveil Saudi Arabia's mega investment in sports that's propelling them toward financial dominance! Discover the strategic game plan as Saudi Arabia leverages sports to supercharge growth and revolutionise its economic terrain. Plus, we spill the beans on power plays, snagging major players, and how this impacts the future of sports content in the media landscape. Don't miss out on this high-stakes episode!
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Money Matrix is a Blocks2Bags show where we div...2023-10-0524 minConvergeBridging the way to a multi-CBDC world: Daniel Eidan of the Bank for International SettlementsAlso known as "the central bank of banks," the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) has been guiding and influencing the world's largest financial institutions for decades. Their new innovation hub has taken a central role in exploring new technologies, #CBDCs among them, that bring "benefits that can lead to faster, cheaper and more transparent payments across borders." However, the BIS notes that "questions remain unanswered related to policy considerations, legal and regulatory frameworks, and basic operational economics that might call into question the viability of multi-CBDC platforms.”
Join Money2020's Micky Tesfaye and Daniel Eidan,
Advisor & Solution Arc...2023-10-0445 minConvergeWhy DeFi Matters [Part 3]: CBDCs - opportunity or doom for DeFi? The challenges of building digital institutional trustMost major economies, including 19 of the G20 nations, are in the end-stage processes of developing Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). These digital currencies introduce DeFi technology and concepts into the world of central banking with many potential use cases across borders and domestically.
CBDCs have opened up all kinds of opportunities for increased efficiencies, cost-savings, programmability and transparency for banks and financial institutions - but the step is clearly one towards further centralization. Added privacy concerns have led to consternation among thought leaders and future consumers.
But do CBDCs spell doom for DeFi as a...2023-08-3034 minConvergeWhy DeFi Matters [Part 2]: Tokenization and the 'financializing' of our lives, new forms of liquidity, and DLT privacy challengesPart 2 of our 3-part series.
Although it's early days for DeFi, tokenization of real-world assets shows promise for bringing much-needed liquidity to existing and newly emerging asset classes.
Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT) open even more opportunities and solutions for enterprises and companies within the realm of tokenization, but the regulatory circle needs to be 'squared.' How can we expect organizations to regulate assets without proper governance and regulations?
For innovation to continue and grow, there needs to be a clear path forward - but leaps are being made for a secure DeFi...2023-08-2323 min
BLOCKS 2 BAGSHow to Invest Your First £5,000 with Sebuh Mesfin & Micky Tesfaye on The Money Matrix #5How do you start investing with £5,000? What things should you avoid? What strategies do you need to know? Our viewers asked. We answered. Join Sebuh Mesfin & Micky Tesfaye in the latest episode of 'The Money Matrix' by @blocks2bags .
The Money Matrix is a Blocks2Bags show hosted by Sebuh Mesfin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebuh-mesfin/) & Micky Tesfaye (https://www.linkedin.com/in/micky-tesfaye-687659138/) where they dive into the world of finance, economics and money. The aim? Financial education and empowerment by breaking down The Money Matrix.
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💎 Key gems being dropped:
1) How su...2023-08-2018 minConvergeWhy DeFi Matters [Part 1]: Bitcoin and DeFi's influence on the future of TradFi and FinServIn his upcoming book, author Ian Horne (a former FinServ relationship manager and head of content for Money20/20 EU), discusses the many reasons why the often lofty, quixotic-sounding concepts of decentralized finance (or #DeFi) should matter to anyone looking to improve the way we do business and exchange value.
