Despite Impossible

Today’s guest is Rick Thomas, a father and a friend. He’s someone who loves animals and has a passion for community development, which started during his 17-year venture in Uzbekistan. He developed low-cost projects to empower underserved communities with a concentration on single women with children and retired adults. Rick is also the vp of community development and transformation at CU Strategi...

Today's guest is Rachel Lauren. She's resilient, brutally honest, a former financial analyst, and an investor turned fintech entrepreneur. Rachel is also the COO and Co-Founder of Debbie Inc., a financial wellbeing platform offering cash rewards for positive financial behavior, available to credit unions - think of it as your debt payoff cheerleader. This is Rachel's story.

Today's guest is Lauren Culp,  a collaborative and tenacious leader skilled at balancing strategy and execution. Lauren is a vibrant human being who dreams boldly, cherishes the Summer, and never misses a chance to spike a volleyball or race down a waterslide. Lauren is also the Publisher and CEO at CUInsight. This is Lauren's story.

Today's guest is Dr. Shairi Turner - a mom, a holistic well-being advocate, and someone who is committed to addressing the mental health epidemic. She is also the Chief Health Officer at the Crisis Text Line: a 24/7, free high-quality text-based mental health support and crisis intervention line with a mission to be at the intersection of empathy and innovation, promoting mental well-being fo...

Today's guest is Anika Goss-Foster, a joyful dreamer, philanthropist, community leader, and one of Detroit's fiercest advocates. Anika is the Chief Executive Officer of Detroit Future City, a think-and-do tank focused on land use and sustainability, community and economic development, and economic equity in Detroit. This is Anika's story. Remember to stick around to hear Tansley&apo...

Today’s guest is George Hofheimer. George is a friend, a leader, and an in-demand advisor for highly ambitious credit unions, including ours, that want to change the world. This is George’s Story. Stick around for Tansley's reflections at the end of the episode!

Today’s guest is Heidi Musser. She’s a determined and resilient servant leader, influencer, design thinker, change agent, and a master Agilest. This is Heidi’s story. Remember to stick around for Tansley's reflections at the end of the episode!

Today’s guest is Kirk Drake. Kirk is an entrepreneur, author, and keynote speaker who is on a mission to disrupt business norms and accelerate innovation through adventure, integrity, and of course, humor. This is Kirk’s story. Remember to stick around for Tansley's reflections at the end of the episode!

Today's guest is Michelle Winterfield, Co-Founder of Tandem, an incredible finance app for couples that makes money management fun and easy. This is her story. Be sure to stick around until the end to hear Tansley's reflections on her time with Michelle!

Today's guest is Matt Nahan. He is an artist, a friend, a collaborator, an advocate for social causes, a son, a partner, and a dog dad. He is also the executive director at our Relentless Care Foundation, leading the philanthropic impact CFCU ignites across Michigan. This is Matt's story.

Huzzah, Despite Impossible Season 1 is a wrap! I’m here to celebrate and reminisce with Lauren Culp, CUInsight’s CEO and my good friend. We’re sharing some meaningful moments from our first 41 episodes. Join us for our journey through some special humans’ impossible dreams, plus our take on how they’ve inspired us to keep dreaming.

Today’s guest is Cory Schlesinger. He’s a small-town Nebraska native and a former football player for the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Detroit Lions. The NFL retiree remains active as an Allen Park High School teacher. Beyond his career in the classroom, he’s a husband and a father plus a painter and a gardener. This is his story.

Today’s guest is Rachelle Vartanian. She’s the founder of the Northville nonprofit Living and Learning Enrichment Center for adults with autism and related challenges. She’s also a former special education teacher and a mom of four sons. This is her story.

Today’s guest is Nathaniel Harley. He’s the CEO of MANTL, a financial technology company that provides a platform to open accounts online with community banks and credit unions – including us at Community Financial Credit Union. He’s also a husband and father, foodie and sports fan, meditator and problem solver. This is his story.

Turn on your listening ears for another back-to-school throwback! As the school year gets underway, we’re going back over our episode with Plymouth-Canton Community Schools Superintendent Dr. Monica Merritt. She’s been honored as Michigan’s 2023 Superintendent of the Year, three impressive decades after starting her career in education as a high school English teacher. This is her story. At the en...

Today’s guest is Greg Mitchell. Born into a family of farmers in the Midwest, he grew up to become a devout Christian, a Coast Guard member, a Disco dancer, and the CEO of First Tech Credit Union. All the way through, his life’s work has been making the most of his gifts to assist other humans in reaching their potential. This is Greg’s story.

Listen in for our back-to-school throwback! To celebrate the start of the school year, we’re going back to our episode with Northville Public Schools Superintendent Dr. RJ Webber. His career in education has comprised not only leadership but also teaching, presenting, and consulting.

Today’s guest is Andy Janning. He’s a self-described “nerd” who loves telling stories through words and pictures – from books and speeches to films and photos – especially about cancer advocacy. Inspired by his wife’s cancer-related challenges and successes, Andy is passionate about pausing cancer debt and ending terminal debt for patients through his programs partnering with financial institution...

Today's guest is Jack Wernstrom. Jack is a 21-year-old senior at Michigan State University. Jack is also an experience team intern at our Playground location. This is Jack's story.

Today's guest is Joy Lewis. Joy is proud of her Westside of Lansing roots, she is an innovator and a visionary, and a driven individual committed to making the world a better place. She is also the owner of Joyola Mei Hair, a specialty hair salon providing sustainable and eco-friendly products for clients with wavy, curly, textured, and coily hair in Detroit's Corktown neighborhood. This...

Today's guest is Randy Harrington. He is a seeker, a parent, a husband, and a person that can see potential and goodness in people. He is also the Founding Partner at Strategic Arts & Sciences. Randy considers himself to be both a student and a practitioner in the science and art of long-term strategic planning. This is Randy's story.

Today's guest is Matt Nahan. He is an artist, a friend, a collaborator, an advocate for social causes, a son, a partner, and a dog dad. He is also the executive director at our Relentless Care Foundation, leading the philanthropic impact CFCU ignites across Michigan. This is Matt's story.

Today's guest is Arlita Ibach. She is someone who enjoys life, people, and all the small things in between that combined become people's journeys. She is also an entrepreneur and the founder of Red Dot Coffee Company here in Northville. This is Arlita's story. To learn more about Arlita's invitation to approach life with the "you are here!" attitude that her Red Dot o...

Today's guest is Clint Smiley, a second-generation lifelong educator, raising a third generation of educators and a through-and-through Michigander. He is also West Middle School's retiring Principal. This is Clint's story.