Insights
Pragmatic advice and insights from Further’s experts on subjects most relevant to modern business and technology leaders
You Want the Truth? Leadership is Not About Certainty
Good leaders, bad leaders, ethics, authority – leadership lessons abound in one of the most famous films of all time. But its best lesson might also be its most subtle.
Avoiding Digital Transformation Pitfalls
Life and technology march on whether you’re ready or not. How you approach these transformative moments can mean the difference between true, successful change and finding yourself stuck.
Canadian Banks in 2024: A Rebuilding Year
After last year’s challenging performance, 2024 is shaping up to be a rebuilding year for Canadian Banks… as well as an opportunity to leapfrog the competition
The Journey Toward Instant Payments in the U.S.
Five takeaways from a recent Nacha conference showcasing the future of instant payments
Best Practices: Reliable or Relics?
When you find a formula that works, it can become tempting to write it in stone. Here’s why it might be time to dust off your best practices, and how to ensure they evolve with the times.
The Value of Experiments (Grand and Otherwise)
Uncertainty is… uncomfortable. We like to know where we’re going and how we’ll get there. But sometimes, the detours lead to the biggest discoveries.
Revenue Enablement is the New Sales Enablement
Successful companies recognize that the role of Sales Enablement needs to extend beyond just enabling the sale, instead continuing to partner with Product, Sales, and Customer Success teams to create more value to the customer… and revenue to the business.
Your Most Important Customer Is the One You May Not See (Yet)
A satisfied customer is the gift that keeps on giving. But who is really your customer? Are you sure? It may be time to look beyond your end users (and your product). Here’s how to do it, and why it’s so worthwhile.
Eyesight, Insight, and Foresight – How to Avoid Blind Spots in your Technology Strategy
Even the most visionary companies can fall prey to strategic blind spots. An updated technology strategy can provide clarity. Is it time to revisit yours?
Revving Up the Speed of Cross-Border Payments
We’ve been conditioned to expect instant gratification with the emergence of on-demand entertainment, immediate content availability, real-time communication, and same-day delivery – except when it comes to cross-border payments. Blockchain technology is aiming to be the answer.
Will you Raise a Glass to Embedded Banking?
You don’t have to be a bank to offer banking services anymore. The rise of embedded banking means new opportunities – and new risks – for those companies considering how to best take advantage.
It’s the End of the Old ERP System as We Know It, and I Feel Fine
Every modernization effort causes disruption. Transforming your ERP system involves a unique level of upheaval and stress across an organization – but it doesn’t have to feel like the end of the world
The Ultimate Go-to-Market Challenge
A new father-to-be offers perspective on the intersection of parenting and business, pointing out that many of the lessons learned from transforming from a person into a parent also apply to a successful go-to-market strategy.
Cows, Consulting, and Clickbait
TikTok often sends us down interesting rabbit holes. Sometimes when you come back out, you realize you gain a new perspective. In this case, the practice of cow hoof trimming created a surprising connection.
The Interim Executive is in Demand
Whether it’s due to a tight labor market, an increase in program-based work, more generous family leave policies, or growth-driven need for a bigger C-suite, companies are turning to the “interim executive” to fill key roles in leadership. The key is knowing what to look for.
Customer Personas: How to Activate for Success and Avoid Pitfalls
Customer Personas are extremely valuable tools worth your organization’s investment – when they’re wielded correctly. Without stakeholder understanding, a good persona can morph into an organizational albatross or gather dust on the shelf.
Five Takeaways from the 2023 TRANSACT Conference
TRANSACT is one of those must-attend events for payments industry leaders. Our partner, Eric Deraspe, offers 5 takeaways from his recent visit.
ChatGPT for Marketing: The Good, the Bad, and the Inevitable
ChatGPT will revolutionize the way we market products and services – but it’s not going to take over (yet). Here’s how to put it to good use, and why it’s no substitute for good old-fashioned human creativity.
The Next Battle for Your Digital Wallet
A group of large banks is launching a new digital wallet. Can they break through and compete with already entrenched technology?
Consulting… a Piece of Cake?
Things don’t always go to plan. A key element of consulting success is the ability to quickly adapt to the situation and still deliver results, with a happy client being the icing on the cake.
Let the World In. Challenge Your Status Quo.
Proactively seeking differing points of view, strategies, and ideas promotes the innovation and relevance needed for businesses to thrive. So let the world in. Invite change and challenge your status quo.
Cheers to Good Decisions and Looking Forward
The right choice isn’t always the obvious one. Here’s to taking chances and surrounding yourself with the best people. Cheers …and many thanks!
