Instant Payments
Instant Payments
Podcast Description
The Instant Payments Podcast is your go-to source for conversations at the intersection of innovation, payroll, and financial wellness. Hosted by payments industry veteran Tal Clark, the show explores how real-time disbursements, earned wage access, digital tipping, and modern payment technology are reshaping the way America gets paid. Each episode features thought leaders, operators, and innovators who are advancing how workers access and manage their money. Whether you're a business leader, payroll provider, or fintech pro, this show delivers valuable perspectives on the future of payments.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast delves into themes of real-time disbursements, earned wage access, digital tipping, and the evolving landscape of modern payment technology, with episodes like the inaugural installment featuring insights on how instant pay is transforming the restaurant industry's payroll processes.

The Instant Payments Podcast is your go-to source for conversations at the intersection of innovation, payroll, and financial wellness. Hosted by payments industry veteran Tal Clark, the show explores how real-time disbursements, earned wage access, digital tipping, and modern payment technology are reshaping the way America gets paid. Each episode features thought leaders, operators, and innovators who are advancing how workers access and manage their money. Whether you’re a business leader, payroll provider, or fintech pro, this show delivers valuable perspectives on the future of payments.
Tal Clark hosts part two of the Instant Payments Podcast with Laura McLand, VP of HR at Sun Holdings, a major U.S. restaurant group with 30,000+ employees, discussing HR trends including earned wage access and digital tipping. Laura says fast, fee-free access to tips improves satisfaction, and notes the shift from physical pay cards to mobile payments. She describes Sun Holdings’ efforts to position restaurant work as a career path, reporting retention improved by 20% over the last two years due to instant payments and greater employee engagement. She explains piloting new programs with one brand before scaling, outlines ROI-driven internal buy-in, and shares how AI is being used in recruiting and new payroll software for faster information retrieval.
00:00 Welcome Back to Laura
00:35 Instant Tips Impact
01:45 Beyond Plastic Cards
03:25 Turnover and Retention
05:39 Employee Engagement Focus in 2026
07:05 Rolling Out Instant Pay
08:45 Selling Value of Instant Payments To Execs
11:09 AI In HR Operations
13:19 Rapid Fire Q&A
15:51 Closing And Thanks
Instant Financial: instant.co
Sun Holdings: sunholdings.net
Connect with Tal Clark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tal-clark-a60776b/
Connect with Laura McLand: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-mcland/

Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
For a complete disclaimer, please see our Full Disclaimer on the archive page. The Podcast Collaborative bears no responsibility for the podcast’s themes, language, or overall content. Listener discretion is advised. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for more details.