PixelSpoke

PixelSpoke was proud to support and participate in the 2nd Annual NW Juntos Avanzamos Roundtable. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with industry partners, credit union professionals, and community organizations who share a commitment to serve and empower Hispanic and immigrant communities.

Thank you to Inclusiv Credit Unions, Unitus Community Credit Union, and our clients Point West Credit Union and Embold Credit Union for hosting this year's event! We were also excited to see clients from Peninsula Credit Union and Santa Clara County Federal Credit Union.

We particularly appreciated the the 'Building Employee Culture" breakout session, during which Point West CEO Amy Nelson said, "There’s wealth building at our cooperative that’s values based.” As an employee-owned cooperative, we couldn't agree more!

Snack time!

We took a break from our regularly scheduled programming to learn how to make what might be the world's tastiest chocolate chip cookies from PixelSpoke's Senior UX Designer and Co-owner Ryan Simsich.

These definitely won't last long...

Our CEO Katie Stone and our Director of Marketing & Impact Kerala Taylor are excited to be presenting at the CU Leadership Convention in Vegas this week!

In a fast-paced five-minute presentation, Katie will cover five key questions all credit union leaders should be asking about their website (but probably aren't).

In a longer breakout session, Kerala will discuss how credit unions can lean into the cooperative principles to pursue sustainable growth in the midst of ongoing volatility.

If you'll be there, we hope to get a chance to connect!

We are thrilled to welcome our Senior Project Manager Seth Leamer to our Board of Directors as PixelSpoke's newest co-owner! PixelSpoke is a cooperative that is owned and run democratically by our employee owners. Eleven of our 16 team members are now co-owners.

Seth says: "I like the concept of co-ownership, how it ensures thought investment in the company and empowers employees while sharing in the financial wins. I think the work that we do is important and I’m excited to take the next step to commit myself to the organization as a co-owner."

Please join us in giving a warm welcome to Seth!

Since our team members span four countries and six U.S. states, we want to make sure that our giving efforts also support causes that are meaningful for each of us. To that end, we select two teammates each quarter to direct our employee-led giving efforts.

Technology Director & Co-owner Fitz Ryland explains why he chose The Portland Mercado, which received a donation of $1,590 from PixelSpoke last quarter!

Portland Mercado is an initiative of Hacienda CDC, a Latino-led Community Development Corporation that strengthens families by providing affordable housing, homeownership support, economic advancement and educational opportunities.

The Portland Mercado is a hub for Latino culture in Portland that provides affordable retail space for businesses to launch and grow. It was severely impacted by a fire on Jan 3 and is actively seeking support to rebuild.

Since our team members span four countries and six U.S. states, we want to make sure that our giving efforts also support causes that are meaningful for each of us. To that end, we select two teammates each quarter to direct our employee-led giving efforts.

Account Manager Sean Adams explains why he chose the Noto Earthquake Relief Foundation, which received a donation of $1,590 from PixelSpoke last quarter!

According to the Emergency Events Database, there were 399 disasters related to natural hazards in 2023, which affected more than 93 million people, and cost more than $202.7 billion.

These harrowing figures don’t include the impact of the more than 110 armed conflicts currently happening around the world.

Fortunately, there’s a bright spot amid the gloom: the role that credit unions can play during times of trouble.

Google some version of “How credit unions help in disaster,” and you’ll find plenty of heartening examples of credit unions stepping up to help people both in their own backyards and around the globe.

Why are credit unions so well-suited to help in tough times? In this month's CUInsight.com article, we outline three critical elements, with examples from Inclusiv Credit Unions, World Council of Credit Unions, GoWest Credit Union Association, National Credit Union Foundation, and STCU.

See the full post at: https://ow.ly/fxlx50Sr9VX

We’ve reviewed the results from our recent Net Promoter Score (NPS) survey and are excited to announce an NPS score of 90! This survey measures how likely our credit union clients are to recommend us to others—the true mark of strong partnership.

The World Class NPS Benchmark is 70, and the average score in our industry is around 61. Of course, we are delighted with our score, but even more important is how it motivates us to double down on what we are doing well and proactively identify areas for improvement.

Thank you to all our clients who took the time to offer their input!

In our latest CUInsight.com article, we unpack innovation in the credit union movement, with insights and examples from MSU Federal Credit Union, Hope Credit Union, NorthCountry Federal Credit Union, Allegacy Federal Credit Union, Element Federal Credit Union, Inclusiv Credit Unions and more!