Looking Back on 22 Years in Marketing
Marketing continues to rapidly evolve. After offering consulting services and thought leadership in the field of marketing for more than two decades, what lessons have been learned? Here are three that will undoubtedly stand the test of time.
Venmo, Amazon, and the Future of Interchange
With Amazon and Venmo announcing a partnership to offer Venmo as a payment option for purchases, what does this mean for interchange and card payments more broadly?
No One Wants to Work (Like That) Anymore
Employers who go the extra mile to offer a variety of working options will attract an enormous, untapped group of highly skilled employees – and their clients will benefit.
The Ephemeral Engineering of Burning Man
Sometimes the infrastructure and technology you create to solve a problem can be short-lived… and that’s not always a bad thing.
Fall Flat, Stay Sharp, Act Natural, Keep Playing
We consultants sometimes like to think of ourselves as rock stars, but there are absolutely parallels between the two professions! Here are some keys to finding joy and success in consulting …and on stage.
It’s Time to Evolve Your PMO
In its heyday in the 90s, project management was all about execution. There were many boxes checked, many reports filed, and many celebratory plaques distributed… and many important things ignored.
It’s All Going to be OKR
We make aspirational goals all the time, whether in our profession or in our personal lives. We may not always achieve them, but setting lofty objectives makes for a much more rewarding journey.
Modernizing Your Technology Delivery Model
Companies everywhere are aspiring to “transform” their delivery models. To do this successfully, leaders must focus not just on adopting modern methodologies, but redrawing the lines within their organization as well.
For Your Customers, “Good Enough” is Often Best
It’s not hard to find people who talk about the criticality and importance of customer experience. And they’re not wrong! But there are occasions when the best customer experience is actually none at all.
The Evolution of KYC: Trends to Watch
For FIs, the discipline around “Knowing Your Customer” is critical. Single mistakes can have very large implications. We’ve observed several trends for evolving and maturing their KYC practice… and keeping up with the competition.
What Businesses Can Learn from a Scout Hike
For many of us, the time spent in Scouts is where valuable traits such as leadership, planning, and communications were first rooted. Now in the business world, we find ourselves still drawing upon those early lessons learned.
Managing the Risks of AI
If there’s anything science fiction movies have taught us, it’s to stay one step ahead of the robots. So how do you help ensure your company’s AI experience is less SkyNet and more WALL-E?
Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) Just Got Serious
BNPL is getting a lot of buzz these days. And for banks and other financial institutions who haven’t invested in BNPL solutions yet, they have some catching up to do.
You Want the Truth? Leadership is Not About Certainty
Good leaders, bad leaders, ethics, authority – leadership lessons abound in one of the most famous films of all time. But its best lesson might also be its most subtle.
Avoiding Digital Transformation Pitfalls
Life and technology march on whether you’re ready or not. How you approach these transformative moments can mean the difference between true, successful change and finding yourself stuck.
Canadian Banks in 2024: A Rebuilding Year
After last year’s challenging performance, 2024 is shaping up to be a rebuilding year for Canadian Banks… as well as an opportunity to leapfrog the competition
The Journey Toward Instant Payments in the U.S.
Five takeaways from a recent Nacha conference showcasing the future of instant payments
Best Practices: Reliable or Relics?
When you find a formula that works, it can become tempting to write it in stone. Here’s why it might be time to dust off your best practices, and how to ensure they evolve with the times.
The Value of Experiments (Grand and Otherwise)
Uncertainty is… uncomfortable. We like to know where we’re going and how we’ll get there. But sometimes, the detours lead to the biggest discoveries.
Revenue Enablement is the New Sales Enablement
Successful companies recognize that the role of Sales Enablement needs to extend beyond just enabling the sale, instead continuing to partner with Product, Sales, and Customer Success teams to create more value to the customer… and revenue to the business.
Your Most Important Customer Is the One You May Not See (Yet)
A satisfied customer is the gift that keeps on giving. But who is really your customer? Are you sure? It may be time to look beyond your end users (and your product). Here’s how to do it, and why it’s so worthwhile.
Eyesight, Insight, and Foresight – How to Avoid Blind Spots in your Technology Strategy
Even the most visionary companies can fall prey to strategic blind spots. An updated technology strategy can provide clarity. Is it time to revisit yours?
Revving Up the Speed of Cross-Border Payments
We’ve been conditioned to expect instant gratification with the emergence of on-demand entertainment, immediate content availability, real-time communication, and same-day delivery – except when it comes to cross-border payments. Blockchain technology is aiming to be the answer.
Will you Raise a Glass to Embedded Banking?
You don’t have to be a bank to offer banking services anymore. The rise of embedded banking means new opportunities – and new risks – for those companies considering how to best take advantage.
