SBA Today

This week on SBA Today, Paul and Tonya explore the "SBA Dark Web" for a look at the Federal Register before diving into shocking new data on lender satisfaction . From shifting form requirements to a massive satisfaction crash for online lenders, we're looking at what small businesses really want—and where the industry is missing the mark .

We're breaking down:

• 🔍 SBA Dark Web & Form Gutting: Paul dives into the Federal Register, where the SBA is looking to retire redundant forms like the 912 and potentially revamp the 1919 to reduce paperwork .
• 🤝 Relationship vs. Speed: New data from Lumos shows a massive gap in borrower priorities . While small banks dominate on relational strength (67%), online lenders hold the edge on operational speed (55%) .
• 📉 The Satisfaction Crash: Lender satisfaction has declined across the board since 2019 . Small banks dropped from 74% to 62%, but online lenders saw a staggering collapse, plummeting from 38% to just 2% .
• 🎀 The Finish Line: Tonya shares a heartwarming story from a client's ribbon cutting in Castle Rock, Colorado, attended by SBA Deputy Administrator Bill Briggs, reminding us why we fight through the red tape .
• 💡 The Closing Cure: We discuss how the closing process can make or break a borrower's experience . Paul explains why cross-training your team (underwriters learning processing and vice versa) is the key to a better customer journey .

Disclaimer: The views expressed on this show are our own and not necessarily the views of our employer.

It's turkey week, but the news never sleeps!

This week on SBA Today, Paul and Tonya breaking down:

• ☎️ SBA Connect Call Recap: The call covered the MARC Loan and various notices.
• 📈 Working Capital Chart: The SBA released a "VERY helpful" chart detailing the options for 7(a) Working Capital Product Options, including MARC Revolving, SBA Express, Seasonal CAPLine, and more.
• 🗓️ New Connect Calls: Save the dates! The SBA released the 2026 schedule for 7(a) and 504 Quarterly Connect calls with an updated focus.
• 💔 Hiring Miscommunication: This left employees confused and frustrated after having rearranged personal plans. Tune in, subscribe, and share this episode to stay updated on the latest SBA news!

⚠️ Disclaimer: The views expressed on this show are our own and not necessarily the views of our employer. ⚠️

This week on SBA Today, the mood is lighter because the government is BACK OPEN! Paul and Tonya discuss: 🎉The government lights are back on—a Connect Call is scheduled soon, so stay tuned for updates. 💔 MARC Program Update—what's going on? 🏨 SBLC SOLD—why another non-bank entity moving up the rankings should matter to lenders, especially one focused on hotel owners. 📈 BizBuySell Q3 Report Insights—Buyer Urgency & Economic Headwinds! ❌ The 'Investment' Lie—we deliver a reality check Tune in, subscribe, and share this episode to help your colleagues get the latest on the re-opening and the market! ⚠️ Disclaimer: The views expressed on this show are our own and not necessarily the views of our employer. ⚠️

This week on SBA Today, we dissect the sudden closure and portfolio sale of a Top 20 SBA lender, BayFirst Financial, and their aggressive small-dollar loan program (BOLT). This autopsy holds vital lessons for every lender about risk, pricing, and the current state of credit quality.

Why this matters to YOU:

• 🚨 Industry Shockwave: The abrupt shutdown of a large institution's 7(a) department and a subsequent $5.1 million loss on the portfolio sale signals immediate financial pain from exiting the business.
• 📉 Macro Warning Signs: The secondary market has been volatile, pricing pressure is down, and credit quality is deteriorating. Your own institution is making internal decisions based on these factors.
• 💸 The BOLT Program Mistake: BayFirst's aggressive BOLT program focused on smaller 7(a) loans (up to $150,000). The CEO cited stress in older, low-interest rate vintage BOLT loans. You must price for risk!
• 🔎 Risk Dissection: We examine potential risk multipliers:
  • Higher Risk Loans: Small dollar loans are inherently higher risk due to the nature and financial sophistication of the borrowers.
  • Broker Fees: This bank was known for paying high 2% broker fees , compounding the acquisition cost when defaults rose.
  • Policy: Was the program influenced by the former "Score & Go" process or affected by the collapse of the previous "Do What You Do" collateral standard?

✅ The Takeaway: The market demands a return to disciplined underwriting and a focus on fundamentals. We all want to help small businesses, but we must be prudent to stay in business.

This week on SBA Today, we are joined by special guest Stephanie Dunn for an upbeat conversation about the true heartbeat of our industry: Connection. But first, Paul gets heated about the ongoing government shutdown.

