Data to the Rescue: How AI is Cracking Open Small Business Finance

Small businesses are often overlooked when it comes to getting finance. Despite employing the majority of people globally, they face impossible hurdles when they need money to cover cashflow or expansion.

The reason is simple: data. If you only measure the data points available via a traditional lending process, you miss what’s special about each small business, and dismiss them too quickly. Small businesses are unfairly seen as unprofessional, and not standardised enough to accurately risk assess – unless you know exactly where to look in the data.

The rise of easy-to-integrate, powerful AI tools means that data is quickly becoming the only differentiator of note when it comes to tech platforms. More data, more accurate data, data that’s easier to access, and a deeper understanding of this data is what matters.

The Liberis platform can leverage AI to lend sustainably to more small businesses than any other finance platform. How?

The depth of our data

For 16 years, we’ve financed small businesses and meticulously tracked their performance data. Working with our partners, we collect daily, anonymous information about their businesses. This data includes cases where businesses succeeded despite lacking the usual factors that attract traditional lenders. By capturing and analysing these outliers, we’ve built a wealth of knowledge about what truly makes small businesses thrive.

Our flexibility to consume new data

We partner with payments, food delivery, salon management software, and more, reaching a diverse variety of small businesses. Each partner offers unique insights into specific industries and which data points indicate high performance. We’ve learned to incorporate this custom data and build a flexible platform to take in the data points that our partners know make a difference when spotting brilliant small businesses. We use this diverse data to deeply train our AI, incorporating everything from occupancy rates to food hygiene ratings and customer reviews. Every piece helps us discover hidden gems among small businesses.

We speak to small businesses every single day

When all else fails, there’s no substitute for a quick call with somebody who knows how your business works. While we are confident enough in our data that we can make the majority of our decisions in established markets automatically, without human input – our small business facing teams are on the phone every day to talk to everybody else. We live and breathe small businesses, so we know how to spot diamonds. Crucially, each of these conversations feeds directly back into our data and makes it more likely that we can automatically spot the next brilliant small business who applies.

These three strengths mean our platform is better able to deploy AI to sustainably fund small businesses than any other and is improving every single day.

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The Role of Sustainable and Green Lending in Promoting Social Responsibility for Small Businesses

Customer trust and loyalty have to be earned. Traditionally, businesses worked to the theory that if their product and customer experience were up to scratch, belief in their brand would be unwavering. But today’s ethically conscious consumer demands much more. They want to engage with businesses that consider the impact of their activities on employees, customers, communities, and the environment – and take actions to promote their well-being.

This recognition of the environmental and social impact of businesses has elevated social responsibility into a touchstone of customer trust and loyalty. To tap into this sentiment, small businesses must demonstrate a collective consciousness for these factors – but this doesn’t come cheap.

Investment is one of the biggest barriers to this shift to sustainability – until now. Sustainable and green lending have emerged to bridge this funding gap:

• Green lending: The provision of financing for projects or initiatives that have a positive environmental impact – typically those that support renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean technologies, sustainable infrastructure, and other environmentally friendly initiatives.
• Sustainable lending: This evolution of green lending takes into consideration environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues and risks, with the aim of increasing long-term investments in sustainable economic activities and projects.

Understanding sustainable and green Lending

Green lending

Green lending aims to redirect capital towards businesses that promote environmental sustainability. Lenders have specific eligibility criteria to identify and assess the environmental benefits of the borrower’s proposed projects or initiatives, such as implementing energy-efficient upgrades or investing in sustainable transportation.

Sustainable lending

Sustainable lending aims to support projects and initiatives that promote long-term sustainable development, taking into account the ESG impacts of the borrower. Therefore, the borrower’s eligibility for funding hinges on their sustainability performance across the three metrics: environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and good governance practices.

Traditional lending

In contrast, traditional lending decisioning models typically focus on the borrower’s financial capacity and their historic creditworthiness. This narrow approach perpetuates invalid assumptions that small businesses are too risky to engage with – leaving them disenfranchised. It also encompasses a broader range of projects and initiatives that don’t have predetermined sustainability criteria.

Social responsibility and small businesses

Morally-centred small businesses that actively contribute to the well-being of communities and address social and environmental challenges gain a competitive edge – and the benefits are compelling: enhanced reputation and brand image, increased employee satisfaction and productivity, improved risk management, long-term sustainability, and stakeholder engagement and partnerships.

Most small businesses are entrenched in their local community and environment. This deep-rooted presence provides an opportunity to build meaningful relationships that benefit the community: they engage with local stakeholders, create jobs, stimulate economic growth, contribute to community development, and reduce unemployment rates.

A confluence of their size and passion for the local area allows them to positively impact their surroundings. Having leveraged their relationships with local stakeholders to fully understand their environmental and social impact, small businesses can adopt meaningful sustainable practices. And they are well-placed to act on their promises because they typically have greater flexibility in implementing eco-friendly measures compared to large corporations.

