MCA Debate: Ryan Kroge and Joe Alam vs John Dicanio and Jerry Cocuzzo | Ep. 177
Release Date: 04/17/2025
The Untold Story of Lendistry's Rise in 7(a) Lending feat. Everett Sands | Ep. 185
The Art of SBA Lending
This week on The Art of SBA Lending, we sit down with Everett Sands, a leader who successfully propelled Lendistry into the top tier of the nation's SBA 7(a) lenders. Everett explains his approach to SBA lending, which involves applying lessons learned from other industries like residential and auto lending to an industry he feels is decades behind. As a fintech and a CDFI, Lendistry occupies a unique space in the market. Everett discusses how his company is leveraging technology and a mission-driven approach to win customers by offering a better, more user-friendly experience than...
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Casca Has Arrived (and Will Drastically Change How We Make SBA Loans) feat. Lukas Haffer | Ep. 184
The Art of SBA Lending
This week on The Art of SBA Lending, we're joined by Lukas Haffer, co-founder of Casca, to discuss how AI is set to revolutionize small business lending. With a unique background that includes building software for major European banks and earning Standform MBA, Lukas brings a fresh, outside-the-box perspective to our industry. He shares how his company is taking on the "disaster" of small business financing by arming SBA lenders with cutting-edge technology to fight back against predatory online lenders. We dive deep into how new technology can solve the industry's biggest pain points,...
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Quitting the Bank: Closing 100 Deals in 24 Months feat Heather Endresen | Ep. 183
The Art of SBA Lending
This week on The Art of SBA Lending, we're joined by Heather Endersen, a true veteran of the SBA world with a career spanning decades. Having managed SBA departments and pioneered business acquisition lending, Heather shares her journey and explains why she made the leap from a top-producing BDO at a bank to launching her own brokerage. Heather gets candid about the shift in the SBA landscape, from the rise of business acquisition loans to the changing dynamics between lenders and borrowers. She also pulls back the curtain on the brokerage model, explaining why it's a more efficient way to get...
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Lending with Heart: Sharing 30 Years of Lessons Learned feat. Diane Heyden | Ep. 182
The Art of SBA Lending
This week on The Art of SBA Lending, I’m sitting down with Diane Heyden to get her take on leadership, career shifts, and the evolving landscape of small business lending. Diane, a seasoned veteran who has worked as a BDO, sales manager, and division manager, shares her unique perspective on what it takes to succeed in an industry where no two people are alike. From a memorable but short-lived move to a bank in Iowa to taking on a new role with a beloved team on the West Coast, Diane unpacks the lessons learned from her own career journey. We also dive into the state of the industry,...
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A.I. Disruption: Time to Throw Out The Old Playbook ft. David Tinsley | Ep. 181
The Art of SBA Lending
This week on The Art of SBA Lending, Ray Drew sits down with David Tinsley of Lenders Cooperative to unravel the shifting landscape of SBA lending and the role of technology and LSPs in shaping its future. Recorded live from the MALC conference, they dive into the buzz surrounding the unannounced new SOP and what it means for lenders. From the challenges of scaling an SBA division to the surprising dominance of AI in industry conversations, Ray and David explore how to navigate growth, manage risk, and foster innovation — "throwing the whole playbook out". They also tackle the ongoing debate...
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On Track to Break $100 million feat. Alan Peterson | Ep. 180
The Art of SBA Lending
This week on The Art of SBA Lending, I sit down with the incredible Alan Peterson, BDO from First Internet Bank. Alan isn't just closing deals; he's redefining what it means to be a top producer in SBA lending, reaching over $30 million year-to-date and tracking towards an astonishing $120 million annually! Ray Drew and Alan dive deep into the mindset of a high-volume BDO, the strategic art of saying "no" to grow faster, and why true business value isn't always what it seems. They discuss navigating the complexities of deals, the crucial role of data and innovation in banking, and why being a...
