According to recent data from Experian, U.S. consumers currently hold over $17.5 trillion in total debt, which includes a whopping $1.3 trillion in credit card debt alone. So, what can credit unions do to help consumers tackle this growing debt problem, and what strategies should they employ to ensure a positive relationship between lender and borrower?

In this episode of "Shared Accounts With CU Times", Happy Money CEO Matt Potere answers these questions and more. A longtime lending executive, Potere spent a number of years at Bank of America and other lending institutions, including solar financing company Sunlight Financial, before joining Happy Money in August 2024. Happy Money partners with credit unions to originate personal loans via a full-digital platform.

In addition to discussing digital lending strategies, Potere touches on the importance of investing in marketing through tough economic times, as well as his time growing up on Long Island, N.Y., which included a stint as a very young gas station attendant in the Hamptons. Join us for this lively episode that marries serious credit union business with serious fun!

Recommended For You

NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Natasha Chilingerian

Natasha Chilingerian has been immersed in the credit union industry for over a decade. She first joined CU Times in 2011 as a freelance writer, and following a two-year hiatus from 2013-2015, during which time she served as a communications specialist for Xceed Financial Credit Union (now Kinecta Federal Credit Union), she re-joined the CU Times team full-time as managing editor. She was promoted to executive editor in 2019. In the earlier days of her career, Chilingerian focused on news and lifestyle journalism, serving as a writer and editor for numerous regional publications in Oregon, Louisiana, South Carolina and the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition, she holds experience in marketing copywriting for companies in the finance and technology space. At CU Times, she covers People and Community news, cybersecurity, fintech partnerships, marketing, workplace culture, leadership, DEI, branch strategies, digital banking and more. She currently works remotely and splits her time between Southern California and Portland, Ore.