Discover how embedded finance is revolutionizing the beauty and wellness industry through the lens of both platform and merchant. In this episode, host Hemmo Bosscher explores the transformation with Pawel Iwanow, Chief Payments Officer at Fresha, who shares how their platform evolved from a simple booking system to a comprehensive financial ecosystem serving hundreds of thousands of professionals worldwide. Then, get the merchant perspective from Scarlet Amies and Alice Vaughan, founders of MASAJ, who reveal how integrated payments and marketplace features have streamlined their operations and fueled their expansion across London. Whether you're a SaaS platform considering embedded finance or already offering financial products, this episode offers valuable insights into creating genuine value for small businesses while building new revenue streams.

Episode Highlights:

• [00:00] Introduction to Embedded Finance for SMBs
• [02:40] Building a Two-Sided Platform: Supply First Strategy
• [07:05] Embedding Payments: Transforming Beauty & Wellness Operations
• [10:18] Free Platform Model: Disrupting Traditional Software Pricing
• [15:45] Supply Chain Innovation: Revolutionizing Beauty Product Distribution
• [19:53] Leveraging Platform Data for SMB Financial Services
• [27:42] Vision for a Complete Financial Ecosystem
• [29:31] MASAJ: A Customer Success Story
• [34:22] The Impact of Unified Software Solutions
• [40:51] Balancing Platform Dependency with Business Growth
• [44:06] Future of SMB Financing and Expansion
• [47:01] Industry Advocacy and Growth Vision
• [48:28] Key Takeaways: Embedded Finance Empowering SMBs