Grow Your Credit Union – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay and co-host Becky Reed welcome Bill Snider, Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer at Clearview Federal Credit Union, to discuss three timely topics shaping the future of credit unions.

The Struggles of Digital Literacy
Are tech-savvy team members getting harder to find? Despite living in a high-tech era, Bill believes digital literacy remains an essential focus when hiring and upskilling. As Becky points out, even younger employees accustomed to mobile apps can lack basic PC skills, forcing credit unions to strike a balance between training, buy vs. build software decisions, and proactively developing the tech talent they already have.

When the Well Runs Low
With liquidity near historic lows, credit unions are taking a closer look at deposits, asset duration, and emerging technologies. Bill explains how Clearview created a dedicated deposits team and revisited its investment mix to maintain financial stability. While Becky reminds us there’s “nothing new under the sun,” she highlights how innovations like tokenization and AI-driven analytics could help credit unions prepare for the next big shift.

Are We Always Better Together?
Forty-six mergers occurred in Q2, with most citing expanded services as the reason. Bill shares lessons from Clearview’s own merger experiences, warning leaders not to end up like the last scene of The Graduate—unsure of what’s next. From culture clashes to duplicate systems, he and Becky agree that bigger isn’t always better. Proper planning, cost-benefit analysis, and a clear post-merger roadmap are vital to success.

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Are Credit Unions Missing the Mark on Branding? In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay and co-host Becky Reed welcome Bethany Dutcher, VP of Marketing at Members First Credit Union, to explore three critical topics that could shape the way your credit union presents itself to the world.

Five Brand Killers
Discover why a lack of ownership, consistency, storytelling, real differentiation, and niches can undermine your credit union’s identity. Learn how focusing on emotional connections—and repeating your story more often than you think—keeps your brand top of mind.

Winning Over Millennials and Gen Z
With only 5% of younger generations turning to credit unions, it’s time to close the gap. Hear why aligning with their values, providing user-friendly mobile banking, and highlighting cooperative principles can help you stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Rebranding for Real Growth
Explore how a strategic brand refresh—rooted in a clear “why”—can fuel asset growth and member loyalty. From surveying employees for honest feedback to involving an internal “brand team,” see why rebranding is more than changing a logo; it’s connecting your culture to your community.

Visit growyourcreditunion.com to learn more!

You want your credit union to be data-driven, but are you asking the right questions to get there? Many credit union leaders have access to endless amounts of data but struggle to translate that into real business impact. Dashboards look great, but how do you use them to move the needle on what truly matters?

In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, Joshua Barclay and Becky Reed  welcome on sponsored guest Ben Stangland, President of Strum Platform to dive deep into the real questions your credit union should be asking to make your data work for you. Questions that go beyond vanity metrics like clicks and opens. 

Plus:

• Is your culture designed to truly understand your members?
• How can vendors evolve into true partners, rather than just another service provider?

A huge thanks to this episodes sponsor, Strum Platform

Strum Platform revolutionizes credit union marketing with hyper-targeted segmentation and campaigns that drive loans and deposits. Let us show you how to triple email open rates with campaigns that target the right member at the right time with the right message in minutes. Schedule a demo today to see the power of Strum Platform in action.

With growing scrutiny on financial institutions, forced-place collateral protection insurance (CPI) has become a significant pain point for both members and credit unions. Hidden costs from CPI can lead to inflated loan payments, causing financial strain on members and, in extreme cases, vehicle repossessions. So, how can credit unions protect their members from these pitfalls while maintaining the necessary insurance protections?

In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, hosts Joshua Barclay and Becky Reed welcome on Dan Daggett, Chief Strategy Officer at Credit Unions First, to unpack the real cost of forced-place CPI. They dive into why it’s a problem and explore a member-friendly alternative—lender single interest (LSI) insurance—that keeps the protection but ditches the hidden fees.

PLUS

• Common mistakes in board dynamics and vendor relationships—and how credit unions can fix them.
• How to keep your employees adaptable and ready for change in today’s fast-paced world.

A huge thanks to our sponsor, Credit Unions First

Credit Unions First is a fintech insurance credit union service organization that is always putting your “members first,” with all that they do. Credit Unions First is dedicated to creating efficiency for your team and while they are at it, they will show you how to keep more of your members’ dollars, yes, YOUR members' dollars, in your communities where it belongs. ThReach out to Credit Unions First today and find out what they can do for your credit union www.creditunionsfirst.org !

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Listen to Members First Mindset

With operational costs rising—up nearly 6% over the past year—credit unions face the ongoing challenge of maintaining the efficiency needed to stay competitive. How can your credit union effectively transform increasing operational expenses into opportunities for improvement through team empowerment and technology adoption? 

