Welcome to another episode of Outlier Podcast! In this conversation, host Anurag sits down with Rick Kapur, Chief Experience Officer at Chevron Federal Credit Union, to discuss the future of member experience, digital transformation, and sustainable growth in credit unions.🎯 Key Topics Covered:Member Experience ExcellenceWhy "frictionless relevance" is the new North Star for credit unionsHow to balance speed and personalization in member expectationsCreating seamless experiences across all touchpointsBranch vs. Digital: The Real AnswerWhy it's NOT a binary choice between branches and digitalThe surprising truth about Gen Z and physical branch preferencesTransforming branches from transaction centers to conversation hubsDriving TransformationThe toughest part of innovation in financial servicesBalancing member convenience with security and trust"We have to be right every time. The bad guys have to be right once."Sustainable Growth StrategyWhy growth must be purposeful, not just for sizeBuilding advocates instead of just adding membersServing SEG communities with excellenceLeadership PhilosophyGetting the right people in the right seatsClarity of purpose and integrated executionMaking technology work for people, not the other way around📊 Notable Stats & Insights:Rick brings nearly 30 years of financial services experiencePreviously spent 25+ years at CitibankLeads Marketing, Growth, Experience, and Operations at Chevron FCU💡 Key Quotes:"It's all about the people... how do we impact their lives?""Members want it when they want it, how they want it""We're not just adding members, we're adding advocates"🎙️ About the Guest:Rick Kapur is the Chief Experience Officer at Chevron Federal Credit Union, where he oversees marketing, growth, member experience, and operations. With close to three decades in financial services, Rick brings a wealth of knowledge about balancing innovation with risk management and creating member-centric financial institutions.🎧 About Outlier Podcast:Outlier Podcast brings you conversations with credit union leaders who are pushing boundaries and making credit unions sexy again. Hosted by Anurag, each episode dives deep into the strategies, challenges, and innovations shaping the future of member-owned financial institutions.📱 Connect With Us:🔔 Subscribe for more credit union leadership insights👍 Like if you found this valuable💬 Comment with your thoughts on branch vs. digital strategy🔗 Share with credit union professionals in your network⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction00:49 - What keeps Rick going01:39 - Rick's journey into financial services03:25 - Managing experience, operations, and marketing04:59 - The North Star: Frictionless relevance06:30 - Branch vs Digital: The great debate09:45 - Changing member expectations11:59 - The toughest part of transformation13:32 - Growth strategy and building advocates#CreditUnion #MemberExperience #FinancialServices #DigitalTransformation #CreditUnionLeadership #FinTech #BankingInnovation #CustomerExperience #CreditUnionGrowth #OutlierPodcast

