The HiveMind Interviews: Sharing the secrets of successful Fintechs

Building Griffin: The Developer-First Bank Built by Engineers, with David Jarvis Founder of Griffin Bank

What happens when a D&D-playing data scientist decides the banking industry needs a developer-first overhaul? In this episode of The Hivemind, I speak with David Jarvis, co-founder and CEO of Griffin, the UK’s platform bank built for fintech builders.
We dive deep into David’s unconventional path to becoming a founder—from flunked coding interviews to launching one of the most talked-about infrastructure banks in Europe. We unpack Griffin’s self-serve product philosophy, the future of embedded finance, and why David thinks salespeople are optional (but helpful).
For fintech operators, B2B SaaS founders, and anyone scaling in a regulated space, this one’s full of sharp takes, hard-won insights, and no-BS stories from the trenches.
 
Timestamps / Chapters:
 
00:00 – Cold Open: “If you describe yourself as a game changer…”
01:20 – Meet David Jarvis: Fintech operator, failed coder, founder
03:40 – Griffin’s origin story and early pivots
06:38 – Why “the bank you can build on” is evolving
08:20 – Building for developers: No demos, just APIs
10:00 – The self-serve roadmap: Stripe-style onboarding for fintech
14:50 – Branding, tribes, and ClearBank shade
17:00 – Griffin’s ideal customer profile (and who’s not)
20:15 – Why mature financial firms are slow adopters
22:15 – Climbing the credibility ladder
24:45 – The role of luck (and regulation) in early traction
27:40 – Fundraising lessons and investor shoutouts
32:20 – CEO lessons: Overpromising, board friction, and trusting your gut
34:17 – Final thoughts: resilience and responsibility

HiveMind: Rewriting the Rules of Business, with Octopus CEO Simon Rogerson

Discover how Simon Rogerson, co-founder of Octopus Group, turned 15,000 cold calls into a £13 billion financial powerhouse by challenging industry norms. Insights on entrepreneurship, purpose-driven leadership, and scaling innovation.
In this episode of James Barker’s Studio, we sit down with Simon Rogerson, the entrepreneurial force behind Octopus Group—one of the UK’s most innovative financial services companies, now managing over £13 billion in assets.
 
Simon shares how he and his co-founders launched Octopus with a mission to challenge the stale, self-serving norms of the financial industry. You’ll hear how they:
Started out with a rebellious mindset and zero industry baggage
Built a purpose-led culture that underpins every Octopus venture
Scaled their impact across energy, healthcare, and real estate sectors
 
From venture capital to ethical investing, Simon breaks down what it really takes to build a fast-growth company without losing your soul.
 
Keywords: Simon Rogerson, Octopus Group, UK fintech, financial services innovation, startup culture, ethical investing, purpose-driven leadership, scale-up story, James Barker podcast
 
Listen if you want to learn:
How to disrupt a legacy industry
Why purpose beats profit in the long run
The secrets behind Octopus’s startup-to-scaleup journey
🧭 Chapters
 
00:00 – Intro & Context – Meet Simon Rogerson and the radical mindset behind Octopus.
04:12 – Starting Octopus with No Experience – Why inexperience was their greatest advantage.
10:45 – Culture as a Superpower – The no-assholes hiring rule and why culture trumps strategy.
17:30 – Scaling with Purpose – Growth driven by impact, not just profits.
25:40 – Innovation at Octopus – How Octopus keeps launching bold new ventures.
32:50 – Why Most Companies Are Scared of Standing for Something – The business risk of playing it safe.
38:15 – Advice to Founders – Building something meaningful instead of just big.
45:00 – The Future of Octopus – What’s next for the group’s ever-growing ambitions.
48:33 – Closing Reflections – Simon’s personal philosophy on leadership and legacy.

Unlocking the Potential of Open Banking, with Simon Lyons

In this episode, James Barker and Simon Lyons explore the real story behind Open Banking — from its origins to the complex market dynamics shaping its future.We dive into key trends in fintech, payments, credit scoring, consumer behavior, and corporate banking innovation. Whether you're a fintech enthusiast, startup founder, or corporate strategist, this conversation will challenge the way you think about Open Banking and its long-term viability.
What You’ll Learn:
- Why Open Banking was originally created to drive competition and better consumer choice.- How SME businesses have benefitted from open banking, especially in accounting and bookkeeping.- Why accuracy in payment processing is a game-changer.- The challenges of monetizing Open Banking in the UK due to free banking models.- Why Open Banking hasn’t replaced traditional players like Visa and Mastercard.- How low-cost competitors complicate open banking sales dynamics.- Predictions about consolidation, failures, and acquisitions in the Open Banking vendor landscape.
Key Takeaways:
- Education for corporates is crucial for the success of Open Banking.- Strategic acquisitions may be critical to the future of the sector.- Open Banking primarily benefits the corporate sector, not individual consumers.
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction to Open Banking01:28 - Understanding Open Banking: History and Purpose03:57 - Initial Expectations vs. Current Reality10:06 - The Evolution of Credit Scoring and Lending12:31 - The Role of Open Banking in Business Payments16:41 - Challenges in the Open Banking Landscape22:42 - The Impact of Competition and Pricing29:43 - Sales Dynamics in Open Banking37:48 - Future Outlook for Open Banking41:48 - Closing Thoughts + Endscreen

