Ostrich

Youngstown State University Athletics?and Ostrich announce a unique, student-forward initiative to help student-athletes better understand and manage their personal finances. Despite athletic scholarships,?student-athletes graduate with more student loan debt than their non-athlete peers. However, numerous research studies show that traditional financial literacy education only changes behavior 0.1%. The YSU Penguins -- known for being a leader in the Horizon League Conference when it comes to supporting student-athletes on and off the field -- recognized this issue. Tap the link to continue reading. #studentathletes #nil #nameimagelikeness #financialliteracy #youngstown #ncaa

Everyone needs their big check moment - how we used the power of positive peer pressure to drive financial wellness. ? We first felt the power of the big check when we won the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College Venture Plan competition back in 2022. That oversized $50,000 check? It made the moment unforgettable. We knew at Ostrich we couldn’t hand out that kind of cash to every organization we partner with, but we had a hunch that we could still create that same emotional impact for the students we see. Our idea was simple: For every action a student takes to improve their finances during one of our events, we donate $10 to a cause of their choosing. The constant reminder during the event? A big blank check facing the crowd throughout. ? The results? 41% of attendees at Ostrich events take an action to improve their financial wellbeing. That kind of conversion rate rivals some of the best in the financial industry. ? What’s the “big check” in your business? What are the motivators that turn intention into action? ? #bigcheck #financialwellness #behaviorchange #impactdriven #studentengagement

Big budgets don’t build trust—smart marketing does??? Credit unions don’t need to spend millions to grow. You just need?the right tactics?that actually resonate with your community—especially Gen Z ?? In this new blog post, I break down?proven marketing strategies?for credit unions that want to grow without breaking the bank: ?? What’s working ?? What’s not ?? And how to do more with less Take a look ?? https://lnkd.in/eW7Avm7i What’s one marketing move that’s worked well for your team lately? Always love hearing what’s working on the ground ?? #CreditUnions #MarketingStrategy #GenZ #GrowthTips #FinancialEducation

Last night's CEO & Emerging Leaders Panel, hosted by the Tuscaloosa Chapter- League of Credit Unions & Affiliates, sparked insightful discussions on integrating AI and technology into credit union operations. June Landrum from Alabama Credit Union shared their proactive approach, forming an AI task force to explore and implement AI use cases. In contrast, other institutions are adopting a more cautious stance, awaiting comprehensive policies before diving into AI initiatives. Scott Ryan from RiverFall Credit Union highlighted their success in engaging younger members through targeted marketing strategies and technology adoption, all while maintaining the trust and satisfaction of their longstanding members. Plus we ended the night watching Alabama ?? punch their ticket to the elite 8! Special thanks to Jasmine Wells for running a great event, Donnette' Logan for being a super moderator, and Ted C. from Valiify for sponsoring the event. #CreditUnions #Leadership #MemberEngagement #AlabamaCrimsonTide

How did we manage to better Apple’s net promoter score at Ostrich? One of the first things you notice as a Startup Leadership Program NYC fellow is how much Dmitry and his team care about the NPS surveys you fill out after every session. As Program Leads, William Glass and I got a look behind the curtain—and we quickly saw why that feedback is so important, and how much effort goes into interpreting and applying it. Here’s a few things we’ve learned: 1?? If you don’t ask questions the right way, people won’t tell you what they really think. 2?? Break the experience down into smaller parts. If you blend everything together, you miss the signal for the noise. 3?? Look for patterns. Not everything will resonate with everyone, but recurring negative feedback deserves deeper reflection. 4?? Track changes. Compare feedback over time. The more at-bats you get, the faster you can improve. So how did we bring this to Ostrich? When we started running events for students, it was easy to assume everyone was following along—especially when the most vocal people seemed engaged. But structured feedback showed us otherwise. One insight that really stuck: we needed to define basic financial terms like “interest.” Without that feedback, we may never have realized that what felt “simple” to us wasn’t landing with our audience. This focus on continuous improvement enabled us to hit a NPS of 62 across the thousands of students we’ve worked with over the past 5 years, just about beating Apple! I think they might still be outdoing us on a few other metrics for now… How do you gather feedback from your audience—and how do you make sure it drives real change? #netpromoterscore #feedback #continuousimprovement #financialwellness

Most credit unions want to engage their members, but let’s be real—too many engagement strategies feel transactional. If you only reach out when someone needs a loan, you’re missing a huge opportunity. Real engagement happens when you build relationships, create experiences, and make finance?fun.?That’s how you get younger members to stick around. I wrote a blog post breaking down some?creative, high-impact ways credit unions can boost engagement—from?financial health scores?to?gamified challenges?and more. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/e-eYRhag What’s the best engagement strategy you’ve seen a credit union use? Always love hearing fresh ideas! #CreditUnions #MemberEngagement #FinancialLiteracy #Innovation

Excited for Tuesday and the opportunity for Ostrich to sponsor the LSCU YPG Birmingham Chapter Advocacy night along with our other fintech friends Will Bryant and Quantalytix, Inc. Special thanks to Alex Lawley for getting us plugged into the chapter and supporting young professionals in Birmingham. See y’all at Avondale Brewing Co. ??

