--- title: Paladin Blog --- [![Paladin fs](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/hubfs/Paladin_September2019%20Theme/Images/logo-paladin-dark.svg) ](http://paladin-fs.com/) - [![LinkedIn](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/hubfs/Paladin_September2019%20Theme/Images/linkedin.svg) linkedin ](https://www.linkedin.com/company/paladin-fs-llc/) - [![Twitter](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/hubfs/Paladin_September2019%20Theme/Images/twitter-logo-button.svg) twitter-logo-button ](https://twitter.com/Paladinfs) ![paladin_blueline2](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/hubfs/paladin_blueline2.jpg) # Paladin Blog ## [My Million-Dollar Mistake: Why I Stopped Negotiating My Core Contract and Called Paladin](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/my-million-dollar-mistake-why-i-stopped-negotiating-my-core-contract-and-called-paladin) Posted by [Aaron Silva](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/author/aaron-silva) on Feb 13, 2026 12:24:59 PM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202026-01-12%20at%201.42.08%20PM.png?width=767&name=Screenshot%202026-01-12%20at%201.42.08%20PM.png) ](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/my-million-dollar-mistake-why-i-stopped-negotiating-my-core-contract-and-called-paladin) ## **Hi, I'm Daniel. And I Was An Idiot.** I’m the CFO of ***In Vendors We Trust Bank*** - have you heard of it? I’m a banker just like you. I work hard, I manage my balance sheet meticulously, and I take pride in making decisions that benefit my community bank. [Read More](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/my-million-dollar-mistake-why-i-stopped-negotiating-my-core-contract-and-called-paladin) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/my-million-dollar-mistake-why-i-stopped-negotiating-my-core-contract-and-called-paladin#comments-listing) Topics: [Contract Negotiations](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/contract-negotiations), [Fiserv](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/fiserv) ## [Don't Be a Banker Daniel: The Million-Dollar Myth of the DIY Core Contract Negotiation](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/dont-be-a-banker-daniel-the-million-dollar-myth-of-the-diy-core-contract-negotiation) Posted by [Aaron Silva](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/author/aaron-silva) on Jan 12, 2026 1:49:23 PM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202026-01-12%20at%201.42.08%20PM.png?width=767&name=Screenshot%202026-01-12%20at%201.42.08%20PM.png) ](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/dont-be-a-banker-daniel-the-million-dollar-myth-of-the-diy-core-contract-negotiation) ## **Meet Daniel, The Banker Who Had It All Figured Out..until he didn’t.** Daniel is a sharp, capable community banker. He knows his market, he manages his risk well, and he prides himself on making financially sound decisions for his institution. ** **So, when the dreaded core IT vendor contract renewal from FIS landed on his desk, he saw it as just another business challenge to conquer. [Read More](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/dont-be-a-banker-daniel-the-million-dollar-myth-of-the-diy-core-contract-negotiation) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/dont-be-a-banker-daniel-the-million-dollar-myth-of-the-diy-core-contract-negotiation#comments-listing) Topics: [Contract Negotiations](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/contract-negotiations), [Fiserv](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/fiserv) ## [THE MARKET BLOODBATH: What to do about Your Fiserv Contract NOW?](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/the-market-bloodbath-what-to-do-about-your-fiserv-contract-now) Posted by [Aaron Silva](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/author/aaron-silva) on Nov 4, 2025 10:17:48 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) Let me tell you about one of the worst trading days of my life. [Read More](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/the-market-bloodbath-what-to-do-about-your-fiserv-contract-now) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/the-market-bloodbath-what-to-do-about-your-fiserv-contract-now#comments-listing) Topics: [Contract Negotiations](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/contract-negotiations), [Fiserv](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/fiserv) ## [Breaking Free: It’s Time to Rewrite the Rules of Core IT & Fintech Contracts | Paladin fs](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/golden-contract-coalition) Posted by [Aaron Silva](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/author/aaron-silva) on Feb 3, 2025 8:22:32 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)   ## **Breaking Free: It’s Time to Rewrite the Rules of Core IT & Fintech Contracts** For years, community banks have felt trapped in a David vs. Goliath struggle with their Core IT providers. Fiserv, FIS, Jack Henry – these Big Three giants have held the power, locking banks into one-sided contracts that often feel unfair and exploitative. But the tide started to turn back in 2016 when the **[The Golden Contract Coalition (GCC)](http://www.goldencontract.com/) **was launched by our CEO, Aaron Silva in partnership with Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman (Pillsbury).  Aaron’s company Paladin fs is the only advisory firm to have created an independent, 3rd party coalition designed to battle the Big Three head on.   The American Bankers Association tried many years ago to tame the Big Three with the formation of their Core Platforms Committee but has largely failed in this endeavor, petering out remaining momentum back in 2022.  Solving the issue of fair contracts will only work if the economic buyers (banks and credit unions) come together in a free market coalition with the confidence and expertise of industry leaders such as Paladin and Pillsbury.  