Start with Captain Obvious
You have probably all seen the Hotels.com commercials featuring Captain Obvious. As a New York Times article noted, “Everything he says is self-evident.” There is a lot to be said for stressing the obvious.
You have probably all seen the Hotels.com commercials featuring Captain Obvious. As a New York Times article noted, “Everything he says is self-evident.” There is a lot to be said for stressing the obvious.
Despite the best attempts of consultants, IT firms, and internal bureaucrats to put up and highlight as many roadblocks as possible, at its core banking remains a simple, straightforward business. Today, perhaps…
“Well, I think I will spend the first month in Austin. I’ve heard it is really cool there. Then, maybe I’ll go to Taos. Great skiing in Taos.” Is this the voice of someone planning a two-month vacation? No, it captures the words of…
Maybe 20 years ago, each December a fair amount of buzz would occur around Time magazine’s annual pick for Person of the Year. (It was Man or Woman of the Year until 1999.) Charles Lindbergh was the first in 1927 and over the years the selections have included…
This week, the CNN Business website features an article titled, “He killed some of Coke’s most beloved brands. And he’s doing it all over again.” Bankers should reflect on Coke’s initiatives and adapt them to their banks…
The chart accompanying this newsletter shows the decline in total banks from 1966-2017. Since then, the total has declined further. In 2021 the FDIC lists 4,983 banks at the start of the year, down about 100…
Over the years we have advised dozens of companies hoping to sell their services to banks and FIs in multiple areas, often involving platforms tied to credit cards, business lending, commercial finance, or cash…
I mentioned to a consulting friend that I had seen a BAI executive report with the title “Big Stakes in Small Business Banking” followed by the tag line “SMBs…
Name changing and rebranding has become a big business for consultants and a big distraction for some business leaders. Bluntly, these changes often blow…
What is going on with the growth of bureaucracies at banks? Are internal staff bureaucracies now in control of most banks and other financial services players? And has the current focus on ESG…