However, there is a common barrier to achieving social responsibility for businesses of a certain size: funding. Sustainable lending practices break down these barriers for small businesses by replacing rigid legacy lending models with ESG-related eligibility criteria – unlocking funds that have previously been beyond their grasp.

Benefits of sustainable and green lending for small businesses

Favourable decisioning criteria will remain rudderless if small businesses are deterred from applying for sustainable or green loans in the first place by unaffordable repayment terms. Access to affordable capital for socially responsible projects is a critical factor in accelerating the transition to sustainable business practices. Sustainable and green lending initiatives typically offer favourable terms and lower interest rates, making capital more accessible and affordable for these projects.

Fluid access to affordable capital means social responsibility goals and values don’t simply remain nice ideas that don’t get off the ground. These financing channels direct money to socially responsible projects, allowing small businesses to align their funding with their ESG aims.

Supporting sustainable and green lending initiatives

Financial institutions have a crucial role to play in promoting sustainable and green lending. To achieve this, they must replace antiquated lending infrastructures with accessible and affordable products – such as green bonds, green loans, and sustainability-linked loans. A fulcrum of this accessibility is their ability to establish sustainability criteria that borrowers must meet to qualify for loans.

Liberis has reinforced its commitment to responsible and sustainable investment practices by developing Cashback for Green. Inspired by the growing appetite from small businesses for green funding solutions, they have collaborated with their partners to reward customers with cashback when they invest their funding in green purchases.

The government are also key enablers of sustainable finance practices. Motivated by their sustainability targets, they have introduced lending products that will help them achieve their goals. For example, almost £5 billion of funding is available to help UK businesses become greener as part of the government’s commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

Tax benefits and incentives for adopting sustainable practices are also being leveraged by the government in their drive to sustainability, such as reliefs for buying energy-efficient technology for businesses.

Overcoming challenges and limitations

Small businesses may perceive sustainable practices as expensive or believe they will increase operational costs. While these projects and initiatives can yield long-term cost savings, the initial investment or transition period may deter businesses that are focused on short-term profitability. This lack of knowledge might also cloud their understanding of the benefits of sustainable lending practices, preventing them from accessing the necessary funding amid erroneous assumptions that banks – which have a poor track record when it comes to funding small businesses – are their only option.

To plug these knowledge gaps, they must be given agency to understand the sustainable and green lending options that are available – bringing education that reflects this into sharp focus. Empowered by knowledge and understanding of these practices, they can look beyond their bank when seeking funding for sustainable initiatives.

Future outlook and opportunities

Financial technology is driving increased adoption of sustainable finance practices by enabling greater transparency, efficiency, and accessibility of the associated products. These solutions are supporting sustainable banking practices, such as digital platforms that promote responsible investing, provide ESG ratings, and facilitate sustainable lending and payment systems. This innovation helped the market for sustainable finance to accelerate past a trillion dollars in 2021 – a meteoric rise for a sub-sector that didn’t exist a decade ago.

The financial industry is recognising that new products and services are needed to catalyse financing from the widest possible pool of borrowers – otherwise, social responsibility efforts will stagnate. Several new offerings that remain at a nascent stage have been added to the sustainable and green lending ecosystems – such as sustainable trade finance and repurchase agreements linked to ESG criteria, green scrutinization, and green leasing/lending.

Conclusion

ESG-driven social responsibility projects and initiatives without funding will remain impotent. They require sufficient funds to fuel a range of activities through their full lifecycle that will underpin their success: research and development, infrastructure and implementation, scale and reach, education and awareness, ongoing support and maintenance, and collaboration and partnerships.

Sustainable and green lending unlocks access to vital funds by replacing rigid decisioning models with specific eligibility criteria linked to the use of the funds and the borrower’s sustainability performance. This agile approach to lending is helping to democratise finance for small businesses, which have traditionally been sidelined by legacy lenders. Empowered to integrate social responsibility into financial decisions, these businesses are reducing their environmental footprint and enhancing their social impact – and building trust and loyalty with today’s ethically conscious consumer in the process.

Revolutionising Customer Experience: Collaboration between Traditional Banks and Embedded Finance Platforms

Once an afterthought for traditional banks, customer experience is now a touchstone for these legacy providers of financial services. With their monopoly eroded by the emergence of tech-driven financial companies (fintechs) in the wake of the financial crisis, they can no longer take customer retention for granted – forcing them to rethink their outdated financial services. Empowered by choice and innovation, the modern consumer demands access to customer-centric services that focus on providing a positive experience at the point of sale.

