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The Carolina Women's Collective is your one-stop shop. This biweekly podcast, hosted by Booth Parker, features interviews with a powerful network of female entrepreneurs and business leaders, sharing their inspiring stories, actionable advice, and industry expertise.
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Booth Parker: [00:00:00] Today on the Carolina Women's Collective Podcast, I am joined by two of the women in leadership roles at First Flight Credit Union President, and CEO Tabitha Allen and VP of Marketing, Laura Satterley. Welcome to the podcast today, ladies.
Laura Satterly: Thank you. Thank you. Glad
Booth Parker: to be here. So can each of you give us a little background about yourself and how you came to first flight?
Booth Parker: Tabitha, I'll start with you.
Tabitha Allen: Well I have been at first flight going on almost 19 years, just in a couple of months. It's hard to even think about what life [00:01:00] was before first flight now. Um, but prior to coming to first Flight, I worked in management roles in both real estate as well as with Marine Corps community services at Cherry Point.
Tabitha Allen: And then I started at first flight in 2000, early January 3rd, 2007. Um, and I have been here ever since. And since that time, I have held. Pretty much executive management roles in just about every single department at the credit union. So well versed in all things credit union operations over my tenure.
Tabitha Allen: So, you know, like I said, it's, it's hard to really envision a life before first flight. I feel like I've kind of grown up here to. You know, so to speak. Just a little bit about myself personally. I am a native of Carteret County. Um, for the most part, I have had the opportunity to raise our children here, which is great.
Tabitha Allen: Um, I'm married to an incredibly supportive man, thank goodness, because, um, doing what I do requires a tremendous amount of support. Uh, we have three children who all have went to high school, either graduated or still in high school here in Carteret [00:02:00] County, so that's also been wonderful as. Well, I volunteer pretty regularly.
Tabitha Allen: I'm on very, a ton of different boards. Um, we serve inside of our church locally. Very active there and busy with all of that. I'm a huge sports fan. I'm a prior athlete. Um, so a lot of my leadership styles and the things that we do at first flight kind of ties back to my early days of being on a team and what that means.
Tabitha Allen: And, you know, then the condit, you know, the legacy continues, right? So you become an, you leave from being an athlete to becoming a sports mom. Um, so that has continued to be the case throughout the majority of my life, and I'm thankful for the opportunity to be here and kind of talk with you today about some of the things we're doing.
Booth Parker: Super. And Laura, how about you?
Laura Satterly: Hi Booth. Um, great to be here with you today. So I am a native of Wilson, North Carolina and always spent time down in Carteret County and, and just had a big heart for it. Um, I have joined first Flight in 2024, um, and I had the opportunity to meet Tabitha and other members of the leadership team and the [00:03:00] staff, and was just so inspired, um, by.
Laura Satterly: All that was happening here, both the legacy of 73 years and, and the looking forward strategy. Um, I, uh, attended UNC Chapel Hill, um, and after that time I moved up to New York and I worked, uh, in various banks up there. So JP Morgan, Citibank, um, and worked, um, both product management and in marketing, which is really my passion.
Laura Satterly: So leading, um, both brand marketing, advertising efforts. But probably my biggest passion is being tied to the community. So, um, and Citi, where I was prior to joining First flight, uh, was on leadership boards for women, and as well as, uh, leading financial literacy programs with a partner we've brought in here today with Junior Achievement.
Laura Satterly: Um, so I'm thrilled to be here with you all. Um, it's so exciting. We have a lot that's happening, um, both from staff perspective and with branding. Um, so we're, we're thrilled to talk to you today.
Booth Parker: Now that we know a little bit about y'all, let's chat First Flight. First flight is a [00:04:00] credit union, not a bank. Can you tell us what the similarities and differences are between a credit union and a bank?
Tabitha Allen: I would say on the surface, credit unions and banks are very similar. You know, we offer the same types of products and services. We have your checking accounts, your auto loans, your mortgages, all of those things. Um, so on the surface they're very similar. The primary difference is kind of the why behind credit unions and banks. The why with the bank is the fact that they have a shareholders. And the why with us is that we are member owned. So we are able to turn our profits back to our members in the forms of lower rates, better fees better products and services reinvestments in our communities.
Tabitha Allen: You know, specifically at first flight, we don't just look at our members as an account number. They're, you know, an actual member, they're a part of our team. They're a part of our family, if you will. We're very relationship first and in our approach, which means that we're not just offering a loan, but we're helping someone [00:05:00] get their first house.