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On Track to Break $100 million feat. Alan Peterson | Ep. 180
The Art of SBA Lending
This week on The Art of SBA Lending, I sit down with the incredible Alan Peterson, BDO from First Internet Bank. Alan isn't just closing deals; he's redefining what it means to be a top producer in SBA lending, reaching over $30 million year-to-date and tracking towards an astonishing $120 million annually! Ray Drew and Alan dive deep into the mindset of a high-volume BDO, the strategic art of saying "no" to grow faster, and why true business value isn't always what it seems. They discuss navigating the complexities of deals, the crucial role of data and innovation in banking, and why being a...
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Untold Stories: The Rise and Fall of an SBLC feat. Kirk Beason | Ep. 179
The Art of SBA Lending
This week on The Art of SBA Lending, we're sitting down with a true SBA powerhouse: Kirk Beeson, SBA Managing Director at Veritex Community Bank, and former Chief Credit Officer (and so much more!) at Fund-Ex Solutions Group. Ray Drew and Kirk take a deep dive into the inside story of Fund-Ex: from its promising start-up days to navigating the chaos of PPP and the eventual sale. What does it really take to build an SBA shop from the ground up? How do you maintain culture while scaling at lightning speed? And when do you know it's time to step away? 🎯 In this episode: ➡️The...
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The Model Has Changed: Rethinking SBA Operations ft. Mike Breckheimer, Brian Carlson & Chris Kwiatkowski | Ep. 178
The Art of SBA Lending
This week on The Art of SBA Lending, we're confronting the hard truth: the traditional SBA lending model no longer works. Rising overhead, margin compression, and tighter audits have flipped the economics, and now, shops across the country are closing or scrambling to restructure. So what’s the new model? And how do you scale without losing control? Ray Drew is joined by three SBA leaders navigating this shift in real time. Mike Breckheimer, Brian Carlson, and Chris Kwiatkowski are coming together to unpack the numbers, the pitfalls, and the path forward. 🎯 In this episode: ➡️...
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MCA Debate: Ryan Kroge and Joe Alam vs John Dicanio and Jerry Cocuzzo | Ep. 177
The Art of SBA Lending
This week on The Art of SBA Lending, we're diving headfirst into one of the most controversial topics in small business finance: Merchant Cash Advances (MCAs). Are they a necessary lifeline—or a dangerous trap? Ray Drew brings together a panel of experienced lenders and brokers to debate the role of MCAs in today’s lending landscape. Featuring Ryan Kroge (First Internet Bank), Joseph Alam III (Midstates Advisors), John DiCanio (Fund My Biz), and Jerry Cocuzzo (FundAll Capital), the group tackles: ➡️ The pros, cons, and misconceptions of MCA lending ➡️ Why MCAs exploded post-2008...
info_outlineThis week on The Art of SBA Lending, we're diving headfirst into one of the most controversial topics in small business finance: Merchant Cash Advances (MCAs).
Are they a necessary lifeline—or a dangerous trap?
Ray Drew brings together a panel of experienced lenders and brokers to debate the role of MCAs in today’s lending landscape. Featuring Ryan Kroge (First Internet Bank), Joseph Alam III (Midstates Advisors), John DiCanio (Fund My Biz), and Jerry Cocuzzo (FundAll Capital), the group tackles:
➡️ The pros, cons, and misconceptions of MCA lending
➡️ Why MCAs exploded post-2008 and during COVID
➡️ The rise of “stacking” and what it’s doing to small businesses
➡️ SBA vs. MCA—what’s really faster, safer, and more sustainable?
➡️ Is regulation overdue in the MCA space?
From payday-style loans to structured SBA debt, this candid roundtable doesn’t hold back. Whether you’re team SBA, team MCA, or just trying to keep your borrowers afloat—this is one episode you don’t want to miss.
💬 What’s your take? Are MCAs helping or hurting Main Street? Drop a comment below and join the debate.
🎙This episode is sponsored by:
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