Spearheading this disruption of the antiquated brick-and-mortar banking model is embedded finance: the seamless integration of innovative financial services or tools within the products or services of a non-financial company. This alternative model is allowing banks to bridge the gap between customer expectations around efficiency, speed and personalisation and what their narrow legacy tech can deliver.

Enhancing convenience and accessibility

A product of the fintech movement, embedded finance providers are breaking down entrenched barriers to financial inclusion that previously obstructed consumers’ – both individuals and businesses – access to vital services. This subversive approach allows them to give consumers exactly what they want: frictionless financial services that mirror the highly personal and streamlined experiences they enjoy elsewhere online.

With the embedded finance journey seamlessly integrated into the non-financial companies’ user interface, customers can bypass clunky traditional structures that rely on legacy third parties, multiple forms, and manual processes. The result is a streamlined customer experience that saves them time and effort while cultivating a sense of security and reliability.

Personalised financial offerings

Back when banks held a monopoly over the financial services space, a handful of providers offered the same generic services under different brands. No longer fettered to these narrow services, consumers are demanding bespoke experiences beyond physical branches. Embedded finance is empowering banks to develop a deep understanding of each customer’s requirements and deliver a set of tailored digital experiences that satisfy them – and it’s being powered by AI.

The modern consumer typically chooses to engage with brands that acknowledge and remember them. This relies on the aggregation and analysis of data to deliver personalised services that are relevant to their requirements and preferences. Embedded finance augments conventional data sources based on demographics and age with AI-powered personalisation. Advanced algorithms possess the power to conduct real-time analysis of vast datasets and recommend tailored products and services based on their browsing/buying preferences.

This marks an inflection point for banks, who are breathing new life into their customer experience by swapping a narrow set of services for the ability to anticipate and give them what they want at the right time, through the right channels.

Streamlining financial transactions

Embedded finance allows banks to simplify the banking process by replacing time-consuming and inefficient manual interactions with a seamless online user experience. Customers can access financial services directly within the platforms they already use, eliminating the need to navigate multiple third-party apps or websites. For example, some e-commerce platforms offer embedded payment processing, allowing customers to make purchases without being redirected to external payment gateways – reducing friction and enhancing the overall user experience.

Another example is embedded lending, which expedites the loan application and assessment processes by leveraging advanced algorithms – with the application process conducted online with a few clicks and a decision made within minutes.

Improving financial education and empowerment

Financial literacy – the knowledge and skills needed to make important financial decisions – is a key attribute for both individual and business customers when applying for products. Embedded finance’s innate ability to streamline traditionally convoluted and confusing financial services provides consumers with transparency and clarity about the products available to them.

Consumers are exposed to financial concepts in a more accessible and intuitive manner when these services are integrated into everyday products. By eliminating barriers to entry and simplifying the user experience, they gain a better understanding of financial management and can make more informed financial decisions.

Embedded finance can also provide educational content directly within financial applications or platforms. Users can access articles, videos, tutorials, and other resources that explain key financial concepts, terms, and strategies. By integrating financial education into everyday activities, people can learn at their own pace and develop a deeper understanding of personal or business finance.

Building trust and security

As financial services become more integrated into everyday platforms, the risk of fraudulent activities increases amid an ever-expanding and evolving cyber-attack surface. Any concerns around trust and security in the digital banking space are being addressed by a compelling weapon in the embedded finance armoury: artificial intelligence (AI).

AI-powered fraud detection and prevention tools conduct real-time analysis of broad and diverse customer data sets and present their findings expeditiously. When fraud is detected, AI models can automatically reject transactions or flag and rate them for further investigation.

Case studies and success stories

Liberis has partnered with Barclaycard to offer their small business customers access to personalised revenue-based finance. Called Barclaycard Business Cash Advance, this elevated customer experience allows these organisations to access finance based on their overall business revenue rather than historic credit scores – a frictionless service that unlocks the funding they need to grow.

Liberis advances a sum of money to eligible merchants on the agreement that they pay the sum plus a pre-agreed fee. This alternative finance product offers fixed-cost financing with flexible payment terms – allowing business owners to access the funds they need when they’re needed.

Future Trends and innovations

For the customer experience to meet shifting user expectations around efficiency, speed and personalisation, the embedded finance ecosystem must be agile enough to shift with them. By harnessing the dynamic power of AI to constantly learn and adjust based on vast sets of transactional and operational data, embedded finance platforms are creating user experiences that are increasingly intuitive, natural, and engaging – a perpetual evolution that has the customer at its core. Banks that leverage this agility unshackle themselves from their rigid traditional services that restrict customers to the same turgid experiences.

Conclusion

Banks that fail to recognise the pivotal role customer experience plays in building trust and loyalty in the modern financial landscape will remain stuck in the past – a world where customers were taken for granted. Those that are prepared to evolve in this increasingly saturated market by respecting the contemporary consumers mounting demand for efficiency, speed and personalisation will meet their expectations during every interaction – and improve retention rates.

By collaborating with an embedded finance platform, banks can provide a seamless and convenient online journey that bypasses multiple third-party apps or websites. Once a pipe dream for customers amid unyielding rigidity in the banking model, this streamlined experience is appealing to their appetite for customer-centric services – heightening their satisfaction and engagement.

4-Click Funding: How E-Commerce Platforms Can Offer Instant Financing 

Proactive e-commerce platforms don’t rest on their laurels. Having worked hard to partner with merchants, they work even harder to retain them. It’s this enterprising approach that allows them to focus on retention rates rather than churn rates. But with so much competition, it’s a challenge for them to remain in sight of their customers’ wandering eyes. 

Auxiliary services can build a mutually beneficial online experience that differentiates e-commerce platforms and retains merchant customers – provided they add value. Agile lending services have the potential to cement the platform/merchant relationship by providing access to vital funds for these small businesses. But, offering lending services for the sake of it is not enough; they must appeal to the merchants’ need for a seamless, streamlined, and tailored experience – without exposing the platform to fraud, credit risk, and compliance challenges. 

For this reason, dynamic e-commerce platforms are choosing to integrate an instant 4-click funding journey that has convenience, transparency, and personalisation at its core into their ecosystem – unlocking time-critical funds for merchants safely. 

Understanding 4-click funding

Powered by AI, 4-click funding eliminates friction from the lending process, unlocking funds for merchants quickly and cost-effectively. This helps to democratise finance for these small businesses by removing barriers – namely clunky and unaccommodating legacy lenders – that have traditionally prevented them from accessing vital funding.  

So, how exactly does 4-click funding enable e-commerce platforms to offer financing to customers in a matter of minutes? 

1. See the offer: The lending functionality is seamlessly embedded into the platforms’ existing customer journey using sophisticated – and customisable – APIs, enabling an automated pre-approved offer to be made. 
2. Customise the offer: Real-time user experience optimisation customises the lending proposition depending on the platform’s offering and the customers’ requirements.  
3. Confirm details: The applicant’s details are processed instantly, and an auto-approval decision is made followed by an auto-approved offer. 
4. Sign the contract: The applicant accepts the offer immediately, gaining access to the funds almost instantly. 

This ability to expedite the fund process provides merchants with the point of need access to the capital they crave, enhancing their cashflow management and increasing their purchasing power and inventory management; while the e-commerce platform builds brand loyalty and increases revenue through elevated user experience – a ripple effect that benefits both parties and has safety at its core.  

Risk management and credit decisioning

Inserting lending services that lean on outdated legacy infrastructures exposes e-commerce platforms to credit risk. This reliance on historic credit scores that overlook applicants’ future financial position prohibits them from flagging high-risk customers that might default on their repayment obligations.  

By augmenting the lending application and assessment processes with advanced algorithms, 4-click funding expedites credit-approval times and creates transparent credit decisioning models by analysing broad and diverse data sets in real time. This not only prevents applicants whose finances might deteriorate from being approved; it ensures creditworthy applicants aren’t rejected. For example, risks associated with instant financing are mitigated through robust automated underwriting practices that leverage cash flow and transaction data to drive instant – and informed – financial assessments. 

Security and fraud prevention

Automated fraud detection and prevention tools conduct real-time analysis of vast swathes of transactional data, allowing platforms to identify nuanced trends that can be used to detect fraud in real time. Once fraud is identified, advanced algorithms can automatically reject transactions or flag and rate them for further investigation.  

AI’s ability to process large volumes of data expeditiously also reinforces instant funding from a compliance perspective. With clunky manual processes consigned to the past, real-time performance data drives prompt preventive action if processes become non-compliant.  

Integration and user experience

Instant funding is a cornerstone of the embedded lending model: the seamless integration of lending services by non-banks into their infrastructure. Innovative e-commerce platforms partner with a third-party provider like Liberis to leverage embedded lending. This tech-led specialist helps them to seamlessly integrate agile lending options into their platform by harnessing customisable APIs – significantly reducing the time to market. 

With the instant funding application and approval process integrated into the platform’s user interface the customer journey is optimised for a smooth and intuitive 4-click experience: see the offer, customise the offer, confirm details, sign the contract.  

Success stories

Klarna – a leading global payments and shopping service – has partnered with Liberis to embed instant funding into their online experience as a value-added service for merchant customers. Their Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) offering relies on the delivery of short-term financing to customers, allowing them to make purchases and pay for them at a future date. By integrating 4-click funding into their platform, they empower merchants to access finance without friction. 

Future implications and innovations

One of 4-click funding’s main strengths is its dependence on AI. The definition of dynamic, AI is constantly learning and adjusting, providing e-commerce and embedded lending platforms with the agility needed to evolve by creating user experiences that are increasingly intuitive, natural, and engaging. 

Any concerns around AI algorithm transparency are being allayed by the emerging field of explainable AI (XAI), which augments AI’s innate ability to process large volumes of data expeditiously with clarity. XAI has the power to dispel questions about the validity of the outcomes AI produces by explaining the characteristics and rationale of its output. The in-depth insights offered by this descriptive tool will drive increased trust in and adoption of 4-click funding. 

Conclusion 

4-click funding ticks all the value-added service boxes for e-commerce platforms merchant customers: convenience, transparency, and personalisation. It’s this triumvirate of factors – or lack of – that have traditionally shackled these small businesses from a lending perspective.  

By integrating 4-click funding e-commerce platforms can provide merchants with the expedited lending service they deserve – safely and securely. This instant access to tailored funds isn’t just a nice change to the cumbersome and convoluted traditional lending model; it can mean the difference between surviving and ceasing to exist.  

With the anxiety of being rejected by legacy lenders assuaged and time-critical funds accessed, e-commerce platforms’ value-added service will achieve what it set out to: attract and retain customers. 

Faster, Higher, Stronger — Together: Celebrating Our H1 2024 Achievements

I’m so excited the Summer Olympics are on. The combination of unique sporting events, exciting competitions, patriotism (go Team USA!), inspiring stories, and sportsmanship brings a tear to my eye.  

The International Olympic Committee recently updated the Olympic motto from “Faster, Higher, Stronger” to “Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together.” I like the recognition that we go further when we’re working together. It encapsulates Liberis’s belief that when we work together with our partners, we can go further when it comes to making it easy for small businesses around the world to get the financing they need to thrive.  

It’s been an action-packed first half of the year at Liberis – in honor of the Summer Olympics and the amazing work that our teams have done, here is how we’re embodying the spirit of “Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together.”  

Faster: Getting Your Funding Quicker Than Ever

 We know time is precious, so we have speeded things up to make accessing funding a breeze. 

• Pre-Filled Applications: Forget the hassle of lengthy forms. Now, all our customers need to do is a quick review before submitting their application.  
• Lightning-Fast Decisions: When customers apply for funding, we aim to give them a decision as fast as possible. We’ve shaved so much time off this decision speed that Usain Bolt wouldn’t stand a chance.  
• New Revenue Data API: Our latest API means you can send us revenue data quickly, and we can update each of your customers’ offers in real-time  
• Simple document upload and signing experience: We’ve made enhancements so customers have 1 place to upload documents and sign.  
• Faster Signing Experience: We’ve made the signing process super quick and easy, so you can get everything done in one smooth go. 
• Automated KYC and KYB: If we need any documents, you can now upload everything in one go, thanks to our streamlined automated processes. 

Higher: Reaching New Heights Together

We’re scaling up our services and reaching new heights to support even more merchants. 

• Rapid Pre-Approval: We are now handling hundreds of millions of rows of data and decreased the time it takes from receiving this data to being able to pre-approve your customers by 99%.   

Stronger: Empowering Our Partners

We’re all about strengthening our partnerships and helping you achieve more. 

• Liberis as a platform: We strengthened our relationship with some of our long-standing partners, and now they are set to increase their revenue considerably through our from this embedded finance platform.
• Seamless Open Banking Integration: Don’t have your customers’ transaction data?  No worries. Your customers can seamlessly connect to open banking during their application process and receive an offer in line with their total revenue.  

Together: Building Stronger Partnerships

We believe in the power of collaboration, and we’re thrilled about our new partnerships and expansion into new territories. 

• New Partnerships: We’ve teamed up with some fantastic new partners like eBay, Nexi, CreatePay, Viva Wallet, Shop Circle, Paytrail, Raypd, and Clear Course. Together, we’re offering more comprehensive solutions. 

• New Countries: We’re expanding our reach with Vagaro, Teya, Elavon and Nexi to Canada, Iceland, Poland, and Germany. More countries mean more opportunities to support our merchants globally. 

We’re constantly innovating and enhancing our services to serve you better. The strides we’ve made in 2024 are just the beginning. By working together, we can reach new heights and create stronger futures for all our partners and merchants. 

Thank you for being part of our journey. We’re excited about what we can achieve together.

A Day in the Life of a Senior Collections Agent with Shaun Johnson

What’s your name and what do you do at Liberis and where in the world do you work?

Hi, I’m Shaun, and I work at Liberis in our Nottingham office. Over the past three years, I’ve grown with the company, starting as a Collections Agent and advancing to my current role as a Senior Collections Agent. While my position presents its challenges, I find it incredibly fulfilling and enjoy the diverse aspects it offers.

From the moment you wake up in the morning, what do you look forward to for the day ahead? 

What I value most in my role is the interaction with my teammates. Given the nature of our work and the challenges we face, it’s invaluable to have the opportunity to discuss and collaborate with my colleagues.

Describe a typical day for you in your role. 

Each day in my role brings something different due to the variety of tasks I handle. My mornings start with checking our email inbox and assigning new emails to the appropriate team members. Once that’s done, I focus on my responsibilities. I manage the active book for the Payment Assistance team, which involves working with customers whose payments fall short of expectations. I reach out to these customers to understand their challenges and provide solutions to help them get back on track.

What advice would you give a colleague whose just joined your team? 

On the Payment Assistance team, our golden rule is: “If you don’t know, please ask.” We believe there are no stupid questions, and it’s perfectly fine to ask the same question multiple times. The key is ensuring you’re well-prepared when communicating with our customers.

Are you office based, remote or hybrid? What are the pros and cons, if any? 

I work in the Nottingham office five days a week, which I enjoy because it allows for direct, face-to-face interactions with my colleagues instead of communicating via email. Being in the office also helps me maintain a clear boundary between work and home life, making my workday more productive and satisfying.

A Day in the Life of a Customer Feedback Associate with Felicity Crudge

What’s your name and what do you do at Liberis and where in the world do you work?

Hi – my name’s Felicity and I work in the London office at Liberis. I’ve been at Liberis for almost 9 months as the Customer Feedback Associate. This was a new, global role which has provided me with the chance to really grow the function. Every week I find that I’m taking on new responsibilities and tasks, so the past 9 months have been really engaging and exciting. I spend a lot of time collaborating with various teams throughout the business and ensuring that we’re constantly improving and evolving, so we can continue to provide an excellent service.

From the moment you wake up in the morning, what do you look forward to for the day ahead? 

If it’s an office day I look forward to seeing my colleagues and collaborating with them on various projects and initiatives. I also always look forward to 121s with my manager Hanna, who is an excellent soundboard for my ideas and provides inspired suggestions for where we could take the team and the function. Ooh and reading my book on the tube journey there! The best way to start and end every day.

Describe a typical day for you in your role. 

Every day differs for me based on the varying complaints and feedback we receive, which is one of the best things about the role. On a typical day, I start by reviewing my to-do list and checking for any new complaints in the inbox. I’ll then work my way through my tasks in order of priority, ensuring that all timeframes are adhered to and that we’re providing timely responses. I’ll also escalate any feedback from our merchants internally to ensure that we’re continuing to provide a supportive, outstanding service. I listen to a lot of calls with our merchants, which provide a really personal insight into their thoughts about our service and our product. I also have meetings with various departments to discuss feedback initiatives and process improvements or provide updates on any active complaints.

What advice would you give a colleague whose just joined your team? 

There’s no such thing as a stupid question! I know I asked about a million questions a day when I first started, and I want to encourage anyone who joins my team to do the same! Everyone at Liberis is always willing to help, even when they’re in the middle of complex tasks, and having discussions with colleagues is the best way to learn. I would also say that patience and self-belief are key, there’s a lot to learn, but it’ll all become second nature in no time, and there’s nothing more rewarding than realising you understand and can explain a process that seemed really confusing in the beginning.

Are you office based, remote or hybrid? What are the pros and cons, if any? 

I’m hybrid, working 3 days in the London office. I absolutely love the opportunity to work in the office as I find it’s the best way to collaborate with other teams and bounce ideas off each other. Everyone at Liberis is so friendly, and sometimes the odd conversation at the coffee machine (where I’m frequently found grabbing a cup of peppermint tea) can spark some really meaningful projects. However, hybrid work suits my role really well because I can have two days of quiet focus work a week, which is helpful when handling sensitive conversations with our customers, or when I’m dealing with a complex investigation.

Life at Liberis with Max Fitzgerald

What’s your name and what do you do at Liberis?

I’m Max Fitzgerald and I’m a Senior Partner Manager. I manage a few of our Key Partnerships at Liberis.

What makes you proud to work here?

I really believe we’re making a difference. We provide funding to small and medium businesses who might even struggle to get a meeting at their bank! I think our TrustPilot reviews speak for itself and it’s great to see that businesses genuinely love our product and working with us.

What are your stand-out memories of working at Liberis so far?

These have to be the big wins I’ve been lucky enough to celebrate. Whether they’re product launches, contract extensions, or launching into new geographies; It’s always fun to celebrate with your team that has worked so hard on something. We live for these wins and working in such an agile company means we get a lot of these wins. My most recent product launch went live in just 2 weeks! Oh and also the socials. We throw good parties.

Since working here, what ways have you developed – personally and/or professionally?

I think by working with such smart people all around you, you’re always having to think critically to really make an impact. If you don’t, someone else will. This means I’m pushed to always think about the ‘why’ the ‘what if’, ideal outcomes and how I can drive success. It’s something that can be used in all walks of life.

What makes Liberis different from anywhere else you’ve worked?

I’ve never worked in a company where our executive team treat everyone as a peer. Where they’ll tap you on your shoulder for a candid chat or a question. There are no barriers to our leadership team. They are highly respected and highly approachable which is so unique to me from previous work experience.

What do you look forward to most in Liberis’ future?

Our growth, our new partnerships, and big wins that we can celebrate. We have a pretty impressive pipeline and roadmap so I’m keen to see that come to fruition. And my Opera performance at our Summer Party.

A Day in the Life of a Global Customer Operations Manager with Tracy Kitchen

What’s your name and what do you do at Liberis and where in the world do you work?

Hey – my name is Tracy Kitchen, and I have been at Liberis, for 9 and a half years! This year will be my 10th anniversary! (WOW!) I am the Global Customer Operations Manager, working with the Customer Operations team across all regions, and supporting setting up our Customer Operations teams in new regions as we expand globally – which is so exciting! My first 6 years were spent in our amazing Sales function until I made the move into Operations. I am a remote worker, based at home, which is just outside of Glasgow. With the nature of my job and where my teams are based, I am lucky enough to spend a few days a month in our London office and visiting my teams in other regions too.

From the moment you wake up in the morning, what do you look forward to for the day ahead? 

Everything!! Strong morning coffee first obviously, but if I were to pick one thing, I would say the cross-collaboration my role entails. I get to collaborate daily with the people in my own team, which is always productive and fun, and also with colleagues from marketing, product, tech, finance etc, so as much as I am getting work done, I am also constantly learning, which is a massive plus for me.

Describe a typical day for you in your role. 

No day is the same for me, so it very much varies, but a typical day starts with a catch-up with my Manager, Hanna, where we will discuss projects, I am working on, giving status updates and getting support on anything else I might need and just a general check in on how I am doing, which is so valuable as a predominantly remote worker. Throughout the day I will normally have some 1-2-1s with my own team. A large part of my day is spent working on operational improvements that we can make, so I will be working with other functions, like product or the partnerships team, problem-solving or giving my input to cool, upcoming plans they have. My team is also responsible for customer feedback, so day doesn’t go by where we aren’t collating feedback, sharing it with relevant stakeholders and of course responding to our fantastic customers.

What advice would you give a colleague whose just joined your team? 

ASK ALL THE QUESTIONS YOU HAVE! Our responsibilities are very broad, and there is so much to learn. We need to know the details of the E2E journey for our merchants and be advocates for them. Our team lives and breathes all of our company values, especially Merchants Matter Most, so asking questions is key to getting all the knowledge the team need. Myself and the other leaders within the function really want an open, honest and transparent culture, so direct and clear communication is key to our success!

Are you office based, remote or hybrid? What are the pros and cons, if any? 

As I mentioned I am a home-worker but spend a lot of time in our London office. I love the work-life balance I get as a remote worker, and this was so important to me when I joined Liberis, as my son was only 9 at the time, so this allowed me to be present for him, while also focusing on my career. In the last few years, as we have grown globally as a business, I have been able to work often in London, and visit our other offices to support setting them up and do training with my team members in Stockholm and Atlanta and have just returned from the launch of our new Munich office. Liberis are advocates for work-life balance, and the flexibility I had when my son was younger has allowed me to grow with the company. Now he is 18, I have even more flexibility personally, as well as professionally which has been invaluable. Home-working for some can be difficult but at Liberis I never feel excluded. My biggest piece of advice to any remote worker is to include yourself as much as possible, be seen and heard (as everyone knows I am, haha!) and enjoy the balance it gives you!

Life at Liberis with Santhiya Sutharsan

What’s your name and what do you do at Liberis?
My name is Santhiya and I am the People & Talent Coordinator at Liberis.

What makes you proud to work here?
Our commitment to helping SMEs – so much hard work goes into making funding accessible and seamless for our merchants.

What are your stand-out memories of working at Liberis so far?
I am really passionate about working with people and being able to help our employees through difficult times in life has been some of my stand-out memories. The Winter Party was also super fun as I got to meet some employees from the US who I chat to on Slack regularly but had never met in person.

Since working here, what ways have you developed – personally and/or professionally?
Having worked for a much smaller company prior to this, I have had the opportunity to work as a team in multiple projects which has been really rewarding. I have also grown in confidence to voice my ideas (thanks to my team who encourage and motivate me daily).

What makes Liberis different from anywhere else you’ve worked?
We are super ambitious! It is great to be able to work with so many intelligent and driven people.

What do you look forward to most in Liberis’ future?
As a member of the People Team, I am most looking forward to further supporting employees with their career here at Liberis and their well-being. We have very exciting goals to achieve this year.

Navigating the Future: 2024 FinTech Predictions with Rob Straathof

As the CEO of Liberis, I’ve been at the forefront of the FinTech revolution, a space where innovation isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the very currency of our realm. The industry’s landscape is ever-changing, and as we gaze into the horizon of 2024, several burgeoning trends are set to redefine the financial ecosystem.

Gen AI: The driver behind FinTech’s Evolution

The role of Gen AI in FinTech is expected to expand exponentially. Gen AI is no longer a mere strategic edge; it is set to become the central system of FinTech operations. Its capability to learn, reason, and comprehend at a granular level will be critical in areas such as granular compliance checks, assisting sales agents with questions, training agents to close more deals, selecting the right leads for targeting and marketing, and getting one step closer to real-time decision-making for underwriting and affordability checking. By the end of 2024, I anticipate Gen AI to underpin a new wave of FinTech solutions, offering hyper-personalised services on a scale previously unimaginable.

Embedded Finance: The Invisible Thread of Commerce

Embedded finance has steadily woven its way into the fabric of daily transactions, and its continued expansion is set to continue unabated. By 2024, embedded finance will likely be an integral thread in the tapestry of commerce. Purchasing a vehicle, investing in equipment, or upgrading technology will all come with financial solutions woven into the purchase journey itself, eradicating the need for separate banking interactions.

Consumer Preferences: Ecosystems over Institutions

A pivotal shift is underway in finance, with preferences moving from traditional banking institutions to integrated financial services seamlessly embedded within preferred ecosystems. By 2024, this shift is predicted to dominate consumer and Small Business owners’ behaviour, as financial solutions that align with individual lifestyles and consumption habits take precedence. Platforms that can offer financial products within these ecosystems will establish the new standard for engaging with finance.

Next generation of Frictionless Finance

At Liberis, we’re not just passive observers of this revolution; we’re active participants. We’ve spearheaded an industry-leading 4-click embedded business finance journey that exemplifies our commitment to innovation. This pioneering approach seamlessly integrates funding into the purchasing process, allowing business owners to access pre-approved, frictionless finance effortlessly. This transformative solution eliminates the need for explicit finance applications, enabling businesses to secure funding as a natural part of their existing purchasing journey.

In my 2018 article for British Airways Highlife, I envisioned a future where merchants seamlessly access credit without explicit applications, with the entire process embedded into the purchasing experience. Today, we’re proud to have realised this vision five years ahead of schedule.

Looking Ahead: The Roadmap for FinTech

The future we’re shaping at Liberis is one where business owners spend less time navigating financial complexities and more time growing their enterprises. The financial ecosystem of 2024 will be characterised by its dynamism, its seamless integration, and its invisible efficiency. As industry leaders, it’s our prerogative to innovate with intention, anticipate the evolving needs of our customers, and adapt to the ever-changing landscape, ensuring that we’re not just offering products but enabling progress.

Get in Touch

Ready to embrace the FinTech future with us? If our vision excites you or if you have questions about what these trends mean for your business, don’t hesitate to reach out. Simply fill out the form below to start a conversation with our team.

A Day in the Life of a Delivery Manager with Sophie Tetley

What’s your name and what do you do at Liberis and where in the world do you work?
Hey, I’m Sophie, based in Nottingham, UK. I currently work as a delivery manager at Liberis. My journey here has been a ride as I started in a customer-facing role and then transitioned into the world of technology within Liberis.

From the moment you wake up in the morning, what do you look forward to for the day ahead?
Embracing new opportunities and learning new things. Each day in the world of delivery brings a new challenge, making every day unique. I appreciate the fast pace and constant busyness of my role. It allows for continuous learning and finding innovative ways to perform my job at its best.

Describe a typical day for you in your role.
A typical day for me starts with a stand-up meeting with my team where we discuss what we delivered the day prior, our tasks for the current day and any potential challenges we might face. I then spend a good portion of my day managing and coordinating various projects and understanding the WHY and HOW, ensuring they are on track and progressing as planned. I interact with multiple teams across the organisation to ensure everyone is aligned and moving forward together. I also reserve some time for problem-solving, as unforeseen issues often arise in the world of technology. Towards the end of the day, I review the project progress and prepare for the next day’s tasks.

What advice would you give a colleague whose just joined your team?
I would advise you to always keep an open line of communication with your team and stakeholders. Transparency is key in managing expectations and ensuring everyone is aligned with objectives and progress. Don’t hesitate to ask questions and seek clarity when needed. Foster a positive culture where everyone feels valued and heard. And lastly, never stop learning and improving. Embrace challenges as opportunities for growth.

Are you office based, remote or hybrid? What are the pros and cons, if any?
I’m a remote worker, but in order to excel in my role as a delivery manager, I spend at least two days a week in the London office. A major advantage of this arrangement is that I can collaborate with people in person, get updates, and offer my support in real time. However, a downside is the lengthy travel to London, but its worth it!