It was somehow fitting days after the Advent calendar’s Feast of the Epiphany, that I had something of an epiphany myself about information, community bank marketing and the power of information. Recently I received an email from American Express saying “It looks like you’ll be traveling out of the country soon and here are the things you should do.” My first response was, … [Read more...]
Not everyone is smiling about the new players in banking.
As we usher in 2018, one of the hot topics that continues to spark water cooler chatter and boardroom banter is the expanding push of non-traditional players like Square, Amazon and Wal-Mart in the financial services industry. The important question is how should traditional community banks respond? First, let’s draw an analogy between this issue and the recently … [Read more...]
When you think you’re having a bad day.
Perhaps one of the best movies about community banking is Frank Capra’s It’s A Wonderful Life, starring Jimmy Stewart, Lionel Barrymore and Donna Reed, a 1946 film that is a holiday classic. You all remember the movie. Jimmy Stewart plays George Bailey, who after his father’s untimely death is left to keep the Bailey Building and Loan afloat in the face of efforts by “the … [Read more...]
An abundance of caution: Cryptocurrency and Community Banks
For those of us of a certain age, cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and others seem like a shadowy mystery figure in a 1940’s film noir classic. So it was for me, until cryptocurrency came home. A quick story: A few years back, my son invested $100 in a cryptocurrency exchange, Mt. Gox, at the time, the world’s largest Bitcoin exchange and wallet provider. His investment … [Read more...]
Jerry Lewis, banks and the power of testimonials
The passing of Jerry Lewis at 91 a few weeks back set us to thinking about the power of testimonials. For Lewis, comedian, actor, singer and star of stage, screen film and nightclubs, testimonials came in the form of laughter and applause from an audience, or in the case of his work for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, billions of dollars for charity. Lewis was honored … [Read more...]