Unfortunately, the ABA does not have experts familiar with Core, IT and Fintech contracts on staff and this is not in their mission to employ them. [Read More](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/golden-contract-coalition) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/golden-contract-coalition#comments-listing) Topics: [Contract Negotiations](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/contract-negotiations), [Bank Tech Spending](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/bank-tech-spending) ## [What do Paladin Hired Guns Do for Our Annual Business Meeting?](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/what-do-paladin-hired-guns-do-for-our-annual-business-meeting) Posted by [Aaron Silva](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/author/aaron-silva) on Jan 8, 2025 3:25:32 PM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![End of year fun for your hired guns](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfgX0ZfRXpVeSk1ZejiJfNnGOrm_Zhdy_EKhZihGowwP1bZNTrzt0Tt03m5TvY_b6bB70RS3V0dZLGMCIZNe8P_ZNQw0voHSUzUNgfUuHjzxH-x_IFCW5RPE829UlrPX5Z6Sna2aQ?key=RRcMiM4jYib2ELUsdY3JXRtA) ](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/what-do-paladin-hired-guns-do-for-our-annual-business-meeting) # **What do Paladin Hired Guns Do for Our Annual Business Meeting?** The end of the year might typically be a time for relaxing, holiday cheer, and family fun, but this year, the Paladin team decided to celebrate our annual meeting a little differently. We spent our annual meeting building up our team and setting the stage for the next big strides forward. All of our hired guns flew into Austin and we spent our event in the beautiful Texas Hill Country. We invited a few special guests that gave a master class on negotiation; outlined new marketing activities for 2025; Entrepreneurial Operating System implementation (we’re an EOS company) , and then our legal team from Pillsbury laid out plans for updating the Golden Contract template and using Artificial Intelligence! [Read More](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/what-do-paladin-hired-guns-do-for-our-annual-business-meeting) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/what-do-paladin-hired-guns-do-for-our-annual-business-meeting#comments-listing) ## [New Year, New Negotiations | Core IT Negotiations | Paladin fs](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/core-it-negotiations) Posted by [Aaron Silva](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/author/aaron-silva) on Jan 8, 2025 9:16:41 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)   ### **The Art of Successful Core IT Negotiations: Best Practices from Banking's Top Contract Experts** When it comes to core IT contract negotiations, community banks face a critical challenge: how to secure favorable terms while maintaining vital vendor relationships. With technology contracts representing one of a bank's largest non-interest expenses, the stakes couldn't be higher. To demystify the art of successful negotiations, we've gathered insights from our panel of veteran negotiators.  [Read More](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/core-it-negotiations) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/core-it-negotiations#comments-listing) Topics: [Contract Negotiations](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/contract-negotiations), [Bank Tech Spending](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/bank-tech-spending) ## [The Great Sunset: Core Vendors' Service Discontinuation - A Tragicomedy for Community Banks](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/the-great-sunset) Posted by [Aaron Silva](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/author/aaron-silva) on Oct 14, 2024 5:17:11 PM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/hs-fs/hubfs/GettyImages-1006386712.jpg?width=767&name=GettyImages-1006386712.jpg) ](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/the-great-sunset) ### The Writing's on the Wall - In Disappearing Ink Attention, community bankers! The tectonic plates of banking technology are shifting, and if you're not paying attention, you might just find yourself doing an impromptu dance on the San Andreas Fault of financial services. The latest tremor? Our friends at the Big Three - Fiserv, FIS, and Jack Henry - are starting to play a high-stakes game of Jenga with their services, and guess who's left holding their breath as the tower teeters? That's right, it's you, the community banks and credit unions. Fiserv has decided to kick off this party by beginning to ask their clients to ride into the sunset without Retail Online Banking (ROB) and Business Online Banking (BOB) services after December 2026. If you think that's a problem for future-you, think again. In the glacial world of core banking systems, 2026 is practically next Tuesday. [Read More](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/the-great-sunset) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/the-great-sunset#comments-listing) Topics: [Contract Negotiations](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/contract-negotiations), [Fiserv](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/fiserv), [Fidelity](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/fidelity), [Jack Henry](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/jack-henry), [FIS](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/fis), [Bank Tech Spending](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/bank-tech-spending) ## [The Future of Customer Experience: 2023 Bank, Wealth Advisor, and Credit Union Trends to Watch](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/the-future-of-customer-experience-2023-bank-wealth-advisor-and-credit-union-trends-to-watch) Posted by [Linda Stahl](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/author/linda-stahl) on Sep 12, 2022 2:21:27 PM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/hs-fs/hubfs/bigstock-Internet-Business-Technology-435746381.jpg?width=767&name=bigstock-Internet-Business-Technology-435746381.jpg) ](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/the-future-of-customer-experience-2023-bank-wealth-advisor-and-credit-union-trends-to-watch) What is the future of employee and customer experience trends