Cannabis Payments: J.P. Morgan Exec’s Journey to Payrio

person-iconby Ed Parcaut calender-icon14 May, 2026

Episode Summary

In this episode of Inner Edison Podcast, Ed Parcaut sits down with Aubrey Amatelli, founder and CEO of PayRio, for a conversation about entrepreneurship, fintech, and building a business in a highly regulated market. Aubrey shares how her career started in Silicon Valley startups, evolved through more than a decade at J.P. Morgan, and eventually led her to launch a company focused on cannabis and alternative medicine payments. The discussion covers cash-heavy industries, payment infrastructure, regulatory barriers, niche positioning, team building, and the kind of founder mindset required to succeed where most competitors hesitate to go.

Episode Highlights

  • Aubrey explains how a startup acquisition led her into J.P. Morgan and the payments world
  • The conversation explores why cannabis businesses have faced so many challenges around payments
  • Ed and Aubrey discuss how cash-heavy systems create operational and security problems
  • Aubrey shares why she left banking to build something of her own
  • The episode highlights the original mission of creating more opportunity for women inside the company
  • PayRio’s model shows how niche specialization can create a powerful competitive edge
  • Aubrey also talks about future positioning, partnerships, and building beyond one single market

Noteworthy Quotes

  • “My background is actually J.P. Morgan.”
  • “The biggest problem with cannabis is because of the fact that it’s a state thing and not a federal thing.”
  • “We help dispensaries accept payments with credit and debit cards.”
  • “I realized I had an incredible knowledge from J.P. Morgan to bring to a startup.”
  • “Over eighty percent of the company is female.”
  • “It’s the best job I’ve ever had. It’s the hardest job I ever had.”

Learn More / Resources

  • Inner Edison Podcast on Ed Parcaut’s website.
  • PayRio team page and founder bio for Aubrey Amatelli.
  • PayRio company overview and solutions focus.

Closing Promotional Paragraph

If you enjoy stories about founders who build in difficult markets, take on messy problems, and turn complexity into opportunity, this episode is worth sharing. Subscribe to Inner Edison Podcast for more conversations about leadership, innovation, entrepreneurship, and the lessons behind real success.