Believe in Banking

As the economy continues its pandemic recovery, financial institutions of all sizes are looking for effective ways to compete. In this episode, Sean and Gina discuss leaning on brand for growth. Whether you’re a financial institution scaling through mergers or expanding operations into new markets, considering the implications of your brand in people’s minds is foundational to your success. Are yo...

From mergers and acquisitions to branching into new markets, banking’s major focus post-pandemic is on growth. In this episode, Sean and Gina discuss this desire for scale amidst great uncertainty. With M&A activity hitting its highest levels since 2007, deals are happening all around, but it’s not just big banks competing for dominance. Community banks and credit unions are looking at expansi...

In Part 2 of their conversation, Sean and Gina welcome back David Trautman, chairman and CEO of Park National Bank. They discuss how a realignment and rebrand provided the bank the perfect platform for Park’s spirit of service, giving a streamlined and simplified brand for Park’s people to rally around. He addressed how launching during COVID continued on a tradition of steadiness in the storm for...

In Believe in Banking’s first podcast of the new year, Sean and Gina welcome David Trautman, chairman and CEO of Park National Bank. Their rich conversation covers Park’s unique origin story and how the bank’s efforts at unifying under one umbrella yielded some significant advantages for their growing brand as they expanded into new communities. Building consensus to shift how the bank was doing b...

In our final year-end special episode, we revisit topics that defined the year. Sean and Gina discuss the rise of Purpose Driven Banking in 2021 and how it sets a new standard for the industry moving forward. A term coined by Accenture, this approach to banking helps financial institutions mean more to their customers and members, truly living up to their essential role in people's lives. Simultan...

In this special episode, we take a look back at the trends and topics that defined 2021. Sean and Gina discuss how banking provided short-term solutions to challenges and what opportunities opened up because of the pandemic that will endure. They spoke specifically about banking's balance of technology and human consultation, and the staff that it takes to be at the right place at the right time f...

In this episode, Sean and Gina discuss what’s on the minds of banking and credit union leaders as they face the headwinds that are still present after a year and a half of pandemic life. With the need for profitability and fintech nipping at community banking’s heels, how to continue to serve customers and meet expectations often means new partnerships. Whether it’s a fintech collaboration like th...

In this episode, Sean and Gina discuss some of the challenges facing banking in our post-pandemic future. Most notably is staffing as banks and credit unions meets consumer demand for efficient transactions via updated digital options while still having branches close by for those more complex and consultative banking needs. Attracting higher-skilled bankers requires a real investment for banks an...

In Part 4 of our special summer series revisiting our discussions with banking leaders, we’re spotlighting more community-first approaches from Jimmy Stead, Chief Consumer Banking Officer at Frost Bank, a super-regional bank based in Texas, and Todd Nagel, President and CEO of IncredibleBank, one of the country’s first national online community banks. These two leaders describe how their culture a...

In this episode, Sean and Gina discuss optimism and opportunities for banking as we move into a post-pandemic recovery. From the rise of small business driving demand for commercial loans to population shifts away from urban cores, how financial institutions respond to changing consumer lifestyles and needs-states depends largely on their understanding of these new realities. Increasingly critical...

In Part 3 of our special summer series where we revisit our discussions with banking leaders, we’re spotlighting the community-first commitment of community banking. In this episode, we talk with Brad Tidwell, President and CEO of VeraBank and Ryan Kilpatrick, Executive Vice President and Chief Brand and Communications Officer from Origin Bank about the heart of service at the core of their commun...

In this episode, Sean and Gina discuss purpose-driven banking and the intersection of consumer need and banking opportunity. The economic impacts of the pandemic and its aftermath have spotlighted the critical role that banking – and more broadly, financial services – plays in people’s everyday lives. Banking is a service that everyone needs, and now with an industry at a tipping point of disrupti...

