Believe in Banking

In this episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina and Juliet take on the topic of bank and credit union branding. They discuss their upcoming speaking sessions at the Financial Brand Forum in Las Vegas from May 20-22, and spotlight the new Adrenaline report, the “ROI of Rebranding: Best Practices to Measure Business Value for Financial Brands” available on adrenalinex.com. This report featur...

In this special guest episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Gina and Juliet welcome Michael Bell, Partner and Leader of the Financial Institutions Practice at Honigman, LLP, where he has become the nationwide leader and go-to legal adviser for credit unions seeking scale. In their lively conversation on M&A in financial services, Michael discusses the growth outlook for community financia...

In this episode, Adrenaline’s Chief Brand Officer Juliet D’Ambrosio joins Gina Bleedorn as the new cohost of the Believe in Banking podcast, as Sean Keathley, the former CEO of Adrenaline, moves to an advisory capacity to focus on his health. In this discussion, Gina and Juliet explore artificial intelligence in banking and the opportunities it brings to transform banking experiences. They note ho...

In episode two of our two-part Believe in Banking podcast series on growth, Sean and Gina discuss the evolving expectations in banking – from generational demands for advisory experiences to neighborhood variations – all impacting how the branch functions. Their conversation covers how generational life stage differences offer an opportunity for banks to step up and serve, especially as Millennial...

In episode one of a two-part Believe in Banking podcast series on growth, Sean and Gina kick off the new year with a discussion around how financial institutions are increasing their influence to reach more consumers where they are. From the rising momentum around M&A to organic growth and branching, financial institutions are looking to boost their competitive edge by becoming bigger and stro...

In part two of the special guest episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Sean and Gina welcome back Dan Rousseve, Chief Information Officer, and Angie Dvorak, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer, of Everwise Credit Union, formerly Teachers Credit Union. They continue the discussion on the credit union’s rebranding journey, including challenges they faced from Covid to change in leadership, bot...

In this special guest episode of the Believe in Banking podcast, Sean and Gina welcome Dan Rousseve, Chief Information Officer, and Angie Dvorak, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer, of Everwise Credit Union, formerly Teachers Credit Union. In their dynamic discussion, Dan and Angie address the credit union’s storied history and the challenges of operating as Teachers Credit Union as they expande...

In episode two of our Believe in Banking podcast series on Gen Z, Sean and Gina welcome back Adrenaline’s Chief Brand Officer, Juliet D’Ambrosio. Armed with knowledge about this myth-busting generation, the three discuss how banks and credit unions are adapting to meet the needs of Gen Z. They provide examples of institutions like UniWyo Credit Union, AMOCO Credit Union and Guaranty Bank that have...

In episode one of a two-part Believe in Banking podcast series, Sean and Gina tackle the topic on the minds of every banker out there – the influence and impact of Gen Z on banking and beyond. They invite on Adrenaline’s Chief Brand Officer, Juliet D’Ambrosio, for a dynamic discussion in advance of the new report from Adrenaline called “Gen Z and the Future of Finance: A Generational Guide for Ban...

In this episode, Sean and Gina share timely insights from speaking and participation at the financial industry’s leading conferences. Specifically, they discuss demands on banking and credit union leaders relating to their branch networks and how planning for saving and growing at the same time is essential for institutions of all sizes. To make the most of opportunities that branches bring, many...

In this special summer episode on banking innovation, Sean and Gina look at change in financial services at the institutional and industry level. With data and insights gathered from the financial services sector’s most influential gatherings, they discuss new ways that banks and credit unions usher in upgrades to meet customer expectations, while driving more efficiencies in the branch network. T...

In this special episode, Sean and Gina welcome back Dave Ehlis, President and CEO of Bravera Bank. In part two of their discussion, Dave talks about how the brand change the bank prioritized would come to life inside their branches and across their growing network – from smaller more rural branches to larger ones in bigger cities. He talks about the power of optimism and how instead of fixating on...

