Biz and Tech Podcasts > Business > Believe in Banking
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In this special guest episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina and Juliet welcome Al Dominick, Partner with Cornerstone Advisors, a consulting services firm powered by data to deliver customized results for banks and credit unions. In their lively conversation, Al, Gina, and Juliet discuss the current state of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the banking and credit union sectors, including factors driving the need for scale and the challenges and opportunities for change. They explore the importance of data-driven decision making, employee productivity, and brand development for M&A deal success. They also address Cornerstone’s approach to client engagement and discuss how to foster a culture of collaboration to support leaders making change for the better in the banking industry. Finally, they discuss strategies institutions can employ to stay relevant and resilient in a continually evolving environment. This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm
In the year-end episode, the Believe in Banking podcast covers the key trends and themes that have shaped the banking industry in 2024 and are expected to continue in 2025. Conversations between Gina Bleedorn, Juliet D’Ambrosio, and Sean Keathley address the generational shift in banking, finding Gen Z more focused on advisory experiences and driving banks and credit unions to invest heavily in their branch networks to stay relevant. Bringing the brand into the branch remains essential for financial institutions to build loyalty and advocacy with customers, and a bigger focus on branding or rebranding is shown to be a core tenet for success in financial services. Finally, no December episode would be complete without addressing the rise of generative AI that is set to transform the banking industry by automating routine tasks and freeing up bankers to focus on higher-value human relationships. This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm
In this episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina and Juliet discuss the resurgence of investment in the bank branch and Adrenaline’s new report “The Branch Advantage: Essential Retail Strategies for Banking Industry Leaders.” Their conversation covers how major banks like PNC, Chase, Bank of America, and others are announcing significant investments in branch expansion and renovation, indicating a broader industry trend. They spotlight three examples of financial institutions featured in the report – VeraBank, Virginia Credit Union, and Guaranty Bank – and how successful branch transformation strategies helped each institution gain advantage out of this critical channel. Essential to this success was defining a “North Star” experience, which identifies a clear vision and purpose for the branches across the network. Finally, they discuss original industry data that finds that banks and credit unions that invest in branch transformation are seeing significant returns, including higher deposit growth relative to the market. This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm
In this episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina and Juliet spotlight news about how major banks like Chase, PNC, and Bank of America are making significant investments in expanding and renovating their branch networks, demonstrating the continued vitality of the branch channel. They also announce the upcoming report “The Payoff & Process of Branch Investment: Maximizing ROI for Financial Brands,” coming in November, which explores what makes branch investment successful. One critical component of ensuring ROI for the in-person banking channel is branch marketing. Effective branch marketing leverages proximity to deliver marketing messages that strengthen relationships with customers or members, drive awareness of the financial brand, and promote local growth to ensure institutional success. Gina and Juliet discuss best practices in branch marketing, including employing a zonal framework for design and merchandising, which spotlights the right place, right message and right delivery for branch marketing and how targeted messaging is the most effective means for creating customer connections. This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm
In this special guest episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina and Juliet welcome Andrew Hovet, Managing Director at Curinos, a data and insights company that helps financial institutions make better business decisions through advanced analytics, market intelligence, and customer data. In their dynamic discussion, Andrew, Gina, and Juliet discuss how banks and credit unions can leverage data to make informed decisions about their branch network, including where to locate, consolidate, or expand to optimize market presence and growth potential. They also address the essential role of the branch for banking experiences. Even as total visits decline, branches are places customers rely on for advice and guidance on their financial needs. For institutions, branches serve as a key driver of brand awareness and high-quality sales opportunities. And finally, they discuss the need for banks to adapt their branch staffing and operations to focus less on transactional services and more on valuable financial consultation and solutions. This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm
In this episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina and Juliet discuss opportunities and optimism in the banking industry. Following years of retail closures and predictions about the death of the branch, the reality in 2024 is that not only is the bank branch not dead, but in just the last year, the U.S. added more net new branches for the first time in a decade. Branches are just one of the ways banks are seizing opportunities for growth, but there are many reasons for optimism in banking. Positive economic news, good business prospects and an improved rate environment have buoyed banking this year. Nearly 9 out of 10 Americans with a bank account report they’re ‘very satisfied’ or ‘satisfied’ with their primary bank and the rate environment is improving prospects for banks and consumers, alike. On the opportunity front, M&A continues to drive momentum in the banking sector, with expectations high for continued expansion, both in the short- and long-term. From ways that consumers engage with banking brands and in branches, Gina and Juliet have a lively conversation about the rich opportunities for financial institutions, especially for community banks and credit unions who are priming their organizations for growth. This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm
In this episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina and Juliet discuss the resilience and enduring relevance of the of the branch. Fresh off the stage from her keynote at Future Branches, Gina discusses insights from the industry’s changemakers like Chase and what she heard from banking leaders across the country about the challenges they face with their own branch networks. They talk about the importance of renovating and right-sizing existing branch networks, as well as how banks bring their brand to life through digital and physical experiences. Juliet spotlights the latest data that shows the significance of physical branches for younger generations, like Gen Z and Millennials, who still value face-to-face interactions with experts and show that by visiting their local branches weekly. Finally, they both discuss the role of strategy in deploying effective marketing and merchandising at the branch and how communications tools like digital signage can make retail communications more meaningful for adapting to customer needs. This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm
In this special episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina and Juliet look back through the library of episodes to shine a spotlight the enlightening information and insights from Sean Keathley, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Adrenaline. Going back at the launch of the podcast in 2020, during the height of Covid, all the way through early 2024, they pull out some of the best thinking from a truly rich repository that spans the most change the banking industry has experienced since its inception. In his years hosting the podcast, Sean brought more than a wealth of knowledge about the banking industry, he shared his passion for people – those serving and being served by community banks and credit unions across the country. His unique ability to take even the most complex financial topics and present them in a way that everyone can understand is one hallmarks of the podcast. Finally, they share how Sean is the ultimate believer in banking and it's a legacy that Gina and Juliet are proud to continue. This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm
In this episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina and Juliet take on the topic of bank and credit union branding. They discuss their upcoming speaking sessions at the Financial Brand Forum in Las Vegas from May 20-22, and spotlight the new Adrenaline report, the “ROI of Rebranding: Best Practices to Measure Business Value for Financial Brands” available on adrenalinex.com. This report features original research and leading insights that show the power of rebranding in driving and delivering growth for financial brands. Highlighting three case studies of recent rebrands – Bravera Bank, Everwise Credit Union and Tower Federal Credit Union – Gina and Juliet discuss how these organizations made the most of their rebranding efforts, including prioritizing brand differentiation to stand out in the marketplace. Finally, they discuss how to recognize when it’s time for a rebrand or refresh and ways that the most successful brands embrace brand change. This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm
In this special guest episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina and Juliet welcome Michael Bell, Partner and Leader of the Financial Institutions Practice at Honigman, LLP, where he has become the nationwide leader and go-to legal adviser for credit unions seeking scale. In their lively conversation on M&A in financial services, Michael discusses the growth outlook for community financial institutions and ways that mergers and acquisitions help further the credit union mission and movement. He shares his belief that credit unions and community banks are ‘kissing cousins’ – both sharing the same passion for serving customers and communities and facing similar regulatory and competitive challenges. Finally, they discuss data-driven decision making and the role of research in guiding growth strategies for community financial institutions, whether it’s for M&A, branding or branching. This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm
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