From left: Conference co-hosts Sara Critchfield and Scott Bales hold a “fireside chat” with outspoken author/serial entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk.

“Empathy is the greatest trait I have,” said Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO/co-founder of VaynerMedia. “It makes me a great salesperson.”

“If you had to sum up your CU with one word, what would it be?” Sara Critchfield, founding editorial director of Upworthy, asked attendees. She said that word should be “purpose.”

The competitive advantage of fintech companies is their ability to connect with people, said digital strategist Scott Bales. “People helping people… it’s where everyone is heading.”

Moneythink CEO Ted Gonder urged attendees to “unleash the power of a simple idea,” in his company’s case, financial education for teens.

Increasingly, companies that meld business goals with a social mission are those that succeed, said CO-OP’s Samantha Paxson.

CO-OP Financial Services unveiled CO-OP Purpose, a new corporate social responsibility program for credit unions. From left are CO-OP’s Samantha Paxson, Yoobi’s Ido Leffler, USC CU’s Irene Rodriguez and Ivonet Gomez, and Upworthy’s Sara Critchfield.