Are traditional banks keeping up with your needs? It’s National Small Business Week, a perfect time to talk about what small business owners really want and need from their financial partners. Once again, we are joined by Ben Cash, Small business expert and Senior Product Manager at Q2 Holdings, on the latest episode of The Small Business Show.
Cash starts today’s conversation by identifying a fundamental tension small businesses face: keeping up with rapidly evolving financial technologies while managing cash flow in real time. As money moves faster than ever, owners are under pressure to understand their incoming and outgoing funds, optimize their cash position, and secure timely financing for growth.
According to Cash, roughly 19 million small businesses in the U.S. make up a significant portion of the economy. Yet many still face rejection from traditional banks due to a lack of collateral, limited business history, or how their profits appear on paper. This creates a disconnect between the financing options available and the operational needs of small businesses, which rely on cash flow to survive and scale.
To bridge that gap, Cash argues that digital-first banking solutions must move beyond basic online platforms and become ecosystems. Small business owners increasingly expect personalized, integrated tools that reflect the ease and flexibility of consumer apps. These include features like invoicing, accounts receivable tracking, and cash flow forecasting—all accessible within their banking interface. This integrated approach enables business owners to make smarter financial decisions without juggling multiple platforms or learning complex banking systems.
Q2 Holdings supports this model by embedding third-party tools and leveraging data to help financial institutions better assess and serve small business clients. Rather than replacing banks, Q2’s role is to enhance digital decision-making so institutions can extend lending opportunities based on real-time insights into a business’s financial health.
Looking ahead, Cash identified two key trends: the growing role of artificial intelligence in streamlining day-to-day tasks and the importance of open banking integrations. Both developments are helping small businesses gain deeper insights into their operations and forecast their cash flow more effectively, leading to better access to capital and stronger partnerships with financial institutions.
“Small businesses want tools that are digital first. So that means they want tools that are fast, efficient. They want tools that are personalized, integrated into their daily operations. They basically want to manage their business inside digital online banking.” – Ben Cash
