Preaching the CUSO Gospel
Just back from an action-packed NACUSO Network Conference, Glen shares interviews with NACUSO CEO Ronaldo Hardy, Peacefully Founder/CEO Jennifer Good and Sarah Martin, Founder/CEO of “New CUSO of the Year” Pulsate. Also, Bitcoin’s halving leads Coinbase to double down.
A Bluetooth for Open Banking?
Glen speaks with Financial Data Exchange Managing Director Don Cardinal about efforts to establish an industry standard to enable open banking and bid farewell to screen scraping. Also- an artistic approach to deepfakes, and cash meets its demise at Death Valley.
Mining Direct Mail for Competitive Intel
Glen speaks with Competiscan Founder/CEO Richard Goldman about the insights promotional mail can generate about events like the proposed Capital One/Discover merger. Also- more headaches at Discover, and looking into the less reported corners of the Visa/ Mastercard settlement.
Scouting the Next Franchise AI Quarterback
John and Glen meet with Shastic Founder/CEO Joseariel Gomez Ortigoza about his firm’s mission to make AI less intimidating for credit unions. Also- sausage making and the Credit Card Competition Act.
Consumers and Members- Unified Needs, Diverse Motivators
More highlights from the Government Affairs Conference: Filene Research Institute’s Taylor Nelms shares new research revealing credit union members’ segmented needs and desires, and Glia’s Paul Sheets on his firm’s fresh take on “Contact Center as a Service.” Also, first impressions of the EU’s new AI Act.
Navigating a “Vibe-cession,” Advocating at Scale
Glen reports from America’s Credit Unions’ Government Affairs Conference- including our annual roundtable with ACU’s Economics team about an oddly disjointed consumer picture, and a conversation with CEOs Deborah Fears and James Higgins about the still-essential role played by small credit unions.
AI Optimism- with a Dose of Reality
Glen chats with Generative AI’s self- described Chief Optimist (and OpenAI’s onetime Head of Go to Market) Zack Kass about how we’ve arrived at the brink of AGI, potential regulatory avenues to safeguard the technology, and why he sees more likely good than harm. Also- Elon’s latest gambit and another Easter egg in the Capital One/Discover deal.
We Were Promised Jetpacks (But Got Deepfakes)
John recaps ten years of BIG ideas, recounts tech expectations circa 2015, and ponders the potential of AI, for better or worse. Plus- Glen wonders what happens if the Cap One/Discover deal doesn’t go through.
Card Company Mergers: How They Started, How They’re Going
John and Glen check in with PSCU Co-Op CEO Chuck Fagan to learn about progress combining the two organizations. Plus- initial thoughts on Capital One’s proposed Discover acquisition.
Doing (Small) Business at the Beach
From the windy shores of Miami Beach, Glen chats with Barlow Research about the often overlooked banking habits of small and mid-market businesses. Also- some fresh (and well-sourced) AI nuggets, and Chase places a contrarian bet on the future of the branch.