Get outside your bubble. Stop preaching to the choir. You hear phrases like this all the time in response to displayers of left- or right-wing political support, such as the rally organizer who only reaches out to fellow liberals or the Facebook post-happy Trump supporter whose friends list comprises solely of other Trump supporters. But they're good messages for credit union professionals to keep in mind as well.

Because, although it may seem – within your inner circle of family, friends and colleagues at least – that no one should have any reason not to do business with a credit union, there's a bigger world out there of non-members who are still utterly clueless about what we do. With alternative financial services providers continuing to threaten the industry, it's time to stop taking our success for granted and begin actively reaching out to those who have not yet joined the movement.

Last month, I attended the Northwest Credit Union Association's 2017 MAXX Convention in Spokane, Wash., where the warm, fuzzy credit union vibes could be felt everywhere. A few examples: I spent some quality time with some fellow former Crashers from CUNA's 2014 GAC and other young professionals, and it was exciting to hear about where their careers had gone and their passion for their work. At a trade show reception, a CEO we recently profiled told me over a glass of wine that she loves building relationships at conferences and had just reconnected with someone from a credit union she took advice from prior to a core conversion.