Are your current vendor relationships helping you solve real problems or just cluttering your technology stack? In this episode, Mark Ritter sits down with Melissa Kopp, Chief Revenue Officer for the League of Credit Unions and its affiliate Leverage, to discuss how credit union fintech partnerships are shifting from standard product pitching to collaborative problem solving. Melissa shares her insider perspective on how institutions can build a trusted member journey by moving past isolated products and focusing on connected experiences. This conversation delivers practical advice on maximizing conference ROI, evaluating vendor ecosystems, and leveraging the true spirit of cooperation among cooperatives.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

✅ Why shifting from isolated product evaluations to comprehensive ecosystem evaluation is critical

✅ How prioritizing problem solving over aggressive sales tactics drives credit union growth

✅ What fintech disruption means for credit unions trying to build modern experiences

✅ Why focusing on credit union collaboration and shared mission outlasts big bank tactics

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TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Introduction: Meet Melissa Kopp

03:55 The evolution and footprint of the League of Credit Unions and Leverage

05:09 Vendor connection mistakes and building a trusted member journey

08:06 Shifting from simple product sales to strategic ecosystem evaluation

12:17 Packaging financial outcomes over individual product banking

15:57 Navigating conference networking and driving relationship transformation

19:16 Embracing credit union collaboration and cooperation among cooperatives

23:00 Melissa's practical advice on creating modern experiences for members

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

💎 Trust moves slower in the credit union space, which means that long-term relationships matter significantly more than aggressive sales tactics. Credit union leaders must focus on reputation and baseline credibility before jumping straight into product implementation.

💎 Modern evaluation has completely shifted from isolated product testing to a broader ecosystem evaluation that includes integration, data strategy, and cultural alignment. Leaders should avoid duct-taping disconnected apps together because it harms the final member experience.

💎 Credit unions should stop trying to out-bank the commercial mega-banks and instead double down on their mission-driven roots. The ultimate competitive advantage lies in combining seamless digital convenience with trusted, localized relationships.

ABOUT THE GUEST:

Melissa Kopp, Chief Revenue Officer for the League of Credit Unions.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Mark Ritter - Website

Mark Ritter - LinkedIn

SEO KEYWORDS:

Credit Union Conversations, Mark Ritter, MBFS, Credit Unions, CUSO, Melissa Kopp, The League of Credit Unions, credit union fintech partnerships, modern experiences, trusted member journey, strategic innovation, ecosystem evaluation, Business Lending, Credit Union Growth, credit union business lending, CUSO lending, credit union podcast, credit union loan participation, credit union member business loans, credit union leadership podcast, commercial lending credit unions, credit union succession planning, NCUA compliance, credit union CUSO business lending podcast, how credit unions grow business loan programs, Leverage, cooperation among cooperatives, problem solving, relationship transformation, credit union collaboration

[00:00:28] So here in Pennsylvania, where we've record this, we've gone from instantly winter to instantly summer with absolutely beautiful weather. So as I overlook our lake community and I'm just looking to get outside, and also this recording is my last meeting until my wife and I head to the Netherlands on vacation.

[00:01:01] Melissa Kopp: I'm well, Mark. How are you?

[00:01:09] Melissa Kopp: You get all the grace from me.

[00:01:19] Mark Ritter: It was absolutely crazy year. It was so cold for so long, and then poof-

[00:01:26] Mark Ritter: it's summer

[00:01:29] Mark Ritter: So Melissa, you are with the League of Credit Unions and their affiliate Leverage, and thank you for joining me today.

[00:02:02] Melissa Kopp: Yeah, would love to. Well, thanks for having me on. So we'll get in the way back machine here. So 26 years ago or so, I started with an organization by the name of Midwest Payment Systems. So Midwest Payment Systems was the processing division of then Fifth Third Bank. So throughout the years, we evolved, changed names to Fifth Third Processing Solutions, eventually Vantiv via private equity, and then merged within Worldpay, kept the name.

[00:02:59] Was able to [00:03:00] serve and really give back to their mission and what they were doing on the board, and the president and I had a conversation one day about coming in to help drive revenue, build experiences, and work as a part of his leadership team, and it was an easy decision. I was at the point where I was just kinda ready to start the next chapter out of fintech.

[00:03:29] Mark Ritter: And tell people a little bit about what your role is there. And also now when people hear the League of Credit Unions, I am familiar with the League of Credit Unions, we work with them for quite some time, but it has...

[00:03:55] Melissa Kopp: Yeah. So the League of Credit Unions is one of the largest credit union trade [00:04:00] associations in the country. So currently a four-state footprint with Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and most recently Virginia joining the family.

[00:04:30] We are the service corporation for the league. So when you think about the life cycle of how those two play together, when we are able to connect product and services on the Leverage side into our credit unions, that revenue then gets generated and shared back with the league to help support their advocacy efforts, foundation efforts, and all of the things that our credit unions need when they join a league service and organization.