in banks, wealth advisory firms, and credit unions? Pioneering banks are focusing on financial wellness, improving trust, and anticipating customer needs. Financial institutions that invest in the customer experience in banking have better rates of recommendation, more wallet share, and are more likely to up-sell or cross-sell products and services to current clients. [Read More](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/the-future-of-customer-experience-2023-bank-wealth-advisor-and-credit-union-trends-to-watch) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/the-future-of-customer-experience-2023-bank-wealth-advisor-and-credit-union-trends-to-watch#comments-listing) ## [Can Fiserv's Service Level Get Any Worse?](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/can-fiservs-service-level-get-any-worse) Posted by [Aaron Silva](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/author/aaron-silva) on Aug 17, 2022 10:47:31 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/hs-fs/hubfs/bigstock-Milan-Italy--August------217413436.jpg?width=767&name=bigstock-Milan-Italy--August------217413436.jpg) ](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/can-fiservs-service-level-get-any-worse) We've worked with banks of all sizes ranging from $150M to $30B over the last 15 years and with all legacy core IT suppliers and all of their services.  Unremarkably, none of the "big three" have excellent reputations when it comes to service and support and most bankers agree that dumping one core for another to gain greater functionality, innovation or deeper love and attention is a losing proposition.  None of them do anything particularly great...but when you have unchallenged control of the market as they do - "adequate" service levels are good enough by their standard because they are no longer competing for customers.  [Read More](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/can-fiservs-service-level-get-any-worse) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/can-fiservs-service-level-get-any-worse#comments-listing) ## [Fake SLAs: What They Are, Why They Matter, and How to Identify Them](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/fake-slas-what-they-are-why-they-matter-and-how-to-identify-them) Posted by [Aaron Silva](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/author/aaron-silva) on Dec 7, 2021 10:31:00 PM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/hs-fs/hubfs/bigstock-Two-Dogs-Are-Fighting-On-The-S-374955709.jpg?width=767&name=bigstock-Two-Dogs-Are-Fighting-On-The-S-374955709.jpg) ](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/fake-slas-what-they-are-why-they-matter-and-how-to-identify-them) Consumers set high standards for businesses, especially financial institutions. Money is a sensitive topic with little, if any, margin for error — people expect transfers, transactions, account management, or whatever other services to be timely and precise.  In turn, you have to hold your core IT provider and fintech suppliers to an equally high standard. Otherwise, your business could be at risk.  To do so, your vendor contracts’ Service Level Agreements (SLAs) must be tight, relevant, and enforceable. But there’s a common problem plaguing the financial services industry: most contracts don’t have real SLAs. Instead, they have Service Level Objectives (SLOs). [Read More](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/fake-slas-what-they-are-why-they-matter-and-how-to-identify-them) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/fake-slas-what-they-are-why-they-matter-and-how-to-identify-them#comments-listing) Topics: [Paladin Research](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/paladin-research), [Fintech](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/fintech) [All posts](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/all) [Next](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/page/2) [Content Title](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog#) Description < Previous page Next page > ### Recent Posts ### Subscribe Here! ### Posts by Tag - [Contract Negotiations (34)](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/contract-negotiations) - [Fintech (27)](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/fintech) - [Paladin Research (24)](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/paladin-research) - [Fiserv (20)](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/fiserv) - [community banks (20)](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/community-banks) - [Jack Henry (17)](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/jack-henry) - [Credit Unions (13)](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/credit-unions) - [FIS (12)](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/fis) - [Bank Tech Spending (8)](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/bank-tech-spending) - [Editorial (8)](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/editorial) - [Bank Technology (7)](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/bank-technology) - [Fidelity (7)](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/fidelity) - [M&A (6)](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/ma) - [Vendor consolidation (5)](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/vendor-consolidation) - [vendor merger (5)](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/vendor-merger) - [OSI (4)](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/osi) - [Paladin Success Stories (4)](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/paladin-success-stories) - [open banking (3)](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/open-banking) - [bank events (2)](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/bank-events) - [credit union events (1)](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog/topic/credit-union-events) [See all](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/blog#) [![Paladin fs, LLC](https://blog.paladin-fs.com/hubfs/Paladin_September2019%20Theme/Images/logo-paladin-light.svg)](http://paladin-fs.com/) P.O. 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