BIG Podcast

Our second round of NACUSO coverage includes interviews with Next Big Idea competition winner GoalSetter and runner-up Mahalo Banking, Fintech Madness winner Silvur, CU2.0 co-founder Chris Otey on instigating the madness, and a compelling startup (Harness) that waged battle in both events.    Links related to this episode:   GoalSetter: https://www.goalsetter.co/   Silvur: https://www.silvur.com/     Mahalo Banking: https://www.mahalobanking.com/     Harness: https://www.harnessfi.com/    CU2.0: https://cu-2.com/  NACUSO: https://www.nacuso.org/ Last week’s episode with additional NACUSO interviews: https://www.big-fintech.com/Media/BIGcast/ArticleID/868/More-CUSOs-More-Service    Check out the CU Crypto Report, a crowdsourced data analysis of how CU members are already engaging with cryptocurrency. Now accepting volunteers to contribute anonymized data to our 2023 report: https://www.cucrypto.report/  Follow the Best Innovation Group on Twitter: @bigfintech Follow Glen on Twitter @154Advisors Follow John

From a record-setting NACUSO Network conference, Glen shares a motherlode of interviews with CUSO whisperer/attorney Brian Lauer, DePaul Defi professor Lamont Black, and a pair of founders: Leeman Baird (Hedera) and John Wingate (BankSocial).   Links related to this episode:   NACUSO: https://www.nacuso.org/  Messick, Lauer & Smith: https://www.cusolaw.com/  Our prior conversation with Lamont Black: https://www.big-fintech.com/Media/BIGcast/ArticleID/822/Stoking-the-Flames  Lamont Black’s resource-rich webpage: https://lamontblack.com/  Leeman Baird’s company Hedera: https://hedera.com/  Our prior conversation with John Wingate: https://www.big-fintech.com/Media/BIGcast/ArticleID/829/A-Lone-Star-Lighting-the-Crypto-Path BankSocial:: https://www.banksocial.io/  Check out the CU Crypto Report, a crowdsourced data analysis of how CU members are already engaging with cryptocurrency. Now accepting volunteers to contribute anonymized data to our 2023 report: https://www.cucrypto.report/  Follow the Best Inn

Amplify Credit Union CEO Kendall Garrison shares thoughts on running a fee-free shop, explains why CU members need not be overly fearful of an SVB situation, and why conveying that message requires finesse. Also- the Godot Recession, and a skewed definition of small banks.    Links related to this episode:   Amplify Credit Union’s Fee-Free approach: https://www.goamplify.com/fee-free/  Reuters’ reporting on “small bank” deposit losses: https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/us-large-bank-deposits-rose-week-after-svb-collapse-fed-data-2023-03-24/  Our prior episode untangling the SVB mess: https://www.big-fintech.com/Media/BIGcast/ArticleID/865/Silicon-Valley-Bank-through-a-Credit-Union-Lens  Fox Business shines a light on credit union safety: https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/how-safe-credit-unions-bank-turmoil    Join us on Wednesday March 29 at Noon ET/9am PT (note the earlier time) as we celebrate the 100th episode of our live, interactive CU Town Hall. We’re marking the occasion with an appearance by not

  Now that the dust has settled (a little), John and Glen unspool the SVB and Signature Bank crises and what they mean for CUs. Also- John's already getting into arguments with ChatGPT-4.    Links related to this episode:   Our earlier episode on ChatGPT’s promise and peril: https://www.big-fintech.com/Media/BIGcast/ArticleID/859/ChatGPT-Don%E2%80%99t-You-Just-Love-It  CUNA’s rapid response webpage with resources to help CUs communicate with members and media on the banking crisis: https://news.cuna.org/articles/print/122240-cuna-launches-page-with-bank-collapse-response-resources  The NY Times “Hard Fork” podcast covering ChatGPT-4 and the “group chat bank run”: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hard-fork/id1528594034?i=1000604620320  Another twist in the SVB saga: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/business/svb-collapse-peter-thiel-silicon-valley-    Join us on Wednesday March 29 at Noon ET/9am PT (note the earlier time) as we celebrate the 100th episode of our live, interactive CU Town Hall. We

