In Mark Arnold's dictionary, branding has two definitions.

The textbook example: "Your brand really is a reflection of the holistic personality of your credit union."

The real-world meaning: "Branding is everything, from the board room to the break room to the back room. Everything impacts your brand at the credit union," he tells the CUNA News Podcast.

The road to a better brand is filled with potholes, and Arnold has made a career of guiding credit unions to their destination unscathed.

A former CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council Marketing Professional of the Year, he now owns On the Mark Strategies, which specializes in strategic branding, planning, and marketing.

Arnold covers all those subjects in this week's episode, and also reflects on one of the most pivotal conversations of his life—when a former boss provided a lifetime of inspiration by telling Arnold he'd never make it as a marketer.

You can listen and subscribe to the CUNA News Podcast in Apple’s iTunes Store, Google Play, and Stitcher Radio.