The Remarkable Credit Union

Hosted by Kerala Goodkin

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Episodes

117

Latest episode

May 2026

Language

EN-US

About the 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.)

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60 recent

May 21, 202634 min

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 Allegiance, shares how years of community organizing, policy changes, and deep relationship-building led to the creation of Alianza — a fully distinct brand, website, and dedicated branch designed with and for the local Latino community. This month, we share a story about what it really means to do the hard, unglamorous work of earning trust, and the impressive results that have followed. Together, we unpack this month's BIG question: How can a credit union reach an underserved community in a way that authentically brings them into the fold and effectively addresses their needs?

April 27, 202636 min

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 the FBI's 2025 Internet Crime Report, Americans lost more than $20.9 billion to internet fraud alone in 2025, representing a 26% increase over 2024. What's a credit union to do? Are website pages, blog posts, email communications, and other educational content enough to stem the tide? And while much ado is being made about gamified financial education, which is more interactive and more fun, is it really working? Billy Red, Director of Development at Sage Credit Union, joins us to talk about an entirely different approach to fraud education that leverages real member stories, expert advice, a strong element of suspense, and a few playful touches. Together, we unpack this month's BIG question: How can credit unions approach financial education—especially around fraud—in a way that truly engages members and leads to meaningful behavior change?

March 23, 202629 min

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 Agency, who works with credit unions and purpose-driven companies on SEO and AI Search, amongst other digital marketing initiatives. Megan helps us break down which new search considerations credit union marketers should pay careful attention to, as well as which traditional SEO and user experience practices remain critical in the face of growing digital disruption. Join us to unpack this month's BIG question: How is AI currently impacting the marketing industry, and what are the specific implications for credit union marketers?

February 18, 202635 min

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, discussing the risks of inaction for credit unions, including potential deposit losses and the need to attract younger members. Randy shares insights on the importance of integrating digital assets into credit union operations to maintain relevance and revenue streams. From digital vaulting to leveraging crypto for liquidity, we unpack actionable strategies that can help credit unions navigate this complex yet promising frontier. Join us for a compelling conversation that challenges traditional banking paradigms and highlights the future of finance.

January 22, 202636 min

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 credit union movement have helped some credit unions stay competitive, but at what cost? Do credit unions that are focused on aggressive growth risk losing sight of their purpose? Are they able to effectively serve their communities? The answers to these questions are not definitive; a lot depends on the approach. We sat down with Derrick Aguilar, a 20-year veteran of the credit union movement and Chief Experience Officer at PenAir Credit Union (a PixelSpoke client), to talk about how credit unions have evolved over the last decades, and how they've stayed the same. We also addressed this month's BIG question: How can credit unions grow while never losing sight of their member experience, community roots, and commitment to financial health?

December 17, 202537 min

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 Co-Owner at PixelSpoke, takes the guest seat, along with PixelSpoke President and Co-Owner Dave Drouin. Together, they reflect on this month’s BIG question: When it comes to credit union marketing and leadership, what are some of the dominant themes that have emerged over the past year, and what should we be keeping top of mind for 2026?

November 18, 202536 min

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, it's here to stay. So how can credit unions best leverage it without sacrificing the "people helping people" philosophy that defines the movement? With the technology still being so new, the unknowns can feel scary. But there are some early adopters with nuggets of wisdom and learned experience that may be able to help the rest of us. We sat down with one of these early adopters, Ken Brossman, Chief Lending Officer at Marine Credit Union, to talk about the highs and lows of Marine's five-year AI lending journey. We also addressed this month's BIG question: Where is the greatest opportunity to deploy AI in credit union lending, and where is the greatest risk?

October 21, 202542 min

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 behavior change from Weight Watchers, and what opportunities she sees for credit unions to leverage our emotional connection to money to build more authentic relationships with their members. She also addresses this month's BIG question: How can we use our emotional connection to money to empower credit unions to create happy members, financial resilience, and ethical business growth?

September 17, 202532 min

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 how to recruit and engage Gen Z members in a way that isn't, as a Gen Z'er might put it, cringe. We sat down with Sue Burton, SVP of Experience for DCU, to talk about their efforts to date and to address this month's BIG question: Why do so few Gen Z’ers know about credit unions, and how can credit union marketers authentically reach and connect with this rising generation?

August 14, 202555 min

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 health. Andy Bandyopadhyay, Founder and CEO of Attune, would like to change that. Hospitals measure patient outcomes; why don’t credit unions measure financial outcomes? If financial wellness isn’t improving, are credit unions really doing their job? These are just a few of the questions that Andy addresses in this month’s episode of The Remarkable Credit Union podcast, along with our BIG question: How can credit unions lead with financial wellness over products, and what’s in it for them?