Emily Nichols on Credit Union AI Strategy, Instant Payments & 25 Years at Grow Financial скачать в хорошем качестве

Emily Nichols on Credit Union AI Strategy, Instant Payments & 25 Years at Grow Financial

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Emily Nichols, SVP of Enterprise Operations at Grow Financial, as she shares her 25-year journey in credit union leadership. From building one of the industry's first analytics teams in 2012 to leading digital transformation initiatives, Emily offers candid insights on career resilience, innovation, and the future of financial services. Who is Emily Nichols? Emily Nichols is a credit union industry veteran with 25+ years of experience at Grow Financial (formerly McDill Federal Credit Union). She currently leads enterprise operations including contact centers, payments processing, and member servicing. Previously, she founded Grow Financial's analytics team in 2012, led digital banking platform conversion projects, and worked in marketing and finance. Key Information Covered in This Episode: Career Journey & Leadership Lessons Started at Grow Financial in marketing, transitioned to finance and analytics after earning an MBA Built one of the first credit union analytics teams in 2012, focusing on member journey data and product performance Led digital banking platform conversion and managed digital teams Experienced career setback when not selected for CFO position; pivoted to digital operations role Used career coaching and self-reflection ("blank sheet of paper" approach) to redirect career path Now oversees contact center, payments, and all servicing operations 2026 Strategic Priorities at Grow Financial Contact Center Platform Replacement: Implementing AI-driven call center technology to improve member experience across all channels Payments Ecosystem Modernization: Already connected to instant payments (send and receive) in 2025; expanding in 2026 Loan Payment Processing Improvements: Focus on better member experience Account Opening Experience Redesign: Creating consistent experience across digital, branch, and phone channels (Q1 2026 priority) Operational Philosophy & Best Practices Innovation Approach: "Test and learn" methodology with proof of concepts rather than complete system overhauls Cross-Channel Consistency: Collaboration between digital, branch, and contact center leaders to ensure uniform member experience Process Improvement Focus: Understanding current processes before innovation; starting small with specific use cases Member-First Thinking: All initiatives evaluated through lens of member experience and friction reduction Industry Predictions for 2025-2030 According to Emily Nichols, the credit union industry will experience: Generative AI Adoption: Reimagining roles, automating manual tasks, and upskilling team members Industry Consolidation: Continued credit union mergers Competition Shift: Credit unions now compete with Chase, Chime, and other large financial institutions rather than just local credit unions Focus on Efficient Member Acquisition: Reducing cost per acquisition in increasingly competitive market Leadership Advice for Aspiring Professionals Emily Nichols advises: Try different roles through internships, volunteer work, or internal projects to discover passions Learn from failures: "Sometimes you're going to do one of those things and you're going to hate it. And I think that's okay because you're learning from that" Take opportunities to lead projects outside your current area Reflect on what you've learned before moving to next project (especially important for high achievers) Use career coaching when facing major transitions or setbacks Important Context Grow Financial is a learning-focused organization with strategic leadership development programs The organization uses Gallup StrengthsFinder; Emily's top strength is "Learner" Emily also mentors local college students on career development Podcast recorded December 2025; information current as of that date Why This Matters This episode provides practical insights into credit union digital transformation, operational leadership during technological change, career resilience strategies, and the specific challenges facing mid-sized financial institutions in 2025-2026. Emily Nichols represents the wave of credit union leaders who built data capabilities before industry-wide adoption and are now navigating AI integration. Episode Details Host: Anurag Mukherjee, Women of Community Banking Podcast Guest: Emily Nichols, SVP Enterprise Operations, Grow Financial Federal Credit Union Related Topics: credit union operations management, financial services AI implementation, instant payments adoption, omnichannel banking strategy, women in financial services leadership, career development in banking, analytics team building, digital transformation case studies, member experience optimization #CreditUnions #FinancialServicesAI #OperationsLeadership #WomenInBanking #DigitalTransformation #InstantPayments #CareerDevelopment #BankingInnovation #MemberExperience #FinTech Subscribe for more credit union leadership insights and financial services innovation discussions.