Simplifying Software Integrations with Merge's Shensi Ding
PayPod: The Payments and Fintech Podcast
Release Date: 03/07/2025
PayPod: The Payments and Fintech Podcast
Episode Topic: Sohail Sadeghi, founder of Atlantis Tax Group, joins PayPod to explore how business owners, investors, and high-income earners can shift their mindset from tax compliance to tax strategy. Sohail shares his insights on the most common tax mistakes he’s seen, provides guidance on leveraging real estate for tax benefits, and explains how proactive tax planning can save thousands of dollars in the long run. Lessons You’ll Learn: Discover the importance of proactive tax planning throughout the year. Learn the tax deductions and credits specific to your business or industry....
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Episode Topic John Gordon, CEO of ValidiFI, joins PayPod to discuss how alternative data is revolutionizing credit risk assessment. Discover how using ACH history, bank account behavior, and fraud signals is giving lenders a clearer, fairer view of consumer creditworthiness in today’s fast-changing financial landscape. Lessons You’ll Learn Explore why credit scores are no longer enough, and how alternative data fills the gaps. Learn how fraud prevention is evolving, how underserved populations benefit from better data, and why ACH validation is becoming a fintech essential....
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Episode Topic Today’s episode gets into the weeds into how stablecoins are transforming cross-border payments and financial access. Kevin Lehtiniitty, CEO of Borderless.xyz, reveals how his team is building the connective tissue for global stablecoin movement by partnering with licensed financial institutions. This episode uncovers the opportunities and challenges in building a compliant, scalable crypto payment network that thrives in both developed and emerging markets. Lessons You’ll Learn You’ll learn why stablecoins are reshaping how people save, spend, and move money...
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Episode Topic Today’s conversation explores how decentralized finance (DeFi) has transformed the crypto landscape, especially for businesses in emerging markets. Maxim Galash, CEO of Coinchange, shares insights on building automated yield products, the role of stablecoins in global commerce, and how regulation is shaping the future of financial infrastructure in crypto. Lessons You’ll Learn You’ll learn how platforms like Coinchange offer passive income opportunities through a combination of staking, hedge funds, and DeFi protocols. Max explains why they pivoted to B2B after...
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Episode Topic In this episode of PayPod, host Kevin Rosenquist sits down with Adam Katz, founder and CEO of Kaletra, to discuss the challenges and inefficiencies in foreign exchange (FX) trading. Despite FX being a $7.2 trillion daily market, many financial institutions still rely on outdated legacy systems, leading to high fees, slow transactions, and inefficiencies. Adam explores why banks hesitate to modernize their FX infrastructure and how AI, automation, and fintech innovation can drive the future of cross-border transactions. They also touch on the role of blockchain, cryptocurrency,...
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Episode Topic In this episode of PayPd, host Kevin Rosenquist explores the urgent and growing issue of online impersonation and digital fraud with Kate Cox, Business Development Lead at Memcyco. As cyber threats become more sophisticated, Memcyco is pioneering real-time detection technology to uncover spoofed websites and protect both businesses and their customers from fraud. Lessons You’ll Learn This episode dives deep into how fake websites are created, the mechanics of phishing and spoofing attacks, and the real-time tools being used to stop fraud before it starts. You’ll gain insight...
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Episode Topic In this episode, we dive into the world of fintech innovation with Tomas Navickas, the CTO and co-founder of myTU. He shares insights on how myTU is transforming digital banking and enhancing financial accessibility. As a leader in the industry, Tomas discusses the challenges of scaling a fintech startup, the role of technology in financial services, and how myTU aims to simplify money management for individuals and businesses. Lessons You’ll Learn This episode will equip you with key insights into modern banking solutions and the fintech landscape. You’ll discover how...
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Episode Topic Effective leadership is more crucial than ever in today’s fast-changing work environment. But what does it truly take to lead with confidence, clarity, and compassion? In this episode of PayPod, we welcome leadership coach and facilitation expert Therese Miclot, who has spent over two decades helping individuals develop the skills to lead with impact. We explore how facilitation plays a key role in leadership, how leaders can cultivate the right mindset, and why mastering communication is essential for team success. Whether you’re managing a remote team, navigating difficult...
