Larry Hipp, CEO, Brightwell

Larry Hipp, CEO, Brightwell (Executive Perspective, Episode 10)

In this episode of Executive Perspective, host Danny Vander Maten welcomed Larry Hipp, CEO of Brightwell. Brightwell is a payments company tied closely to the cruise industry and its employees; consequently, the company was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Larry shared his experience of navigating that unprecedented challenge, shifting the company’s strategy, and investing in R&D during the lull period to diversify the company’s offerings. He underscored the importance of team unity, radical transparency, and innovative thinking in overcoming a crisis and emerging stronger.

Executive Perspective is broadcast and produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.

Larry Hipp is Brightwell’s Chief Executive Officer and a member of Brightwell’s board of directors.

Steering the company at the highest level, Larry brings nearly 20 years of experience in finance, software engineering, and product development to his position as CEO. He has been with Brightwell since 2016, when he started as Chief Technology Officer. He then held the role of Chief Operating Officer for four years before taking on his current title.

In his time leading Brightwell, Larry has focused efforts on making the company a truly user-centric one, an initiative that has had a huge effect not just on how Brightwell serves its users but also on how it hires employees. He is interested in not just creating great products, but creating great products that serve real people. This approach is reflected in the team he leads as well—his leadership has transformed Brightwell’s vision and mission into one that is passionately user-centric. He has also been critical to Brightwell’s expansion into both fraud protection and remittance, helping steer the company toward new opportunities.

Prior to his work at Brightwell, Larry served as EVP of Technology and Operations at 352 Inc., a role that combined leadership over both the technology and operations teams. Prior to working at 352, Larry spent years leading software engineering teams and getting his start in software engineering himself. It’s this background that gives him excellent perspective that follows through to his leadership today.

Larry earned his BS in Management Information Systems from Auburn University and completed his MBA at the University of Tampa. When he’s not working, you can usually find him fieldside, cheering on his three children (or ushering them to the next activity). A real technologist at heart, a graveyard of Kickstarter projects past lies in his desk drawers. He also enjoys coaching the next generation of leaders and devotes time to mentoring anyone in whom he sees potential.

Brightwell

Brightwell is an Atlanta-based financial technology company that provides financial services, including cross-border remittance, P2P transfers and digital bank accounts, to more than 200K global workers from over 140 different countries. Brightwell’s mobile-first platform and suite of financial tools simplifies personal finances for a community that is traditionally underserved in the marketplace.

Brightwell has engineered a complete suite of global payment products to enable your company to generate revenue and create experiences your customers will love.

Your money. Your choices. That’s the Brightwell way.

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Topics in this Interview:

00:00 Introduction to Executive Perspective Podcast

00:51 Guest Introduction: Larry Hipp, CEO of Brightwell Payments

01:02 Larry’s Professional Journey and Background

04:12 Understanding Brightwell Payments and Its Role in the Cruise Industry

08:01 The Challenges of Cross Border Payments

12:32 Brightwell’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

17:16 Larry’s Transition to CEO During the Pandemic

21:07 The Impact of COVID-19 on the Cruise Industry

21:50 Adapting to a New Business Model

22:34 Changing Customer Relationships and Demands

23:59 The Turning Point During COVID-19

24:17 The Uncertainty and Chaos of the First Six Months

25:05 The Realization and Adaptation to the Long-term Impact of COVID-19

26:10 The Rebound of the Cruise Industry

26:36 The Transformation of Brightwell Pre and Post COVID-19

27:02 Innovation and Growth During COVID-19

32:27 The Return of the Base Business and New Developments

35:14 Reflections on the Journey Through COVID-19

38:39 The Importance of Transparency and Trust

41:52 Closing Remarks and Contact Information

About Executive Perspective

Executive Perspective features executives and business leaders from a wide variety of sectors. Host Danny Vander Maten and his guests cover industry trends, insights, challenges, success strategies and lessons learned. Executive Perspective is underwritten and presented by Cresa. The show series is produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® and can be found on all the major podcast apps. A complete show archive can be found here.

Executive Perspective

Danny joined Cresa in the Spring of 2016 and brought a diverse background with nearly 10 years of experience in finance, business operations, and strategy to his client’s real estate transactions.

At Cresa, Danny’s primary responsibilities include strategic planning, lease analysis, negotiations, and cost mitigation. As a registered Certified Public Accountant with an active license in the state of Georgia, Danny provides unique financial insight into every critical aspect of the transaction.

Cresa is the world’s most trusted occupier-centric commercial real estate firm. They strategize for the best possible results for occupiers everywhere. Cresa thinks beyond space. Partner without conflict. And apply their integrated expertise to make your business better.

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