As an actress, Henner knows a thing or two about Plan B. Rarely does an entertainer's career go as planned. Movie roles go to other actors. TV shows are canceled.

Henner has enjoyed a pretty good acting career – she had great runs on TV as Elaine Nardo on “Taxi” and Ava Newton on “Evening Shade” – and she was in one of my favorite movies of all time, “L.A. Story.” But for the last 15 years, she's been known for her health and wellness books.

That's not the career she envisioned as a young actress, but because she embraced Plan B, she discovered that health is her passion, and is just as personally fulfilling, if not more, than acting.

I'm a fairly creative person, and rely as much on my intuition as I do analytical research. From the outside looking in, I appear to fly by the seat of my pants and can sometimes seem a bit flaky. That opinion is more prevalent on the East Coast than here at home in Southern California, where when you plan a dinner party, you can safely assume fewer than half of your RSVPs will show up.

My dirty little secret is that I'm an obsessive planner. I don't plan out every last detail, but I always have a Plan B. Oftentimes, I have a Plan C, Plan D and even a Plan E. I roll with the punches by planning ahead. Preparation makes change easier.

Like most people, my life has been a string of Plan B successes.

Work at a credit union? No way, I thought back in 1995 when I walked into FAA Western FCU, now SkyOne FCU, for my first interview. I didn't move all the way from Kansas to Los Angeles to work at some boring old credit union. But because I was open to the opportunity (and hungry and desperate for a job), I took the specialist position, and my years there were invaluable. While serving aviation professionals, I also discovered a passion for that industry, and it remains a viable Plan B for me should I ever need it.

Like everything else, credit unions are changing. Successful credit union leaders gave up on Plan A a long time ago. Remember Plan A? It included decent investment income, healthy loan demand, manageable regulations and competition only from banks. But even Plan A wasn't certain back in the good ol' days. Seasoned leaders can probably name several credit unions that had to accept Plan B or dry up when the sponsoring base or plant closed.

Plan B for credit union management has been trickier. It's required credit unions to dig deep and create specialized business plans that cater to fields of membership. What works for one credit union doesn't necessarily work for another.

That's been a difficult path, and many credit unions haven't survived. But, as the old saying goes, what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger.

Credit unions that have discovered new revenue streams have usually done so by finding new ways to serve members. What began as a financial need ultimately improved the cooperative.

Some tapped into SBA loan programs. Some embraced the low-income or community development credit union designations. Some created innovative lending programs that help professionals in the industry they serve, or residents in their communities, gain education or certification. Rewards programs and mobile banking, if done right, can produce revenue, build loyalty and make position credit unions as cutting-edge. As an added bonus, that attracts young talent.

CUSOs have helped credit unions use cooperation to achieve innovation. Community banks wish they could do the same, but are still hampered by the old-fashioned notion of competition that doesn't allow for trust. They are stuck on Plan A.

How has your credit union embraced Plan B? CU Times would love to share these success stories. While they may only work at your credit union with your field of membership, they could inspire others to deal with Plan B. That would be good for members and good for the community.