In this episode of Accrued, Tedd Huff and Colton Pond talk with Georgina Merhom, founder of Solo, about rethinking financial services by addressing the flaws in traditional credit scoring systems like FICO. Georgina explains how Solo creates a personalized, verified financial profile for each consumer, enabling lenders to make better decisions without relying on outdated metrics or subjective trust. The discussion covers the limitations of current credit scores, the benefits of replacing them with tailored evaluations, and the importance of consumer-controlled data. Georgina also shares practical advice for entrepreneurs, emphasizing the value of flexibility and learning from market signals to achieve long-term success.
Key Highlights
- Why FICO Scores Are Outdated for Today’s Economy
- The True Cost of Collecting Financial Data
- Breaking the Bias in Banking Trust
- How Solo Turns Financial Data Into Real-Time Insights
- What Makes “One Score Fits All” a Problem?
- The Future of Financial Decisions Without Bias
- How Solo Simplifies Credit Evaluations
- Taking “No” as a Signal, Not a Setback
- What Consumers Gain With Verified Financial Data
- Why Banks Need Flexibility in Credit Scoring
Takeaways
1️⃣ Stop Depending on Outdated Credit Scores
2️⃣ Slash Costs With Smarter Verification Methods
3️⃣ Take Charge of Financial Information
4️⃣ Use “No” to Strengthen Your Strategy
5️⃣ Create Fairer Financial Systems With Verified Data
Links:
Solo
Website: https://solo.one/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/soloapi/
X: https://x.com/soloapi
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ4pCxocO64
Georgina Merhom
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georginamerhom/
Fintech Confidential
Notifications: https://fintechconfidential.com/access
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fintechconfidential
X: https://x.com/FTconfidential
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fintechconfidential
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fintechconfidential
Supporters
LoanPro: Enhance lending operations with LoanPro's modern core. Learn more at https://loanpro.io/demo
Skyflow, privacy platform trusted by leading financial institutions, to protect customers’ data. www.skyflowsecure.com
HAWK: Enhance compliance with real-time monitoring and advanced AI. https://gethawkai.com for better compliance
About:
Guest
Georgina Merhom: Before founding Solo, Georgina began her career as a researcher and compliance director at the G7 & G20 Information Centre. She later trained as a data scientist and investigative analyst, focusing on developing algorithms to detect illicit activity on the dark web. In 2020, she launched Zivmi, Egypt's first cross-border payments app, in collaboration with the National Bank of Egypt, offering invoice factoring services to unbanked digital freelancers. In 2022, she divested the entire venture to the National Bank.
Solo: The credit bureau of tomorrow — verified and standardized first-party customer data collection, enabling banks and lenders to identify previously invisible opportunities.
Hosts:
Tedd Huff: Tedd Huff is the CEO & Founder of Voalyre and the President & Founder of Diamond D3, a consultancy renowned for its expertise in global payments and marketing. With over two decades of experience in FinTech, Huff has played a pivotal role in shaping the industry through his contributions to various startups and established companies, focusing on growth, innovation, process improvements, and enhancing user experience in the complexity of payments.
Colton Pond: Colton Pond is a seasoned marketing executive with a strong fintech and financial services background. In his latest role, Colton is the CMO for LoanPro's API-first lending platform, aiming to meet the increasing market demands. His track record includes a significant tenure at Truv, where he led the marketing team to achieve a 300% growth in year-over-year revenue. Colton has also held key marketing and sales positions at MX, Lucid, and HealthEquity, demonstrating his ability to drive success and innovation within the fintech sector.
DD3 Media: DD3, Media: A media creation, management, and production company delivering engaging content globally
