“Taking their ground game and putting it online is where credit unions have a lot of room to win against banks and fintechs.” – John McKusick
Thank you for tuning in to The CUInsight Network, with your host, Robbie Young, Vice President of Strategic Growth at CUInsight. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together.
My guest on today’s show is John McKusick, CEO of NextLeft. He joins me for this episode to discuss what it takes for credit unions to stand out in a world where most people begin their search online. He shares how his path to leading a digital marketing agency is anything but conventional because he originally dreamed of becoming a professional surfer, discovered a love for computers and design, and eventually built one of the country’s largest independent digital marketing firms. Along the way, he became increasingly interested in using marketing to provide genuine value rather than simply chasing clicks, and today, that philosophy shapes NextLeft’s work with credit unions!
Throughout our conversation, John and I discuss why credit unions have a significant advantage that banks and fintechs can’t easily replicate: their local relationships and community presence, and we talk about how bringing that “ground game” online via hyper-local digital strategies can help credit unions become more visible to the people they’re trying to serve. We look at the credit union website in a different way—as the organization’s main branch rather than simply a digital brochure, with John explaining how websites can better serve existing members while also addressing the questions and concerns that keep potential new members from joining. We also get into data and AI, including how credit unions can use search data to understand what matters to their communities without sacrificing the human connection that makes them distinctive.
As we wrap up the conversation, John shares what’s ahead for NextLeft, including the development of DuckDive AI and its effort to connect marketing and operational data, and, of course, we have fun with some rapidfire questions and talk surfing destinations, entrepreneurship, leadership, and finding a healthy relationship between work and life. John also leaves us with a challenge that I believe is worth hearing: credit unions have what it takes to win, and now they need to show people why. Enjoy my conversation with John McKusick!
Connect with John:
John McKusick, CEO of NextLeft
nextleft.com
John: LinkedIn
NextLeft: LinkedIn
Show notes from this episode:
Place mentioned: San Diego, CA
Shout-out: Netflix
Shout-out: Discount Nutrition Store
Shout-out: Gear Interactive
Shout-out: universities.com
Shout-out: Home Bay
Shout-out: DuckDive AI
Shout-out: John’s mom
Shout-out: John’s sister
Place mentioned: Nicaragua
Place mentioned: The Maldives
Place mentioned: Mexico
Place mentioned: Wilmington, NC
Place mentioned: Texas
Place mentioned: Orlando, FL
Book mentioned: Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Shout-out: Shout-out: In this episode:[0:51] - John reveals that he loves swimming and originally had hoped to be a professional surfer.[2:48] - John reflects on having built a successful digital marketing career, ultimately having founded NextLeft to deliver more valuable, effective agency work.[4:34] - NextLeft helps credit unions increase online visibility by turning their local community presence into a digital advantage.[6:46] - John asserts that credit union websites should seamlessly serve existing members while removing barriers for new members.[9:40] - Search data and AI help credit unions understand community needs and uncover valuable marketing opportunities.[11:08] - Looking ahead to the future, John discusses DuckDive AI and how it connects marketing and operational data.[13:12] - We discover why John looks up to his mom.[14:13] - John reveals some of his favorite surfing destinations as well as favorite places to travel for work.[16:06] - John recommends the book .[16:54] - John believes that there doesn’t always need to be a separation between your personal life and your work life.[18:22] - John urges credit unions to embrace their strengths, increase online visibility, and show people how they can win.
