In this episode of the Mission Critical Podcast, recorded live at GAC 2026, JT (BankSocial) and David Dean (EFTG) sit down with Har Rai Khalsa, CEO and co-founder of Swaystack. Har Rai shares the candid story of his first company's acquisition by Alkami — from an unexpected introduction to their founder, to a firm "no" that became a yes, to the lessons a board can teach you about timing and value. 

If you're a founder wondering what an exit really looks like from the inside, this one's for you. 

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In this episode of the Mission Critical Podcast, hosts Jonathan Taylor and David Dean sit down with PJ (Pankaj Jain), founder of Algebric AI, at GAC 2026. 

PJ shares hard-won lessons on breaking into the credit union industry as an outsider—from his "marinated chicken" philosophy of relationship-building and showing up consistently at conferences to the strategic power of assembling a nine-person C-suite advisory board. 

He reveals how authenticity, trust, and long-term thinking helped Algebric AI earn credibility in a deeply relationship-driven industry—and how those same advisors are on track to become paying clients. A must-listen for any fintech founder looking to build in the credit union space.
 

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In this episode of the Mission Critical Podcast, recorded live at GAC 2026 during the CU 2.0 Happy Hour at the Museum of Evolutions, hosts Jonathan Taylor (Bank Social / CU Spotlight) and David Dean (EFTG) sit down with Saeid Kian, founder of Ribbon.

Saeid shares the deeply personal story behind Ribbon's founding—after losing his father to pancreatic cancer, he was shocked by the months-long, bureaucratic nightmare of the inheritance process across financial institutions. That experience became the spark for Ribbon: a mission-driven fintech solution helping credit unions streamline the inheritance and bereavement process for their members.

In this conversation, they dive into:

• The "aha moment" that led Saeid to build Ribbon
• The challenges of building a B2B2C product for credit unions
• Unexpected product pivots (Social Security notifications, loans, and protection products)
• Ribbon's vision to automate America's inheritance process

If your credit union cares about serving members during life's hardest moments — while also protecting deposit retention — then this episode is for you.

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Recorded live at Cuba Libre during GAC 2026, this episode of the Bits & Bytes Podcast with co-hosts JT Taylor and Shirley Senn features Brian Hinze, President & CEO of NCU-ISAO, and Steve Coyne, CISO & Co-founder of Pure IT Credit Union Services. Together, they break down the cybersecurity landscape facing credit unions today—from NCUA's 2026 supervisory priorities and hacktivist threats tied to global conflict to the rising danger of deepfakes and AI-driven social engineering. The conversation also tackles the human side of security: why board-level cyber awareness matters, how to build a resilient staff culture through incremental training, and how small-to-mid-size credit unions can fight fraud without driving members away. If you want to stay ahead of what's coming in credit union security, this podcast is the episode for you. 

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 At GAC 2026, hosts Jonathan Taylor (BankSocial) and Shirley Senn (New Orleans Firemen's Federal Credit Union) sit down with Gwyneth Borden, founder and CEO of Remynt — an outsourced digital debt collection solution built around financial wellness and empathy. 

Gwyneth shares the deeply personal story behind founding Remynt, why she chose to focus on small credit unions, and what the data is telling us about rising delinquencies, paycheck-to-paycheck living, and the growing threat of predatory online lending. 

Plus: why credit unions are a safe harbor for immigrant communities, the untold story of ITIN banking, and what every credit union should be doing right now to support members before they fall behind. A must-listen for anyone in the credit union movement.

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 James Higgins, CEO of Skyline Financial FCU, proves that small credit unions don't have a size problem — they have a mindset problem. In this episode of CU Spotlight at GAC 2026, James shares how his 91-year-old, $45M credit union went from losing $412K in his first year to projecting $360K in net income — by asking one simple question: "Why can't we?"

From financing the town's fire engine to providing mortgages for a nonprofit housing aging-out foster youth, to becoming the first credit union to adopt Starlight — a FinTech connecting members to government benefits they didn't know they qualified for — Skyline Financial FCU is redefining what community banking looks like at any asset size.

