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PODCAST · business
The Remarkable Credit Union
by Kerala Goodkin
What distinguishes a “typical” credit union from one that is truly remarkable? Find out in our monthly podcast. The Remarkable Credit Union explores the intersection of marketing and impact in the credit union movement.Each month we interview trailblazers in the credit union movement to help you:Reframe how your market your credit union. (Hint: Relationship building comes before automation and AI.)Learn how to identify and pursue your true core and differentiators. (Hint: they’re not great service and competitive rates.)Think about how to “innovate differently.” (Hint: Innovation doesn’t have to mean fintech.)
Episodes
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From the Margins to the Mainstream: The Roots and Future of Community Development Finance
Not too long ago, federal funding for community development finance appeared to be on the chopping block. But ultimately, the Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Fund survived unscathed, in part due to strong bipartisan support. Since its founding in the 1990s, the CDFI movement…
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Beyond Optics: A Blueprint for Genuine Financial Inclusion
In this episode of The Remarkable Credit Union, I sit down with Cindy Shogre Raymer, VP and Director of Community Development at Greylock Federal Credit Union. We explore the crucial differences between credit unions that merely pay lip service to inclusion and those that genuinely embed…
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What Credit Unions Get Wrong About Financial Literacy
Financial education is a cornerstone of the credit union mission, but traditional approaches often miss the mark. Credit unions tend to treat financial education as a transactional service, expecting information or tools to change behavior, while ignoring systemic barriers, emotional baggage, and...
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Abundance Over Scarcity: The Mindset Shift That Makes All The Difference
The driving philosophy behind the credit union movement is that community assets can—and should—be pooled for everyone's benefit. But is the movement's cooperative ethos still viable within the decidedly non-cooperative environment that defines the broader financial services industry and our...
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Build With, Not For: How Allegiance Credit Union Co-Created a New Brand
When Allegiance Credit Union set out to serve the growing Spanish-speaking community in Greater Oklahoma City, they didn't start with a marketing campaign. They started by listening. In this episode of the Remarkable Credit Union Podcast, Christin Vaughn, SVP and Chief Marketing Officer at...
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Fraud Education That Actually Works
"Wait... is this real?" Most of us have had the unsettling experience of receiving an email, text, or phone call and wondering if we're being scammed. While scams used to come with telltale red flags, they are getting increasingly sophisticated, and even more so with the rise of AI. According to...
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In the Age of AI Search, Here's What CU Marketers Should (And Shouldn't) Do Differently
AEO, GEO, zero-click searches. Amidst all the buzz about the changing search landscape, how do we move forward in a way that is neither too reckless nor too cautious? In this episode of The Remarkable Credit Union podcast, we sit down with Megan Kenealy, Senior Digital Specialist at Avenue…
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Crazy for Crypto: What Credit Unions Stand to Lose By Sitting on the Sidelines
In this episode of The Remarkable Credit Union Podcast, I sit down with Randy Ralston, a seasoned entrepreneur and blockchain expert, to explore how credit unions can effectively engage with cryptocurrency in a values-aligned manner. We dive into the evolving landscape of digital assets…
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The Difference Between Purpose- and Profit-Driven Growth
For younger generations, the notion of depositing a check at a branch is as antiquated as the notion of booking a flight at a travel agency. The financial landscape has evolved dramatically over the last few decades, and credit unions are working hard to keep pace. Consolidation and growth in the...
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Our 2026 Playbook for Credit Union Marketers & Leaders
The end of another year is upon us. Over the course of 2025, we’ve had the opportunity to speak to a wide range of leaders in the credit union movement, delve deep into trending topics, and stay close to industry news. In our final episode of the year, our co-host Katie Stone, also CEO and…
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Beyond the Hype: Inside a Credit Union's AI Lending Journey
Perhaps you're getting a little sick of all the AI hype. Perhaps you're totally into all the AI hype. Perhaps you're intrigued, but you're not sure how to leverage AI most effectively. Perhaps you're a skeptic who wishes we could turn back the clock. No matter how you feel about AI, the truth is,...
