Welcome back to our Compliance Superhero Series! Every month, we highlight a compliance professional who we feel is doing excellent work and ask them about their background, their thoughts on the industry, and any hidden superpowers they have. I’ve reached out to Marvel about adding them to the next phase of the MCU, but in the meantime, you can get to know them here. This month, we’re highlighting Nicole Pullman, a Marketing Compliance Manager at Central Payments. The interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
Welcome! Tell me a little bit about yourself and your role at Central Payments.
Hello! I’ve been with Central Payments for about two years. As the Marketing Compliance Manager, I review disclosures (like our account agreements and fee schedules), review all of our marketing and program materials, and manage our periodic audits.
What was your path to the compliance space?
I have a bit of an atypical journey–my degree is in journalism, which eventually led me to PR and marketing work and jobs at banks and payment companies on the marketing side of the house. At those companies, I had a number of really talented legal and compliance colleagues who took the time to explain why they were making the redlines they were on marketing materials.
That got me more interested in the compliance side, and I grew to appreciate why operating within compliance guidelines makes things so much easier for everyone.
What compels you about the work you do?
Compliance programs are often seen as “business interrupters,” and–maybe because of my previous experience–I’ve always been eager to change that idea.
We’re flipping the script at Central Payments, and viewing marketing and product as partners helping to achieve business objectives in a way that protects everybody involved—companies we work with, the bank itself, and, most importantly, the consumer.
What’s your biggest piece of advice for a successful compliance program?
There are multiple facets to a really good compliance program, but from my experience, I’d say that education and communication are vital. Stay up-to-date on regulations. Know what’s going on in the industry. Subscribe to podcasts, read newsletters, read blogs, take advantage of the many many fantastic free webinars out there from experts in the space.
In terms of communication, don’t hoard key information. Pass along the crucial information that managers and analysts need to do their jobs.
What tools–software or otherwise–are most important for your work?
We’re a Smartsheet shop. It’s our work management and collaboration platform, and I eat, sleep, and breathe it. It’s where I spend my days.
How does PerformLine fit into the work you do?
So glad you asked–I have to give a big kudos to the PerformLine team. They worked with us to integrate with Smartsheet, which has allowed us to automate our initial reviews of the partner marketing materials right in the platform where all of our communication is happening. It saves me and my team a tremendous amount of time and makes us more efficient.
Then of course, the social and web channels are crucial for us to monitor for unapproved materials, consumer complaints, and even any negative reviews of our products.
What do you see happening within the compliance space in the next 1-2 years?
I see regulatory scrutiny and enforcement actions materially increasing. Banking-as-a-Service banks with fintech tie ups will be under the microscope as regulators get a handle on BaaS. I think we’ll also see the CFPB and other agencies continue their emphasis on consumer protection using UDAAP as a basis for rule-making and non-rulemaking guidance.
What’s your secret superpower?
Maybe it’s my journalism background, but I’m a REALLY good observer. I have a great attention to detail, and can really focus on the particulars to make sure they’re correct.
Rhonda McGill