Tabitha Allen: We're helping figure out ways to send kids to college. Um, we're helping them consolidate their debt so that. They are able to breathe easier. It's the opportunity and the real life impact that credit unions provide. That really is the biggest difference I think, between credit unions and banks. You know, in terms of products and services we're almost identical.
Tabitha Allen: Um, otherwise.
Booth Parker: Okay, so you mentioned your members at the credit union and a lot of credit unions have some kind of requirement to be a member, like maybe being in the military or something like that. Does First Flight have requirements to become a member?
Laura Satterly: Laura, do you wanna Sure, I'll explain this. So in this time about mentioned, you know, we talk about members and the membership, um, which is what you might, you know, be used to hearing clients, um, with a bank.
Laura Satterly: Um, and we have a really interesting footprint. We're, we're headquartered, um, in Wake County, um, and then have a branch presence in Eastern North Carolina. Um, but what's really great about first flight is that really we, we can say probably like [00:06:00] all local residents can apply. The way that our charter works, it's, it's, it's a, um, it's, it's not necessarily a closed membership, right?
Laura Satterly: If you work or live in Carteret County, you can become a member. Um, but we also have affiliate community organizations where if folks would like to join First Flight, they can become a member of those organizations. So essentially we, we are able to go out into the community and say, really, all residents can apply.
Laura Satterly: Take advantage of that personalized service, um, the community reinvestment in their own community, as well as the really, you know, competitive products and services that we offer.
Booth Parker: Awesome. So Tabitha, you said you've been at first flight for going on 19 years now, and you took the reins as CEO about two years ago, and during that time there has been a lot of growth at first flight.
Booth Parker: So how have you led this growth and what are some of the key activities and accomplishments you're most proud of?
Tabitha Allen: When you say two years, that seems like you know, [00:07:00] yesterday, an eternity ago at the same time. Um, but I guess it has been two years. It has been an absolute privilege to lead first flight during this like, really exciting chapter.
Tabitha Allen: Over the past two years, we've really focused on growth with the purpose. Um, so it's not just about us getting bigger, it's about us becoming stronger, more connected, you know, to our members and our community. Um, since stepping in as CEO role, we've grown in just about every key performance metrics that financial institutions tracks.
Tabitha Allen: So some of the larger categories would be deposits, loans assets, obviously, um, and members. That's pretty impressive considering as an industry, the in on average, everything has been pretty flat, so that really just shows the hustle that our teams have really worked so hard and you know, really the momentum that we're building.
Tabitha Allen: I'm very, very proud, very inspired by what they have done to be able to do that during the last. Couple of years. Some of [00:08:00] the more tangible things I think that you can see, you know, growth happens kind of in the background, but on the tangible side, some of the things that you can see is we have invested in our branch location.
Tabitha Allen: So when you walk in our branches now, we called it a re-imaging project. Essentially we redecorated. Um, so we have much more inviting for our members. Very comfortable for our staff as well as our members. So we're very excited about that and very proud of what we've been able to do with really upfitting our locations.
Tabitha Allen: We did that at the first of this year in terms of like how I have led that growth, I guess it's really just around rally, like rallying the team, so to speak, um, around the mission and vision that we have created. Excited about it and they're poised to continue with it. And that's really what I think I'm probably most proud of.
Tabitha Allen: You know, it's, at the end of the day, it's not necessarily managed by, you're measured by growth. It's measured by all these different aspects of things. And if I had to say, you know, what my proudest moment is, it's the fact that I can [00:09:00] continue to see what the staff are doing each and every day, and how excited they are to continue to move for first flight into the future for years to come.
Booth Parker: That's awesome. I love hearing that. And you kind of mentioned on the tangible pieces, one of those tangible pieces is that assets have expanded an additional $40 million in those two years. How do you approach the management of such expanding assets while also using them to kind of balance that growth and as you said, to serve your members?
Tabitha Allen: That's a really great question because it is, it's more, like I mentioned, it's more than just growth on a balance sheet, right? It's really a responsibility when you grow assets by 40 million. We wanna really make sure that we're focusing on managing that wisely. That, so when we're strengthening the community, we're strengthening our credit union and we're providing that real value to our members.
