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, debating the impact of Fintechs, the "do what you do" era, and the crucial role of "heart" in a numbers-driven world.

🎯 In this episode:

➡️ The real value of a bank's core deposits and what it's doing to lending strategies 

➡️ Why BDOs are like "snowflakes," and the right way to manage them 

➡️ Looking back at the aftermath of “do what you do” SBA policy 

➡️ Why a marriage of old-school lending values and new technology is the key to the future 

➡️ A heartwarming story of a rock climbing gym owner who is the "poster child for SBA"

💬 What's the biggest challenge you've faced in your SBA career? Share your story in the comments.

🎙This episode is sponsored by:

Lumos

Lumos empowers your small business lending growth with cutting-edge analytics and streamlined applications that optimize your performance.

If you're ready to take your small business lending to the next level with cutting edge analytics visit https://lumosdata.com/   

Shatterbox

Learn how Shatterbox can help you hire and invest in bright young talent without breaking the bank. Go to https://shatterbox.io/artofsba and set up a discovery call today. 

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