Memaw’s photos and credit reports: Both tell a story!

Let me tell you about my mom. She’s the sweetest Southern woman you’ll ever meet, but she has this thing about taking pictures. Not the posed, pretty ones, mind you—I’m talking about photos when I least expect them. I could be mid-bite at lunch, deep in thought, or generally caught in an unflattering moment, and there she is, phone in hand. And where do these masterpieces end up?  On her three Facebook pages. Yes, three. Why does she need three? I have no idea. But each one is filled with these awkward, unflattering photos, usually captioned with something like “Love my  daughter!”

I’m usually tipped off about these surprise photos by my daughter, who loves to chime in with, “Memaw posted the best picture of you today, haha!” Her excitement only deepens my dread. I could be slumped over, caught mid-blink, or striking some awkward pose—and suddenly, it’s out there for all of Facebook to see. And here’s the kicker: I’ve always hated being photographed. But as President and CEO, I’ve had to learn to grin and bear it. It comes with the job. So now, whenever I see her reach for her phone, I put on my best “resting smile face” and just hope for the best.

At first, I cringed every time one of these photos popped up. I couldn’t for the life of me understand why my mom, with her camera angles straight out of a nightmare, felt the need to share these with her entire Facebook empire. Finally, one day, I couldn’t take it anymore and asked her, “Mom, why do you keep posting these terrible pictures of me?”

Her response? “What? I love them.”

For years, I couldn’t wrap my head around this. Why would she like these photos that made me cringe? But then, one day, it dawned on me: to my mom, there is no bad picture of me. I’m her daughter, and in her eyes, I’m always beautiful—no matter how unflattering the angle. It doesn’t matter if I’m mid-chew, caught off guard, or if my hair is doing something crazy. My Southern mom has this incredible ability to see the good in everything and everyone, especially when it comes to her family.

And that’s when it struck me: this is exactly how we, as credit union professionals, should approach our members’ credit scores.

Much like those surprise photos, credit scores can catch people off guard. They might not look as polished as we—or our members—would like. Maybe they’re a little lower than expected, or maybe they’ve had some rough patches. But just like my mom sees no “bad” photos, we need to look beyond the numbers and see the potential in every member.

At Acclaim Federal Credit Union, we see credit scores as just one part of the bigger picture. It’s easy to get focused on the numbers, but those scores are just snapshots of a member’s financial journey. What matters is what we do to help them improve and reach their goals. We believe in their potential, just like my mom believes in me—even in my mid-chew glory.

Now, let’s be real. I’m never going to recommend my mom to photograph your headshot or family pictures. But I understand her perspective more now. To her, every picture is precious because it’s part of my story. And at our credit union, every credit score is part of a member’s story, and it’s our job to help them shape that story into something beautiful.

As credit union leaders, we know members come to us for more than just accounts and loans. They come to us for guidance, support, and someone who believes in their potential, even when their credit score doesn’t look its best. It’s up to us to provide the tools and resources they need to take control of their financial picture—and help them see their future the way we do, full of promise.

So, the next time a member expresses concerns about their credit score, channel a little bit of  Memaw’s wisdom: there’s no “bad” score, just one with room to grow. Let’s empower our members to take control of their financial snapshots and show them how to improve their credit story.

And who knows—just like I’ve learned to grin and bear it whenever my mom pulls out her phone, maybe one day, our members will look back and appreciate the progress they’ve made, with a financial picture they can be proud of.