"Values-based banking" is becoming a popular concept, but what does it actually mean? Simeon Chapin, Community Impact Officer at Vermont State Employees Credit Union (VSECU), joins our Remarkable Credit Union podcast to explain.

VSECU is a member of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV), a network of banking leaders from around the world committed to advancing positive change in the banking sector. Simeon talks about what VSECU does to engage its community through outside-in listening, what VSECU has learned from the Global Alliance about measuring what really matters, and what a newcomer to the credit union movement sees as its heart and soul.

What's one thing you've always dreamed of doing but aren't doing right now because you don't have the resources to do it? That's the central question that Sean Keener, CEO and co-founder of the BootsnAll Travel Network wants people, and companies, to ask themselves. Sean is on a mission to help people find the right question to ask, rather than search for the right answer to the wrong question.

In this episode, we discuss the ways that Sean is redefining the boundaries of what is possible, in life and in business.

How has the credit union evolved in the last 30 years? We talked to Marc Schaefer, CEO of Truliant FCU, who run multiple credit unions for over three decades. According to Marc, the credit union movement has evolved from "sleepy" to "energized," with a noticeable shifts away from "traditional" banks toward more innovative, socially conscious financial institutions.

Having observed and experienced the evolution of credit unions from the 1980s to present, Marc joins us to discuss how policy, purpose, and poverty intersect when it comes to defining the next-generation credit union. 

Everyone loves talking about the importance of innovation, including the credit union industry. But what does innovation really mean in an industry that is heavily regulated and often struggling to keep up with the latest digital trends? Ryan Foss, Senior Director of Incubation at Filene, joins us to discuss.

While credit unions have undoubtedly been affected by the rise of fintech startups, the concept of a "credit union startup" in this day and age is almost unheard of. If anything, the industry is trending in the opposite direction -- toward the consolidation of existing credit unions rather than the creation of new ones.

But Civic FCU, a startup credit union that launched in 2019, is bucking the trend. Bijal Gami, VP of Operations; Lamar Heyward - SVP of Marketing at Civic FCU; and Michael Spink, SVP of R&D join us for an animated discussion of how they are executing on Civic FCU's core strategy, why they started a credit union instead of a fintech company, and what we can learn by marrying a startup culture with the cooperative principles.

For many Americans, a few hundred dollars can mean the difference between financial stability and distress. Financial distress is not an isolated problem; rather, it has ripple effects that extend not just to a person's family, but also his or her employer. Ted and Ned Castle of Rhino Foods understand that financially stable employees are healthier, happier, and more reliable.

Can credit unions partner with for-profit businesses to help their employees be more financially secure, and in so doing, increase profitability for both the business and the credit union? Ted and Ned would answer this question with a resounding yes. They joined our podcast to share how they have leveraged small dollar loans to benefit their employees, their credit union partner, and their own bottom line.

Ty Robbins, CIO of People’s Trust FCU, joins us to talk about his passion for using the cooperative principles and technology to bring the credit union of tomorrow to life today.

Ashley Kohlrus, COO of Allegacy FCU, and Karen Sigmon-Smith, Managing Director of WellQ, join us to talk about their audacious plan to transform community health outcomes through an integrated membership model for health and financial wellness, along with the lessons learned along the way.

Ken Tomita, co-founder and CEO of Grovemade, joins the podcast to talk about how they bring humanity to product by understanding their customers on a personal level; how they leverage the four levels of customer engagement; and how he thinks financial institutions can expand beyond the commodity market.