One year removed from the Crypto Bowl, Glen connects with NYDIG’s Rahm McDaniel to assess what has and hasn’t changed for credit unions and members. Also- trying (and failing) to avoid addressing Silicon Valley Bank, Silvergate and USDC.   Links related to this episode:   NYDIG: https://nydig.com/  Our earlier interview with Becky Reed of Lone Star CU and John Wingate of BankSocial: https://www.big-fintech.com/Media/BIGcast/ArticleID/829/A-Lone-Star-Lighting-the-Crypto-Path  CU 2.0’s Fintech Madness, Thursday March 30: https://cu-2.com/fintech-madness/   NACUSO Network Conference, March 27-29: https://www.nacuso.org/conferences/2023-nacuso-network/information/   Check out the CU Crypto Report, a crowdsourced data analysis of how CU members are already engaging with cryptocurrency. Now accepting volunteers to contribute anonymized data to the 2023 report: https://www.cucrypto.report/    Follow the Best Innovation Group on Twitter: @bigfintech Follow Glen on Twitter @154Advisors Follow John on Twitter @jbfint

Glen shares key takeaways from CUNA’s just-completed Government Affairs Conference, including interviews with CUNA’s economics team on their business outlook and hard data proving the CU advantage in auto lending, as well as the FedNow team on the mid-year rollout of a new set of payment rails. Also, NCR Digital Banking President Doug Brown on his unit’s momentum amid a company split.   (Photo courtesy of CUNA and EPNAC)   Links related to this episode:   CUNA’s Economic Data: https://www.cuna.org/advocacy/credit-union---economic-data/data---statistics.html  FedNow: https://explore.fednow.org/   NCR Digital Banking: https://www.ncr.com/banking/digital-banking  CUNA GAC: https://www.cuna.org/events/gac/schedule.html    BIG’s Innovation Club convenes thought leaders across the credit union movement several times each year, engaging in educational and innovative projects leveraging new technology- from robotic process automation to distributed ledger, conversational banking, machine learning and more- to addr

Maps Credit Union COO Rachel Pross shares business takeaways from a recent outdoor adventure that veered off script. Also, a big 2019 payments deal gets unwound, and Glen rants about recession.   Links related to this episode:   Rachel’s article on the business lessons of her ill-fated mountain trek: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7029157770209746944/  Maps Credit Union: https://mapscu.com/  Payment Dive’s coverage of FIS’s Worldpay spinoff: https://www.paymentsdive.com/news/fis-spin-off-merchant-unit-worldpay-earnings-acquisitions-mergers/642594/  Anne Legg’s “Big Data, Big Climb”: https://www.anneleggthrive.com/buy-the-book  The Atlanta Fed’s GDPNow: https://www.atlantafed.org/cqer/research/gdpnow    BIG’s Innovation Club convenes thought leaders across the credit union movement several times each year, engaging in educational and innovative projects leveraging new technology- from robotic process automation to distributed ledger, conversational banking, machine learning and more-

Listen, man… ChatGPT shares its thoughts on junk fees, and John and Glen share their thoughts on ChatGPT- which have become more guarded given recent revelations. Also, why have the hands become AI’s Achilles’ heel?        Links related to this episode:   John’s January CU Town Hall demo of ChatGPT illustrating its credit union potential: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQljOyr7tXY  Our BIG blog posts highlighting some of ChatGPT’s fun and foibles:  https://www.big-fintech.com/Media/Blog/ArticleID/856/Our-ChatGPT-Poem%20is-Funny-and-Illuminating  The New York Times’ coverage of “The Online Search Wars” that shifted the chatbot narrative: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/16/technology/bing-chatbot-microsoft-chatgpt.html  The 2013 film “Her” is looking mighty prescient: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Her_(film)   This CNN story about Microsoft Bing damage control was posted less than an hour after we recorded our episode: https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/17/tech/microsoft-bing-ai-changes    BIG’s Innovation Club c