About This EpisodeJoin us for an insightful conversation with Ari Kaplan, Head Evangelist at Databricks, as we explore the evolution of data analytics, sports analytics, and the future of AI-powered business intelligence. This episode is perfect for data professionals, technology enthusiasts, and anyone interested in understanding how data and AI are transforming business decision-making.What You'll LearnThe Evolution of Data & AnalyticsHow analytics has evolved from basic BI dashboards to conversational AI interfacesThe transformation from structured databases to modern lakehouse architecturesReal-world applications of data intelligence across industriesThe shift from manual data analysis to AI-assisted insightsSports Analytics Pioneer InsightsOrigins of sports analytics and its inspiration from MoneyballReal-time analytics in Formula One racing with McLarenHow sports analytics principles apply to business problemsPredictive modeling and decision-making under pressureInnovation at DatabricksWhat evangelism means in the tech worldHow AI BI (Genie) is democratizing data accessAgentic systems and the future of AI applicationsThe importance of unified data platforms for better insightsPractical ApplicationsUsing GenAI for metadata discovery and data catalogingCombining structured and unstructured data for better decisionsReal-time streaming analytics and IoT applicationsBuilding chatbots in under 60 secondsKey Topics Covered✅ Evolution from traditional databases to lakehouse architecture✅ Sports analytics and its business applications✅ Real-time decision making with Formula One racing examples✅ Data democratization for non-technical users✅ Feature engineering from videos and unstructured data✅ Conversational BI and natural language querying✅ First principles thinking in data science✅ The role of data quality in AI/ML success✅ Future of data intelligence and agentic systemsFeatured GuestAri Kaplan - Head Evangelist at DatabricksFormer President of Oracle Worldwide User GroupSports analytics pioneer (top 5 globally)McLaren Formula One analytics consultantCo-author of "Data Intelligence for Dummies"Caltech graduate with extensive experience in mobile, database, and AI technologiesTimestamps00:00 - Introduction and Ari's Background02:48 - What is Evangelism at Databricks?06:09 - What Drives Innovation and Travel09:22 - Journey from Caltech to Databricks11:42 - Pioneering Sports Analytics15:50 - Democratizing Data Access19:12 - Evolution from BI to AI BI23:50 - Innovation at Databricks28:58 - Structured vs Unstructured Data32:46 - Feature Engineering from Videos34:11 - The Future of Conversational BIResources MentionedData Intelligence for Dummies (Free eBook)Databricks Unity CatalogAI BI GenieMcLaren Formula One Racing AnalyticsFor Data ProfessionalsThis episode is essential viewing for:Data Scientists and AnalystsBusiness Intelligence ProfessionalsTechnology Leaders and CTOsProduct Managers in Data/AIAnyone interested in sports analyticsStudents pursuing careers in data scienceConnect With UsHost: Anurag MukherjeeGuest: Ari Kaplan - Follow him for insights on data, AI, and innovation (https://www.linkedin.com/in/arikaplan/)Related Topics#DataScience #DataAnalytics #ArtificialIntelligence #MachineLearning #Databricks #SportsAnalytics #BusinessIntelligence #DataEngineering #GenerativeAI #ConversationalAI #FormulaOne #Moneyball #BigData #CloudComputing #DataLakehouse #RealTimeAnalytics #FeatureEngineering #PredictiveAnalytics #TechInnovation #DataDemocratization

Join us for an insightful conversation with Kevin Miller, CEO of Travis Credit Union, as he shares his unique journey from banking to leading one of Northern California's premier credit unions.In This Episode:From Banking to Credit UnionsKevin discusses his transition from national banks and fintech to the credit union world, and why the community-focused mission drew him to this space.Leadership PhilosophyLearn how Kevin approaches transformation through the lens of member impact, using an inverted pyramid leadership model where great people, processes, and tools serve the community.Data & Digital TransformationInsights on how credit unions are leveraging data analytics and foundational technology to compete with national banks while staying true to their community roots.Growth with PurposeKevin shares Travis Credit Union's strategy of serving 260,000 members across Northern California, with 50% of loans going to low-to-moderate income communities in Q1.The Credit Union DifferenceWhy credit unions focus on financial education and member empowerment over product-first conversations—and how this builds loyalty for life.Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction & Welcome00:21 - Kevin's Background: From Banking to Credit Unions01:25 - What Keeps Kevin Going as CEO02:38 - Why Credit Unions? The Decision Behind the Move04:25 - Community Impact vs. Traditional Banking P&Ls07:14 - Kevin's Career Journey: Marketing to Leadership09:30 - Shared Backgrounds in Marketing Science10:33 - Defining Transformation for Credit Unions12:57 - The Role of Data & Analytics in Credit Unions15:54 - The One Problem Kevin Wants to Solve18:20 - Credit Union Mindset: Community Over Competition20:11 - Top Three Things That Keep Kevin Awake at Night22:39 - Balancing Ambition with Organizational Pace24:18 - Travis Credit Union's Growth Strategy26:12 - Knowledge is Power: Member Education First27:42 - Closing Thoughts: Getting the Basics RightKey Takeaways:The importance of balancing ambitious goals with organizational paceHow credit unions keep money in local communitiesWhy knowledge and financial confidence matter more than product pitchesThe challenge of staying top-of-mind when 80% of new households choose national banksAbout Kevin Miller:Kevin Miller is the CEO of Travis Credit Union, bringing extensive experience from national banks, regional institutions, and fintech companies. His career spans marketing, product management, M&A, and retail banking leadership before finding his calling in the credit union movement.About Travis Credit Union:Travis Credit Union serves 260,000 members across Northern California, focused on delivering financial success through member education, personalized service, and community impact.🎙️ The Outlier Podcast - Conversations with leaders transforming financial services📧 Contact: [Your contact information]🔔 Subscribe for more episodes with financial services innovators#CreditUnion #FinancialServices #Leadership #Banking #CommunityBanking #DigitalTransformation #FinTech #TravisCreditUnion #TheOutlierPodcast