Tabitha Allen: Um, we try to take a balanced approach as much as possible. [00:10:00] On one hand, we're very disciplined about, you know, risk management on maintaining strong capital, on ensuring that we're very financially sound. We're on the other hand, we try to be intentional about making sure that. We're using that money to give back to our members as well, rather that be through better interest rates or new lending opportunities.
Tabitha Allen: Um, investing in additional technology or the way that we are expanding our availability for our members to be able to access us. At the end of the day, it's, you know, the measurement of success isn't, isn't the asset size. Measured by the impact you kind of mentioned that and how those assets are put to work and how we're able to continue to invest in our members and invest in our communities.
Tabitha Allen: The balance sheet growth and the service is what keeps us growing. It's what keeps us grounded. Um, but really it's the impact that that balance sheet has and the impact that those assets have in order to continue to move us forward and continue to allow us to be able to give back.
Booth Parker: That's great. I love hearing [00:11:00] how the members are really the center focus of Absolutely.
Booth Parker: So Laura, this question's for you. How do you approach the marketing strategy to continue growth for First flight while also keeping that cohesive brand for the community and members that are the focus?
Laura Satterly: Sure. So with our mission, taking better care, taking better care of our own team, our staff, our, our members, and the community, we really run that theme through everything that we do, including marketing.
Laura Satterly: Um, and so under Tabatha's leadership, we focused a lot internally on our core care values, um, because we know so much of what we do as a credit union. And, um, first flight is bringing that personalized service. Um, so since I've joined, there's been a lot of great work, both internal workshops, training staff events to really train around like core values of the care culture.
Laura Satterly: And then from an external standpoint you know, when I think about marketing, I think you know that the outside should reflect the inside, right? [00:12:00] And so we've spent a lot of time, um, with the entire organization. And we're really excited. We're actually gonna be coming out with some from refresh branding and after October 1st, um, and it's, you'll see a new logo and the logo is a nod to our 73 year legacy of all that has been built here.
Laura Satterly: Um, there, it's forward looking. So it's, it's, we're on this journey together. But at the end of the day, we were literally looking for a symbol that would show the connectivity of, again, the team, uh, the members and the community really being at the heart of everything we do. Um, so we're really excited about that.
Laura Satterly: We also talk about, you know, in terms of marketing, meeting our members where they are. And we, of course, we wanna be everywhere. Um, we wanna be omnichannel. Um, but we wanna make sure, you know, we're still a place where people bank with people, right? We have folks at each of our branches that weren't really welcome folks coming in.
Laura Satterly: We'll make them a cup of coffee. We, we look forward to that, people stopping in our branches. But we also know that, um, more and more folks wanna bank digitally. Um, and there's a lot that we can offer there, um, [00:13:00] from a fraud protection. So we're expanding our technology and our mobile banking abilities.
Laura Satterly: And then, and then it's again, being out in the community, right? Whether it's in person at some of the great events that we're sponsoring. We love that. We're a sponsor of the Carolina Women's Collective. Um, we're partnering with the Rotary We partner, um, in, in, in organizations that are meaningful to our members and our staff, right?
Laura Satterly: And our branch footprints. Um, so being out in the community, um, and. Of course social media is important for us as well as being out in the press, things like that. So really meeting our, our members and our community where they are.
Booth Parker: I love that. Still all about the members everywhere, everything. That's great.
Tabitha Allen: And Laura did not give herself enough credit for the story behind the brand and all the work that, um, they've put in. And the team has really put in, in creating that new logo that we're super excited about. We're days away, literally from launch. So she didn't, she was very humble. In that approach.
Booth Parker: We're excited.
Laura Satterly: We'll get it out and then we will amplify. So we're [00:14:00] excited about that.
Booth Parker: Awesome, awesome. So kind of along those lines, since there's new things happening very, very soon, what are some of the short term and the long-term goals for continued growth?
Tabitha Allen: I would say in the short term, our focus is, again, back to members, right?
Tabitha Allen: So our focus is really deepening those relationships with our existing members, expanding in markets where we feel like we have opportunity to really grow and be a, a presence that is going to help our, the people that live inside of those communities. You know what that means in the short term is continuing to strengthen our deposits and our loan products.
Tabitha Allen: To make sure our staff have the tools and the training to be able to deliver on our mission and vision promise that we have. That kind of goes back to the brand story and the connection that Laura was just talking about with the logo, making sure that we're really delivering on what it is we said we're going to deliver on.