For Part 1 of our 3-part series on "Why DeFi Matters" (the formal title of Ian's upcoming book), we sat down with Ian and his colleague Micky Tesfaye, Content Lead for Money20/20 EU, and Scott Johnson, VP of Technical Program Management at Convera, to explore DeFi's journey from the...2023-08-1628 minThe MoneyPotWhat Are the Global Best Practices to Reduce Fraud in RTP with Ravi Loganathan, SardineWith the launch of FedNow in July, the US has jumped into the mix of several different nations who have inspired incredible innovation with real time payments. However, the ubiquity and persistence of financial crimes and fraud rose, and RTP make these schemes harder to fight or prevent. We need to engage in practices, and arm ourselves with the tools, to fight this on grand scheme. Ravi Loganathan, the Head of Financial Institution Services at Sardine, and the President of SardineX joined us to discuss the way forward, to keep our money safe while it is moving faster th...2023-08-1129 min
BLOCKS 2 BAGSThe Money Matrix #4 Venture Capital Investing Funds & Raising €300,000,000 To InvestThe Money Matrix is a Blocks2Bags show hosted by Sebuh Mesfin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebuh-mes...) & Micky Tesfaye (https://www.linkedin.com/in/micky-tes...) where they dive into the world of finance, economics and money. The aim? Financial education and empowerment by breaking down The Money Matrix.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------Join us in this exciting episode of The Money Matrix as we dive deep into the world of venture capital (VC) and explore the fascinating process of raising funds for startups and risky ventures. Our host, Sebuh Mesfin shares his experience working for Notion Capital, a European software as...2023-08-0133 minThe MoneyPotCrypto's Credibility Conundrum: New Lawsuits, Mica, internet-enabled payments, and the evolving digital regulatory landscapeCo-hosted with Convera. Avowed crypto skeptic and Convera CEO Patrick Gauthier sits down with crypto evangelist Teana Baker-Taylor, VP of Policy and Regulatory Strategy at Circle to discuss the fragmented global regulatory landscape for crypto assets, the new SEC lawsuits against Binance and Coinbase, regulation by enforcement, blockchain for real-time payments as a disruptive technology, creating a stable regulatory framework for digital assets, the payment ecosystem we don't yet know about that we're going to need, AR/VR, internet-enabled payments, the metaverse, the accelerating timeframe of adoption for new technologies, technology innovation vs. process innovation, and good friction vs. ba...2023-06-1432 min
The MoneyPotWhat do we do about dedollarization? with Simon Taylor, SardineSimon Taylor is one of the most forward thinkers and trusted movers in fintech, and last year when sanctions around SWIFT were announced, he wrote an incredibly clear and compelling explanation in his Fintech Brainfood Substack. One line stood out: “I think as Fintech Nerds, we have a real opportunity to build a better SWIFT and a better dollar global order.” Since that was written, several events have taken place that puts the dollar as the global currency more in question than ever before- including deals to buy oil with the Chinese Yuan, and movements in digi...2023-05-0548 min
Fintech Family HourSilicon Valley Bank (SVB) Emergency PodWe're coming in hot with an Emergency Pod this week covering the SVB Receivership that has taken over the headlines of the financial world and beyond. Rachel Morrissey, Micky Tesfaye, and Sanjib Kalita join me for this conversation. Don’t expect some magical breakdown of events or a crystal ball, though. I think we’ve all got more questions than answers at this point.Friday felt like a monumental moment in financial history and we wanted to get together for a little therapy session, if nothing else. We weren’t sure if we wer...2023-03-1140 min
The MoneyPotThe MoneyPot Raw: Wealth and Inclusion on their own Terms with Delicia Reynolds Hand and Cleve MesidorWe sat down with Delicia Reynolds Hand from Consumer Reports, and Cleve Mesidor from The Blockchain Assn, to talk about whether the DeFI movement in FinTech is creating new indicators of financial wellbeing and how young POCs, women, and diverse innovators are forging new metrics of wellbeing and prosperity. This was LIVE at the Money20/20 US show in Las Vegas in October 2022.Guests: Delicia Reynolds Hand, Director, Financial Fairness, Consumer ReportsCleve Mesidor, Executive Director, Blockchain FoundationHosts: Micky Tesfaye, Content Lead, Money20/20 EURachel Morrissey, Executive Podcast Producer, Money20/20Producers: Rachel Mo...2022-12-0223 min
