Faster SME loans are on the way | Julie Ashmore Dann, Rapid Cash at NatWest

Searching for Mana with Lloyd Wahed

Julie Ashmore Dann (CEO, Rapid Cash at NatWest) sits down with Lloyd to talk about how her company is making loans simple for SMEs.

After entering the industry as a remittance processor, Julie developed her expertise in small-business lending at such companies as Bibby Financial Services, HSBC and Growth Street. In January 2020, she joined Rapid Cash, which helps SMEs get loans in a matter of days rather than months.

In this episode, Lloyd and Julie discuss the ways Rapid Cash has already helped companies weather pandemic-related crises before outlining the benefits of establishing fintechs at major financial institutions. Later they delve into Julie’s leadership experience, outlining the benefits of small, agile teams and sharing Julie’s lessons from a perilous polar expedition!

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Episode Highlights:

06:34: How Rapid Cash helped small businesses get the money they needed to make PPE during the pandemic

16:15: Why customers need increased choice of SME loans during COVID-19

25:00: The future of work: why smaller teams will place a greater emphasis on the customer experience

34:20: How banking became more entrepreneurial over Julie's career

41:23: How Julie remains ridiculously optimistic in trying times

45:27: Career paths: rapid rises vs sustained success

54:00: The hardest moment Julie faced on her South Pole expedition and how she overcame it