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Episode Topic In this episode of PayPad, we sit down with Stephen McDaniel, CEO of F&I Sentinel, to uncover the complexities of auto financing compliance and the hidden world of F&I products. From gap waivers to extended warranties, Stephen sheds light on how these financial products impact both consumers and lenders. We also explore how compliance regulations shape the car-buying experience, what role lenders play in ensuring fair practices, and how technology is revolutionizing auto finance compliance. Stephen shares his expert insights on what the future holds for car buying,...
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Episode Topic In this episode of PayPod, host Kevin Rosenquist sits down with Robert Podlesni, Chief Product Officer of Revolv3, to explore the rapidly evolving landscape of subscription-based payment processing. As businesses increasingly shift to subscription models, optimizing payment approval rates and minimizing involuntary churn has never been more critical. Robert shares insights into the cutting-edge technology Revolv3 is leveraging to streamline payment processing, reduce transaction failures, and enhance revenue retention. Beyond payments, we dive into his passion for motorsports,...
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In this episode, we dive into the evolving landscape of software integrations and how businesses can leverage unified APIs to streamline connectivity. Shensi Ding, co-founder of Merge, shares her journey from computer science researcher to entrepreneur, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges of API integrations and why they remain one of the biggest bottlenecks in tech. We explore the hidden complexities of data flow, security risks, and the burden of maintaining integrations—challenges that many companies underestimate. Shensi Ding also explains why traditional approaches to software connectivity are outdated, how unified APIs are reshaping the industry, and the key lessons startups need to consider when scaling. Whether you’re a founder, developer, or tech enthusiast, this conversation will give you a fresh perspective on the future of digital infrastructure.
Lessons You’ll Learn
API integrations present a significant challenge for businesses due to their complexity, ongoing maintenance, and security risks. Traditionally, integrating software required custom-built connections, which not only consumed engineering resources but also created long-term tech debt. Many companies mistakenly assume that once an integration is deployed, it requires minimal upkeep, but in reality, APIs frequently change, leading to unexpected failures and compatibility issues. Poorly managed integrations can expose businesses to security vulnerabilities, such as unmonitored API keys and data leaks, creating risks that many organizations fail to anticipate. However, the rise of unified APIs is transforming the landscape, allowing businesses to connect multiple applications with a single, standardized API, eliminating redundancy and reducing maintenance burdens. For startups, balancing speed and scalability is crucial—moving too fast can lead to messy code and short-term fixes, while over-engineering can slow growth. Shensi Ding, co-founder of Merge, shares her insights on hiring top talent and maintaining high standards in leadership, emphasizing that a strong team is key to sustainable success. As businesses become increasingly interconnected, AI, automation, and data security will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of software, requiring companies to stay agile and proactive in their integration strategies.
About Our Guest
Shensi Ding is the co-founder of Merge, a fintech startup revolutionizing API integrations with its unified API solution. With a background in computer science and finance,Shensi Ding has built a company that simplifies software connectivity for businesses of all sizes. Her entrepreneurial journey is one of innovation, perseverance, and tackling the "unsexy" problems in tech that often go unnoticed. Before founding Merge, she worked in investment banking, an experience that shaped her approach to problem-solving and leadership. Passionate about tech infrastructure, hiring the right people, and building scalable solutions, Shensi Ding offers valuable insights for startups navigating complex technical challenges. Through Merge, she’s helping businesses integrate seamlessly without the pain of building custom solutions in-house.
Topics Covered
The evolution of software integrations has been marked by increasing complexity, as businesses rely on a growing number of tools that must seamlessly communicate. Despite advancements, integrations remain a technical headache due to inconsistent APIs, fragile connections, and ongoing maintenance challenges. For startups, navigating API connectivity requires a strategic approach—focusing on scalable solutions rather than quick fixes. Many companies fall into the trap of building custom integrations for each new software, leading to inefficiencies and long-term maintenance burdens. This is where unified APIs offer a game-changing alternative, allowing businesses to connect multiple applications through a single integration, simplifying development and reducing overhead. However, scaling a tech company also means hiring the right team—finding top engineering talent is difficult, and lowering hiring standards can compromise product quality. Poorly managed integrations introduce security risks, such as unmonitored API keys and unauthorized data flows, making security a growing concern. Looking ahead, AI, automation, and data security will redefine software infrastructure, enabling smarter, more adaptive integrations. Interestingly, some of the best business opportunities lie in “unsexy” industries, where solving overlooked yet critical problems—like integration infrastructure—can lead to massive success, as demonstrated by companies like Merge.