If you've ever used "we're too small" as an excuse, this episode will challenge everything you think you know about what's possible. 

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CU Spotlight sits down with Nick Olexa of Storyfi — the credit union movement's go-to video and media production company — to unpack why storytelling is no longer optional for credit unions. Nick shares how credit union humility has quietly become a liability, why Gen Z and Gen Alpha demand authenticity over polished marketing, and why micro-influencers at the community level may be the industry's most underutilized growth engine. Plus, get a first look at Storyfi's upcoming crowdfunding media platform, Co-author, designed to help credit unions tackle fraud awareness, financial literacy, and more — one bite-size campaign at a time. If your credit union isn't telling its story, this episode is your wake-up call. 

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Recorded live at GAC 2026, host Jonathan Taylor (BankSocial) sits down with Steve Soukup of DefenseStorm to talk about why credit unions are uniquely high-value targets in today's threat landscape — and what it takes to defend them. Steve shares how DefenseStorm's "built for banking" approach gives credit unions a vertical-specific advantage that generic cybersecurity providers simply can't match. From catching a compromised ATM vendor across their 200-institution network to stopping $860,000 in fraudulent accounts in a single morning, Steve breaks down the real-world impact of managed detection and response tailored to financial institutions. Plus, a candid conversation about how AI is radically shrinking attack dwell times — and why fighting AI-powered threats requires AI-powered defenses. If your credit union's security strategy isn't built for the space you're in, this episode is your wake-up call.

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 Recorded live at the 1934 Event during GAC 2026, this episode features Andy Janning, founder of Life Over Debt, and Tom Kazar from Empathy. Andy shares the personal story behind the movement—how a cancer diagnosis in his own family exposed a harsh reality: many financial institutions unintentionally make crises worse. 

This conversation goes deeper than inspiration. It breaks down the real barriers credit unions face—time, bandwidth, and uncertainty—and challenges leaders to rethink what’s already possible within their existing systems. It also introduces groundbreaking research studying how financial interventions directly impact physical and emotional health.  

 Key Takeaways 

1. The Biggest Barrier Isn’t Money—It’s Mindset 

Most credit unions aren’t resisting programs like this out of apathy—they’re overwhelmed. The real challenge is shifting thinking from “this is extra work” to “this is already within reach.”  

2. There’s a Hidden Crisis Members Aren’t Talking About 

Members facing cancer often avoid their financial institutions out of fear. That silence creates a dangerous gap—problems escalate because no one is asking the right questions early enough.  

3. This Work Is Creating an Entirely New Category 

Life Over Debt isn’t just a program—it’s becoming a measurable, research-backed model. For the first time, financial interventions are being studied for their impact on physical and emotional health, redefining what financial institutions can do. 

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Recorded live at the 1934 Event during GAC 2026, this episode of CU Spotlight features Ron Smith, CEO of Bright Credit Union, alongside co-host Shirley Senn. The conversation highlights Ron’s journey from teller to CEO and dives into the powerful Life Over Debt initiative—an empathetic program designed to support members facing cancer by pausing loan payments and removing financial stress during treatment. 

Through real stories and practical insights, the episode explores how credit unions—regardless of size—can lead with compassion, strengthen member loyalty, and live out the true mission of “people helping people.” It’s a compelling reminder that the real return on investment isn’t just financial—it’s human. 

 Key Takeaways 

1. Empathy Is the Ultimate Competitive Advantage 

Programs like Life Over Debt show that when credit unions prioritize people over profit, they create lifelong loyalty and meaningful impact.  

2. You Don’t Need to Be Big to Make a Big Difference 

Even smaller credit unions can implement powerful programs quickly, proving that purpose—not size—drives innovation and community impact.  

3. The Real ROI Is Long-Term Trust and Loyalty 

While the short-term financial return may be unclear, supporting members in their hardest moments leads to stronger relationships, retention, and powerful word-of-mouth growth. 

Shine a light where it matters.