So Kent, What Do You Do?

That is the question that has been posed to me by just about everyone at TFCU over the past 4 months. The scary thing. My wife asked me this last week. And I give her a daily recap, every day!!

Here is a typical Q & A of a conversation that follows the "titled" question:
(For the purpose of this conversation, we will call the employee I am talking to Ben)

Ben: So Kent, what are you doing now?
Kent: I am on a Radical Sabbatical with the Filene Research Institute, focused on implementing some really innovative projects that their i3 teams created.
Ben: Um, Okay...
Kent: Filene is a organization that supports the Credit Union Movement through open source innovation and academic research. I am helping them focus on implementing the innovation. So I am talking with credit unions about why the three projects that I am working on are so cool. TFCU loaned me to them for 6 months.
Ben: So what do you actually do?
Kent: I work on the Internet a lot, and I am on the phone a lot. I work with Maureen from Madison, she is basically a mentor, teaching me a whole bunch of stuff, she does most of the writing and stuff, while I host a blog, call CUs, and keep track of all the people we talk to. We are a very good balance for each other. She keeps me focused, I keep her from focusing too much. What we do changes a bunch, but we basically just put all our efforts into pushing our projects forward in implementation.
Ben: So do you travel and stuff?
Kent: Yea, I travel some. I have been few places for meetings with Filene, but I have also been able to go and tell people about the projects and about the cool things that Filene is doing.
Ben: Do you like it?
Kent: I love it. I have met some amazing people in the Credit Union movement. I am working with a team from the 30 under 30 group with Filene focused on Gen Y. I have met people at CUNA, CUES, the World Council, Texas CUL, oh and I have made about 30 new friends on twitter.
Ben: Twitter?
Kent: Yea, it is like a super IM. I have group conversations with CU people from all over. Alberta, Canada, Maine, Cali, Texas, Wisconsin, Washington, North Carolina, and more. It is a cool way to talk about things going on in the CU world, without leaving my desk.
Ben: So what are you going to do when your 6 months are over?
Kent: I don't know. I will be done in June, and I will be back focused strictly on TFCU. Whatever I do, I know that I want to maintain all my contacts from Twitter and other social media. I also know that I have seen a lot of really cool things, that could really help TFCU. It's awesome being a part of something as big as the Credit Union Movement.
Ben: Cool. (Walks off and stops to talk to his buddy Ryan)

Ben to Ryan: "See I told you, Kent just plays on the Internet all day, he even said something about that cartoon character Tweety."


So What do I do?? Simply put, for 6 months, Maureen and I are doing everything possible to move the needle of implementation for MatriMoney, Prize-Based Savings, and the Savings Revolution.