Banking on Digital Growth

Are you truly aware of how you naturally initiate action or solve problems?  In this episode of the Banking on Digital Growth podcast, host James Robert Lay is joined by Au drey Cannata , Operations Lead at the Digital Growth Institute and certified Kolbe consultant. They discuss using the Kolbe A Index to better understand yourself and how you naturally take action.  By understanding the three cr...

The way people shop and buy financial products continues to transform because of technology. And these shifts in consumer behavior also create an abundance of new growth opportunities for financial brand leaders who transform their perspective about where future growth might come from. In this episode, Barry Kirby and Dave Buerger , co-founders of Union Credit , discuss the potential for future gr...

In this episode of the #HeartofGrowth series on the Banking on Digital Growth Podcast, James Robert Lay and Rilla Delorier discuss the importance of financial brands guiding their communities in uncertain times. Recent challenges like COVID-19 have caused exhaustion among bank CEOs and their teams. However, aligning a brand's purpose with customer well-being can boost morale and promote growth. De...

In this podcast episode, James Robert Lay discusses the importance of storytelling in marketing and sales strategies for banks and credit unions. Brands often neglect to effectively utilize narrative in their communication, instead focusing on rates, service, and features.  James Robert introduces the concept of the "Narcissistic Marketing Model," where brands position themselves as the hero of th...

In this episode, James Robert Lay speaks with Shep Hyken about the importance of creating a positive customer experience in today's digital world, specifically for banks, credit unions, and fintech companies. They discuss how the concept of customer experience has evolved over the years and the impact of AI and digitalization on customer interactions. They also explore the balance between technolo...

In this episode of the Banking on Digital Growth podcast, James Robert Lay and Marcus Collins  discuss the impact of culture on consumer behavior and how financial brands can leverage this knowledge to drive growth. They emphasize the importance of understanding cultural nuances and beliefs to effectively engage with different consumer segments. The conversation also touches on the role of empathy...

In today's episode of the Banking on Digital Growth Podcast, James Robert Lay takes you through Lisa's journey—a financial brand CMO under the pressure of overhauling her company's website. Like many in her position, she's plagued by internal voices, outdated budgets, and the weight of her existing responsibilities. Drawing on real-world experiences and industry data, James Robert offers insights...

In this episode of the 'Banking on Digital Growth Podcast', host James Robert Lay talks with JB Orecchia , the CEO of Savvy Money . They discuss the importance of enabling clarity for customers and building financial confidence through innovation and partnerships. They emphasize the role of understanding credit scores and providing individuals with an action plan to improve them.  JB shares his 35...

In the latest episode of the Banking on Digital Growth Podcast, discover why many Gen Z individuals feel more comfortable discussing politics than their finances and how just 8% of them fully trust financial institutions. Katrin Kaurov , CEO and founder of Frich , the first financial platform for Gen Z, shines a light on the fact that while many Gen Z students are unaware of their credit scores, t...

In this episode of the Banking on Digital Growth Podcast, James Robert dives deep into how the rise of automation, data, and AI is changing the landscape of the banking industry. Drawing parallels to the internet's reception in the 1990s, James Robert emphasizes the importance of learning from past technological transitions. Historical business failures, such as Tower Records and Kodak, underscore...

On November 30, 2022, the launch of Chat GPT marked a momentous step towards mainstream AI awareness, amassing over 100 million users within two months. This introduction spurred a rapid expansion of applications, tools, and integrations with the AI technology.  Connor Heaton, VP of Intelligent Automation and AI at Strategic Resource Management, Inc. joined the Banking on Digital Growth Podcast to...

Digital empathy, fostered through well-developed consumer personas, can play a crucial role in creating emotional connections with customers in the digital world.  Financial institutions have traditionally relied on demographic data to define their audiences, but a shift towards viewing them as unique communities can provide deeper insights. However, about 70% of financial brands do not use consum...