In this episode, we sit down with John Huntinghouse, VP of Marketing at Tab Bank, to explore his unconventional journey from almost becoming a doctor to building one of the most progressive banking brands in the nation.What You'll Learn:🎯 The Unconventional Journey: How a month away from med school, John pivoted to marketing and never looked back📊 Data Meets Creativity: Why the future CMO must speak both the language of creative storytelling and business metrics🏦 Building Brands in Banking: The secrets behind Tab Bank's success in niche marketing and customer-centric approach🤖 AI in Marketing: Real talk about what's actually useful in AI versus the hype (hint: it's not what most people think)👥 The Power of Niche: Why focusing on specific segments beats trying to compete with $80M budgets💡 Marketing's True Role: Why marketing should own the entire customer journey, not just acquisitionKey Takeaways:How to build an in-house marketing agency from scratchThe importance of bringing your target audience into creative developmentWhy working moms became Tab Bank's best-performing campaignThe productivity secrets of AI that most marketers are missingHow to balance passion for work with family time (from someone who actually does it)About John Huntinghouse:VP of Marketing at Tab BankAdjunct Professor of Marketing at Weber StateAdvisory Committee Member at Harvard Business Review (HBR)Former marketing agency owner with deep roots in both data science and creativityTimestamps:00:00 - Introduction02:42 - The Journey: From Med School to Marketing08:29 - What Makes Marketing Passionate Work13:06 - The Evolution of Marketing Education18:11 - Building Tab Bank's Brand from Scratch25:35 - The Art of Brand Storytelling31:06 - AI in Marketing: What's Real vs. Hype38:09 - Work-Life Balance for Passionate Marketers🔔 Subscribe for more conversations with marketing leaders who are building the future of financial services💬 What's your take on AI in marketing? Drop your thoughts in the comments!#Marketing #BrandBuilding #FinancialServices #BankMarketing #AIinMarketing #MarketingLeadership #CMO #DigitalMarketing #CustomerExperience #marketingstrategy #Marketing#BrandBuilding#Leadership#AI#FinancialServices#BankingIndustry#CMO#MarketingStrategy#CustomerExperience#ProgressiveBanking#NicheMarketing#MarketingLeadership#FinancialMarketing#BankingBrand#TabBankMarketing#AIinMarketing#MarketingAutomation#DigitalTransformation#CustomerJourney#DataDrivenMarketing