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What Credit Unions Can Learn From Weight Watchers
We think of finance as a science, not an art. But the truth is, when it comes to our personal finances, money is about so much more than numbers. World-renowned financial wellness expert Manisha Thakor joins us to talk about how our emotions affect our financial decisions, what we can learn about...
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What Gen Z Really Wants From a Financial Institution
According to a survey conducted by Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU), Gen Z doesn't know all that much about credit unions. Perhaps this doesn't come as a surprise, but it's most definitely an issue that the credit union movement must be actively working to address. DCU is setting an example for...
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The Crucial Metric That Credit Unions Aren’t Measuring
Credit unions have reams of data at their fingertips. They can measure member satisfaction, website traffic, loan and account conversions, market trends, and financial performance. But the one metric credit unions aren’t generally measuring just might be the most important one: member financial...
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Unexpected Lessons for Credit Unions From a Popular Folk-Rock Band
In this special episode of The Remarkable Credit Union podcast, we explore the surprising parallels between beloved folk-rock band, The Avett Brothers, and effective strategies for credit union marketing. When our host, Katie Stone, discovered that she isn't the only superfan of The Avett…
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Feel Shaken Up by the NCUA Shakeup? Insights From an Insider Here
In the midst of what has already been a tumultuous year, the credit union movement was rattled in April by the unexpected firings of NCUA Board Chairs, Todd Harper and Tanya Otsuka. There has been a lot of speculation about what this could mean for the future of credit unions and the broader...
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How to Protect CDFI Funding for Credit Unions by Playing Offense, Not Defense
To say there is uncertainty in the credit union movement right now is an understatement. The NCUA shake-up has left many feeling… well, a bit shaken up. And though tax exemption and funding for CDFIs (Community Development Financial Institutions) are protected for now, it’s hard to say when “for...
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Beyond Tech Innovation: How BECU is Reimagining Philanthropy
These days, most people automatically think of technology when they think of innovation, but innovation doesn’t require fancy digital bells and whistles. In fact, sometimes the most impactful innovations aren’t about dramatic invention, but rather incremental iteration. Philanthropy is a field...
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Beyond Crisis Response: How One Credit Union Proactively Cultivates Joy
Between natural disasters, economic volatility, and political chaos, there is a lot to respond to these days. It’s important for credit unions to create contingency plans and prepare for crisis. It’s equally important to escape the reactivity trap by proactively creating opportunities for joy and...
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Why Cooperative Ownership Matters — And How Credit Unions Can Lead the Way
The listeners of this podcast are likely to know that credit unions are financial cooperatives — an identity that some credit unions lean into and others don't talk about much. Amongst the general U.S. population, our understanding of cooperatives is limited, at best. Most people are ill-equipped...
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Micro-Interactions: The Key to Credit Union Growth in 2025
What is a micro-interaction, and why should credit unions care? Fintech growth and business transformation strategist Samantha Paxson joins us on The Remarkable Credit Union podcast to discuss how credit unions could benefit from focusing less on big loans and focusing more on daily financial...
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How to Grow Your Credit Union From the Inside Out
Many of us have been trained to look outward when it comes to growing companies, whether that means looking to new target markets, potential investors, or evolving trends. But according to Ronaldo Hardy, President & CEO of The National Association of Credit Union Service Organizations (NACUSO)…
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How to Create a Game-Changing Financial Product
In a heavily regulated industry like financial services, innovation can seem daunting. There are so many regulatory hoops to contend with, not to mention a fierce aversion to risk. But as Jerome Emanuel, Chief Lending Officer at Alternatives Federal Credit Union has discovered, if you focus on...
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What Black Cooperatives Can Teach All Credit Unions
In this age of multibillion-dollar credit unions, it can be easy to forget that most started with a small group of people looking to pool their resources. Well, Jessica Gordon Nembhard is here to remind us. Professor of Community Justice & Social Economic Development in Africana Studies at John…
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How Your Credit Union Can Reap the Rewards of Green Lending
Demand for clean energy products is on the rise, and not just from well-to-do Tesla owners. There is also widespread interest and demonstrated need in lower-income and disadvantaged communities. But how can credit unions meet that need? Enter the Clean Communities Investment Accelerator program...