On Tuesday night we hosted a National Fintech Organization (NFO) networking event at Adios Cocktail Bar. Excellent turnout. Enjoyed seeing and meeting new people. Great to see Jeff Harper, Scott Mills, Laura Levie, Kimberly Clay, Laura Day, Stan Viner, Mary Beth Marchione, Michael McCay, and others. Anyone in Alabama or surrounding states who is involved or interested in #fintech, #banking, or #creditunions, let us know, we will add you to our growing NFO Alabama chapter. Thank you to our sponsors Wipfli, Ostrich and Valiify

I was recently published on CUInsight.com writing about how credit unions can successfully win the battle for Gen Z, and college students in particular. While my article focuses on credit unions, I’d be inclined to give the same advice to companies across all industries. The secret sauce? Be a part of their day-to-day lives. If you’re hoping to compete with ads on Snap Inc. or TikTok I wish you the best of luck! As soon as you make social media advertising your core channel, you’re suddenly competing with every single app on your target audience’s phones, and then the content within those apps that they’re more interested in to begin with. Find a way to reach Gen Z (and everyone else!) that doesn’t rely on the distraction engine in their pockets, and try to add value to their lives in some way that isn’t phone-focused. Gen Z might be digital native, but the way to really cut through the noise is to grab their attention IRL. You can find out more about how Ostrich helps credit unions do this on our website. Thanks to Robbie Young, CUDE, Alyssa Angurio, MBA and the whole CU Insights team for making this possible, and look out for more thought leadership pieces coming soon! https://lnkd.in/eaYZbykb

It's the 2nd half of the league finals, & we're losing 2-0. Earlier in the season, we crushed this team by 4 goals, but tonight, it's like we're a different squad. We've played 2 matches back-to-back, & fatigue is setting in. We're disjointed, our passes are off, & we can't find the rhythm that carried us through the season. It’s frustrating because we know we have the talent to win, but it’s just not clicking. ?? This feeling of frustration & untapped potential isn’t unique to my soccer team. It’s exactly where many credit unions find themselves today—facing tough competition from banks & fintechs in the race to win over Gen Z. Just as we were struggling on the pitch, credit unions are struggling in the financial marketplace. ???? Let me explain. ?? Credit unions have historically been community champions, offering lower interest rates on loans & better savings rates. In the 20th century, they emerged to serve communities that banks overlooked. Back then, credit unions were winning the game. ?? They had the right formula & their members thrived. But fast forward to today, & the landscape has changed. Gen Z isn’t connecting with credit unions the way previous generations did. Despite offering great products and being non-profit, mission-driven organizations—attributes that typically resonate with Gen Z—credit unions are down 2-0 in the second half of the league final, struggling to attract this vital demographic. ??? Like my soccer team, credit unions need to make a crucial pivot. The talent is there, but it’s about finding the right strategy & executing it with precision. Credit unions must put the right team on the field—one that understands what Gen Z wants & how to engage them. ???? This is where Ostrich comes in. Since 2019, we’ve worked closely with Gen Z, helping them improve their financial well-being. We understand what makes them tick. ???♂? Our programs lead to tangible results: 41% of students we engage with set up new financial accounts, from emergency funds & investment accounts to IRAs and credit-building services. Just as my team knew we had the skills to win, credit unions, with Ostrich’s guidance, can rally & turn the game around. ?? At halftime, we came together, recognized our strengths, & decided to change our approach. We adjusted our lineup, focused on the final 3rd, & executed our strategy. In the first 5 minutes of the 2nd half, we pulled back a goal. ? Down 2-1. 3 minutes later, we equalized—2-2. The momentum was shifting. ?? 5 minutes after that, we took the lead, 3-2. From there, our defense tightened up, & we held on to claim victory. We didn’t just win the match; we became champions. ???? Credit unions can experience this same transformation. With Ostrich on your side, you have the tools & the strategy to win over Gen Z. We’ll help you craft a game plan that resonates with this new generation, ensuring you’re not just in the game—you’re winning it. ???? #creditunions #genz #soccer