Tabitha Allen: So that's more in the short term. Um, in the long term. What I think we are trying to do is make sure that we become the financial [00:15:00] institution of choice in both Eastern North Carolina as well as Central North Carolina. And that doesn't mean being the biggest. We have some very large players in our markets.
Tabitha Allen: It doesn't mean that we have to be the biggest in order to be the financial institution of choice. It just means that we have to be the most trusted, um, where they feel valued, where people want to come and want to be comfortable asking the financial questions that sometimes are difficult to ask. So that's really what we want to see in the long term.
Tabitha Allen: Um, we realize that trust takes time to build and it takes. Us being constantly present and continuing to deliver. Um, and that's something that we want to really work towards in the long term. But whether it's, you know, short term or long term, our goal's really the same. And that's to grow and to create, you know, more opportunities for our members and our staff and our community to really feel like they have a true financial partner.
Tabitha Allen: Um, in first flight.
Booth Parker: That is a great goal to have. I like that one a lot. And I love the trust, the trust factor, you know? Yeah. Like there's, there's [00:16:00] been a lot of disconnect over the years with, with financial institutions. Absolutely. So having that as a focus is, is super important. Laura, I'm gonna ask you this one.
Booth Parker: First flight is very involved in the community. Y'all both mentioned it several times, so can you share with us some of the community activities and products first flight offers that live that brand promise of people helping people by taking care of the members and staff and the local communities.
Laura Satterly: Sure. And, and this is just something that, um, again, it really attracted me to first flight, um, just day in and day out. It's, everything is centered around the members, but also the care for the community. And so, so First Flight we're supporters of over like 30 organizations and our branch footprint. But I think what is so unique is the question that you asked Booth around how are not only our activities in the community, representative of how much we care about the community, but also our products and services. So we talk about, um, being first flight that we wanna be first, first, first, we wanna be at the, [00:17:00] the, the meaningful first time that you are interacting with financial institution. Um, and that can be everything from your first savings account and your first car.
Laura Satterly: Maybe it's purchasing your first engagement ring. And your, um, your first home. These are the, these are the moments in life, right, that are so meaningful. And then the, the attached financial transaction, right, is, um, something that you need. But these are really about these moments of truth that in milestones in, in their lives.
Laura Satterly: Um, so one of the, the products that we have, um, that we love to talk about, especially around this back to school time, and I have to give a shout out to Tabitha because she was a founder of. These programs. But first we have a Young Savers program, and this is something that is, is really cool. It's a, it's a savings account, um, that a parent or guardian can open for their the youth and their life.
Laura Satterly: And it goes up to age 18. Um, and it allows 'em to save. Um, and then part of that is that we have what we call the Learn to Earn Program. And so kids can earn, earn, learn to earn. At a young age, [00:18:00] um, they can bring the report cards in and we pay them for an A or a B each time that they get their grades. And this mirrors, um, some of the work that we're doing out in the community.
Laura Satterly: Uh, so we have a formal financial literacy program. Um, we actually were awarded, um, a grant this past year, uh, to increase our ability to be in this. Schools both in Eastern North Carolina and in Wake County. Um, and we do that in partnership with our parties that have a curriculum on financial literacy.
Laura Satterly: Um, so we're able to fund both, um, volunteer activities to have computer programming, things that the students can attend to learn about saving. So we feel like it really is a way that we're living our brand promise, right? We are offering products. Um, that, that allow kids to learn to save. And then we're out in the community and our staff is out volunteering, teaching the kids a lot about what they've learned at working at First Life.
Booth Parker: That's great. I'm hearing like teaching people how to better themselves. It goes beyond, you know, just the money right this [00:19:00] second. It's. It's the transactions you were talking about and then learning all of the tools that better oneself, which in turn betters the community. So that's just super. So that's gonna perfectly lead me into my next question about culture.
Booth Parker: So culture is a huge factor in the success of any organization. How does a C-suite, so to speak, that includes women in leadership roles, kind of set the quote, unquote tone at the top, as we've always heard, and how would you describe that culture at first flight?
Tabitha Allen: You know, it is, I'm a huge believer, first off in the fact that culture will eat strategy for breakfast every single day, right?
Tabitha Allen: So you can have the best strategic plan in the entire world, and if you do not have the staff aligned to be able to get you there, and you don't have the culture that will allow you to get you there, it's literally not worth. The piece of paper it's written on. Um, so culture is everything. Um, that's something that I am very proud of that we have spent the last couple of years really [00:20:00] honing in on at first flight.