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Partnerships Before Products: How LES People’s FCU Drives Systemic Change
We all know that products are a credit union’s bread and butter, so to speak. But a “product-first” mentality can result in more transactional relationships with your members, not to mention a product mix that may not fully meet their needs. This month, we talked to Alicia Portada, Director of...
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At This Tech-Forward Credit Union, People Still Come First
As AI has wriggled its way into more nooks and crannies of our everyday lives, we’ve been hearing quite a bit of chatter about technology versus humanity. We’re not here today to speculate about possible dystopian futures, but we are here to talk about why it’s so important for even the most...
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How Element FCU Defies the Odds with Grit, Humor, and Heart
Welcome to our 100th episode of The Remarkable Credit Union podcast! We couldn't have asked for a better guest to help us celebrate this milestone—the inimitable Linda Bodie, Chief + Innovator at Element Federal Credit Union. Linda joins us to share some incredible stories from her over 25 years…
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Have Credit Unions Moved the Needle on Financial Inclusion?
A shared commitment to serving the financial needs of the underserved has long distinguished credit unions from other financial institutions. In this episode, we talk to Jules Epstein-Hebert, the Director of Membership, Growth, and Partnership at Inclusiv, a nonprofit that has been championing…
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Success, Impact, and Longevity: 3 Key Tips for Credit Union Leaders
This is both an exciting and bittersweet episode. After recording 97 episodes of The Remarkable Credit Union, longtime host and PixelSpoke's founder and former CEO, Cameron Madill, joins as a guest to share his top takeaways from his 20 years leading an impact-focused marketing agency for credit...
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The Power of Small: What We Can Learn from Express Credit Union
In a movement where large asset sizes have become a badge of honor, Express Credit Union is proud to be small. They believe that their intimate size affords them the opportunity to truly know their members and to pivot quickly when faced with unexpected challenges. This month, we’re excited to...
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Does Your Credit Union Think Like a Brand?
Most credit unions have a set of brand guidelines that include dos and don’ts for their color palettes, logos, images, graphics, and copy. But do guidelines like these truly capture the essence of your brand? Allison Netzer, Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer at Nymbus and co-author of Think Like…
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Pushing Past No: How Verity Credit Union is Challenging the Status Quo
Credit unions across the country are searching for ways to offer their underserved members pathways to homeownership. But when it comes to affordable housing, it’s clear that bolder action is needed to meaningfully move the needle. The affordable housing crisis is particularly acute in Seattle,...
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How Self-Help Credit Union Helps Communities Help Themselves
Is “ownership and economic opportunity for all” an idealistic pipe dream, or is it an achievable goal? Self-Help Credit Union would like to think the latter. Its mission statement embodies the credit union’s penchant for thinking big and pushing the boundaries of what credit unions can do and be....
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Healthy Growth in the Age of Economic Uncertainty
Bank collapses, recession forecasts, and rising interest rates, oh my! If there’s anything we know for certain, it’s that uncertainty is here to stay. As much as we’ve tried to get back to “normal,” the volatility that Covid set in motion seems determined to wreak havoc on our best-laid plans.…
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How Credit Unions Can Think, And Act, Globally
Most credit unions are fiercely committed to their local communities, and we think that’s great. Sometimes, though, it’s important to take a few steps back and broaden our perspective. That’s where the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) comes in. Today, we’re going to step back with Mike...
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Does Your Credit Union Struggle with Personalization? Here’s How To Get it Right.
If you’re a credit union marketer who feels like you should be doing more with automation and personalization, but you’re not sure how, you’re not alone. Kristin Harrison, Director of Business Development for WebStrategies, joins us to talk about why personalization has so much potential for…
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How to Start a Credit Union from the Trunk of Your Car
The “About” pages on credit union websites are full of stories about humble beginnings—small groups of people getting together to pool their resources. Nueva Esperanza Credit Union has a similar story, but with one crucial difference: It was founded in 2010. This month, CEO Sue Cuevas shares her...
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How Credit Unions Can Catalyze Social Change
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…
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What Cooperation Among Cooperatives Looks Like in Practice
Most credit union employees are familiar with the cooperative principles, including Principle #6: Cooperation Among Cooperatives. Yet it seems this principle has yet to be fully realized within the credit union movement. That's why when we saw that Coastal Credit Union had hired a VP of…
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What Does it Mean to Bank on a Human Scale?
