Inside Katapult’s Ownership-First Approach to Lease-to-Own with Moe Edwards

What if 66% of your customers came back—because of your financing partner? Discover the game-changing approach shaking up the mattress industry. In this episode of The FAM Podcast, Mark Kinsley sits down with Maurice "Moe" Edwards, EVP of Business Development at Katapult and former Chief Risk Officer at Mattress Firm, for a candid conversation that will challenge everything you think you know about retail financing in the mattress and furniture industry. You’ll hear the inside story of how Moe’s journey—from leading loss prevention at Mattress Firm to navigating global operations in South Africa—led him to Katapult, a company rewriting the rules of consumer financing. If you’ve ever worried about hidden fees, predatory lending, or customer experiences that come back to haunt your brand, this episode is for you. Moe reveals why Katapult’s “path to ownership” ethos—where the company only benefits when your customer owns their dream product—creates loyalty rates most retailers only dream about (66% repeat usage across industries!). Discover how this consultative, partnership-driven model is helping retailers in soft markets thrive, while empowering consumers with transparency, support, and dignity. Plus, get an exclusive peek into Moe’s personal leadership philosophy, why the right partner is worth more than any vendor, and how the smallest customer service detail can make or break your brand reputation. Timestamps: - 00:58 – The MVP of Vegas Market: How relationships drive industry success - 03:27 – Why Moe took the leap from retail to fintech (and overcame his fears) - 06:57 – The secret to being a “trusted partner” (not just another vendor) - 09:15 – What truly sets Katapult apart from traditional financing - 10:59 – Path to Ownership: How Katapult flips the financing script for consumers - 16:53 – Why customer experience is your ultimate competitive edge - 18:10 – The repeat rate that shocked the industry (66%!) - 23:16 – Lessons from leading Mattress Firm through global change - 28:00 – The “no contract, no risk” offer that’s changing retailer partnerships - 29:18 – How to meet Moe at Sleep Summit 2026 (and why you should!) Connect with The FAM Podcast: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-fam-mattress/ 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@forallthingsmattress 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forallthingsmattress/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefamnews 🎵 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4wvSqPZaxehCSmwRpByLi4 🍎 Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fam-podcast-with-mark-kinsley/id1452601818