Tabitha Allen: Probably the greatest amount of effort has went into the creation of that culture. I think when we began to reshape the culture with me taking the CEO role I wanted the culture to be authentically who we are. Um, so I think it's easy for us because we really have created a culture around who we are as people.
Tabitha Allen: Um, we looked at the fact that we have you know, different people from different walks of life. You mentioned we do have a lot of, you know, women and key senior management type roles, but we have a diverse group and, you know, they all bring diverse ideas and diverse things to the table. But we wanted to make sure that collectively.
Tabitha Allen: We were working, you know, and had a culture that was developed around who we each are as people. So I think that has really been tremendously helpful in helping us really carry forth this culture. Culture to me is when someone walks in the door, they feel it, right? If they're interacting with us online, they should feel it.
Tabitha Allen: Um, with a lot of our leadership team [00:21:00] being women, um, I think that you have different perspectives, as I mentioned, but you also have. More collaboration perhaps, um, that you see in other companies. It's sometimes forced collaboration. You're gonna talk to us, you know, regardless, kind of thing. Um, but you do have more collaboration and I think that's really helped define our culture and develop our culture into what it is today.
Tabitha Allen: For us. You know, it's not just. What we say, we talk about the care culture. It is defined based on the principles of caring for our members, caring for our staff, and caring for our communities, as Laura has kind of alluded to earlier. But it's, we live it every day because it is just who we simply are.
Tabitha Allen: You know, if we're modeling this behavior consistently, it doesn't matter if we're sitting in a boardroom today, out visiting a branch, you know, wherever we are, it is who we are. And it just really allows for it to flow very naturally through the organization. And that alignment to me is what's really driving our success, truth be told and helping us stay grounded in, [00:22:00] you know, our mission and our vision of becoming what this financial institution of choices that we're striving so hard to become.
Booth Parker: That's great. Laura, do you have anything to add on the culture piece?
Laura Satterly: Um, it's, it's just been awesome, I would say, um, to experience this. Um, you know, as a marketer, I love to, I love to package things, but it's really about, um, I heard someone say culture's what they say, you know, when, when you're not in the room, right?
Laura Satterly: And so I think, um, the, the leader, it, it. It, it starts, start from the top, but, and it's so authentic here, right? It's authentic. People truly care. Um, and I also have to, I have to brag on top of that, I do think that her athletic background, um, in storytelling and sharing, um, the Tabitha and the leadership team as well as our board, we've had, um, some really great warm events where folks have and panel style shared.
Laura Satterly: Um, right. Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable and, and, and practicing right in training sessions. So I think it is, um, while it's very authentic, I do think the focus on it has been very [00:23:00] intentional. Um, and I give a lot of credit to the leadership and the board and, and folks really rallying behind that and taking the time to invest internally because we, we do believe what we do in, you know, internally will, will essentially come back to the members of the community.
Booth Parker: Awesome. So, Tabitha, back to you. As a mom in a prominent and demanding role, which your CEO role and mom role are both prominent and demanding, what advice do you have for other women that are trying to find that elusive? I have to use the word balance, even though some people don't really like it so much, which finding that balance between the leadership role and being a present parent and all the service into the community.
Tabitha Allen: Uh, that's a good question, right? If anyone had found that magic answer, we probably wouldn't have to be having this conversation. Um, I, I think balance is a moving target, and I don't know that there's a perfect formula for it by any stretch of the [00:24:00] imagination. Um, I read a book a number of years ago called Power Moms, and if you haven't read it, I would recommend everyone to read it.
Tabitha Allen: If you're in any type of leadership role and trying to balance. The family and you know, climbing a corporate ladder, so to speak. But essentially what the book is about is it's about executive mothers in several different decades and the challenges that they had, you know, trying to raise a family and do the career thing at one time and they used to turn there, that just has like, it hit me right between the eyes and it's something that I've really tried to use since I've read it and since I've heard it and they use the term.
Tabitha Allen: Sway. So to me, it's not balance, it's sway. And that just simply just resonates because it allows me to align with wherever I am. So if I'm at work, I can, you know, be at work. If I'm at home, I can be at home. If I'm at in the community, I can be at in the community, I can feel really present wherever it is that I am.
