Credit unions have long been enthusiastic champions of their communities, but can they be doing more? How can they think outside the box to catalyze social change?

Sharee Adkins, GoWest Credit Union Association Chief Impact Officer and Foundation Executive Director, joins us on this month's episode of The Remarkable Credit Union podcast to share examples of how credit unions in her region are joining forces and tapping into the strengths of their core business competencies to tackle daunting social challenges.

She also addresses this month's BIG question:

How can credit unions leverage grant dollars to proactively tackle the challenges facing their communities, and how can they most effectively market their impact?

Cat Fitzgerald from Filene’s Digital Strategies group joins us to discuss what she has learned from observing hundreds of tests of credit union members trying to sign up for products. Here’s a hint: like any good relationship, it should have the right amount of give and take.

Lois Kitsch, National Program Director at the National Credit Union Foundation, joins us for a spirited conversation about the role of the 7 Cooperative Principles in credit unions today, how democracy and capitalism can overlap, and how to make your WHY your strategic differentiator.

Cameron chats with Steve Pagenstecher and Mary Vasquez of Point West Credit Union about what they've learned at the conference of the National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions (CDCU). 

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 and an unmet market need to build a different kind of credit union.

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. 

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.

Part Two of our interview with customer loyalty expert Lara Ponomareff, who 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 taught her about saying “no.”

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 taught her about saying “no.”

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 have on this population, and the other types of innovative mortgages you can offer that will be a competitive differentiator and a force for good in your community.

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.

Jeff York, CEO of $940M CoastHills Credit Union, joins us to talk about what he learned working at Walt Disney Company Credit Union about delighting members, how he thinks about community impact (hint: it’s not just about writing checks), how he connects the heart and mind to create engagement, and how the low income designation is key to their strategy.

Conversion rate optimization expert Jon Macdonald, founder of The Good, joins us to talk about the 3 biggest killers of website sales, how to let your members tell you how to sell them more online, and why he thinks we are in the first inning of making your website an effective sales channel for your credit union.