In this episode of the Big Hitters Podcast, Andrew Hathaway interviews Samuel Crane, CEO of Desert Rivers Credit Union. They discuss Samuel's journey from financial advisor to CEO, the importance of time freedom for entrepreneurs, and how leveraging AI and proactive IT management can drive business growth. Samuel shares insights on the collaborative nature of credit unions and emphasizes the need for small businesses to take a proactive approach to their IT systems to avoid becoming bottlenecks in their growth.

Takeaways:

• Samuel Crane emphasizes the importance of buying back time for entrepreneurs.

• He believes that the only bottleneck to growth is oneself.

• Samuel's journey to becoming a CEO involved a shift from financial advising to lending.

• He highlights the collaborative nature of credit unions compared to big banks.

• AI is being used in IT to combat cyber threats effectively.

• Samuel advocates for small businesses to be proactive about their IT management.

• He shares his passion for outdoor activities as a way to decompress from work stress.

• The credit union model allows for sharing best practices among institutions.

• Samuel's company, Cinch IT, aims to help small businesses with their IT needs.

• He encourages entrepreneurs to take control of their technology to avoid being held hostage by IT departments.

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