The MoneyPotThe MoneyPot RAW: Innovation in the Capital MarketsIPOs are in a holding pattern, SPACs are undergoing a transformation and the private market is shaky. Economic downturns always give birth to innovation in the capital markets. Companies need capital – the lifeblood of growth. How do you position yourself to be one of the most financially innovative companies? We spoke with Isabelle Freidheim, Founder & Chairman of Athena to understand what's happening in capital markets. Guest: Isabelle Freidheim, Founder & Chairman, AthenaHosts: Nick Holland, Global Head of Insights and Networks, Money20/20Micky Tesfaye, Content Lead, Money20/20 EUProducer...2022-11-1720 min
The MoneyPotThe audacity of Brazil's PIX payments system, with Carlos Eduardo BrandtBrazil's Central Bank launched Pix, a new nationwide real-time payment system, that has transformed money movement inside the country. Launched in November of 2020, within a year, over 62% of Brazil's population had adopted Pix, including businesses and consumers. It is created to facilitate both person to person payments and business transactions and has 113 million users. We at Money20/20 had to learn more, and were luckily able to discuss it with the person responsible for running it- Carlos Eduardo Brandt, Deputy Head of the Dept of Competition and Financial Market Structure of the Central Bank of Brazil- or as he calls himself- ...2022-10-1430 min
The MoneyPotAdam Neumann, Survivor Bias, and InnovationLast month, the fintech universe was set abuzz following the news that A16Z had written its biggest check to date. But the eye-watering sum wasn't at the heart of the buzz; it was the man behind the raise: Adam Neumann. Despite allegations of impropriety with his form venture, WeWork, he is trusted by investors once again. We wanted to dig into the possible reasons why, and how it could be explained by a "survivor bias". We dig into how survivor bias works, why it is actually systemic, and the harm it does to problem solving.In additi...2022-09-0814 min
The MoneyPotLIVE at MONEY20/20EU - Scams- Are they really our fault?Over the last few years, online scams have become rife from social engineering to online dating and fake advertisements. With so much media attention, why are they still on the up? Is it time we took a step back and looked at the human element? Sanjib Kalita and Micky Tesfaye sit down with Tim Burton and Chris Stevens from Callsign to discuss the art of the scam, why we naturally ignore the warning signs and how we’re so easily tricked.Guests: Tim Burton, VP, Global Head of Solution Engineering, CallsignChris Steve...2022-06-0848 min
The MoneyPotIs the Crypto Market Fundamentally Broken We are breaking from our typical format because of the intense news that is developing around the crypto markets, and how that is affecting businesses in that sector of the industry. We all know that the price of cryptocurrencies dropped. Bitcoin dove to a year low of $26284. Ethereum dove to $1792. Both seem to be stabilizing, but are very far from their beginning of the year highs. Even bigger are the stories about Luna and TerraUSD. TerraUSD is a stablecoin that is pegged to the USDollar, and managed to fall sharply under the $1 mark dragged down by Luna, w...2022-05-1326 min
The MoneyPotWhat do the SWIFT sanctions really do?The sanctions on Russian financial institutions following the invasion of Ukraine, including from SWIFT and the freezing of Russian Central Bank assets have been the center of attention for the global financial world. These sanctions or threats of sanctions have already had severe repercussions for both Russia and the global economy- repercussions that have yet to be fully felt. We at Money20/20 wanted to provide clarity around the details of the sanctions, what they seem to imply, and what other financial tools are factors in the complete story, including alternate financial messaging systems within Russia, and the status o...2022-03-0814 min
The MoneyPotFunding Non-UnicornsFintech investment is exploding. But, with so much investment, valuations are in question. VC money is aimed at breeding unicorns, which are now much less rare, and being created at a rate of two per day. Is this the best way to truly grow and nourish a healthy financial ecosystem and communities? Or is the VC funding model ready to be disrupted as well? We spoke with Bhavik Vasa, Founder & CEO of GetVantage and Saket Kumar, Co-Founder & CEO of Vitt. about plans to fund smaller niche business, and why that can be a win for VC's and consumers, #VentureCapitalGuests...2022-03-0320 min