[00:05:09] Mark Ritter: So I wanted to have you on today because I really enjoy your perspective in terms of building relationships with vendors-

[00:05:21] Mark Ritter: credit unions, the industry, all around networking. And what's funny is, you know, I always just was talking with somebody about this, as I go to a conference, and invariably there's that either brand new person at the credit union or more, or that new vendor who's just this, it's like they've discovered this new thing.

[00:05:46] Mark Ritter: They're just, like, wide-eyed of just, "I wanna do this, and I wanna do this, and I wanna do this." And, and I'm just like, "Hold on, relax. This is a marathon." What are some of those points that as somebody who's worked in this [00:06:00] industry now for a while now, about working with credit unions, selling with credit unions, building those in, building those relationships, what are some of your kind of secrets that, that you've come away with?

[00:06:30] And we see, and you cringe sometimes. You're like, "Oh, stop hawking," right? "Start listening." But you see great, too, and it's that unique spot that we sit in, and what I really wanna get our partners and our vendors to is a point where let's stop selling isolated products, and let's start delivering connected experiences, 'cause it isn't about who's got the most products.

[00:07:15] So listen before pitching, right? And if your first meeting is a demo, and I have preached this for years, you're s- you've skipped a step. You skipped a really big step in your due diligence. So as we've got, when you think about newcomers coming into this space, you've gotta focus on the basics. Learn the difference between members and customers.

[00:07:39] Mark Ritter: before trying to sell to them.

[00:08:01] Mark Ritter: Yeah, I always say you can't have enough friends in this industry.

[00:08:06] Mark Ritter: And you... I, I've tried to position myself as, "If you need anything, just let's have a conversation. Let's have a talk." And sometimes I'll see this in, in, in my particular industry, we help out with underwriting, loan servicing, documentation, a- and nobody cares about those things.

[00:08:38] Melissa Kopp: Yep.

[00:09:00] Melissa Kopp: Yep. You nailed it because features alone are no longer differentiators when you think about it, because fintechs can replicate features quickly, really quick, and I've been in that space. So the real differentiator becomes trust and experience and ultimately your execution. But what I did learn in the fintech space and what I've tried to convey in going forward is that finix- fintechs have taught consumers really to expect those seamless experiences.

[00:09:43] Mark Ritter: So I've been in the credit union space now almost identical time as you, and I think back to those early days of, I would go to a, the local state trade association conference.

[00:10:24] You should help have him help you out for business lending." And that was it, and they would sign my service agreement. And now I just feel like the process has changed so much, and for the better and for the difference, where it's a much more intelligent person purchases now, and research. A- and also when I started at MBFS, the due, the word due diligence didn't exist.

[00:11:04] Melissa Kopp: Yeah. Yeah, you're right. Due diligence popped up as a new term we all now use quite a bit. Didn't used to be there. So it feels like market shifted, not feels like, it has shifted from product evaluation to more of an ecosystem evaluation because credit unions now have many more things that they have to assess.

[00:11:40] It has to be taken into consideration in the context of all of those things that I just mentioned because they're all interconnected much more than they ever used to be So if a, a solution may look great and shiny and beautiful all on its own, but if it creates friction in the broader member experience, then that's where it becomes a problem.

[00:12:17] Mark Ritter: Yeah. That's, that's what, as I've worked over the years with the League of Credit Unions and Leverage, and I call it the Leverage-verse of- I

[00:12:25] Mark Ritter: that ... many of our people that we can work together. And it's not just all these disparate companies. They're very much aligned culturally. They're very... A- and we've aligned with systemically too, to help people out.

[00:13:03] I just think there's a lot of value I- in working with Leverage regardless of where you are.

[00:13:21] But you're right, and w- from my seat, we sit in a very unique place where we can see trends across the industry and help to connect the dots that others may not see yet, right? Whether that be in portfolio companies that we have here within the family, or a lot of our partners that sit ancillary to that.

[00:13:51] Mark Ritter: Yeah, I think that's real- really good. And it used to be if you were in the South Dakota credit, or for South Dakota Credit Union, you went to the [00:14:00] South Dakota League Credit Union Conference and just had those choices.

[00:14:12] Melissa Kopp: Yeah. And I like to think of it is that we've taken it from two packaging versus product.

[00:14:18] Melissa Kopp: Right? You don't have to buy the whole package, right? There are great ways that our solutions work together, but they also work fabulous independently with some solutions you may have in your own shop.

[00:14:52] They didn't change lending. BNPL companies didn't invent it. They exist, installment loans were there forever, right? What they [00:15:00] changed was they embedded it at the checkout. They provided context around it at the moment of need, right? Whether you're shopping online or at the POS. It was simple to understand and instant approval, right?