The Journey of Building a Bank & a Fintech, with Steve Britain

What does it really take to build a bank from the ground up? In this episode of The HiveMind Podcast, I sit down with Steve Britain, co-founder of Monument Bank and CEO of Monument Technology, to discuss scaling fintech, regulatory hurdles, and the future of banking technology.
 
From securing a banking license to navigating fundraising and launching a new tech company, Steve shares invaluable lessons on resilience, product-market fit, and the hidden challenges of selling into financial institutions. If you’re a fintech founder, investor, or banking innovator, this episode is packed with insights you can’t afford to miss!
 
⏳ Time Chapters
00:00 Intro – Welcome to The HiveMind Podcast!
01:40 The Monument Bank Journey: How It All Started
02:42 Scaling Monument: £1B to £5B in Assets Under Management
03:19 The Banking License Process: What Founders Need to Know
05:20 Fundraising & Regulatory Challenges: The Hidden Risks
07:36 Surviving in Fintech: Why Endurance Matters More Than Innovation
09:35 The Role of COVID in Remote Banking & Technology Development
12:58 Attestation & Regulatory Burdens for New Banks
14:33 How Vendors Sell to New Banks: The Reality of Long Sales Cycles
16:33 Fintech Innovation: Has Regulation Slowed It Down?
19:37 How Interest Rate Changes Impact New Banks & Their Growth
22:06 Why Some Neobanks Fail While Others Thrive
24:39 The Birth of Monument Technology: A New Opportunity
26:00 Legacy Banking vs. Modern Cloud Solutions: The Market Gap
30:47 The Realities of Selling Tech to Banks: What Founders Need to Know
33:03 Steve’s Advice to Founders: How to Succeed in Fintech
34:57 Outro & Final Thoughts

How Fintech sales has changed in the last 10 years, with Antony Bream

💡 How do businesses really succeed in sales today? In this episode of The HiveMind Podcast, I sit down with Anthony Bream, a seasoned go-to-market strategist, to uncover the biggest sales and marketing mistakes, how buyer behavior is shifting, and why aligning sales, marketing, and product is critical for long-term growth.
 
🚀 We cover practical strategies to fix your GTM motion, improve forecast accuracy, and understand how enterprises really buy—so you can close bigger deals, faster.
 
⏳ Time Chapters
 
00:00 Intro – Welcome to The HiveMind Podcast!
01:37 What Are the Biggest Go-To-Market Mistakes?
05:31 Right People, Right Time: Why Hiring Mistakes Hurt GTM
08:36 Why Sales Training Fails: The Missing Buyer Perspective
13:46 The Sales & Marketing Misalignment Problem
16:58 How to Build a Stronger Brand Presence as a Small Company
23:36 Scaling Challenges: How Growth Can Break Your Business
26:20 The Changing Role of SDRs & Outbound Sales
33:36 The AI Debate: When Should Sales & Marketing Use AI?
40:35 Enterprise vs SMB Sales: Where AI Helps and Where It Fails
45:38 CRO vs CSO: Who Should Own the Revenue Engine?
51:31 Is Revenue a Sales Problem or a Product Problem?
53:02 Outro & Final Thoughts

The story of founding Currency Cloud and Railsr, with Nigel Verdon

I talk to Nigel Verdon about his entrepreneurial journey, including 3 companies with exists and 1 unicorn. Nigel is an engineer by trade and you can see this in how he approaches company building. I don't think I've spoken to another founder with such a clear and elegant understanding of all the moving parts. You'll understand why when you watch the episode.
- Succession planning and how he knew when to step back
- The importance of developer experience in selling technology and how developers don't want to talk to salespeople
- Why the innovation wave has finished in Fintech, for now..
- Understanding the buyer and building a product they need
 
 

The Minna Technologies story from Inception to their Mastercard exit, with founder Joakim Sjoblom

Joakim, the founder of Minna Technologies, shares his journey from the inception of the company to its acquisition by MasterCard. He discusses the challenges of being a founder, the importance of co-founders, navigating fundraising, and the complexities of selling to banks. Joakim emphasizes the significance of understanding customer needs, the transition from B2C to enterprise sales, and the lessons learned from international expansion. He also reflects on leadership changes and offers advice for aspiring founders.

Disrupting the wealth space with SECCL CEO David Ferguson

David Ferguson is the CEO of SECCL, a new wealth tech company. He joins me to talk about their growth journey as part of Octopus group, and why creating happy customers that are your biggest fans is the ultimate growth hack.