Glen’s visit to Deluxe Exchange- during Super Bowl week!- scores interviews covering the future workforce, a small business inflection point, an acceleration in payment speed, and an unexpected jolt of economic optimism.   Links related to this episode:   Deluxe Exchange: https://www.deluxe.com/  Barlow Research: https://barlowresearch.com/index.php  Kelly Palmer’s book “The Expertise Economy”: https://www.amazon.com/Expertise-Economy-smartest-companies-learning-ebook/dp/B078W5VTCN  The US Faster Payments Council: https://fasterpaymentscouncil.org/   Check out the CU Crypto Report- This newly issued report leverages anonymized, crowdsourced CU data to illuminate how credit union members fit into the cryptocurrency movement and what role CUs can play. Get your free copy here: https://www.cucrypto.report/  Follow the Best Innovation Group on Twitter: @bigfintech Follow Glen on Twitter @154Advisors Follow John on Twitter @jbfintech

Glen’s pre-gaming for CUNA’s Government Affairs Conference includes interviews with CUNA’s Chief Product Officer Todd Spiczenski about this year‘s priorities, and Filene’s Community Development Director Cortney Arnold about the storied history of the GAC Crasher program.     Links related to this episode:   CUNA GAC: https://www.cuna.org/events/cuna_governmentalaffairsconference2023.html  The Filene Research Institute’s 2023 Crasher cohort: https://filene.org/crashthegac-2023  Our interview with the Ukrainian Self-Reliance Credit Union following last year’s emotional GAC presentation:  https://www.big-fintech.com/Media/BIGcast/ArticleID/810/Financial-Lifeline-Ukraine   The CFPB’s statement on banking “junk fees”: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-issues-guidance-to-help-banks-avoid-charging-illegal-junk-fees-on-deposit-accounts/  The White House’s broader statement on an initiative to combat these fees across sectors: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/blog/2022/10/26/the-presiden

Glen interviews John about the newly released CU Crypto Report, and insights on members’ crypto engagement that can be gleaned from analyzing data across a dozen credit unions.     Links related to this episode:   The CU Crypto Report- Download a copy, add your CU’s data to the mix, and/or find out more about John’s new book: https://www.cucrypto.report/  Glen’s Credit Union Magazine article on the early crypto movers among credit unions: https://news.cuna.org/articles/121324-connecting-via-crypto  Last summer’s interview with CEO Becky Reed about Lone Star Credit Union’s unique self-custody crypto launch: https://www.big-fintech.com/Media/BIGcast/ArticleID/829/A-Lone-Star-Lighting-the-Crypto-Path    Check out the next CU Town Hall Wednesday February 1- Join us for our live and lively hour-long interactive discussion of the top issues facing credit unions. Held alternate Wednesdays at 3pm ET/Noon PT. Request an invitation here: https://www.cutownhall.com/  Follow the Best Innovation Group on Twitter: @bigfi

John and Glen interview computer security expert Roger Grimes about reports of an imminent Quantum Break that could render all cryptography and existing password protections obsolete, and how the intrigue has echoes of the 1960s Space Race.    Links related to this episode:   Roger Grimes’ recent post on the Quantum Break: https://community.spiceworks.com/topic/2472644-has-the-quantum-break-just-happened?from_forum=193  A somewhat different perspective from the Guardian: https://amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jan/14/computers-need-to-make-a-quantum-leap-before-they-can-crack-encrypted-messages  Roger’s book on the Cryptography Apocalypse: https://www.amazon.com/Cryptography-Apocalypse-Preparing-Quantum-Computing/dp/1119618193#customerReviews  Roger’s company KnowBe4: https://www.knowbe4.com/    Check out the CU Town Hall Wednesday January 25th - Join us for our live and lively hour-long interactive discussion of the top issues facing credit unions. Held alternate Wednesdays at 3pm ET/Noon PT. Reque

