"People underestimate still today the degree to which you have to be human," says Claurelle Rakipovic, CEO of Pipe — a striking line from someone who has spent years building AI into the core of a financial company.

We're glad to announce that the 6th episode of our Women Leading the Way podcast is now out! Inside, there's a conversation between Claurelle and our host Maria Tunikova on how AI and embedded capital are transforming small business finance.

Pipe lets small businesses draw on financing through the software they already use, instead of applying for a loan elsewhere. "You don't even have to apply for it," Claurelle says.

Pipe's models track a business continuously, order fulfilment, hours, small signs of strain, and surface an offer, usually a few thousand dollars up to $200,000. A business can accept in four clicks, with money often landing within hours.

Claurelle has little patience for AI added on as a visible feature. "No one has a choice," she says of building it into the core instead. "It's like inflation — it's just slowly eating away at what might be your advantage." At Pipe, AI runs behind underwriting, fraud checks and compliance.

Becoming CEO meant losing a safety net she hadn't noticed she relied on. "There's no one to ratify it, there's no one to put a stamp on it," she says of the calls she now makes alone.

Her advice to women who don't feel ready for bigger roles: "Remember that ready is your definition."

Listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or listen to it on YouTube.