The People Part of Financial Services

 “Technology can only do so much. At the end of the day, it’s people who need to use that technology.” - James Robert Lay 

Season 4 of Powered by Instinct kicks off with a look at the importance of human relationships when dealing with complicated industries like finance and technology. In this episode, host Eric Herrera explores the intersection of human behavior and digital finance with James Robert Lay and Audrey Cannata from the Digital Growth Institute.

James Robert emphasizes the importance of people in leveraging technology for financial growth, while Audrey shares her transition from teaching to digital finance and the critical role understanding her instinctive strengths played in that journey. 

They also delve into the dynamics at play in key working relationships, how to form a dynamic duo with someone who has very different natural strengths, and how Digital Growth uses Kolbe both to cater to their clients’ strengths and to help financial brands level up their digital growth process. 

Host: Eric Herrera (5392)

 Guests-at-a-Glance

💡 Names: James Robert Lay (3294); Audrey Cannata  (6734)

💡What they do: Founder and CEO; Operations Lead

💡Company: Digital Growth Institute

💡Noteworthy: James Robert is focused on inspiring human transformation in marketing and sales teams within financial brands, aiming to elevate their loan and deposit growth​; Audrey collaborates with James Robert at Digital Growth Institute, contributing to research and coaching that facilitate human transformation in the financial sector.

💡 Where to find them: James Robert: LinkedIn; Audrey Cannata: LinkedIn

Embracing Transparency and Honesty in Team Dynamics

Audrey highlights the importance of transparency and honesty in team dynamics. She describes how their team practices radical honesty, allowing them to openly communicate their energy levels and adjust plans accordingly. This approach fosters a more understanding and effective work environment.

"That allows us to be just really radically honest and transparent with each other [...] I can tell that to James Robert and vice versa. He can tell me, ‘Audrey, I am spent. Can we like pause on this meeting, or can we adjust our plans?’"

Adapting to Unforeseen Challenges

James Robert shares a practical example of adapting to unforeseen challenges. He recounts his experience of having a book launch disrupted by the pandemic and how he pivoted his approach. His story illustrates the importance of resilience and flexibility in the face of unexpected circumstances.

"I wrote a book, Eric, that was scheduled to be published in April of 2020 [...] all of the conferences that I was supposed to be going to speak at, to do a launch tour, they all literally got shut down within two to three weeks."

The Personal Impact of Kolbe

Audrey speaks about the personal and transformative impact Kolbe has had on her life. She expresses gratitude for the self-awareness and growth that Kolbe has enabled, both professionally and personally, and shares her enthusiasm for being part of the Kolbe community.

"I truly believe that Kolbe is such a gift, and it is such a gift to know thyself [...] It's been personally very transformative for me. And I just appreciate being able to continuously share this with those in our community and members and even people in my personal life."