In this special episode, Sean and Gina welcome Dave Ehlis, President and CEO of Bravera Bank, a regional banking leader in the Northern Plains. In this conversation, Dave discusses the bank's rich history and new challenges they faced as they continued their path to growth. When the financial institution formerly known as American Bank Center was expanding their reach, they needed a more ownable n...

In this episode, Sean and Gina look at two influential industry reports and how they provide a snapshot of our current moment in banking. First, they discuss the Edelman Trust Barometer, an annual report that provides insights into the influence of trust across our institutions and industries. While this year’s report continues to show an undercurrent of mistrust among consumers, business maintain...

In this special episode, Sean and Gina return to conversations about the fundamentals for financial institutions acting with trust and transparency that they’ve explored on the Believe in Banking podcast. They address key ways banks and credit unions can increase consumer trust in banking by building relationships that demonstrate their commitment to community and how trust provides the foundation...

In the “Believe in Banking Podcast: The Growth Edition,” Sean and Gina discuss ways that banks and credit unions are meeting the industry’s the imperative to grow. They discuss how financial institutions determine the right formats and the right markets, including hub-and-spoke clusters with flagship locations in high opportunity areas and smaller branches, ATMs and ITMs dotting the network for su...

In the inaugural episode of the Believe in Banking podcast for 2023, Sean and Gina highlight industry insights on where banking has been and where it's heading in the new year, including takeaways from speaking sessions at two of banking's premiere conferences – The Financial Brand Forum and Future Branches. From the importance of brand in driving business to the future of retail delivery, they di...

In this special year-end episode, Sean and Gina return to some illuminating discussions with banking leaders featured on the Believe in Banking podcast in 2022. From an institution evolving for its customers and communities to women moving up the ranks into banking’s C-suite, these conversations reveal how banking is at the forefront of change. The podcast features David Trautman, chairman and CEO...

In part two of the “Biggest Banking Trends of 2022” special episode, Sean and Gina take stock of what’s on the minds of banking leaders in these unprecedented times. They look at ways banks and credit unions are making banking better for people as they navigate post-pandemic uncertainty, especially through a focus on financial wellness. Institutions are also making headway by looking at their orga...

In this special episode, we look at some of this year’s biggest banking trends. From meeting consumer’s unique needs to scaling for strength, Sean and Gina discuss how banks are delivering in our post-pandemic era. One important reality coming out of COVID is how people of all generations are prioritizing financial wellness, and banks, especially community financial institutions, are in the perfec...

As industry conferences return live and in-person, we’re back on the speaking circuit and learning anew what’s on the minds of banking leaders. In this episode, Sean and Gina discuss themes coming out of major banking conferences like Future Branches and how the war for talent is presenting real challenges for banks and credit unions in our new pandemic normal. They dig into recent data on branche...

In part two of their conversation, Sean and Gina welcome back Terrie Spiro, co-founder, founding director and chair, and Jennifer Docherty, co-founder, founding director and chief executive officer of Bank on Women. They build on the ideas shared in part one – that qualified women in leadership positions in banking make both individual institutions and the industry as a whole better. In this episo...

In part one of this special episode, Sean and Gina welcome Terrie Spiro, co-founder, founding director and chair, and Jennifer Docherty, co-founder, founding director and chief executive officer of Bank on Women. Dedicated to women’s leadership in community banking, Bank on Women strives to increase the number of qualified women serving on the C-Suite and in the boardroom – which will make banking...

Over the last several years, there has been a ton of talk about the impact of outsiders like fintechs on banking and ways community institutions have to keep up. In this episode, Sean and Gina flip the script a little and reframe the idea of what it means to be a challenger in banking today. What are the ways community financial institutions and regional banks are leading? For these banks, embraci...

One of the buzzworthy themes across the financial services sector is how to make banking better. With fintechs continuing to make inroads into banking’s customer base, what does making the experience better for the customer look like? In this episode, Sean and Gina share the latest information and insights on people’s top financial priorities in 2022 and explore ways that banks and credit unions a...