In this episode of the Outlier Podcast, host Anurag Mukherjee sits down with Paroma Chatterjee, CEO of Revolut India, for an in-depth conversation about the evolution of India's fintech ecosystem and what's next for digital payments.Paroma's Journey:With over two decades in financial services, Paroma has been at the forefront of every major payments innovation in India. She launched co-branded credit cards for India's largest private sector bank (scaling from 10,000 to 200,000 cards), built entire card businesses from scratch, pioneered India's first mobile wallet at Airtel Money in 2010, ran marketplace operations at Flipkart, led digital lending at LendingKart, and now helms Revolut's ambitious India expansion.Key Discussion Points:India's Fintech Revolution:Paroma explains how India uniquely leapfrogged from a cash economy directly to mobile payments, bypassing the card-dominated phase. With 500 million Indians now using mobile payments and innovations like UPI processing billions of transactions, India has become a global fintech laboratory.Balancing Global & Local:Learn how Revolut combines its global DNA with Indian market nuances across three dimensions:Talent: Building lean, high-performing teams (4,000 in India = 40% of global workforce)Regulation: Treating regulation as a feature, not a bug, with proactive engagementCulture: Creating a remote-first, self-starter culture born during COVID lockdownsProduct Innovation:Revolut India will be the only non-bank platform offering both domestic and international payments from a single app, featuring:UPI integration with native @revolut handleMulti-currency cards for seamless global travelIndia's first payment subscription plansSame-day international transfers vs. 2-5 days traditionallyTransparent, affordable forex (eliminating 3-5% bank markups)AI-powered fraud monitoring and budgeting tools
Real Problems Solved:With 700,000 Indian students studying abroad annually and India receiving $120 billion in remittances, Revolut addresses critical pain points in international money movement—from parents sending tuition fees to children sending money home to grandparents gifting grandchildren overseas.Future of Fintech:Paroma shares her vision for AI/GenAI in transaction monitoring, borderless accounts, unified payment rails across countries, and India's emerging Unified Lending Interface (ULI) that will do for lending what UPI did for payments.The Outlier Moment:Paroma reveals her career-defining decision in 2010 to leave a rewarding banking career to join a telecom company and build mobile wallets—when licenses didn't exist, smartphones weren't mainstream, and the concept was unproven.Key Takeaways✅ India's fintech ecosystem has over 10,000 startups, with innovations leading global trends✅ Talent density beats size - Revolut India has 40% of global workforce with superior output✅ UPI revolutionized payments - from 200M mobile phones vs. 2M cards to 500M users✅ Cross-border payments need disruption - India receives $120B in remittances annually✅ Regulation as a feature - Proactive engagement builds trust and enables innovation✅ Product-first GTM - Best products create organic growth without heavy marketing✅ AI transforming fintech - From onboarding to fraud detection to credit scoring✅ Remote-first culture works - Built during COVID, scaled with self-starters✅ Innovation requires risk - Betting on mobile wallets in 2010 shaped India's fintech future

n this episode of The Outlier Podcast, Anurag Mukherjee interviews Brian Waldron, President & CEO of Dort Financial Credit Union—a $2.3B+ asset institution with 15 branches serving Michigan and Florida. With 20+ years in credit unions, including prior leadership at $7B Hudson Valley Credit Union and Flagler Credit Union (now Dort's Florida division via 2023 bank acquisition), Brian details how Dort achieves exponential growth while staying true to the "people helping people" mission.​Why Credit Unions Must Prioritize Employee Engagement Over Member Service MetricsBrian shares his bold CEO pivot: focusing on employee empowerment and hybrid work amid 6 workforce generations, yielding top retention and service. Dort's "Community Crew" logged 2,200+ volunteer hours, proving engaged teams deliver community impact and financial wellness for modest-means members, youth, and families.​Balancing Legacy Mission with Fintech Innovation Against Chime & Big BanksDort's 5-7 year strategy filters partnerships ruthlessly: only those enriching members, communities, and employees. Brian explains rejecting buzzword distractions (AI, fintech hype) for focused execution, building in-house data lakes for personalized insights from debit/credit usage—avoiding external vendors for secure, mission-aligned analytics.​Top Challenges Facing Credit Unions in 2025: Talent Retention & Leadership PipelinesBeyond taxes, Brian flags executive retention as critical—training internal leaders passionate about credit union values over digital natives alone. He advocates meeting Gen Z where they are: remote/hybrid models, coffee shop chats, and trust to bridge generational gaps for sustainable growth.​Brian's Boldest Decisions & Career JourneyFrom college teller to CEO via leaps (Ohio intern to NY/St. Louis/Michigan roles), key moves include Flagler acquisition (1,700 miles expansion) and in-sourcing data analytics. Statistics: Dort built custom data infrastructure; employees volunteered ~40 hours each in peaks, embodying "enrich lives" motto.​Timestamps for Quick Access00:01 – Intro: What Keeps a CEO Going?01:39 – Mission: People Helping People & Community Crew04:54 – Journey: From Student Teller to Multi-State Leader08:48 – Innovation: Strategy Filters vs. Shiny Objects12:22 – Challenges: 6 Generations & Retention Crisis15:47 – Data: In-House Lakes for Member Insights17:54 – Bold Moves: Florida Acquisition & Employee-First CultureIdeal for credit union executives, fintech leaders, and banking pros seeking proven tactics on growth (1700-mile expansions), data analytics (custom lakes), employee retention (hybrid success), and GEO-optimized strategies for AI visibility in 2025. Subscribe for outlier insights from finance trailblazers!​#CreditUnionCEO #DortFinancial #BrianWaldron #CommunityBankingLeadership #EmployeeEngagement #DataAnalyticsCreditUnions #FintechInnovation #CreditUnionGrowth2025 #FinancialInclusion