Tabitha Allen: Um, so I think it, it's more the sway [00:25:00] and it, you know, giving myself the grace. To be like not everything at one time. 'cause you know, it's impossible to juggle. How do you juggle all of that? I have not found that, you know, the perfect answer to that today. Um, but I think, you know, being able to kind of sway back and forth and being present where you are is what's really been very helpful to me.
Tabitha Allen: You know. It's not about perfection. I mean, it's not, it's about being authentic. It's about showing up. It's about doing the very best you can. I have learned over time that, you know, you just, you, you have to lean on other people. You have to develop a support system. You don't have to do it all. Um.
Tabitha Allen: We have so many modern conveniences that we just simply need to take advantage of instead of, you know, wearing ourselves totally out by that instead of make it, you know, hire that person and work a lot. I had a meeting several, it's probably been a year or so ago with our senior management team and I talked to 'em about the fact that it's not always the, the how, but sometimes it's the who [00:26:00] you know.
Tabitha Allen: So go find yourself some who's, um, to kind of help you with some of these things. Um, and if you can do that, I think that that really, really will help you balance everything out to the best of your ability and just be, be who you are. I think the more you are being authentically yourself and not worrying so much about perfection and not letting someone else.
Tabitha Allen: Define what your balance should look like. The more permission you're giving people that's coming behind you, the next generation of moms and working moms, so to speak, to be able to, you know, define their own rhythm so that it's not all things to everyone. It's, you know, just being present where you are every single day.
Booth Parker: Yeah, I like that word, sway. I like that a lot. And being able to be present and. What you're doing right now, focus intentional with it. That that is, that is great. That is, that is great. And I haven't read that book, so I wrote it down because I'm a vigorous, I'm gonna have to have to check that one out. So you have climbed the ladder at [00:27:00] first flight.
Booth Parker: You've been there almost 19 years. You've worn a lot of hats. Um, you've filled many key roles. What advice do you have for young professionals who are beginning their careers? With a leadership position as their goal.
Tabitha Allen: I have two thoughts, but let me share this first. Um, one is, well before I even get into the thoughts on that, is not everyone is like you.
Tabitha Allen: Um, and if you can learn that early on in your career, that will help you so much. It that is tough to face. You kind of just assume everyone has the same mindset and the same goals that you have That is not. True statement at all. So if you can get that outta your mind, I think that will help you tremendously, kind of climb a ladder.
Tabitha Allen: Um, but the two thoughts I have around that is be curious. Ask a ton of questions. Learn new skills and look at those challenges that are in front of you as opportunities. The second thing I would say is you really just need to lean into relationships and, you know, [00:28:00] leadership's not about title. It is about influence, in my opinion, and about impact.
Tabitha Allen: You know, there is so much value in just showing up and being that team player and recognizing that you know, those challenges that are in front of you are opportunities. Say yes. Say yes, even if it scares you a little bit. Um, because I do believe that that's where some of that leadership muscle is built.
Tabitha Allen: Begin to become very comfortable in uncomfortable situations. Um, when you're in a leadership role, there is not a map in front of you that says like, you do these five things in order to get this result, because we have that challenge of people that come into play and there is no perfect roadmap. So you just have to be really comfortable with kind of.
Tabitha Allen: You know, again, getting back to the sway, but kind of dodging yourself through things. So get comfortable being uncomfortable and just, you know, healthy anxiety's. Okay. It's all right to, you know, push yourself to that limit so that you can, you know, continue to build those skills. And it's a learning curve, right?
Tabitha Allen: Like you're gonna learn something new every day. [00:29:00] I'm in a CEO seat today, but you know, I've been in a management seat. I've been in a vice. Present seat. You know, I've been in all these different seats and I've learned something all along the way. Just continue to be that forever learner read. I mean, I could not read, just simply read.
Tabitha Allen: If you can read and be a self-learner, it's amazing what you can do, um, to be able to climb that ladder.
Booth Parker: And Laura, I'm gonna put that question kind of on you as well. You came from a small town, you went to New York, worked for some really big banks, and now you're back in a small town, you know, more community focused.
Booth Parker: What advice do you have for someone who maybe thinks they want the big city but they're still kind of tied to their small town roots? 'cause that's a, that's a big journey to navigate.
Laura Satterly: Right, you're right. Faith. Um, and, and I think a lot of, you know what Tabitha said, I think be authentic. Right? I think, um, when I think about my time, um, in, in New York, I was kind of actually known for being, um, a, a, a woman from North Carolina.