Credit unions are known for the emphasis they place on building authentic human relationships with their members. But at the same time, digital advances are transforming the financial industry, smaller credit unions are getting acquired, and larger credit unions are only getting bigger. George...
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How Five Credit Unions Joined Forces to Tackle Affordable Housing
Credit unions have always been better cooperators than competitors. The joint investments of five Washington-based credit unions to the Evergreen Impact Housing Fund (EIHF) is a shining example of the "cooperation among cooperatives" principle in action. The greater Seattle area is one of the...
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What Does It Mean to Be a CDFI, and Why Do CDFIs Matter?
Credit unions, by their nature, are community oriented, but some are more intentional about their commitment to impact. Community Development Financial Institutions, or CDFIs, are a perfect case in point. Credit unions now represent a third of the CDFI industry, serving more than 16 million...
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The 6 Principles of Values-Based Banking
Is the financial industry committed to the common good? If you equate the financial industry with megabanks, the answer would likely be a resounding no. Though millions of Americans are megabank customers, it's doubtful many of us believe that these banks have our best interests at heart. Here's...
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How Co-ops Can Pave the Way to a Solidarity Economy
Many credit unions differentiate from banks by pointing out that they are member-owned, but the average consumer doesn't always understand what that means. Though our country tends to idolize entrepreneurs and CEOs, we are less likely to think too much about ownership and its various…
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What it Means To Be a Remarkable Credit Union
Our podcast is called The Remarkable Credit Union, but what does that mean, exactly? What distinguishes a good credit union from a remarkable one? Steve Bugg, President and CEO of the award-winning Great Lakes Credit Union (GLCU), joins us to talk about GLCU's own journey from good to remarkable,...
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How Credit Unions Can be the Netflix of Crypto and Blockchain
At one time, there were over 9,000 Blockbuster Video stores. Today, just one remains. It happens to be in my home state of Oregon, just a few hours away. If you were born in the 2000s, you might not remember the days when we had to physically transport ourselves to a video rental store if we…
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Why All Credit Unions Should Join the Climate Finance Revolution
They say that this past summer is one for the record books when it comes to climate-related disasters. Amidst the doom and gloom, however, the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) represents a significant commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions over the next few decades. But what...
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Economic Justice for All: How SCCCU Lives and Breathes its WHY
Take a look around your community and ask questions. Be humble, be courageous, and take a leap. These are guiding philosophies for Katie Fairbairn, Chief Experience Officer for Santa Cruz Community Credit Union (SCCCU), and Kerry Fulton, President & Owner of Southwest Strategic Marketing. They…
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How to Grow While Staying True to Local Roots: The OnPoint Story
Can a credit union with nearly 500,000 members and $9 billion in assets still authentically serve its local community? As consolidation trends continue and asset size is increasingly seen as a key indicator of success, it's important to reflect on how these evolving trends impact the cooperative...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
What distinguishes a “typical” credit union from one that is truly remarkable? Find out in our monthly podcast. The Remarkable Credit Union explores the intersection of marketing and impact in the credit union movement.Each month we interview trailblazers in the credit union movement to help you:Reframe how your market your credit union. (Hint: Relationship building comes before automation and AI.)Learn how to identify and pursue your true core and differentiators. (Hint: they’re not great service and competitive rates.)Think about how to “innovate differently.” (Hint: Innovation doesn’t have to mean fintech.)
HOSTED BY
Kerala Goodkin
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Remarkable Credit Union have?
The Remarkable Credit Union currently has 121 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Remarkable Credit Union about?
What distinguishes a “typical” credit union from one that is truly remarkable? Find out in our monthly podcast. The Remarkable Credit Union explores the intersection of marketing and impact in the credit union movement.Each month we interview trailblazers in the credit union movement to help...
How often does The Remarkable Credit Union release new episodes?
The Remarkable Credit Union publishes regularly with 121 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to The Remarkable Credit Union?
You can listen to The Remarkable Credit Union on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Remarkable Credit Union?
The Remarkable Credit Union is created and hosted by Kerala Goodkin.
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