[00:15:35] So what Netflix did is enabled us to buy convenience and personalization, and really simplicity, now be it much more expensive than it ever used to be to buy that from Netflix. But if you tie that back to banking, many financial institutions still operate like cable companies. Yeah. But we're in a Netflix world now, right?

[00:15:57] Mark Ritter: So conferences [00:16:00] can be an invaluable tool to those people, and credit unions as an industry, we have a lot of conferences. If you wanna go to one, we got one in your area that you can go to. Oh,

[00:16:10] Mark Ritter: Now, the League of Credit Unions is lucky that it's in a geographic area where people from all over the country want to go to conferences.

[00:16:36] Melissa Kopp: Mm-hmm.

[00:16:49] Because it's not inexpensive anymore.

[00:17:10] So I would really encourage people to explore adjacent industries to yours, and look at AI and data personalization and payments innovation, for goodness sake. But as a credit union, don't just attend the sessions, right? Have intentional conversations. Most of the meetings, and you said this earlier, and I've said it my entire career, those deals get done at the bar, right?

[00:17:42] Mark Ritter: In the hallways,

[00:17:57] But spend time in the expo hall [00:18:00] strategically. I've been that vendor with a table set up. Don't just walk around to pick up stocking stuffers for your grandkids. Have those intentional conversations. Push yourself outside of your lane. And to your point, those hallway conversations are more valuable than the PowerPoints.

[00:18:33] Actually, we all kind of want the same thing here.

[00:18:44] Melissa Kopp: Yeah.

[00:18:59] And [00:19:00] you are going to be judged based off of your interactions with people it- when you go out there searching for that next role to move up.

[00:19:09] Mark Ritter: So represent yourself well. Meet new people. Be personable. Be, get yourself out of your comfort zone a little bit.

[00:19:21] Mark Ritter: Yes.

[00:19:43] Yes. They just woke up. They had a long night last night. But make it... They spend a lot of money to go to these conferences. Your best conference ROI is gonna start after it ends. So make it meaningful. Lean in. And this may sound silly, but I can't stand it when I go to a conference and I see a [00:20:00] vendor sitting in their chair behind the table.

[00:20:07] Mark Ritter: Yes. We always do the push the table to the back or the side because that table, it basically, it, it's a barrier. Whether you, it's intentional or not, it gives a tone of I'm, this is between us.

[00:20:23] Mark Ritter: And just make yourself approachable.

[00:20:33] Mark Ritter: And that's where sometimes I think those new to our industry Because we, the industry from an asset size has grown so much. It, it used to be credit union CEO started as a teller, everybody was a jack of all trades, and you worked from, you worked your way up from there.

[00:21:03] Melissa Kopp: Yeah.

[00:21:27] And you're not at the local bank anymore. You're not at the local whatever company where you are beating each other up. We're all together and can do more business.

[00:21:40] Mark Ritter: So what do you... Sometimes what do you hear from, from those new to the space or when you nudge them to, about the credit union space?

[00:22:06] People in the credit union industry generally want to help each other succeed. I said it a minute ago, there's no shame in stealing. I wouldn't even call it stealing because there's such an openness to share, because this industry rewards consistency much more than it does over things like speed, and they want each other to win.

[00:22:42] Mark Ritter: Yes.

[00:22:48] So focus where your mission lies, and technology should amplify your mission, shouldn't replace it. So it's really relationship transformation and scale.

[00:23:09] Melissa Kopp: Yeah, I would just say, and I'm gonna sound like a broken record here, but start packaging outcomes because the future's gonna belong to those credit unions that can orchestrate partnerships well. Right? And no single organization can innovate fast enough alone anymore, and we're here to help. As Leverage, we are here to help.

[00:23:49] The biggest opportunity, again, is of becoming, is not becoming more like big banks. It's becoming more indispensable to your members because they already have the trust. The next [00:24:00] step is really pairing it with modern experiences.

[00:24:13] So it's been a great relationship and I hope, I, I know I always talk to your team, and I know they feel the same way, so thank you, and if somebody wants to contact Leverage League of Credit Unions, learn a little bit more about what you guys do, what's the best place for them to check out?

[00:24:36] And we do have our large industry conference known as Engage coming up here starting, um, on June 9th, um, in Orlando. I'm looking forward to it. Yeah. We'll see you there. We'll see you there. I'm gonna put you to the test with all of the vendor tips and tricks, Mark, that I mentioned earlier. So we'll be out and about, and we've got a great team of folks that both on the League side and on the Leverage side that are [00:25:00] constantly out supporting our credit unions, and check us out on LinkedIn as well.

[00:25:13] Mark Ritter: So joining me today was Melissa Kopp, the chief revenue officer for the League of Credit Unions and Leverage. I really enjoy her taking some out, some time out of her day to, to have a nice conversation with me.

[00:25:50] So thank you, and have a great day.