PixelSpoke Perspectives
The Themed Credit Union: The Launch of the Clean Energy Credit Union
In this episode we discuss the 3-year journey from concept to launch of the Clean Energy Credit Union, a credit union entirely focused on clean energy loans. Blake Jones, the founding board chair, discusses their innovative strategy for growth despite being unable to raise capital, their unique partnership with a national non-profit, and how they are focusing on consumer passions … Continue reading →
The Reinvented Credit Union: How to Thrive in the 21st Century
Kirk Drake, author of the new book CU 2.0: A Guide for Credit Unions Competing in the Digital Age, joins Cameron on the podcast to talk about what assumptions credit unions need to leave behind, what members are really looking for, and why “failure” is a key part of success in the digital world. Cameron’s Key Takeaways Start small. You … Continue reading →
The Purpose-Driven Credit Union: An Interview with Kimberly Kosmenko
Change management expert Kimberly Kosmenko joins us to talk about what it means to be a purpose-driven organization, her work with the United Nations Credit Union, and her process for integrating purpose into what an organization does as it makes the journey from intention to action. Cameron’s Key Takeaways For organizations to be truly “purpose driven,” they should look … Continue reading →
How Credit Union Members Become Disloyal — And What To Do About It
Customer loyalty expert Lara Ponomareff joins us to talk about how you can measure effort and why it is the biggest source of disloyalty in your credit union today, even greater than Net Promoter Score. Lara offers practical tips to make it easier for your members to do business with you, how to connect innovation and effort, and what Disney … Continue reading →
The Business Case for Sustainability at Credit Unions
Kevin Wilhelm, renowned sustainability expert and author of 3 books on the topic, joins us to talk about why sustainability makes sense for the bottom line, how it relates to the 7 Cooperative Principles, how to begin your sustainability journey (hint: it’s not fire, ready, aim), and why you need to listen to your members to get the best results. … Continue reading →
Frugal Delight: How To Create Loyalty Through Simple Interactions
Katharine Nester is the Chief Product & Technology Officer at Ruby Receptionists, one of the 10 most admired companies in Oregon. She joined the podcast to talk about how businesses can turn simple transactions — digital and in person — into moments of magic that delight their customers, build loyalty, and increase profitability. Cameron’s Key Takeaways Delight is about anticipating … Continue reading →
Mortgages for the People
Jack Baker, director of the mortgage center at the CDCU, joins us to talk about the opportunity to do well by doing good when you provide mortgages to the over 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. He shares how you can eliminate the risk to your credit union while providing great rates, the impact the new administration’s actions will … Continue reading →
Living the Cooperative Principles
Jim Morrell, CEO of Peninsula Credit Union in Washington State, talks about what he learned by being a Division 1 basketball referee, how he drives innovation at his credit union, and how working with a credit union in Zimbabwe informed his business and impact strategy. Cameron’s Key Takeaways Listen, serve, educate, and care. Always. Three of the cooperative principles deal … Continue reading →
The Digital Branch
It’s easy to focus on the brick and mortar branches of your credit union, but the truth is, your website is one of your most important branches — it’s where most people will go to learn about your credit union, research products, and, in many cases, join, open accounts, and take out loans. We call it The Digital Branch. We … Continue reading →
Innovation, Ethics, and Purpose: Why Payday Lending Matters to the Credit Union Mission
Ben Morales, CEO of QCash, joins us to talk about what it means to offer an alternative to payday lending. On this podcast, he shares his unique perspective on why members need these sorts of loans, how a credit union can think about payday lending from a strategy, branding, and financial wellness standpoint, and why a 60-second approval process was … Continue reading →