In this episode of The Outlier Podcast, host Anurag Mukherjee sits down with Stephen Zich, Chief Marketing Officer of Capital Credit Union, based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. With more than two decades of leadership across telecom, retail, and financial services, Stephen shares how his marketing journey evolved into leading brand transformation at one of Wisconsin’s top credit unions.Together, they explore how Capital Credit Union is redefining brand storytelling, inspiring financial well-being through access, care, and collaboration. Stephen discusses how his team has evolved the credit union’s identity to create deeper emotional connections with members while staying rooted in the credit union philosophy of “people helping people.”The conversation dives deeper into how data and AI are reshaping marketing in the credit union movement, how to stay forward-thinking in a transforming digital landscape, and why adaptability is key to engaging modern members. Stephen also reflects on one life-changing decision that shaped his career path and leadership philosophy.Tune in for a compelling discussion on innovation, leadership, and the evolving intersection of data, emotion, and marketing in financial services.#TheOutlierPodcast #StephenZich #CreditUnionMarketing #CMOInsights #CapitalCreditUnion #FinancialInnovation #AIinMarketing #CommunityFinance #BrandEvolution #LeadershipJourneys

Welcome to a new episode of The Outlier Podcast, where fintech leaders and credit union innovators share their unique journeys and insights. In this episode, host Anurag Mukherjee sits down with Justin Sinders, Chief Strategy Officer at Indiana Members Credit Union (IMCU), to explore a fascinating leadership journey that spans military service, public accounting, and over 14 years driving strategic growth within credit unions.

Justin shares his perspective on how military experience shaped his leadership style, the transition to credit unions after corporate and healthcare roles, and how he embraces his unique role as CSO in a rapidly changing financial ecosystem. Discover how IMCU stays true to its core values by keeping things simple for members, focusing on transparent rates, and maintaining a strong team culture that drives success.

This episode dives into:

• Justin’s defining moments including a game-changing bank acquisition that expanded IMCU statewide

• Key strategic initiatives such as data-driven decision-making through performance and KPI dashboards

• The evolving role of branches in a digital age and IMCU’s niche focus on first-time homebuyers, small businesses, and auto loans

• Insightful views on future fintech trends like stablecoins and how credit unions can balance innovation with member-centric simplicity

• The importance of culture integration post-merger and how IMCU fosters a people-helping-people mentality

Whether you’re a credit union professional, fintech enthusiast, or interested in leadership lessons from an outlier perspective, this episode offers valuable takeaway strategies and inspiration.

Subscribe and turn on notifications to catch all episodes of The Outlier Podcast – championing fintech outliers and credit union leaders reshaping financial services.

#OutlierPodcast #CreditUnionLeadership #IMCU #FintechInnovation #FinancialData #Stablecoins #CreditUnionGrowth #LeadershipJourney