Empowering Small and Mid-Sized Businesses: A Bank’s Role in Local Economies

Financial institutions play a critical role in supporting small and midsized businesses (SMBs) and local economies. In an up-close and thoughtful fireside chat, the session will uncover strategies and insights aimed at solidifying the role of banks as indispensable partners in the SMB ecosystem. In today’s economic landscape, discover how embracing digital transformation, leveraging data-driven intelligence, and fostering relationships can unlock new growth opportunities for banks as well as the entrepreneurs, families, and communities they serve. Insights include:

• Explore how an evolving banking model approach, centering SMBs not just as entities but as vital components of local economies and the livelihoods of individuals, is critical to maintaining competitive relevance.
• Examine operational and growth challenges many SMBs face, and how personalized, efficient, and scalable financial solutions address these issues to empower the people behind the businesses and strengthen the communities they serve.
• Understand how fostering deeper, more collaborative relationships with SMBs can create sustainable revenue streams and long-term loyalty for financial institutions, while directly contributing to the success of small businesses, individuals and overall community vitality.

Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and as their needs evolve, financial institutions must evolve with them. Entrepreneurs today expect more than products, they expect experiences that help them grow and thrive. For micro and small businesses, the top priorities are simplicity, speed, and self-service. They want to open accounts, send payments, and manage cash flow without friction.

In this keynote, TD Bank’s Chris Ward, head of U.S small business, will share how banks and credit unions can reimagine their approach to small business banking by focusing on the “Four S’s”:

• Speed: Delivering timely access to capital and quick decisioning that matches the pace of small business.
• Simplicity: Removing friction from onboarding, lending, and everyday banking through intuitive processes and digital tools.
• Safety: Protecting small businesses from fraud and risk while maintaining trust and resilience.
• Service: Providing relationship-driven support that meets business owners where they are, whether in-person, online, or hybrid.

This highly interactive session will engage attendees in reflecting on their own institutions’ strengths and opportunities across the Four S’s, sparking ideas for how the industry can better serve the small business community. Live Q&A will be offered through the Small Business Banking conference app!

Onsetto helps financial institutions simplify business account switching and accelerate business banking activation. By combining relationship intelligence with guided workflows, we help banks grow commercial deposits, increase treasury adoption, and build stronger primary banking relationships.

JAGDEEP DAYAL is a distinguished leader in the banking and financial services industry, with a proven track record of transforming large-scale businesses into market leaders. With over two decades of experience, he has done so by driving innovation and growth, leading multi-billion dollar ventures to new heights of success. His strategic focus and ability to foster a culture of excellence have consistently delivered outstanding results. Jagdeep joined Optum Bank in 2023, as Chief Credit Officer, and is leading the effort in evolving the Bank into a lending powerhouse, with an emphasis of becoming the premier Bank in the Healthcare sector. As President of Chase Auto’s Captive Finance Business, Jagdeep managed a multi-billion dollar net income business, partnering with major Auto manufacturers to provide consumer financing. Under his leadership, the business achieved double-digit growth rates through strategic partnerships and innovative solutions. At JP Morgan Chase, prior to taking this role, Jagdeep repositioned its Dealer Commercial Services business as a growth engine and industry leader. He joined JP Morgan Chase in August 2011 as Chief Risk Officer for Auto Finance and Student Loan businesses. Jagdeep joined Chase from Wells Fargo & Company, where his tenure included roles as Chief Executive of their Commercial Real Estate Finance business, and Chief Credit Officer for Business Banking. Earlier, Jagdeep rose through the ranks at GE Capital having spent time in various businesses. Jagdeep currently serves on a few boards, including the Advisory Board of Exponential Markets, a Fintech, and the Board of Union Settlement, a leading NY based Non-Profit, as Vice Chair. Jagdeep believes in leading through innovation, integrity, and a relentless focus on excellence. He is committed to driving organizations to sustainable outperformance, while fostering a culture that values creativity, collaboration, and social responsibility. Jagdeep holds an MBA from Virginia Tech at Blacksburg, Virginia. He also has a BS in Electrical & Electronics Engineering and MS in Chemistry from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, India.

With over 25 years of financial expertise, Ben Udell is a leading innovator in helping banks and credit unions “future-proof” their institutions. He is the leading expert on how bankers can leverage everyday AI, helping others find innovative ways to work smarter and more productively. As a leader in digital innovation, he enjoys working where customers, technology, marketing, and data intersect. Ben’s insights are sought after at major industry events such as The Financial Brand Forum, where he was 2024’s Top Rated Speaker, state and national conferences, and webinars. He also writes for The Financial Brand, state journals, and other outlets. He serves on the faculty of ABA’s Stonier Graduate School of Banking, the Graduate School of Banking at Wisconsin, and Madison College. In his free time, Ben creates content for benudell.ai, an AI and technology-focused site.

Mike Lee is CEO and Co-Founder of Fundica, an award-winning AI-powered funding search engine that partners with financial institutions, municipalities, and business-support organizations of all sizes to connect entrepreneurs with the most relevant funding opportunities across North America. He has been supporting SMBs with government funding for over 20 years and has helped start-up, growing and multinational technology firms secure over $400M in R&D tax credits and other government incentives across Canada, the UK and the US. Previously, he was Director of Corporate Finance and Development at BCE, Manager, Strategy and Technology Services at KPMG, and worked as an engineer for several software and technology firms. Mike has a B.A.Sc. in Engineering from the University of Waterloo, an MBA from the University of British Columbia, and the CFA designation.