In this second episode of Tea for Two, and Two for Tea, I sit down with Goran Bosankic, Chief Revenue Officer at Field39, to dig into one of the biggest illusions in payments: the so-called death of cash and emergence of digital payment fanciness
From Croatia’s paradoxical payment habits to the limitations of leapfrogging narratives, we challenge the dominant discourse around digital payments. Goran shares insights from a career spent in core banking and card systems, offering a pragmatic and often humorous view on why payment transitions are rarely clean or universal. We talked about super apps, acquirers, e-commerce frictions, and the messy marriage between paytechs and banks. A rich, candid exchange that questions whether we’re building real solutions… or just new illusions.
🔗 Links
📌 Episode Breakdown
⏱ 00:00 — Episode Intro
I welcome Goran and set the tone: cash is far from dead, and our assumptions might be lazy. Time to unpack.
⏱ 02:50 — Croatia and Cash: It’s Complicated
Tourism, culture, history, and acquirer fees, why Croatia still runs on cash despite a high-tech card infrastructure.
⏱ 12:00 — Is Cash Really Disappearing?
We explore why cash is so hard to trace and how fiscal workarounds help us estimate its real footprint.
⏱ 15:40 — Cash to Super App: A Leap or a Lie?
Goran questions the universal appeal of wallets and super apps. Spoiler: context matters.
⏱ 20:25 — Consumers Don’t Care About Omnichannel
They want convenience, not buzzwords. And three things matter: interoperability, convenience, and safety.
⏱ 21:51 — Bridging E-Com and In-Store Payments
Still too many silos. We ask whether the industry really delivers the omnichannel promise or just sells it.
⏱ 25:28 — Do Banks Still Belong in Retail Payments?
From legacy acquirers to paytech enablers, banks have lost ground, and some are only now waking up.
⏱ 31:01 — Who Won the Battle: Banks or Paytechs?
We talk Adyen, Stripe, and the regulatory weight catching up with fintech. Time to rebuild or double down?
⏱ 33:55 — Wrap-Up (Perspectives)
We reflect on what’s ahead: SEPA Instant, new business models, and whether Europe can stop playing catch-up.
In this first episode of Tea for Two, and Two for Tea. I sit down with Vassilina Walford to explore payments from a treasury perspective. We discuss the limits of multi-acquiring, the overlooked role of finance in retail payments, the rise of the Chief Payment Officer, and how luxury brands are rethinking payments as a strategic enabler—not just a backend process. A thoughtful insider take on the complexities behind the checkout.
Be indulgent, on this first episode, i did some curious editing but don't be shocked, I had to choose the best pieces of this long and elaborated conversation with Vassilina.
A big shout out to Podcast studio in Lausanne: https://www.wetalk-studio.com/
Link on my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/Spillttp/membership
Link on my blog: https://spillthetp.com/spill-the-tea-the-blog/
Link on my Linkedin Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordangraison/
Link on my Linked'in Newsletter "Spill the tea - La Crème de la Crème" : https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7280961977936482305/
Link to Vassilina LInked'in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilina-lapteva-walford/
Link to Payment Vibes expertise : https://paymentvibes.com/
Episode breakdown:
⏱ 00:00 — Episode Intro
I introduce the vision behind Tea for Two and Two for Tea — a podcast to spill real insights into payments, far from the marketing noise. He sets the tone: independent, curious, and a bit cheeky. Guest of honour: Vassalina Walford, former Richemont treasurer turned payment consultant.
⏱ 03:45 — Treasury as a Background
Vassilina shares how she entered payments by investigating credit card fees. Coming from treasury, she brings a different lens — focused on cost, cash flow, and strategic oversight rather than tech or UX.
⏱ 10:34 — The Multi-Acquiring Strategy
A candid conversation on the risks and rewards of multi-acquiring. Vassilina challenges the standard playbook and advocates for a balanced, selective approach rooted in redundancy, not complexity.
⏱ 14:10 — Treasury Role in Payment
Why treasury and finance teams are often left out of payment decisions—despite being the most impacted. Vassilina discusses the gap between commercial visions and back-office realities, and how that’s slowly shifting.
⏱ 17:53 — The Ascension of Chief Payment Officer (CPO)
Is payment a tech, finance, or marketing topic? Vassilina argues for a dedicated, senior payment function—neutral, cross-functional, and close enough to the field to stay relevant.
⏱ 23:40 — Payments as Enabler for Luxury Retail
In global luxury, payment isn’t just a back-end process—it’s a market enabler. From Alipay in China to UPI in India, payment localization has become key to capturing demand.
⏱ 27:24 — Payment Taboo in Luxury?
Once considered almost inappropriate to talk about, payments are now part of luxury’s strategic toolbox. Vassilina reflects on shifting attitudes and the Gen Z-led transformation of luxury customers.
⏱ 29:19 — Omnichannel Promise in Payments
The myth of “frictionless” is debunked. Omnichannel is a consumer expectation but a technical challenge. Success depends on orchestrating backend ops as much as the front-end journey.
⏱ 36:02 — Wrap-Up (Perspectives)
Vassilina and I reflect on the evolution of payments and the need for holistic thinking—where operations, tech, finance, and customer experience finally speak the same language.