We’ve all suffered from “shiny object syndrome” on occasion. And, hey, we get it. Shiny objects have that irresistible “wow” factor, and it’s fun to sit at the cool kids’ table!

But too often, those shiny objects don’t pan out, and we’re left with a “solution” that doesn’t address the problem, blows the budget, and maybe even leaves us worse off than where we started. Ouch!

Before you find yourself in danger of investing in a product or solution that could hurt your credit union in the long run, here are three key considerations: https://ow.ly/IpTa50RZ4UW

We are thrilled to welcome our Wordpress Developer Luna to our Board of Directors as PixelSpoke's newest co-owner! PixelSpoke is a cooperative that is owned and run democratically by our employee owners. Eleven of our 16 team members are now co-owners!

Luna says: "I am excited to become a co-owner of our company because I feel a deep connection to our values and vision. Being a co-owner means having an active role in strategic decision-making and contributing significantly to the growth and success of the company."

Please join us in giving a warm welcome to Luna!

We're excited to share this episode of The CUInsight.com Network podcast, featuring our CEO Katie Stone and our President Dave Drouin!
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They talk about how PixelSpoke promotes a cooperative economy, as a B Corp and employee-owned co-op, by elevating the digital presence of credit unions. They also discuss PixelSpoke’s core values as they pertain to decision-making and succession planning, the value of cooperative principles and how credit unions can amplify this competitive advantage within the market, and how to elevate vendor relationships into true partnerships.

Take a listen at: https://ow.ly/fFZM50RIPwU

We had such an incredible time at last week's Inclusiv Credit Unions conference. We started with an tour of Lower East Side People's Federal Credit Union and its impressive neighborhood cooperative network. Then a few days jam-packed with inspiring sessions and panels and some time left over to explore NYC!

What happens in Vegas doesn't have to stay in Vegas, especially when it's America's Credit Unions M&BD Council Conference!

What an honor it was to present to an unnervingly packed room about how credit unions can leverage empathy, cooperation, and personal touch to pursue more proactive marketing strategies during these times of economic and social volatility.

And such a pleasure to catch up with clients from Abilene Teachers Federal Credit Union, Meridian Trust Federal Credit Union & RadiFi Credit Union over enormous platters of spaghetti!

We're so excited to share our 2023 Impact Report! This report is particularly meaningful because it celebrates PixelSpoke’s 20th birthday and shares a letter from our founder, Cameron Madill, who has stepped down after serving as our CEO for two decades.

As a B Corp and employee-owned cooperative that partners with credit unions, impact is at the heart of everything we do. In our 2023 Impact Report, we share how we leveraged business as a force for good, helping to build a more cooperative, inclusive, and equitable economy. We also share:

- A 20-year timeline honoring PixelSpoke’s 20th birthday
- Our award-winning credit union websites in 2023
- The PixelSpoke team wearing our “Enjoy the Journey” PixelSocks!

Take a look: https://www.pixelspoke.coop/impact-report-2023/

All of us have our favorite brands, but why do we like them so much? Why do some brands resonate and others fall flat?

Think of the brands you’ve stood behind over the course of your life and the “whys” behind your choices. The must-have jeans in high school that would magically elevate your social standing. The car insurance that had to be good because it’s the kind your parents bought. The power tool brand you swore by because the guy on that fix-it show used it.

The powerful feelings we have about certain brands—and the not always logical choices they sometimes lead us to make—are evidence that for better or for worse, your credit union’s brand will never be completely within your control.

But that doesn’t stop us from trying, because, hey, it’s our job!

As you work to better define your credit union’s brand and what you can do to impact it, it’s important to understand not only what your brand is, but also what it isn’t. In this month's CUInsight.com article, we unpack five common myths about credit union branding and rebranding.

The article includes great branding examples from UMe Credit Union, Clean Energy Credit Union, Point West Credit Union, and Self-Help Federal Credit Union.

Read more: https://www.cuinsight.com/5-common-myths-about-credit-union-brands/

And that's a wrap... nearly four years after we transitioned to a full-time remote working environment, our lease is officially up, and we're saying our final goodbyes to our old downtown office space.

When we made the decision to work remotely for “at least two weeks” on March 13, 2020, we never imagined it would the last day with the whole team in the office. We had poured a lot of love into the space itself in the preceding years, including doubling the square footage, painting the walls in vibrant colors, and even becoming Gold Certified by the City of Portland for Sustainability at Work.