In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, Joshua Barclay and Becky Reed welcome on guest David Tuyo, President and CEO of University Credit Union to talk about innovative strategies to tackle rising operational costs in credit unions. 

PLUS

• How can credit union leaders cultivate a sales-focused culture that aligns with their mission to serve members, without compromising integrity?
• How can you foster talent development, even when there's a risk of employees leaving for other opportunities?

A huge thanks to our sponsor, Strum Platform.

Strum Platform revolutionizes credit union marketing with hyper-targeted segmentation and campaigns that drive loans and deposits. Let us show you how to triple email open rates with campaigns that target the right member at the right time with the right message in minutes. Schedule a demo today to see the power of Strum Platform in action. Visit www.strumplatform.com to learn more.

A significant gap exists between executives' perception of how much they trust their employees and how trusted employees actually feel. We can bridge this gap by fostering a trust-based environment which involves encouraging mistakes as learning opportunities and ensuring clear communication and follow-through on employee contributions. Could this forward-thinking approach also lead to growth?

In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, hosts Joshua Barclay and Becky Reed welcome on Brian Lee, President and CEO of Landings Credit Union to talk about trust in leadership and “making mistakes matter.” 

Plus: We explore why pursuing growth at all costs is a flawed strategy AND examine strategies for maintaining a healthy balance sheet in the post-COVID era.

A huge thanks to our sponsor, Strum Platform.

Strum Platform revolutionizes credit union marketing with hyper-targeted segmentation and campaigns that drive loans and deposits. Let us show you how to triple email open rates with campaigns that target the right member at the right time with the right message in minutes. Schedule a demo today to see the power of Strum Platform in action. Visit www.strumplatform.com to learn more.

Credit unions often remain stuck in traditional ways of thinking, slowing down their ability to innovate and keep up with modern financial expectations. They need to break away from old habits and start thinking like modern, agile organizations to better serve their members in today's fast-paced financial landscape. Are we ready to stop thinking like credit unions and shift into a different mindset entirely? 

In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, host Joshua Barclay and guest co-host Mike McWethy, EVP, Texans Credit Union talk with Nolan Waltman, EVP/COO, First Service Credit Union about why the key to credit union growth is to start operating like a FinTech. 

PLUS: 

• We talk about how you can identify and create better offerings for your most valuable members.
• We get tips on how to create commercials that go beyond boring and deliver a memorable message.

Huge thanks to our sponsor, InvestiFi. 

InvestiFi is the only InvestTech solution built to allow for trading to and from deposit accounts, enabling Credit Unions to retain more assets and attract new members. Help your members navigate the complexities of financial markets with ease from within their current online banking experience with InvestiFi.

Credit unions continue to chase outdated goals, aiming to be the primary financial institution for their members despite changing market dynamics. Is the quest to be a primary financial institution still relevant in today's diverse financial services market? How can Credit Unions adapt rather than trying to be everything to everyone?

In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, hosts Joshua Barclay and Becky Reed welcome on Greg Gallant, President/CEO, WeStreet Credit Union to chat about why pursuing the status of primary financial institution may no longer be viable and what credit unions should focus on instead.

PLUS: We talk about how to start your journey towards alignment through culture AND we talk about some unconventional methods to achieve growth. 

Charter changes can be a game-changer for credit unions, opening new avenues for growth and member engagement. However, navigating the process isn't always straightforward. When the NCUA rejects your submission, it can feel like a significant setback. So, what steps can you take to effectively respond and turn the situation around?

In this episode of 'Grow Your Credit Union,' hosts Joshua Barkley and Becky Reed welcome on Jennifer Audette, CEO of POLAM Federal Credit Union to talk about effectively fighting back when NCUA rejects your charter change.

Plus, you'll receive valuable tips on transitioning to a leadership role within a new credit union that caters to a dramatically different field of membership. And you’ll learn about the optimal work environments for credit unions—whether remote, in-office, or hybrid.

Are Credit Union events a waste of time, money, and effort? We don't believe so, provided that you have a strategy in place to maximize your networking and learning opportunities. Just how much value can you unlock with the right approach?

In this episode of Grow Your Credit Union, hosts Joshua Barclay and Becky Reed welcome John Salgado, EVP/CIO, DuGood Federal Credit Union to discuss how to get the biggest bang for your buck when attending events.

PLUS!

• We discuss how to identify and nurture future leaders
• We give tips on how to safeguard sensitive data from AI

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Calling all Credit Union Leaders - Do you want to be a guest on Grow Your Credit Union? Visit GrowYourCreditUnion.com to learn more.