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In 2013, I came out to my brother. Sitting down at dinner, knowing whole-heartedly that he would fully accept me and nothing with our relationship would change, I was still scared. Each year on October 11, National Coming Out Day, I reflect on that first coming out experience and what I truly feared. Even though I knew I was safe, I also knew that coming out to him was just the start of coming out every single day for the rest of my life. It was the start of facing discrimination and judgment both in day-to-day life and professionally. It wasn’t a decision I made lightly. Coincidently, my brother came out to me at that very same dinner which certainly took some weight and anxiety off my shoulders. We came out to our family, together later that week and we were welcomed with love, acceptance, and support. The unconditional support I received is not normal, but my anxiety around the process was. I am grateful and quite lucky that my initial coming out process to my family was, for lack of a better term, easy. Like many others I don’t experience that same ease everywhere I go. I have been asked to leave restaurants, turned away from stores, spat on multiple times, and even asked to leave mass during service. I am regularly questioned when entering or leaving a women’s public restroom. Michele Bodda, our executive co-sponsor of Experian’s Pride employee resource group, said it perfectly in her message two years ago, “The difficulty some of our LGBT+ colleagues face making daily decisions about where they can be fully present aren’t merely insecurities. They are the realities of being LGBT+.” Let that sink in. Coming out is not a one and done experience, it is something we do over and over throughout our lives. That reality impacts people in different ways, and it’s why acknowledging National Coming Out Day means so much to me – why it means so much to many others. I feel particularly fortunate to work for a company that celebrates and recognizes our uniqueness. I know many people at Experian, like myself, who feel empowered and supported to bring their whole self to work and that reality is assuring, professionally and personally. I have been told I am brave for bringing forth my full authentic self each day. During a time of such global anxiety, uncertainty, and open expressions of intolerance and hatred, being a voice of empowerment, representation, and visibility for folks who do not feel comfortable being out is more important than ever. I’m willing to be a voice so others know they are not alone. Be brave with me. And if you’re not ready, I understand. I’m here for you when you are.

In a world that was already becoming increasingly digital, COVID-19 expedited timelines and turned forecasted projects into immediate needs nearly overnight. I’ve seen this play out in my role at Experian as well as across the financial services industry. Experian was recognized as an innovative company prior to the pandemic and the current environment has only accelerated our ability to innovate. As we surpassed the six month mark adjusting to our new normal, I was invited to join Bloomberg’s Future of Finance: Leveraging Digital Transformation for a Virtual World roundtable discussion with Senior Analyst of Bloomberg Intelligence Julia Chariell and leaders from IBM, Ally Financial, Deutsche Bank and others, to share how we are rising to meet the needs of consumers and lenders during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can find a recap of our conversation here and view the full  video discussion here. We know each American is facing unique COVID-19-related circumstances, so there is not a one-size-fits-all solution. This notion has carried us as we are rising to meet the needs of our clients and consumers during the pandemic. We must allow individuals who can still meet their financial obligations to have access to credit and ensure lenders can identify them. Maintaining and improving financial access for these consumers will play an important role in our road to economic recovery. To continue to lend responsibly, the financial services industry must carefully examine all aspects of consumer financial capability in near real-time – consumer control and consumer-permissioned data play a key role in achieving this. By leveraging accurate data, I believe we have a chance to lessen the impact of the current U.S. economic crisis, extend credit responsibly, and support the hardest-hit consumers as we adjust to a new world post COVID-19.

Identity has always been the cornerstone of the advertising ecosystem; the connective tissue that helps brands create a more relevant experience for consumers. For the past 20-plus years, identity has heavily relied on the third-party cookie. But with the third-party cookie set to become obsolete in the next year and a half, and to a lesser, unknown extent, Apple’s pullback on the identifier for advertisers (IDFA), the industry needs to re-evaluate and adapt.   Without the third-party cookie, identity is a bit more complicated. Consumers engage brands through hundreds of different devices, apps and channels—and with walled gardens and disparate data sources, it’s tough to connect these digital touchpoints together. Add to that, the hundreds of offline interactions consumers have, and the single-customer view is unattainable; at least without the right data resources and partners. With little concrete direction on how to move forward in the post-cookie world, finding the right identity resolution partner can help you connect digital and offline touchpoints and better understand consumers.   Forrester recently released its Now Tech: Identity Resolution, Q3 2020 report, identifying 28 identity resolution providers that can help with identity data management, analysis and measurement. Experian is proud to be included on the list.   These identity resolution products serve a number of different use cases and it is important to select a vendor that you can trust while navigating this dynamic market. The new report states “Marketers must proactively calculate how industry changes impact identity resolution and marketing efforts, evaluate current partners’ ability to accommodate changes, and consider alternative providers and approaches.”  Finding new ways to approach identity resolution is challenging in such a dynamic industry; the path forward likely isn’t rooted in a single identifier. Experian is committed to helping you resolve consumer identities. Our solutions connect consumers at every touchpoint and execute matching in a privacy-compliant manner.  The phase-out of third-party cookies has already changed the advertising industry as we know it. But the deprecation of third-party cookies does not mean then end of people-based advertising; we still need to provide a relevant experience for consumers. The balance between data privacy and security with relevancy is achievable; the right partner can help you get there.  Learn more about how Experian can help you resolve customer identities.