Show #101 Listen (36:11) Download

Into his seventh year, CEO and Founder Steve Steit has grown with Green Dot Corporation. He pioneered pre-paid debit cards and after some early struggles his card is now sold in 50,000 retailers. Along the way he had to get licensed, regulated, build call centers, deal with fraud and reload the cards. Now he has competitors using his reloading technology. From debit cards he's moving to credit cards and check cashing; Steve makes a prediction on the podcast: in the next 12 months Green Dot will become the largest check cashing company in America! Perhaps today Green Dot is Tech Coast Angels' most successful investment.

He sold his first debit card in May 21st, 2001 and he remembers that date for more reasons than you might guess.
He has lots of advice for the budding entrepreneur.

Mentions: Casey Kasem, John Kensey, Sol Zechter, Raulee Marcus and Ken Aldrich

In the ecosystem
Tech Coast Angels hosts the next Fast Pitch on Monday May 14th. Application deadline: April 20th

USC is celebrating Innovation in Southern California on March 28th. Interact with researchers and learn more about the cutting edge advancements made in disciplines ranging from multimedia and biotechnology, to robotics and environmental breakthroughs. RSVP by March 21 (rsvp code: innovation).

Live and work in the Inland Empire? The next Tech Coast Angels Screening is 10am on April 26th. Come out and help us build an angel network. Details...