Glen speaks with PSCU’s crypto strategist Lou Grilli about what the FTX debacle means for credit unions, and likely paths forward. Also- ChatGPT blows minds (and creates a Crypto poem!) and Washington weighs in on digital assets.   Links related to this episode:   A replay of our January 11 CU Town Hall on ChatGPT: https://www.cutownhall.com/  Lou Grilli’s CUInsight piece on the impact of FTX’s collapse on credit unions: https://www.cuinsight.com/thoughts-on-the-ftx-collapse/  Registration link for Lou’s January 25 CU Times webcast on CU crypto strategies: https://www.cutimes.com/2022/12/21/how-the-collapse-of-ftx-impacts-credit-union-crypto-strategies/   Lou also recommends this Finopotamus article: https://www.finopotamus.com/post/credit-union-experts-comment-on-ftx-collapse-the-future-of-crypto-and-how-cu-s-can-benefit  January’s joint statement on crypto by the FDIC, OCC and Federal Reserve: https://www.fdic.gov/news/press-releases/2023/pr23002a.pdf  Politico’s article on plans for a Congressional cryp

In our annual Prognostication Episode John Best flags an imminent Quantum Break, Anne Legg confronts shrinkflation, John Janclaes ponders employee burnout and Glen Sarvady charts FedNow’s road ahead. Also discussions of tech layoffs, the battle for deposits, SMBs’ health, and an even wilder than usual set of Bitcoin price predictions.   Links related to this episode:   JPM Chase’s SMB Business Leaders Outlook: https://www.jpmorgan.com/commercial-banking/insights/us-business-leaders-outlook  McKinsey article on employee burnout: https://www.mckinsey.com/mhi/our-insights/addressing-employee-burnout-are-you-solving-the-right-problem   Thrive Strategic Services: https://www.anneleggthrive.com/  The CEO Corner: http://theceocorner.com/  Nymbus: https://nymbus.com/  Roger’s recent post on the Quantum Break: https://community.spiceworks.com/topic/2472644-has-the-quantum-break-just-happened?from_forum=193  Roger Grimes’ book on the Cryptography Apocalypse: https://www.amazon.com/Cryptography-Apocalypse-Preparing-Qu

John and Glen recap and update the biggest stories that impacted the credit union world and beyond during 2022: The Ethereum merge, inflation and the end of “free money,” a slowdown in VC cash, the FTX implosion, the intersection of the Ukraine, guns and payments, and more.     Links related to this episode:   Our recent episode covering FTX’s collapse: https://www.big-fintech.com/Media/BIGcast/ArticleID/848/At-a-Crypto-Crossroads  More on the Ethereum merge: https://ethereum.org/en/upgrades/merge/    The CU Town Hall returns Wednesday January 11- Join us for our live and lively hour-long interactive discussion of the top issues facing credit unions. Held alternate Wednesdays at 3pm ET/Noon PT. Request an invitation here: https://www.cutownhall.com/  Follow the Best Innovation Group on Twitter: @bigfintech Follow Glen on Twitter @154Advisors Follow John on Twitter @jbfintech

Glen speaks with leaders of the student-led federal credit unions at both Georgetown and the University of Pennsylvania about this unique corner of the CU world. Also- keeping HOPE alive, and outrunning regulation with industry fraud rules.     Links related to this episode: ttps://www.upennsfcu.org/ University of Pennsylvania Students Federal Credit Union: https://www.upennsfcu.org/ Georgetown University Alumni and Student Federal Credit Union: https://www.guasfcu.com/ Penn Today’s recent story on its student credit union’s 35th anniversary: https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/nations-only-ivy-league-student-run-credit-union-turns-35-monthhttps://www.paymentsjournal.com/banks-take-a-proactive-stand-to-resolve-zelle-issues-before-regulators-make-their-mark/ Payments Journal’s coverage of big banks’ move to stave off Zelle regulation: https://www.paymentsjournal.com/banks-take-a-proactive-stand-to-resolve-zelle-issues-before-regulators-make-their-mark/   SPECIAL- Save an extra 5% on BIG’s already low rates for i

