We’re looking forward to introducing you to Todd Sheridan. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Todd, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? Are you walking a path—or wandering?
Grand Rising. Thankyou for taking the time to allow me to share my perspectives. To answer your question, I am walking a path. It is not straight or predictable, but it is intentional. Professionally, my work is guided by a simple mission: to build systems that let people be seen for who they are and what they earn. CloutBank was not built to chase hype. It came from lived experience, from knowing what it feels like to generate real income yet still be overlooked by traditional institutions. Every step I take is aimed at correcting that, giving creators and 1099 earners a fair shot at credit, capital, and stability. Even when I pivot, it is with purpose, because I am learning, adjusting, and moving toward the impact I know is possible.
Personally, my path is grounded in family. I am a present father to two young children, and that role anchors everything. The simple time at home, making breakfast, dancing to music, watching my kids discover new things, reminds me who I am beyond business. It keeps me connected to love, patience, and humility. The world often expects entrepreneurs to sacrifice their humanity for ambition, but I believe legacy is built in both how you scale and how you show up for the people you love.
What makes this journey meaningful is that I am curious and committed. I am always listening, studying, and refining. I trust the inner compass that tells me when to move and when to pause. I want clarity, but I refuse to lose the hunger and imagination that push me forward. I am on a path that honors both the builder and the father, the visionary and the human. My steps have weight. My direction has purpose. And even as the road shifts, I keep moving with intention.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Todd Sheridan, founder of CloutBank, a Black-owned fintech building the first credit scoring system designed for creators, freelancers, and gig workers. Millions of people earn real income online, but banks and credit unions struggle to assess that reliability. CloutBank translates verified platform earnings, payout history, and audience consistency into a FICO-aligned CloutScore so independent earners can qualify for fair credit, not guesswork or predatory loans.
I came to fintech the long way. Before CloutBank, I co-founded Treehouse Juicery, an award-winning juice bar, and built an award-winning government contracting firm from scratch. Those companies taught me to stretch a dollar, operate with discipline, and advocate for people who do not fit traditional boxes. I have been the overlooked applicant with healthy cash flow and the builder who had to prove it twice.
CloutBank is both product and promise. On the product side, we are integrating verified income streams across major creator and gig platforms, mapping them to a transparent, explainable scoring model that banks can understand. We are building compliance into the foundation, including FCRA alignment, data privacy by design, and bank-grade reporting. On the promise side, we are partnering with banks, credit unions, and select fintech lenders for pilots that expand access to working capital, business lines of credit, and credit-builder products.
The goal is straightforward. Give 1099 earners a fair shot. Help banks and credit unions lend with confidence to the workforce that keeps growing outside the W-2 box. Make modern work count as real credit so families can build stability, businesses can scale, and people are judged by what they actually produce, not the paperwork they do or don’t have.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
There was a substitute teacher back in my middle school, Glenmount Elementary/Middle, named Mr. Harven. He always wore a brown two-piece suit, bald on top with a very shiny head and hair on the sides. He was a Black man who talked fast and taught even faster. But for some reason, other kids didn’t respect him. They’d call him names, say rude things, and laugh at his expense. He’d try to keep order, never losing his composure. It almost became entertainment to watch people disrespect him.
He used to say, “Ten to fifteen years down the road, you’ll be talking to adults like this, and I can tell you’ll end up at McDonald’s.” A lot of those same kids did.
One day, I joined in on the jokes. He stopped what he was doing, looked straight at me, and said, “Todd, you know you’re not like this. You’re better than this. You’re going to be something great in this world.” He said it so plainly it cut through the noise. Everyone else laughed it off, but I held onto those words like gold. It wasn’t a big moment to anyone else, but it meant everything to me. Someone finally saw me clearly. His words validated something in me that I didn’t yet understand, and they lit a spark I’ve carried ever since.
After that, I started asking him questions and getting to know him more. That’s when I learned he was also a pastor. Over the years, there were others who saw something special in me too: teachers, mentors, coaches. I had a lot of support and validation growing up, and a lot of necessary expectations to fulfill that for my family, and myself. I’m grateful for the humble lessons and for not having to make irreversible mistakes to receive wisdom.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I’d tell my past self to focus on family. Bring them into everything, your business, your health, your growth. Cherish your parents. If you truly love them, you’ll want them to grow with you. They became parents, but they’re still human beings, still learning. Focus on yourself too. The wife, the money, the experiences will come. What matters most is building something real, whether it’s a hobby, a business, or your discipline. Move your body. Take care of your mind. Stay grounded. And find a mentor you trust, because you’ll reach your destination faster and with fewer scars if you learn from someone else’s wisdom.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes and no. People often see the entrepreneur – the CEO and founder behind Treehouse Juicery and CloutBank. But we’re all layered. Everyone holds parts of themselves that don’t always make the highlight reel. I’m also a father to two beautiful, intelligent children, and that’s the role I’m most proud of. I’m present, supportive, and intentional about showing up for them, even in a world that too often misrepresents Black fathers. Being a Black father in America means facing stereotypes and barriers that stretch across race, economics, and psychology. But beyond all that, I’m really a homebody. I love family, good food, music, meditation, and losing myself in a great movie, show, or documentary. That’s the side of me most people never see; but it’s the one that keeps me grounded.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
That I dedicated my life to helping people strengthen their physical, mental, and financial health, and that I built things that actually made a difference. I started Treehouse Juicery to help people heal from within. Every bottle is cold-pressed with no water, sugar, or preservatives, because real wellness deserves honesty.
At a farmers market, a woman told me my juice was the only thing her mother could drink after surgery. Later, her mother found me herself. She cried as she shared her testimony, and we hugged. No cameras, no promo. Just truth. The best moments usually slip by like that.
That same energy pushed me to build CloutBank, helping creators and entrepreneurs gain financial literacy, access capital, and deploy it to grow real ventures. The goal wasn’t clout. It was circulation: turning one person’s breakthrough into a rising tide.
I’m walking the Red Road: a path of balance, purpose, and integrity. In Native American tradition, it’s the way of harmony over chaos. As a father, son, brother, warrior, healer, lover, and entrepreneur, I walk a tightrope — peace in one hand, ambition in the other. I’m learning to hold stillness and fire at the same time: to keep my heart open while I build companies like Treehouse Juicery and CloutBank, raise my children with intention, shoulder real responsibilities, and stay grounded in God at the center.
If there’s a story worth telling, I hope it’s that I helped people grow, in body, mind, spirit, and wealth. And if I could do it all again, I would.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cloutbank.us
- Instagram: @mr.sheridan_
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-sheridan-965bb0216/
- Other: Treehouse Juicery website: www.treehousejuiceryonline.com
Instagram: @treehousejuiceryonline