Using data can enrich your digital real estate to ultimately amplify loans and deposits. The balance between owning and renting digital real estate and data is key, along with keeping customers' needs at the forefront. We examined the nuances of Big Data vs. Thick Data. It's the stories these data tell—he DNA behind zeros and ones—that give us valuable insights into consumer behavior. We also high...

Financial thought leaders have historically perceived Risk & Compliance as where ideas go to die. But Michelle Prohaska , Chief Risk & Compliance Officer at Nymbus , transformed her colleagues’ view by responding to innovative queries with just five words… “That’s interesting. Tell me more.” In this episode of our Heart of Growth series, Michelle shares how her team is shedding its image o...

Someone who heard one of my keynote speeches recently asked me, “How exactly can my bank move forward to build what you call a digital growth engine?” What if I told you the answer to that question won’t be found in a large language model or other AI tool? The answer is actually a lot closer than you think, and it starts with mastering the “tech” sitting between your ears. In this episode of our I...

With so much exciting new technology at our fingertips, how can financial leaders possibly choose the right ones for their brands? It starts with building a strategic framework — a roadmap — that can guide their teams together in identifying the customer’s needs. Once we’ve come together to determine why we need technology, then we can begin the adoption journey and move forward into the age of AI...

Small business owners are frustrated. These courageous entrepreneurs contribute to nearly half of our economy, but large lenders have all but disregarded the needs of these niche consumers. That’s why John Janclaes, President of Nymbus CUSO , says it’s time for credit unions to step up and partner with SMB owners to help them get their jobs done.   In this episode of our Heart of Growth series, Jo...

Does your financial brand have a website that sells, or is it nothing more than a glorified online brochure? Are you building it based on internal requirements, or are you viewing it through the lens of your customers and their buying journey? Many financial brands are still not investing in their websites and to improve their digital experiences, which are missed opportunities to turn your platfo...

Financial brand leaders are constantly confronted with complexities and uncertainties. How can we overcome our fears and use them instead as fuel for potential future growth? It all starts with having the right mindset and the belief that the future will be better. We sit down with Audrey Cannata - Operations Lead at Digital Growth Institute , to explore how fear limits our potential growth and wh...

Financial brands no longer have the luxury of controlling the buyer journey. Oftentimes a customer’s decision has already been made by the time they reach out to your financial institution. What if you could influence that buying journey even if the customer didn’t realize it. With today’s consumer wanting shortcuts and support from their financial brand, the process to help your financial brand c...

Collaborative banking. Why do we need it? And what does it look like today? Where once Fintech and Financial Institutions were at odds, it’s becoming increasingly apparent — collaboration is a necessity to achieve the results we are all looking for. We sit down with Landon Glenn , CEO and founder of Asa Technologies , and explore the ways they are revolutionizing the digital landscape for both sid...

Sitting down for dinner at “The Cheesecake Factory” can be a daunting task, especially when the server brings the menus to the table. With over 250 individual options that diners can choose from, these colossal menus could please every palate, but in reality, it often has the diner scratching their head on what they should order. Today, we explore the Paradox of Choice — what happens when you over...

Change and transformation. It’s a part of business and life no one is exempt from. It’s the reason we sat down for this episode with Todd Weiden, founder of Saltee Co. Sometimes in leadership, it's easy for us to get focused on the goals and outcomes and less so on the experience for our teams and even our end users. There is a solution though. It comes from a place of honesty and a willingness to...

How do you build trust with your account holders and customers in an increasingly digital world? It's the question we answer on today's episode and one they may not be asked enough. In a digital world in the era of AI, content is where you start this relationship. The content you put on social media, the content of your website, and the communications from your marketing channels. These are your l...

Money. It's an inherently complex subject. However, if we can provide clarity for our customers and communities not only will we instill confidence about money we inspire courage to commit to learning more. It’s not often brands make “simplicity” their cornerstone for communication, but what if we did? Sometimes simplicity is best — like this episode description. Join us as we discuss:  - The six...