Andrew Jamison, CEO & Co-Founder of Extend.
Discover top fintech news and events!
Subscribe to FinTech Weekly's newsletter
Read by executives at JP Morgan, Coinbase, Blackrock, Klarna and more
When it comes to digital payments, too many solutions still create friction where there should be simplicity. Businesses feel the gap every day—between what payment systems promise and what they actually deliver. Andrew Jamison, CEO and Co-Founder of Extend, knows that gap well. His experience across finance, consulting, and payments gave him a direct view into how broken processes slow companies down.
The world of fintech doesn’t just demand faster transactions anymore. It demands smarter ones. Companies need tools that make everyday operations easier without adding complexity behind the scenes. Digital payments offer a huge opportunity, but building the right product takes more than technology. It takes focus, clear leadership, and a deep understanding of customer needs.
Andrew shares practical lessons from his journey, explaining why building trust inside teams and staying close to customers drive real innovation. He also talks about how focus—especially knowing exactly who your customer is—can be the difference between moving fast and getting lost.
Enjoy the full interview.
1. What motivated you to build your career in fintech and focus on developing digital payment solutions?
I've always been a practical thinker. Early in my career, I saw technology as a way to better understand the inner workings of businesses — what’s happening behind the scenes int functions like finance, procurement, and operations.
That curiosity led me into a functional consulting role, where I got a front-row seat to the inefficiencies that slow teams down and identifying opportunities for automation.
My deeper dive into payments came during my time at American Express.
I quickly realized that the inefficiencies weren’t just in the act of paying — they were spread across the entire lifecycle, including reconciliation. That’s when it clicked for me: payments are a massive, often-overlooked lever for operational improvement, especially when considering the scale and complexity of B2B transactions.
2. How has your experience in managing large-scale systems helped you understand the needs and challenges of the fintech industry?
Understanding client needs is critical — but just as important is knowing how to triage those needs. Distinguishing between what’s broadly applicable across customers and what’s specific to a particular industry or organization. That clarity helps drive smarter product decisions and keeps teams focused on what will deliver the most impact.
It’s also a key part of defining a true minimum viable product. You need to address the broad, shared needs first before committing to a more tailored path. Through that process, you quickly learn the value of standards—not as constraints, but as enablers of scale. Of course, there’s always a balance to strike between moving fast and building something that’s scalable in the long term.
3. What skills do you consider essential for leading teams and driving innovation in the fintech space?
Trust is foundational. When you build trust within a team, individuals become more than just coworkers—they become a collective, aligned around a shared purpose. Trust also empowers people. It encourages ownership, which in turn fuels performance and pride in the work.
But trust alone isn’t enough. You also need a north star: the customer. Customer insights are often the gateway to innovation. If you’re open to feedback and ask the right questions, your customers will often show you where to go next. That combination of trust, empowerment, and customer-centric thinking is what drives high-performing teams and meaningful innovation.
4. What do you think are the most important factors for successfully launching and scaling fintech solutions?
Focus and clarity around your customer base are absolutely essential. It’s very difficult —if not impossible —to be all things to all people. By honing in on your ideal customer profile, you not only better understand the opportunity but also sharpen your ability to pursue it effectively.
That kind of focus translates into speed. When every functional team knows exactly who they’re building for and why, you move faster and with greater cohesion.
5. How do you keep up with the latest trends and ensure you’re always innovating in the fintech industry?
Staying close to your customer base is key. You need open lines of communication to keep a clear view of their evolving needs. At the same time, it’s just as important to keep tabs on the broader ecosystem, whether it’s new technologies, emerging players, or potential partners.
I find fintech conferences like Money20/20, Fintech Meetup, and CPI incredibly valuable. They give you a pulse on where the industry is heading and offer great perspective on emerging trends and opportunities.
6. What advice would you give to professionals looking to build a strong career in fintech and digital payments?
Take the long view and then extend it even further. This is an industry that rewards patience, persistence, and long-term thinking.
Stay well-connected to players across the ecosystem so you can constantly reassess opportunities and risks. Over-communicate your vision and mission; those become the guiding principles that shape your platform and your team culture.
And finally, never lose sight of why you started. The culture you envisioned at the beginning matters. Stay grounded in that, and it will help you navigate the inevitable ups and downs.