In our special summer series, we’re revisiting some of our illuminating discussions with banking leaders featured on the Believe in Banking podcast. In this episode we’re talking technology with Jimmy Stead, Chief Consumer Banking Officer at Frost Bank; Luvleen Sidhu, Founder and CEO of BM Technologies; and Todd Nagel, President and CEO of IncredibleBank. These leaders talk about their individual...

In our special summer series, we’re revisiting some of our most popular episodes and rounding up some of the best thinking from banking leaders featured on the Believe in Banking podcast. In this special summer episode we’re highlighting insights from: Ryan Kilpatrick, executive vice president and chief brand and communication officer from Origin Bank; Brad Tidwell, president and CEO of VeraBank;...

In this special episode, Sean and Gina welcome Todd Nagel, President and CEO of IncredibleBank, the country’s first national online community bank. With bank branches in Wisconsin and Michigan, an expansion plan for new locations in key markets and a digital-first approach, IncredibleBank’s growth path is reaping rewards for this signature financial services brand. Not satisfied with the status qu...

In this episode, Sean and Gina discuss community building in banking. As one out of ten people consider switching primary financial institution and 25% of businesses expecting to switch their banking relationship this year, there are new opportunities for community banks and credit unions to start new relationships. Expanding on traditional definitions and assumptions, community building goes beyo...

In this special episode, Sean and Gina welcome back Luvleen Sidhu, Founder and CEO of BM Technologies, one of the largest digital banking platforms in the U.S. Luvleen talks about strategies for community institutions to accelerate their digital offering and acquire and serve diverse customers. She discusses growing BankMobile's banking-as-a-service (BaaS) model and how partnerships and commitment...

In this special episode, Sean and Gina welcome Luvleen Sidhu, Founder and CEO of BM Technologies, one of the largest digital banking platforms in the U.S. Luvleen talks about digital first banking and how BankMobile was founded with the premise that banking could be substantially better for consumers, especially regarding affordability and consumer-friendly products that are delivered to not only...

In this episode, Sean and Gina discuss the intersection of trust and technology. The acceleration of consumer use of digital through COVID has made commoditization and lack of trust dual risks for financial institutions. But new data shows that business overall has become the primary trusted institution for consumers in the pandemic era, providing a real opportunity for banks and credit unions to...

In this episode, Sean and Gina discuss the current state of the banking industry and the rise in global merger and acquisition activity in 2020, despite more sluggish deal-making domestically. Through 2021 as M&A picks up in the U.S., they expect that more strategic partnerships and joint ventures to solve for particular operational painpoints. They also address new data that sheds light on co...

In this episode, Sean and Gina discuss post-COVID consumer trends and how banks are successfully balancing digital engagement with physical delivery. As consumers increase their online and mobile usage, banks are investing in those experiences. And while digital may have been banking’s roadmap pre-COVID, it has even more urgency now. As the industry shifts to meet these demands, the role of the br...

In this episode, Sean and Gina kick off 2021 with a look at what we can learn last year's challenges and apply that resilient thinking to 2021, especially the flight to purpose and how people can experience the things you say you stand for. They take on questions posed in December after their presentation at the industry's leading branch banking conference Future Branches and give insights into wh...

In this year-end special episode, Sean and Gina recap a most unusual year and look back on some of the meaningful conversations, industry insights and stories of resilience shared on the podcast. Whether it’s commitment to community through PPP or the rise of banking for good, we’ve covered the many ways that the financial services sector is rising to the challenge of our current moment, and beyon...

Believe in Bloopers. As a holiday gift to our audience, we're giving you a peek behind the curtain of producing a podcast. In this special episode, you'll hear bumbles, bobbles and yes, even a choice curse word or two. Trust us when we say: It's not all done in one take. In fact it rarely is! This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm

In this special episode, Sean and Gina welcome Jimmy Stead, Chief Consumer Banking Officer at Frost Bank, a $40 billion Texas-based bank that is focused squarely on the customer’s experience. Jimmy talks about decisions the bank has made to keep people at the center of their growing organization, like banishing phone trees and providing 24/7 customer service, allowing people to connect directly wi...