Data Strategy as a Competitive Moat
Welcome to our July issue of AdvintroEdge, where we examine how data strategy is becoming the ultimate competitive moat in financial services. In markets where information is the new currency, the ability to collect, interpret, and act on data separates the leaders from the laggards.
In This Issue
Wim's World
Why clean, connected, and governed client data is the real competitive advantage in wealth management.
Data Strategy as a Competitive Moat in Regulated Industries
Vince (Vasyl) Soloshchuk argues that the regulatory obligations fintech founders once treated as overhead are becoming their most valuable, defensible asset — and the foundation of AI advantage.
Your ACH Files Know Which Fintechs Are Winning. Are You Paying Attention?
Pete Rung explains why the ACH data sitting in your back office is the most underused competitive intelligence tool in community banking — and how to act on it before the relationship drifts away.
The End of the Experiment: Why FinovateSpring 2026 Signals a New Era of Execution for Banking
Les Riedl reports from FinovateSpring 2026 in San Diego on why the era of flashy experimentation in financial technology is over, and what banking leaders must prioritize now.
Data Strategy as a Competitive Moat
Suvrat Bansal of Clarista argues that in the AI era, data ownership and agility — not models — determine who wins in financial services.
Your Website Is a Data Asset
After auditing 30,000 advisor websites, David DeCelle explains why the firms pulling ahead treat their website as a living data asset — not a brochure.
Advintro Adventures
Follow the Advintro team in this comic-style adventure as they battle the dragon of Status Quo — and the Wimmewagon rolls on to the next adventure.
Your Data Moat Is Already Built.
Savology argues that collecting no PII isn't a compromise — it's the strategy, producing more honest data, faster security reviews, and a trust moat competitors can't copy.
What Are We Really Measuring in Customer Service — and Why It Matters More Than Ever for Community Banks and Credit Unions
Richard Rotondo argues that community banks and credit unions are losing their service advantage because they measure sales, not solutions — and the fix starts with incentives that match the promise.
Life Lessons by Luke
Luke returns with hard-won wisdom on voicemails, virtual meetings, respecting the clock, and why silence isn't your enemy — plus a firm stance against hats.
Why Connected Content Gets Financial Services Professionals Found in AI Search
Kirk Lowe explains why real conversations are your strongest source of searchable authority, and how connected content turns one conversation into long-term visibility across Google, YouTube, LinkedIn, and AI-powered search.
Beyond the Pitch: How Advintro Curates the Future of Fintech
Brendon Cooper, President and CRO of Advintro, pulls back the curtain on how his team vets over 150 fintech firms each year — from product readiness and capital structure to the ultimate gut check that separates vaporware from enterprise-ready partners.
Where the Wealth Walks Out the Back Door
Why the firms that win the next decade will be the ones who show up at the moments where households change shape. Jamie M. Lima makes the case for staying at the table through divorce, business sale, and estate transition — before the assets walk out the back door.
The Aging Client Gap: Why Financial Advisors Can No Longer Ignore Longevity and Care Planning
Lauren Clough, CEO of bQuest, reveals why the fastest-growing search category on her platform is not about investments at all, and what it means for advisors who want to remain indispensable.
Impeccable Timing
Kate Walsh reflects on starting her career during the 2008 financial crisis, battling imposter syndrome, and why she bet her next chapter on the intersection of wealth management and AI.
Your Junk Drawer of Knowledge Isn't Ready for AI
Greg DeVore, CEO of ScreenSteps, argues that banks and credit unions are about to waste a year rolling out AI that gives wrong answers—not because the AI is flawed, but because the knowledge they are feeding it is. He outlines how to clean your operational knowledge and turn it into performance-ready resources.
From AI-Native Insurance to AI-Native Asset Management: Lessons from ITC Europe Barcelona 2026
Danny Martin on why insurance is becoming the laboratory for AI-native business models — and what asset managers can learn from claims processing, embedded distribution, and digital labor.
Investment Firms Think Data Is Their Moat. Most Can't Control It.
Tony Livesey on why proprietary data is only a competitive advantage when firms can reconcile, validate, and explain it faster than rivals — and why AI without control widens the gap rather than closing it.
Stay Updated
Subscribe to be notified when new issues are published.