In this episode of Innovation and the Digital Enterprise, Patrick and Shelli chat with Steve Gall, CTO of M1 Finance, a personal finance platform. Steve talks about his journey helping scale M1 from a few engineers to a platform managing over $10 billion in client assets. Steve shares insights about the ways that he and M1 have managed risk, navigated compliance in this highly regulated industry, and deftly adjusted technical strategies during rapid growth.

Steve highlights a commitment to centering the user, providing a safe, stable, trustworthy experience even in the midst of a shifting fintech landscape, and while his company was quickly scaling. He shares the challenges, the opportunities, and the strategies involved in growing the M1, stressing the importance of resilience, empathy, and adaptability in leadership. The conversation closes with a chat about Steve’s passion for pinball and a great list of his recommended reads for CTOs.

(00:00) Welcome Steve Gall, CTO of M1 Finance
(01:32) Steve’s Background and Role at M1 Finance
(04:26) Childhood Investment Interests
(07:23) The Concept Behind M1 Finance
(13:16) Regulatory Challenges and Growth
(16:33) Transition to Self-Clearing Broker Dealer
(20:33) Achieving Hockey Stick Growth
(23:09) Navigating Organizational Challenges
(25:24) Scaling and Downsizing
(28:03) Handling Workforce Reductions with Empathy
(31:53) Pinball, Personal Insights and Recommended Reads
(38:08) Closing Thoughts

Steve Gall is the Chief Technology Officer at M1 Finance. He serves on the board at B2 Bank and is involved with P33 Chicago. Past roles include Technical Architect at Avionos LLC, and Senior Associate at Acquity Group (part of Accenture Interactive). He started his career at Alcon Labs after earning a Bachelors in Computer Science at Purdue University.

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Podcast episode production by Dante32.