By Michele Walters, Vice President SBA Commercial Relationship Manager, Core Bank
It’s been awhile since I’ve written an article for our blog. I’ve been busy! Being a producer can buy you some time while the blog baton is getting passed around. But alas, it’s time… no more hiding behind my “busyness”. But what to write about? Nothing seems to be grabbing my attention… and “filler stuff” is not what I want to write about.
So as I sit at my desk on a Sunday afternoon trying to get my story done before the new weeks starts, I look down at my current pipeline and list of clients. It’s a long list! I never thought we could have helped so many small businesses in such a short time. In just over a year (we opened our Loan Production Office in April of 2017) we’ve lent over $25M to 25 small businesses.
2017
As I look through the list, each client comes to mind. Our first client in June… a husband and wife team who purchased a childcare center to having recently help the husband grow his inflatable bounce house business too! As the seasons changed and children returned to school, we helped a business that rents out wedding décor buy another business that rents out party event items. Halloween was not scary at all as we helped a growing staffing agency with new capital and debt-restructure. And Santa came a bit early to help one of my favorite clients (someone that had been looking to buy a business for over two years!) finally buy the business that he was always meant to own!
2018
The “Happy New Year” started off with a bang with a partnership buyout of a local liquor store, the construction kick-off for a new dog park/dog bar (check out www.barkdogbar.com it’s really cool!), a sprinkler company acquisition, and the expansion of a group home.
In February, we celebrated Valentine’s Day with a restaurant group refinance, funding for a start-up quilt store, and additional working capital to a growing nail care warehouse! March came in like a lamb with a partner buy out of a behavioral center as well as a start-up child care center… and went out like a lion with a refinance for an auto dent center. April showered us with a start-up 9 Round, a refinance of a clothing apparel company, the acquisition of an auto body repair center, and the acquisition of an automobile interlock company. And May is already flowering with a rock climbing gym expansion, and the acquisition of a home remodeling company.
As I stroll through the list of what we call ‘deals’ in the industry, I think about each client, about their families, their employees and the impact that these loans make. When I think about each client, I’m reminded that the SBA lending program matters… banks, teams, individuals that lend in this arena matter.
June is just around the corner and with it comes a tower company refinance, three business acquisitions, and the purchase of a building. All of these folks realizing their dreams, securing their futures, creating communities and helping others. The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades.