Hey there!

Fintech partnerships sound exciting on paper. The promise of new technology, faster workflows, and better customer experiences is hard to resist. But the reality is that the work does not stop when the contract is signed. For financial institutions, the real challenge begins with implementation.

That is why I wanted to feature Gayathri Raghavan, Vice President and Senior Application Development Manager at Old National Bank, in this month’s spotlight. Gayathri has spent more than a decade leading technology initiatives across Commercial, Consumer, and Mortgage Lending. She knows what it takes to turn vendor promises into working solutions inside a financial institution, and how complex it can get along the way.

In our conversation, Gayathri shared what makes fintech implementations succeed or fail, how vendors can set themselves apart, and what lessons she has learned from driving digital transformation across multiple lines of business.

Implementation Realities: What Fintechs Often Miss

According to Gayathri, the biggest gap she sees is around assumptions. Fintechs often believe their out-of-the-box solution will fit a bank’s workflows with minimal customization. Once implementation begins, they realize how differently each institution operates.

“Although every financial institution has the same fundamentals, the operating models vary widely,” she said. “Once implementation discussions begin, fintechs often discover the true depth of customization required, leading to added scope, costs, and time.”

She also called out a few areas fintechs consistently underestimate:

• Data conversion and integration needs

• Regulatory and compliance differences between institutions

• Timelines for third-party risk assessments

• Data quality issues within core systems

Each of these can derail progress if not surfaced early.

Where Projects Go Sideways

When projects stall, Gayathri says it usually comes down to one thing: unclear communication. “Unclear requirements and constant changes are big red flags,” she noted. “Teams also get stuck trying to make everything perfect instead of making progress.”

Other common roadblocks include competing goals across teams, shifting priorities, and underestimating the effort required for integrations with third-party systems. Her advice: stay adaptable, communicate often, and prioritize progress over perfection.

Balancing Speed, Stability, and Compliance

Gayathri believes in moving fast, but never at the expense of compliance or stability. “Start with the workflows that are most critical to business operations and compliance,” she said. “Take a phased approach and pilot first. Once the MVP is stable, work collaboratively to fix issues and release updates gradually.”

She also recommends testing in sandbox environments to speed up learning without risking stability.

Driving Change and Adoption

Rolling out new technology does not end with go-live. Gayathri believes adoption starts with empathy and support. “Always start with a pilot group,” she said. “Celebrate early wins, share measurable metrics, and treat complaints as opportunities for improvement.”

Communication is the foundation of successful adoption. Release notes, clear benefit statements, and training materials make it easier for teams to embrace change. “Over-communicate rather than under-communicate,” she said. “Listen to feedback and adjust when necessary.”

Her advice to fintech partners: be patient, be empathetic, and champion your client’s change journey. 

Looking Ahead: The Next Frontier for Fintech

When asked where fintechs can add the most value, Gayathri pointed to the next generation of banking customers.

“The next big opportunity will come from serving younger, digital-first consumers,” she said. “They expect instant lending decisions, alternative credit models, and a seamless mobile experience. The fintechs that help banks deliver that while maintaining strong risk and compliance controls will stand out.”

Her advice to fintech founders is simple and powerful:

Gayathri’s perspective is a reminder that successful implementations are not about technology alone. They depend on clarity, communication, and partnership. Fintechs that take the time to understand the complexity of a bank’s systems and workflows, and work alongside them with transparency and empathy, are the ones that turn pilots into lasting success stories.

Practical GTM Strategies: Implementation Readiness

Winning a deal is only half the battle. The real work begins when the partnership moves from contracting to production. Fintechs that prepare for this transition early are the ones that keep momentum after the signature.

Here’s how to build an implementation plan that works:

• Start before the contract. Use late-stage conversations to identify integration points, data dependencies, and compliance needs.

•  Create an internal checklist. Align sales, product, and implementation teams on who owns what and when.

• Define success milestones. Map out the first 30, 60, and 90 days so both sides know what progress looks like.

• Keep communication constant. Weekly syncs prevent small misunderstandings from becoming big delays.

A strong GTM plan does not end at the close. It begins with readiness, clarity, and shared accountability.

Sales & Marketing Tips: Sell with Empathy

A strong GTM plan does not end at the close. It begins with readiness, clarity, and shared accountability.

Features don’t sell, outcomes do and the best teams sell on that understanding. Banks and credit unions need partners who get how complex their world is, with legacy systems, competing priorities, and the pressure to deliver compliance and innovation at the same time.

Here’s how to show empathy that earns trust:

• Do your homework. Know the institution’s structure, decision process, and what their teams are balancing.

• Ask smarter questions. “What usually slows projects like this down?” tells you more than any product demo ever could.

• Be a guide, not a vendor. Share insights and frameworks that make their job easier, not just your product shinier.

• Stay patient. Change takes time. Respecting their process builds credibility.

Empathy turns a sales conversation into a partnership. When fintechs listen first and solve second, they get invited back.

The GTM Loop Podcast is Live!

Big news from the collaboration front. The GTM Loop Podcast is officially live.

The GTM Loop explores what it really takes to build go-to-market strategies that scale. Each episode breaks down the real conversations around customer success, compliance, sales alignment, and the lessons that drive sustainable growth.

The first episode, How Customer Success Fuels Growth, is available now and sets the stage for what is ahead. Upcoming guests will include leaders across fintech, banking, and SaaS who are redefining how GTM works from the inside out.

🎧 Listen here:

• Spotify

• Apple Podcasts

• YouTube

• Web

Catch the conversation and stay in the loop.

Where I’ll Be: November Events 

ACU Lending Council Conference 2025 – Anaheim, CA 🌴
November 2-5, Hilton Anaheim
The Lending Council Conference 2025 brings together credit-union lending leaders and industry experts in Anaheim, California to explore the future of lending through peer networking, hands-on sessions, and strategic insights.
Event Info →

What’s Next?

• Tell Me What You Think: I’d love your feedback and comments. Hit “reply” and share your thoughts.

• Next Issue: Spotlighting another industry expert.

• In Every Issue: Practical GTM Strategies, Sales & Marketing Tips, and Partnership/Collaboration Updates 

That’s it for this issue of Maven Mindset. If you’ve been looking for a strategic partner who brings clarity and real-world experience, you’re in the right place.

If this resonates with you, let’s chat! And if it was helpful, remember to share! ✌🏼🩷

Until next time,

Angi 

P.S. Hope is not a strategy.

mavenadvisory.co