From stalled to scaled: iTHINK Financial’s video journey

As a $2.2B credit union serving more than 116,000 members across Florida and Georgia, iTHINK Financial knew that modern member and employee engagement depended on clear, accessible digital communication. However, beyond recognizing video’s potential, the organization struggled to implement it effectively, let alone make it scalable. 

For iTHINK Financial, video wasn’t a “nice to have.” It was a missing link.

Before SundaySky, video creation was slow, expensive, and out of reach for most teams.

“Before SundaySky, our video communication was stalled… We were forced to outsource, resulting in a system that was both costly and inefficient, where even minor edits took days and compounded expenses. Creating more than 1 video every three months was a lot.” — Stephen Johnson, AVP Administration & Marketing, iTHINK Financial

That bottleneck limited how often iTHINK Financial could educate members, train employees, or roll out new initiatives. Video existed, yes, but it couldn’t scale.

The challenge: Knowing video matters, without a way to use it

iTHINK Financial understood that video was how members preferred to learn. Stephen Johnson, AVP Administration & Marketing at iTHINK Financial, has spent nearly two decades at the credit union and saw the gap firsthand.

“We knew video was crucial.”

But knowing video mattered wasn’t the same as being able to use it effectively. Without easy-to-use software or in-house video expertise, iTHINK Financial relied on outside vendors. That meant long turnaround times, high costs, and little flexibility when content needed updating.

Internally, the problem was just as clear: training programs were long, repetitive, and difficult to update. Company-wide communications, from recognition programs to employee events, struggled to hold attention, especially across multiple regions.

iTHINK Financial needed a way to make video creation accessible to everyday employees, not just specialists.

Why SundaySky: From outsourcing to empowerment

SundaySky stood out as a solution because it removed the two biggest barriers holding iTHINK Financial back: complexity and cost.

“SundaySky wasn’t just a platform; it was the solution that immediately addressed all of our core challenges.”

With an affordable licensing model that could be shared across departments, iTHINK Financial wasn’t forced to centralize video creation or limit access. Just as important was the learning curve—or lack of one.

“After brief self-service training, employees with no prior video experience were suddenly empowered to produce content.”

Instead of outsourcing video work, iTHINK Financial could now bring it in-house without needing to hire editors, designers, or production teams. The platform’s intuitive design meant employees could focus on the message rather than the mechanics.

Johnson also emphasized the importance of long-term partnership:

“SundaySky’s commitment to continuous improvement means the platform constantly evolves, enhancing the user experience for our teams and the viewing experience for our members.”

The video journey: From member education to internal engagement

Once video became accessible, iTHINK Financial didn’t limit it to a single use case. Teams across the organization began using SundaySky to communicate more clearly and more frequently.

One early example was a member-facing rollout of Zelle. While the product itself wasn’t new, the experience was: members had to access Zelle through online banking rather than the standalone app many were used to.

Rather than relying on written instructions, iTHINK Financial created a short video that walked members through the process step by step.

“It was about two minutes… how to go ahead and perform a Zelle transaction.”

Video allowed iTHINK Financial to introduce the product, explain behavioral changes, and reduce friction all at once. Built-in accessibility features also mattered:

“Closed captioning happens automatically… and if for some reason it doesn’t, you can actually go in and edit it.”

Internally, the impact was just as significant. Training programs that once took three full days were redesigned into video-based learning experiences.

“We used to put our new employees through three days of consumer lending training… [with SundaySky] we’re able to take that content and put it into training, cut down to about four hours.”

Because videos could be updated and republished without having to start from scratch, teams could easily keep training current even as procedures changed.

Video also transformed how iTHINK Financial recognized and engaged employees. A live awards ceremony that once took 30–40 minutes was condensed into a five-minute video and shared with employees across broader regions.

“We see employees clapping and cheering… employees are engaging with the content a lot better now because of video.”

Even attendance at employee events improved after iTHINK Financial used video to show what those events were really like.

“Our attendance went up by 25% in each of the regions that we have.”

More recently, iTHINK Financial began experimenting with AI-generated avatars to promote recurring member webinars internally—giving employees a simple, repeatable way to stay informed and spread the word.

“We did end up seeing about 50 percent more registrations from that,” said Johnson.

Lessons learned: When video is easy, adoption rises

One of the biggest takeaways for iTHINK Financial was how much speed changes behavior.

Johnson cited one video in particular, created by a younger employee familiar with digital tools:

“She indicated that it took her just under an hour from start to finish.”

That included drafting, review, and final production, not just editing. As a result, video stopped being a special project and became part of the regular workflow.

“At the low end we tend to produce about three SundaySky videos a month… at the high end it’s 12.”

Because videos could serve both members and employees, teams also avoided duplicating effort:

“A video that we were planning to use that was for a member… we don’t have to recreate that video for an employee.”

Results: Faster creation, better experiences, real impact

Today, video plays a central role in how iTHINK Financial communicates, both internally with employees and externally with credit union members.

Seven employees across three departments, many of whom with no prior video experience, now create video content confidently. What once took hours now takes just one. Video creation time has been cut by 75%, with polished videos averaging about an hour from start to finish. Within a single month, teams produced 12 unique videos—a pace that would have been unthinkable before.

Just as important are the softer results. As iTHINK Financial expanded its digital-first approach, member satisfaction followed.

“Employees and members are happier… it’s resulting in what we hoped it would—a better member experience.”

Johnson sees the ripple effects clearly, from improved internal efficiency to positive member feedback and organic growth.

“It’s definitely helping us grow, manage our business better, and reach our mission.”