Ok, everybody, get ready to step inside an episode of The Matrix, as we chat with Evernym Co-founder/ CEO Timothy Ruff to talk about your new digital identity that will revolutionize the way you bank -- or do anything really. It's a conversation that you have to open up your mind and think well into the future. Suffice to say, it's probably one of the more fascinating interviews we've done to date. And the best news here is that credit unions can lead the way.

So hold on to your britches, as we dive into the future of your identity. According to Timothy, identity is a mess and it's time to clean it up. Evernym is building an open-source sovereign identity platform on a permissioned blockchain for credit unions. (Feeling a little like Neo, yet?)

My best advice to understand what's coming, and it's coming, is to listen to Timothy explain all of this and let it sink in.
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Check it out and let us know your thoughts. Pretty cool stuff here.

We've been hearing a lot about BizKid$ lately -- and rightfully so. It's an award-winning, educational program on financial literacy for kids loaded with humor, lessons learned, and so much more. I wish this was around when I was a kid. The best we had was Schoolhouse Rock. Remember: "I'm just a bill ... on Capitol Hill" or "Conjunction junction, what's your function?"

Sorry, got carried away.

The reason I bring up BizKid$, again, is that Pennsylvania Credit Union Association (PCUA) is also promoting the show to statewide schools through its Young Professionals Network. This push, along with The Foundation's recent fundraising efforts, will ingrain these shows and their fun financial messages in students' brains -- hoping something sticks for the next generation to gain a better understanding of money and how it works.

Pennsylvania Credit Union Foundation's Executive Director Kathleen Fey was kind enough to come on the show and explain what all these promotions and pushes mean for credit unions, members, and indirectly the future of our economy. BizKid$ will play a pivotal role in helping thousands and thousands more kids treat their cash responsibly (a.k.a. budgeting) -- now and well into the future.

A really cool conversation with Kathleen on a topic that affects us all. So timely and necessary. Check it out and let us know what you think -- and get involved with BizKid$ today.

SECU Foundation Executive Director Jama Dagenhart joins us to share the tremendous "give back" efforts it provides literally the entire state of North Carolina -- from the mountains to the sea. Jama provides some the Foundation's accomplishments over the years, along with its mission, why SECU's former President/CEO Jim Blaine created it, what makes it unique, and much more.

Jama even provides some words of wisdom for other credit unions looking to build a successful foundation to give back to their communities. Just a fantastic interview with Jama, discussing and showing what credit unions are all about. Check it out and let us know your thoughts.

​We met up with Phroogal Founder and CEO Jason Vitug as he literally finished his second nationwide "Road to Financial Wellness" tour, ending in San Diego. So we took full advantage and conducted an onsite interview to discuss his latest adventures on an adventure that took him to nearly every state with nearly doubling the stops he and his time did in 2015.

An amazing feat, indeed -- and credit union-backed (more than 30 supported the road trip), Jason's 2016 tour made even greater strides in educating and influencing even more consumers about credit unions.

He even wrote a book on 2015's tour -- You Only Live Once, which is on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. Pretty cool! And can't wait to see what Jason has planned for his "3.0" road trip in 2017. But for now, it's vacation time for him. Check out our chat and let us know your thoughts.

The Foundation's Executive Director Gigi Hyland paid our virtual studios a visit to promote the very popular and credit union-backed TV show BizKid$. Why the heavy promotions now? Well, like probably all of us, Gigi is a huge fan of the show and The Foundation has been in the mix with it for quite some time.  She also sees the show as a vital component in the quest for financial literacy of our younger generations -- and, again, it's credit union backed.

For these reasons and plenty more, it's time to raise some funds to get season six in production for airing by April 2017. The Foundation needs to raise $1.1 million by September 30, 2016. Yes, that's not much time, but our industry is capable of accomplishing great things against many odds.

That said, Gigi discusses the value BizKid$ has had and will have on kids nationwide, along with, of course, how credit unions and industry related organizations can donate to keep the award-winning show running for future generations.

Another candid and insightful conversation with Gigi on a mission that probably all of us have a vested interest in, as credit unions and financial literacy naturally go hand in hand.

Check it out and let us know your thoughts -- and visit The Foundation's website to donate today.