In the latest PYMNTS Intelligence collaboration with Mastercard, “Ready for Change: Why Nearly Half of SMBs Want to Ditch Cash and Checks,” one message comes through clearly: small businesses aren’t “anti-digital” they’re workflow-driven. Nearly half of U.S. SMBs say they’re highly interested in reducing cash usage, yet cash and checks persist because they still feel immediate, familiar and embedded in day-to-day operating routines. The opportunity for banks, fintechs and platforms isn’t to simply swap payment methods — it’s to replace the cash-and-check workflow with something that delivers speed, certainty, security and visibility.
In this conversation, Ginger Siegel, North America Small and Medium Business Lead at Mastercard, Dawn Kelly, Co-Founder & CEO of The Nourish Spot, and Ahmed Siddiqui, Chief Payments Officer at Branch, bring three perspectives to the same question: what actually motivates SMBs to adopt card-based solutions and what holds them back? From cash-flow flexibility and real-time controls to onboarding, support and trust, we’ll unpack the practical levers that can accelerate sustainable adoption and strengthen the ecosystem that SMBs rely on to grow.