Laura Satterly: And [00:30:00] that was, that's just who I am, right? And so I think being authentic, um, is important. Um, one of the things that I ask young people a lot when they're, you know, trying to think about what they wanna go into is I'll say, well, what are, you know, what are, what are you the go-to? Person for right now, you know, where are you a go-to person?
Laura Satterly: 'cause ultimately you're always building your own brand. Um, and in that, you know, it's, there's usually two parts, right? What are you good at and what do you really enjoy doing? And as a, when I mentor women, I, I try to explain that leadership, you do not necessarily have to have direct reports, right? To demonstrate leadership.
Laura Satterly: Leadership can be organizing a group of folks who volunteer in the community, right? Leadership can be at your church. Um, leadership can be helping pitch in for a project that's in another department. Um, and so that's something I also encourage folks is to, as having said, say yes, right? Have courage, um, and do what you are asked to do really well.
Laura Satterly: Um, and you'll become that go-to person for whatever that is, and that will ultimately open doors in other, in other roles, and, [00:31:00] and you'll feel good, right? Because it, um, it's rewarding because you're good at it. Um, that's just something that I also suggest. But with regards to being back and in North Carolina, um, and I'm always loved North Carolina, so it just feels like a big hug.
Laura Satterly: Um, but I think it's, um, you know, I've worked with financial literacy programs, um, in the Northeast, but we're doing that here. So I think just bringing every opportunity, um, and, and experience to what you're doing, but then also really listening and learning from those around you. So I've spent, um, you know, a lot of time being curious here of what works well, um, and, and how I can help the team or learn from the team, um, through listening and asking a lot of questions.
Booth Parker: I'm hearing a lot of step outside of your comfort zone from y'all. So I like that a lot because once you step outside it, it, it becomes the new normal and then you just keep pushing yourself. So I love that so much. So last question for y'all. What type of legacy would you like to leave at first flight?
Tabitha Allen: [00:32:00] Hmm, I guess I'll go first. I would say that my, my hope is that, that my legacy is one of care and impact. You know, that I've helped position first flight in a sustainable and very intentional ways so that it continues to grow. Um, but also that I've built a culture where people really, truly feel valued and supported and inspired to be the very best that they can be.
Tabitha Allen: I want members to, you know, look back at. Their time at first flight and say that first flight really made a difference when it mattered most to me. I want our staff to be very proud of being. A part of something bigger than you know, what they are and bigger inside of their community. I want it, I just really, truly want it to be, you know, made a difference.
Tabitha Allen: You know? So if I had to summarize that, I guess I would say, you know, obviously I want growth. We're a financial institution, right? So I want my legacy to be one of growth. But growth more than numbers, and I want it to be a part of expansion, expanding people professionally, expanding our, you [00:33:00] know, footprint as a company.
Tabitha Allen: Um, but really one of care where people really feel important and valued. I, that's probably the legacy that I really hope to leave.
Booth Parker: How about you, Laura?
Laura Satterly: Well, that, that was, that was pretty good. So, but to build on that as well, um, you know, I think what's always attracted me to the financial services industry is that the ability to impact people's lives, right?
Laura Satterly: It's so tied into everything we do. And so I think at the end of the day, again, if we can make anyone's lives. You know, better, healthier, more positive. Um, with what we're able to bring from a product and servicing perspective. They're able to help our communities, um, and, and all the wonderful things.
Laura Satterly: There's so many wonderful folks, um, running so many wonderful organizations that we can partner with as x. Per, um, to bring great services, uh, to our communities. Um, and from a staff perspective, um, there's, that just gives me so much joy, right? To see folks, um, evolving in their career and growing [00:34:00] surpassing, right?
Laura Satterly: Any knowledge that, um, we might be able to to share with them. So that's, um, again, just segment with that framework. Um, seeing the impacts of the care culture on what it can do, you know, ultimately for the, um, the folks at our community.
Booth Parker: Awesome. I love all of that. So Tabatha and Laura, this has been wonderful.
Booth Parker: It is easy to see why it's such a welcoming place to walk into first flight for the members. Y'all are truly inspiring your leadership and the growth and success of First Flight. I just hope it continues on for both of you. And thank you for your time today.
Tabitha Allen: Thank you. Thanks. [00:35:00]