From Zero Trust to 7 Million Users: How They Did It | BRANDED+

In this episode of Branded, host Jackson Carpenter sits down with Brett Billick, CMO of Self Financial — the FinTech brand helping millions of Americans build credit, save money, and gain financial independence.Brett unpacks how Self Financial carved out space in a crowded, often predatory industry — not with flash or gimmicks, but with discipline, transparency, and a deep understanding of their underserved audience.We dive into:Why “unit economics” are everything — and how they built a brand around itThe smartest ways to build trust with skeptical customersHow to out-market giants without blowing your budgetThe danger of building features before product-market fitWhy brand loyalty starts long before a flashy ad campaignWhether you're a CMO, startup founder, or just obsessed with brand strategy — this one’s a masterclass in doing more with less, staying mission-driven, and actually helping people.