As part of the 2023 NXTSTAGE Financial Technology Pilot Competition, our four winners each receive a feature article to promote the promising, next-generation solutions they offer for banks across Kansas. In this issue, we are proud to highlight Pebble Plan and their innovative services and small business assistance.

Pebble Plan gives banks a low-cost/high-return opportunity to de-risk their small business loan portfolios while strengthening client relationships and increasing community engagement. As a hybrid FinTech+EdTech startup, they provide both business education and financial preparedness through software that helps entrepreneurs either stress-test new businesses before seeking financing or re-envision struggling ventures before they get too far off track and start missing payments. This is a win for both banks and the communities those banks serve; the banks get better-prepared borrowers, and the communities get more businesses with a greater likelihood of success.

The Pebble Plan app serves as a collaborative planning workspace that helps business owners identify gaps in their operating plans and financial knowledge and then helps them fill those gaps through a built-in curriculum, financial validation tools and on-demand help. Most small business loan delinquencies start as operational problems before they become financial problems. By addressing operational problems through education and accountability, banks can reduce delinquencies and defaults before they get started. Think of Pebble Plan as your first line of defense against preventable delinquencies and a way to guide at-risk credits back to stability while freeing up your staff to focus on more urgent matters.

Multiple programs and purchase options are available with features like one-week implementation, flexible pricing and no contracts. The software does not connect with core systems and does not require any changes to disclosures. For details, please visit www.pebbleplan.com/kba.