Banker Turned Author Makes a Difference in the World

Are you a millennial looking to get financially savvy while also contributing positively to society? You need to read David Reiling’s new book Fintech 4 Good.

Reiling is passionate about “showcasing ideas, companies [and] innovations that fascinate me,’ and writing, he says, gives him the ability to share information he thinks should be seen by others. As a successful banker and entrepreneur, Reiling saw his opportunity to use his platform— you guessed it— for good. Under Reiling’s leadership, Sunrise Banks became the first Minnesota bank certified as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), the first Minnesota B Corp, the first Minnesota bank to join the Global Alliance of Banking on Values and one of the first Minnesota Benefit Corporations.

As a result, Reiling himself has been recognized by Trust Across America as one of Top 100 Thought Leaders in Trustworthy Business four years running. He has also been named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Finance & Commerce’s Innovator of the Year, received Minnesota Business Magazine’s Good Leader award, earned the Corporate Citizenship Award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Center for Corporate Citizenship and won a Stevie Award for Best Corporate Social Responsibility Program. Phew!

But that’s not all. Reiling’s new book Fintech 4 Good is far from his first foray into the world of the written world. He has been published extensively in places like Green Money Journal, the St. Louis Federal Reserve, Philanthropy.com and paybefore.com, as well as being a finance contributor to Grit Daily News. It makes sense that a book would come next. 

So, what is Fintech 4 Good about? Good question. This book is here to motivate you to get financially savvy, while improving the world around you. As Reiling tells us, ” Fintech4Good was inspired by fintechs around the country that are helping to make financial products and services more accessible and affordable. Fintech is changing the financial landscape, and allowing traditionally underserved consumers to take control of their finances through credit-building products, financial literacy and payday advance products.”

The blurb reads:

 

Get inspired:

Through the power of financial technology (Fintech), doing well and doing good are no longer mutually exclusive. In fact, they are combining forces to exponentiate success across the board. Helping others is just as important of a metric as making money- and we can now achieve both at the same time. These 5 fintechs will illustrate that you don’t have to choose between making a difference in your wallet or a difference in the world.

You can dare to be different by picking both.

According to an interview with techbullion.com, Reiling wrote the book “to highlight how certain trailblazers in the financial industry are using technology to solve some important financial challenges and issues.” He goes on to explain that “the book focuses on five fintech entrepreneurs who saw or experienced a financial health challenge and met the challenge head-on by creating solutions that can help thousands of individuals who find themselves in the same boat. These stories are compelling and empowering because most of them are sparked by issues the founders faced.” 

Reiling is also concerned with dispelling certain misconceptions around the world of finance in general, saying “I think the biggest misconception about the industry is that it can’t “do good.” A lot of people see bankers as the enemy – they’re looking for your money and that’s it. But, as I said earlier, there are so many people in the financial industry who truly want to make banking something that’s more accessible and equitable.”

Reiling hopes to “inspire other entrepreneurs and technologists to continue to innovate. There is so much opportunity in the fintech space to do good and do well.”

And what’s next for Reiling?

“I’m currently working on my second book, which deals with workplace culture. Creating a sense of belonging and purpose is so important at work, and I try to unpackage what that entails in the second installment of the 4Good series. The book is scheduled to go to print in May.”