Guest: Gord Baizley

In this episode of Credit Union Conversations, host Mark Ritter sits down with Gord Baizley, Co-Founder and CEO of Judi.ai, to explore why small business lending remains one of the greatest untapped opportunities for credit unions—and how technology is finally making it scalable.

Gord shares his unique career journey from law and investment banking to leading high-growth technology companies, including Judi.ai, a platform purpose-built to simplify and modernize small business lending. The conversation breaks down why small businesses are consistently underserved by traditional financial institutions despite representing a massive share of the economy—and why credit unions are uniquely positioned to close that gap.

Mark and Gord dive into the cultural, regulatory, and operational barriers that have historically slowed small business lending at credit unions. They discuss how outdated underwriting expectations, CRE-centric credit culture, and manual processes have made small business lending feel complex and costly. Gord explains how predictive AI, real-time cash flow data, and automation are reshaping underwriting—allowing credit unions to treat small business lending more like consumer credit cards than commercial real estate.

The episode also compares U.S. and Canadian banking systems, highlights the importance of executive buy-in, and reinforces why small business owners are “relationship unicorns” for credit unions—bringing deposits, loans, mortgages, and long-term loyalty.

This episode is essential listening for credit union leaders, lenders, and executives looking to grow relationships, diversify loan portfolios, and compete effectively with fintech lenders.

IN THIS EPISODE:

  • 00:00 Welcome to Credit Union Conversations: Gord Baizley’s career journey: law, finance, and tech
  • 03:05 What Judi.ai does and why small businesses are underserved
  • 04:03 Predictive AI vs. generative AI in lending
  • 06:00 Banking in Canada vs. the U.S.
  • 08:43 Why credit unions focus on CRE instead of small business
  • 09:22 Rethinking risk: small business vs. consumer credit
  • 10:15 Automation, open banking, and real-time cash flow data
  • 13:32 Regulatory shifts supporting cash flow lending
  • 14:33 Ideal credit unions for small business growth
  • 16:45 Treating small business as its own segment
  • 17:27 Why small business owners are “relationship unicorns”
  • 19:10 The biggest barriers to getting started
  • 21:00 Executive buy-in and strategic ownership
  • 23:00 The future outlook for credit unions
  • 25:12 How to connect with Gord and Judi.ai

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Small business lending is a relationship growth engine, not just a loan product.
  • Credit unions often apply the wrong risk lens to small business lending.
  • Technology has removed the biggest historical barriers from small business lending.
  • Credit unions are uniquely positioned to win this market.

RESOURCE LINKS:

Mark Ritter – LinkedIn
Gord Baizley – Judi.AI Website
Gord Baizley – LinkedIn

Mark Ritter is the CEO of MBFS and an expert in credit unions and business lending. His primary role at MBFS is overseeing the strategy of helping credit unions assist members with business needs and consulting with credit unions on planning the delivery of services to their membership.