John and Glen attempt to decipher the recent chaos in the crypto world. Along the way they confront their own horrid Bitcoin and Ethereum price projections from January, debate the economics of recorded music, and John touts a mysterious and incendiary new form of fuel.     Links related to this episode: Last January’s 2022 Predictions episode, including more discussion of John and Glen’s fatally flawed Bitcoin and Ethereum predictions: https://www.big-fintech.com/Media/BIGcast/ArticleID/797/Have-in-Store   Lou Grilli, Senior Innovation Strategist at PSCU and a Friend of the Pod, posted the following thoughts on FTX’s collapse: https://www.cuinsight.com/thoughts-on-the-ftx-collapse/   For anyone smitten with the cryptocurrency sweater gracing this week’s graphic: https://www.notjustclothing.co.uk/products/merry-cryptmas-cryptocurrency-knitted-christmas-jumper Blowupolene: (sorry, URL unavailable)   SPECIAL- Save an extra 5% on BIG’s already low rates for its ACE (API Connection Experts) services. Details here

Continuing our annual BIGCast tradition, John and Glen welcome back Anne Legg and John Janclaes for a festive holiday discussion of fintech developments they’ve been grateful for over the past year.     Links related to this episode:   Anne Legg’s website, including access to her book “Big Data, Big Climb”: https://www.anneleggthrive.com/ Reach John Janclaes through either his firm Nymbus or his own The CEO Corner website: http://theceocorner.com/ https://nymbus.com/ Glen’s rather prescient Money 20/20 interview with crypto skeptic Oonagh McDonald: https://www.big-fintech.com/Media/BIGcast/ArticleID/845/Screen-Time-Stablecoins-and-Other-Perils   Glen’s recap of the recent VentureTech conference for CU Today: https://www.cutoday.info/site/THE-tude/The-Highlights-From-Fast-Growing-VentureTech-Event   SPECIAL- Save an extra 5% on BIG’s already low rates for its ACE (API Connection Experts) services. Details here: https://www.big-fintech.com/Products-Services/API-Connection-Experts Follow the Best Innovation Grou

Glen speaks with the founders of four of the up and coming fintechs- Credit Mountain, Datava, MessagePay and Nickels- that caught his eye at last week’s VentureTech conference.   Links related to this episode:   Datava: https://datava.com/    Nickels: https://asknickels.com/ MessagePay: https://www.messagepay.com/ Credit Mountain: https://creditmountain.co/ Launch Party winner Arcanum Technology: https://www.arcanumtechnology.net/ Our interview with Zirtue’s Dennis Cail from Money 20/20: https://www.big-fintech.com/Media/BIGcast/ArticleID/844/Americas-Got-Access-Vegas-Has-Crowds Glen's VentureTech recap for CU Today: https://www.cutoday.info/THE-tude/The-Highlights-From-Fast-Growing-VentureTech-Event VentureTech: https://myventuretech.com/   SPECIAL- Save an extra 5% on BIG’s already low rates for its ACE (API Connection Experts) services. Details here: https://www.big-fintech.com/Products-Services/API-Connection-Experts Follow the Best Innovation Group on Twitter: @bigfintech Follow Glen on Twitter @154Advis

In Part 2 of our Money 20/20 recap, Glen speaks with Javelin’s Tracy Kitten about her new Child ID Fraud report, and in a BIGCast first we interview a former member of the UK Parliament about crypto regulation. Also for good measure, thoughts from a Fed Governor and the Head of New York’s Department of Financial Services. Links related to this episode: Javelin’s Child ID Fraud Study: https://javelinstrategy.com/2022-child-identity-fraud-report Javelin’s free November 15 webinar discussing the study: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/524171704549369101?source=CUNA Oonagh McDonald’s recent book “Cryptocurrencies: Money, Trust and Regulation”: https://www.amazon.com/Cryptocurrencies-Money-Regulation-Oonagh-McDonald/dp/178821420X The FDIC’s newly updated Unbanked/Underbanked study: https://www.fdic.gov/analysis/household-survey/index.html  Part One of our Money 20/20 BIBCast coverage, including interviews with three startup founders: https://www.big-fintech.com/Media/BIGcast/ArticleID/844/Americas-Got-Ac