It’s the End of the Old ERP System as We Know It, and I Feel Fine
Every modernization effort causes disruption. Transforming your ERP system involves a unique level of upheaval and stress across an organization – but it doesn’t have to feel like the end of the world
The Ultimate Go-to-Market Challenge
A new father-to-be offers perspective on the intersection of parenting and business, pointing out that many of the lessons learned from transforming from a person into a parent also apply to a successful go-to-market strategy.
Cows, Consulting, and Clickbait
TikTok often sends us down interesting rabbit holes. Sometimes when you come back out, you realize you gain a new perspective. In this case, the practice of cow hoof trimming created a surprising connection.
The Interim Executive is in Demand
Whether it’s due to a tight labor market, an increase in program-based work, more generous family leave policies, or growth-driven need for a bigger C-suite, companies are turning to the “interim executive” to fill key roles in leadership. The key is knowing what to look for.
Customer Personas: How to Activate for Success and Avoid Pitfalls
Customer Personas are extremely valuable tools worth your organization’s investment – when they’re wielded correctly. Without stakeholder understanding, a good persona can morph into an organizational albatross or gather dust on the shelf.
Five Takeaways from the 2023 TRANSACT Conference
TRANSACT is one of those must-attend events for payments industry leaders. Our partner, Eric Deraspe, offers 5 takeaways from his recent visit.
ChatGPT for Marketing: The Good, the Bad, and the Inevitable
ChatGPT will revolutionize the way we market products and services – but it’s not going to take over (yet). Here’s how to put it to good use, and why it’s no substitute for good old-fashioned human creativity.
The Next Battle for Your Digital Wallet
A group of large banks is launching a new digital wallet. Can they break through and compete with already entrenched technology?
Consulting… a Piece of Cake?
Things don’t always go to plan. A key element of consulting success is the ability to quickly adapt to the situation and still deliver results, with a happy client being the icing on the cake.
Let the World In. Challenge Your Status Quo.
Proactively seeking differing points of view, strategies, and ideas promotes the innovation and relevance needed for businesses to thrive. So let the world in. Invite change and challenge your status quo.
Cheers to Good Decisions and Looking Forward
The right choice isn’t always the obvious one. Here’s to taking chances and surrounding yourself with the best people. Cheers …and many thanks!
Looking Back on 22 Years in Marketing
Marketing continues to rapidly evolve. After offering consulting services and thought leadership in the field of marketing for more than two decades, what lessons have been learned? Here are three that will undoubtedly stand the test of time.
Venmo, Amazon, and the Future of Interchange
With Amazon and Venmo announcing a partnership to offer Venmo as a payment option for purchases, what does this mean for interchange and card payments more broadly?
No One Wants to Work (Like That) Anymore
Employers who go the extra mile to offer a variety of working options will attract an enormous, untapped group of highly skilled employees – and their clients will benefit.
The Ephemeral Engineering of Burning Man
Sometimes the infrastructure and technology you create to solve a problem can be short-lived… and that’s not always a bad thing.
Fall Flat, Stay Sharp, Act Natural, Keep Playing
We consultants sometimes like to think of ourselves as rock stars, but there are absolutely parallels between the two professions! Here are some keys to finding joy and success in consulting …and on stage.
It’s Time to Evolve Your PMO
In its heyday in the 90s, project management was all about execution. There were many boxes checked, many reports filed, and many celebratory plaques distributed… and many important things ignored.
It’s All Going to be OKR
We make aspirational goals all the time, whether in our profession or in our personal lives. We may not always achieve them, but setting lofty objectives makes for a much more rewarding journey.
Modernizing Your Technology Delivery Model
Companies everywhere are aspiring to “transform” their delivery models. To do this successfully, leaders must focus not just on adopting modern methodologies, but redrawing the lines within their organization as well.
For Your Customers, “Good Enough” is Often Best
It’s not hard to find people who talk about the criticality and importance of customer experience. And they’re not wrong! But there are occasions when the best customer experience is actually none at all.
The Evolution of KYC: Trends to Watch
For FIs, the discipline around “Knowing Your Customer” is critical. Single mistakes can have very large implications. We’ve observed several trends for evolving and maturing their KYC practice… and keeping up with the competition.
What Businesses Can Learn from a Scout Hike
For many of us, the time spent in Scouts is where valuable traits such as leadership, planning, and communications were first rooted. Now in the business world, we find ourselves still drawing upon those early lessons learned.
Managing the Risks of AI
If there’s anything science fiction movies have taught us, it’s to stay one step ahead of the robots. So how do you help ensure your company’s AI experience is less SkyNet and more WALL-E?