We now have team members in seven states and four countries, and we appreciate the opportunities afforded to us by the ability to work remotely. We're also aware of the challenges and are continuing to explore new ways to foster connection and support in a virtual setting. To be sure, a robust remote work culture, like an in-person work culture, doesn’t happen by default. It will take continual care and attention, and we’ll keep learning from our missteps and successes.

For now, our CEO Katie Stone bids a final adieu to a space that served us well for many years. We hope it will be put to good use!

Pen Air Credit Union needed an energetic new website to reflect its rebranding efforts, which came on the heels of completing the conversion to become a state-chartered credit union.

From the outset of the website redesign project, PixelSpoke and PenAir’s shared vision included driving digital engagement, bringing PenAir’s spirit of “Communerosity” to life online, and creating a partnership for continual improvement.

See how we partnered to achieve these goals, including before & after photos, in our latest case study: https://www.pixelspoke.coop/work/penair/

Happy 5-year Pixelversary to our CEO Katie Stone! Katie has had quite the journey here, starting out as Operations Manager, then becoming a PixelSpoke co-owner and Board Treasurer, then serving as Chief Operations Officer, and finally becoming CEO in January! Whatever needs to get done, we know we can rely on Katie to tackle it with great skill and good humor.

Katie says, "As I look forward to the next part of my journey at PixelSpoke, I am eager to embrace the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. I am incredibly proud of the talented team we have here, and I look forward to leading and collaborating with them as we continue to create exceptional work and empower positive change for our employees, our clients, and in our communities."

Here's to the next 5 years!

Our team converged from seven U.S. states and four countries to spend a few magical days together in San José del Cabo. At a remote company where our team largely interacts in Zoom boxes, our annual retreat is a long-anticipated opportunity to connect in person.

This year, 100% of the company was able to attend! We enjoyed trust-building activities, raucous games, delicious food, field trips, and some much-needed February sun ☀️

Happy 1-year Pixelversary to Alexis Bingham, our Operations Specialist extraordinaire! 🎉

Alexis tirelessly works behind the scenes to make sure that everything runs smoothly and the rest of us can focus on our jobs. She is also an integral member of both our Joy Team and our Client Delight Team, putting care and intention into small gestures of gratitude that brighten our day.

We hope to be celebrating many more Pixelversaries with Alexis in the years to come!

To TikTok or not to TikTok?

It’s a question that might seem to have an obvious answer for credit unions—after all, should you, protector of financial well-being, use a channel best known for dance moves, make-up tips, and soul-staring cats to help consumers manage their money?

But look a little deeper, and you might find some reasons to reconsider that knee-jerk "no."

That said, there are also a few very good reasons to stay *away* from TikTok. Explore the opportunities and challenges, along with our favorite examples of how credit unions are leveraging the platform in our latest CUInsight.com article at: https://www.cuinsight.com/hey-credit-union-marketers-its-time-to-talk-tiktok/

As our founder and CEO of 20 years, Cameron Madill, transitions to a board and advisory role in 2024, we are excited to officially welcome ‘Spokers Katie Stone, MBA and Dave Drouin to their new roles!

Formerly our Chief Operations Officer, Katie is taking the reigns as CEO. Dave, who has been serving as PixelSpoke’s Chief Creative Officer, is now PixelSpoke’s President.

Katie brought a wealth of management and operations experience to her role when she joined the team nearly five years ago, most recently as CFO for American College of Healthcare Sciences. Our team universally admires Katie for her levity, reliability, collaborative mindset, and problem-solving skills.

Dave has now been part of PixelSpoke for 17 years. Most of our clients know him as an inspired, creative design leader — which he absolutely is! — but he also has brought so much else to the table, helping us to take PixelSpoke from a fledgling operation to the healthy and sustainable company it is today.

We are excited for this dynamic duo to lead us through the next chapter of PixelSpoke’s journey!

Twenty years ago, our CEO and Founder, Cameron Madill, teamed up with his father to start a digital marketing agency.

But not just any agency. For two decades, Cameron has been on a mission to build a values- and purpose-driven agency that answers to a triple bottom line. A place where clients and team members alike want to stick around.

As Cameron transitions to a board and advisory role in 2024, please join us in wishing him, and the company, a happy 20th "Pixelversary!" It's been quite a journey, and we're so grateful to be on the journey with you.

Here's to enjoying the journey in the New Year!