'Busy Isn't Bold': The Banking Branding Problem

The Gig-Work Economy Has a Banking Blind Spot

Gig workers make up a major share of the U.S. workforce—but many still face volatile income, constant cash-flow pressure, and financial systems that weren’t built for them. Jay Millard, chief revenue officer at Ualett, joins Mary to discuss what banks and credit unions can learn from “some of the hardest-working people you will ever meet.” They also cover rising gas prices, the strain on gig workers, and where traditional underwriting falls short.   Show notes: * Ualett [https://ualett.com/] Subscribe to the Money Isn't Everything podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfV82 [https://qrco.de/bgfV82] Chapters [00:00] Intro + Final episode announcement [01:07] Meet Jay Millard (Ualett) [02:00] Gig workers feeling the financial pressure [03:00] Stress, uncertainty & working more hours [04:30] How gig workers find income opportunities [06:00] Why fintech is missing the mark [07:30] The size of the gig economy [09:00] Building for underserved workers [12:00] The reality of gig work today [14:00] The banking system’s blind spot [18:00] Rewards, cash flow & new solutions [33:30] AI, tech, and the future of gig work Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2286254/fan_mail/new]

Why Saving Isn’t Enough Anymore

Financial advice hasn’t changed too much, but how people learn and build wealth has. Ronnie Green, CEO and co-founder of AlgoPear, talks about what’s different now in engaging younger consumers, how agentic AI is reshaping the space and where credit unions may be falling behind. Show notes: * AlgoPear [https://algopear.com/]    Subscribe to the Money Isn't Everything podcast here: https://qrco.de/bgfV82 [https://qrco.de/bgfV82]   Chapters [00:00] Intro [00:35] From Living in His Car to Starting Over [01:30] Learning How to Invest From Scratch [03:47] Turning $5K Into $100K [05:07] The Mindset That Changed Everything [07:18] Why Saving Isn’t Enough [10:01] Fixing Financial Education for Gen Z [11:30] How AlgoPear Engages Young Users [13:25] AI in Finance: Hype vs Reality [16:13] Why Messy Data Kills Innovation [20:17] Building Faster With AI [31:33] TikTok & The Future of Learning Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2286254/fan_mail/new]

'Busy Isn't Bold': The Banking Branding Problem

Banks and fintech brands are missing opportunities to build real connections largely because of how they communicate. On the show today: Mary chats with Allison Netzer about the second edition of her book, “Think Like a Brand, Not a Bank." They explore what it takes for a brand to pop in a commoditized industry. Hint: jargon, complexity, and “busy” messaging aren’t the answer. Show Notes: Allison's Book: Think Like a Brand, Not a Bank 🔗 https://brandthnk.co/book/ [https://brandthnk.co/book/] Subscribe to the Money Isn’t Everything podcast here: 🔗  https://www.crnrstone.com/gritty-insights/podcasts/money-isnt-everything [https://www.crnrstone.com/gritty-insights/podcasts/money-isnt-everything] Connect with Mary on LinkedIn:  🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-wisniewski-3a7578b/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-wisniewski-3a7578b/] Connect with Allison on LinkedIn: 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonnetzer/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonnetzer/] Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2286254/fan_mail/new]

The Disability Economy, by the Numbers

People with disabilities are often treated as a niche. In reality, more than 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. live with some kind of a disability. Today on the show, Mary chats with father-son founders Amit and Angad Sahgal of LetMeDoIt about why financial services miss this market and how their startup is using technology to support independence and design financial tools that work for more people. Show notes: * LetMeDoIT [https://letmedoit.org/] * People With Disabilities: An Underserved And Untapped Market For Banks [https://statics.teams.cdn.office.net/evergreen-assets/safelinks/2/atp-safelinks.html] Subscribe to the Money Isn’t Everything podcast here:  https://www.crnrstone.com/gritty-insights/podcasts/money-isnt-everything [https://www.crnrstone.com/gritty-insights/podcasts/money-isnt-everything]    Chapters [00:00] Meet the Father–Son Founders of LetMeDoIt [01:03] “Disability Is Not a Niche” — The 62–70 Million Market [04:01] The School Story That Sparked the Idea [06:09] What Is Supported Decision-Making? [08:36] Where Financial Services Gets Disability Wrong [11:13] Support vs. Supervision: Why Autonomy Matters [13:05] Why Credit Unions Are Key to Financial Inclusion [18:11] From Financial Education to Real Access [22:29] The Caregiver Perspective & Financial Safety Nets [27:06] What’s Next for LetMeDoIt? Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2286254/fan_mail/new]

The Branch Will See You Now

It’s January, and people are thinking about their money habits again. Mary talks with Andy Bandyopadhyay, PhD, founder and CEO at Attune Insights, about why financial institutions ought to seize the moment and encourage consumers to make financial health appointments at their branches. They chat about how financial health isn’t a tool or a tab and why PFM rarely changes behavior. Show notes: * Attune Insights [https://attune.co/]   Subscribe to the Money Isn’t Everything podcast here:  https://www.crnrstone.com/gritty-insights/podcasts/money-isnt-everything [https://www.crnrstone.com/gritty-insights/podcasts/money-isnt-everything] Chapters: [00:00] Welcome to Money Isn’t Everything + Introducing Andy Bandyopadhyay [01:05] New Year, New You: Why Financial Health Starts With Looking [03:23] Financial Health Appointments & Using the Branch Differently [05:32] How Credit Unions Can Pilot Financial Health Centers [07:17] Why Personal Financial Management (PFM) Tools Failed [10:57] Knowing vs Doing: Why Information Alone Doesn’t Change Behavior [12:31] Access Barriers: When Financial Help Is Hard to Reach [16:05] Measuring Outcomes, Not Just Engagement Metrics [22:50] The Myth: Finance Employees Are “Fine” Financially [31:49] The Future of Financial Health, Trust & AI Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2286254/fan_mail/new]