Banking on Digital Growth

Everyone is racing to put AI inside their apps. We did too, and then we decided it was the wrong approach.I sat down with my co-founder, Ryan Harmon, to talk about why we changed direction at MetriFi. Instead of trying to recreate the experience of ChatGPT or Claude inside our software, we asked a different question: Why not put our software directly into the AI people are already using?That shift has changed the way we think about building software. I’m increasingly convinced AI isn’t just another feature. It’s becoming a new operating system for work. Our new rule at MetriFi is simple: don’t build a user interface unless a human actually needs to be in the loop.Ryan and I also explore what this could mean for banks and credit unions. What if the next generation of digital banking isn’t won by building the best banking app, but by making your institution accessible to the AI your members already use every day?Timestamps00:00 Two approaches to AI03:06 Put AI in your app or put your app in AI?06:53 Why AI inside every app is changing10:30 The connector-first approach16:03 Working across apps without leaving AI20:43 AI as the new operating system22:22 Why we changed MetriFi’s AI strategy23:36 GEO and the future of financial institutions26:20 Rethinking how we build software29:03 Our new rule for user interfaces39:50 From 27 GEO interfaces to one44:28 What this means for banks and credit unions48:06 Banking directly inside ChatGPT51:24 A leapfrog opportunity for community institutions56:31 Can AI just use websites instead?1:00:39 Where I’d invest if I ran a credit union1:01:19 Why we’re making this bet with MetriFiHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Growing deposits has become one of the biggest challenges facing banks and credit unions today. But what if the answer isn't better rates or new products?In this episode of the Banking on Digital Growth Podcast, I sit down with Bill Bloom, founder of Diane Money, to discuss why helping members become better savers may be one of the most overlooked growth strategies in financial services.They explore how spending habits impact long-term financial health, why measurement is the foundation of behavior change, and how financial institutions can shift from simply selling products to helping people build better financial habits. Along the way, Derik shares personal stories about health, analytics, and why measuring the right things has transformed both his personal life and his business.If you're interested in deposit growth, financial wellness, consumer behavior, or building stronger member relationships, this conversation is full of practical ideas.⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Why measurement changes behavior (personal story)04:23 How better analytics changed Derik's health decisions05:04 Why website analytics inspired the creation of Metrify07:42 Meet Bill Bloom and the story behind Diane Money10:41 What Diane Money actually does11:26 Growing up with 45 credit cards in the house12:44 Why Bill chose a career in financial planning14:00 Savers vs. spenders: the two financial personalities15:05 Helping spenders become better savers15:37 The pilot program inside a bank that changed employee finances17:00 How one banker saved over $3,000 in two months18:00 Why financial institutions should start with their own employees19:00 The problem with selling instead of serving customers22:00 Why awareness is the first step toward saving more money23:54 The surprising spending habits hurting consumers most25:07 Automating savings after identifying spending opportunities26:01 Moving from product-focused banking to savings-focused banking29:19 Why helping people save creates a competitive advantage30:20 Why deposits are often spread across multiple institutions31:00 Competing on service instead of rates33:00 How financially stressed employees impact member experience35:20 Helping members eliminate debt instead of creating more of it38:18 Why previous budgeting tools failed to gain traction39:00 The cultural shift banks need to embrace41:08 Technology isn't the solution—leadership is43:27 Creating a culture focused on financial wellness44:05 Finding $400 of savings for every member45:07 Why institutions must be willing to change46:03 Measurement drives better financial decisions49:00 Envelope budgeting and building better financial habits50:40 Analytics only matter if people take action51:17 The connection between personal finance and website analytics53:00 The universal principle of measurement and improvement53:53 Final thoughtsHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this episode of the Banking on Digital Growth Podcast, I sit down with Mike Lawson of CU Broadcast to discuss what Mike calls the industry's "member succession plan", the urgent need for credit unions to replace an aging membership base by winning over younger generations.Together, we explore why fintechs like Chime, SoFi, and Ally have become so appealing, the role digital experiences play in attracting new customers, and why simply having great rates is no longer enough. We also discuss the Innovator's Dilemma, the challenge of balancing branch investments with digital transformation, and how AI could fundamentally change the future of banking experiences.⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Welcome and episode introduction00:40 Why credit unions need a "member succession plan"02:24 Meet Mike Lawson and the story of the rescued pigeon08:03 Why attracting younger members has become critical10:25 What's causing credit unions to lose younger generations?11:06 Does the term "credit union" create a marketing challenge?12:52 What Chime and SoFi get right about marketing14:07 Digital experience vs. traditional banking experiences15:00 Why Derik switched from Wells Fargo to Ally Bank18:00 The digital experience gap facing financial institutions19:07 Can community involvement actually drive growth?22:25 What website heat maps reveal about member behavior24:17 The Patagonia effect: purpose as a brand differentiator28:00 Why fintechs continue to outperform traditional institutions30:02 The Innovator's Dilemma: branches vs. digital investment31:18 Why branches aren't disappearing—they're evolving32:34 How AI could reshape banking experiences34:00 The future of AI agents and banking interfaces35:00 MCP servers and AI-powered banking transactions37:15 Will AI eventually complete loan applications?38:30 AI's growing role across financial services39:00 How AI can actually make banking more human40:04 Can AI help credit unions better fulfill their mission?40:45 Final thoughts and wrap-upHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this episode of the Banking on Digital Growth Podcast, Derik sits down with Melanie Draheim to explore one of the most important conversations happening in marketing today: the relationship between creativity and performance.The discussion starts with a surprising lesson from a backpacking trip through Death Valley and quickly evolves into a deeper conversation about why marketers are so quick to declare things "dead" whenever technology changes.Together, Derik and Melanie unpack the tension between art and science, brand and performance, creativity and analytics. They discuss why marketing fundamentals still matter in an AI-driven world, how data can strengthen creativity rather than limit it, and why understanding real human behavior remains one of the most powerful competitive advantages available to marketers.Whether you're focused on branding, digital marketing, AI, website optimization, or member growth, this episode offers practical insights on balancing creativity with measurable results.⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Introduction and a surprising lesson from Death Valley01:00 Melanie's backpacking adventure and the value of disconnecting05:30 Why everyone keeps declaring marketing channels "dead"07:00 Is SEO dead? Is brand dead? The danger of marketing eulogies08:00 Technology as a delivery mechanism, not the destination10:00 How AI is changing the way people experience brands12:00 Influencing people vs. influencing what influences people13:00 Fear vs. opportunity in times of technological change15:00 SEO, GEO, and what marketers are really talking about17:00 Creativity and performance: a false choice18:00 Why great marketing requires both art and science20:00 Purpose, performance, and measuring success22:00 The importance of starting with "why"23:00 What usability testing reveals that analytics can't25:00 The biggest website optimization mistake credit unions make27:00 Why A/B testing requires humility29:00 Intuition, creativity, and validating ideas with data30:00 A real marketing test: rates vs. monthly savings messaging32:00 Why customers care about outcomes, not calculations32:45 The story of selling $9,000 worth of bacon36:00 Why creativity becomes more meaningful when tied to results37:00 A broken pen, social media, and unexpected marketing success39:00 Using member research to improve digital experiences41:00 What members really want from mobile banking experiences42:00 Talking to people vs. relying solely on dashboards43:00 ChatGPT, Claude, and the evolution of AI tools44:00 AI browsers and expanding AI capabilities47:00 AI personalities, digital assistants, and the future of interaction48:00 OpenClaw and what comes next for AI agents49:00 The future of AI operating systems and digital experiences01:00:00 Final thoughts and key takeawaysIf you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe for more discussions on banking, credit unions, AI, marketing, digital growth, and the future of financial services.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this episode of the Banking on Digital Growth Podcast, Derik sits down with Kelly Hellickson of EmpowerFi to explore the future of AI-native websites, the agentic web, and why traditional content management systems may not be the best way to build digital experiences moving forward.During the conversation, Derik demonstrates a real-world prototype where AI designs, builds, and deploys a fully functional credit union website, including creating an entirely new youth checking page live during the episode.The implications for financial institutions are massive: faster development, lower costs, better user experiences, and a future where AI becomes the content management system itself.⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Introduction and the future of AI-built websites01:12 Meet Kelly Hellickson and EmpowerFi03:00 Building modern MarTech stacks for financial institutions06:00 Why many financial institutions still restrict AI tools09:28 The conversation that sparked this episode10:53 Could AI replace traditional CMS platforms?12:13 Derik's AI workflow and being a top 1% ChatGPT user16:21 Building AI-powered tools and website experiences18:00 The concept of an AI-native website22:25 Why AI can finally build complete websites24:20 Live demo: an AI-generated credit union website prototype25:25 How 140 A/B tests influence website design decisions30:13 Introducing Claude Design and AI-first website creation33:07 Using A/B testing data to guide AI-generated pages35:15 How conversion optimization and A/B testing work41:00 Training AI with proven website performance data43:00 AI generates a youth checking page in real time45:04 Why AI-generated design rationale is a game changer47:04 Updating website experiences on demand with AI49:31 When could AI-native websites become mainstream?50:27 The vision for a fully agentic website platform52:23 Claude Design → Claude Code workflow explained54:09 How AI could make websites 10x faster and cheaper56:01 Viewing the completed AI-generated page57:44 Deploying the page live with Vercel59:13 From AI design to a live website in minutes01:00:00 Final thoughts on the future of AI-native websitesIf you're interested in AI, digital marketing, website strategy, or the future of financial institution websites, this episode offers a firsthand look at what's possible today and where things are headed next.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.