We're breaking down:

• 😡 INSANE! Paul lets loose, calling the continuing shutdown "Cray Cray, Ridiculous, Wild, Bizarre, Unreasonable, INSANE." Tonya adds that nobody wins this standoff—we all lose.
• 🤝 The Power of Connection: The overwhelming takeaway from NAGGL was the power of connection. We discuss why connection matters as much as knowledge in this business.
• 🚀 Giving People Wings: With Stephanie Dunn, we discuss the importance of supportive leadership and how empowering others to grow doesn't create risk, it creates strength.
• Fear vs. Trust: What happens when teams or banks operate from fear or scarcity instead of connection and trust? We explore the difference between competing and collaborating.
• Keep the Spirit Alive: We share simple ways to keep the NAGGL spirit of connection going, even when you're back at your desk.
• Final Farewell: Don't miss THE FINAL EPISODES OF The Art of SBA Lending!

This episode is sponsored by: Res/Title

Res/Title, your "One Stop Shop for SBA closings". We're your commercial title and closing company that provides you with the tools and technology to give you an instant quote and Al property reports on any deal in the nation. Whether it's for $35,000 or $35 Mil, we handle closings anywhere in the nation with one point of contact. Get started today! www.res-title.com

⚠️ Disclaimer: The views expressed on this show are our own and not necessarily the views of our employer. ⚠️

This week on SBA Today, Paul and Tonya are live from the NAGGL Fall Conference!

We're talking conference takeaways, the ongoing shutdown, and the jaw-dropping new state-by-state analysis of lost lending dollars.

• 🛑 We're in a holding pattern. We explain why funds won't be available immediately upon re-opening, even for authorized loans.
• ✅ Good News from the IRS: The IRS is still processing 4506C requests and transcripts.
• ❌ Bad News on Citizenship: The SBA is NOT processing Citizenship verifications during the shutdown.
• 💸 The True Cost of Shutdown: The SBA released a State-by-State Analysis of loans not approved due to the shutdown.
  • California is losing the most at 212 loans and $126 Million PER WEEK.
  • Other major impacts: Texas (125/week) , Florida (135/week) , and New York (106/week).
  • The least affected is West Virginia (4 loans/$1.4 million per week).

This episode is sponsored by: Res/Title

Res/Title, your "One Stop Shop for SBA closings". We're your commercial title and closing company that provides you with the tools and technology to give you an instant quote and Al property reports on any deal in the nation. Whether it's for $35,000 or $35 Mil, we handle closings anywhere in the nation with one point of contact. Get started today! www.res-title.com

⚠️ Disclaimer: The views expressed on this show are our own and not necessarily the views of our employer. ⚠️

It's Day 14 of the shutdown, and we're tackling borrower anxiety while celebrating an SBA content legend! This week, special guest Ray Drew joins us to discuss the chaos and drop some major news about the future of his shows.

We're breaking down:

• ⚠️ Borrowers on Edge: We discuss the fear and anger from borrowers facing a continuing shutdown and the looming problem of expired documents and backlogs once the SBA reopens.

• 📝 Borrower "Stay Ready" Plan: Use this time to organize financials, update business plans and projections, and complete due diligence on purchases.

• 🚧 The Post-Shutdown Nightmare: Expect a heavy backlog, slower processing, high call/email volume, and a rush of new applications (especially for General Purpose lenders) .

• ❤️ Practice Kindness: We urge everyone to be kind to borrowers, sellers, lenders, and SBA employees, recognizing that strain and fear are running high right now.

• 💥 RAY DREW RETIRES! After six years, Ray Drew announces he is retiring from the Art of SBA Lending podcast.

• 🚀 The Next Chapter: The BDO Show is getting a new cast (a West Coast crew including the "$100 Million Dollar Man," Daniel Park) and launching Season 3 on Monday .

• 🎤 EPIC Final Episodes: Ray details the last three episodes of The Art of SBA Lending, featuring Chip Mehan (CEO of Live Oak Bank), a special story with Heidi Whitesell, and a reunion with the four loan officers who brought him into the SBA.

This episode is sponsored by: Res/Title

Res/Title, your "One Stop Shop for SBA closings". We're your commercial title and closing company that provides you with the tools and technology to give you an instant quote and Al property reports on any deal in the nation. Whether it's for $35,000 or $35 Mil, we handle closings anywhere in the nation with one point of contact. Get started today! www.res-title.com

⚠️ Disclaimer: The views expressed on this show are our own and not necessarily the views of our employer. ⚠️

This week on SBA Today, we're broadcasting from the dark, dealing with the government shutdown, and dissecting the end-of-year lending stats and the last-minute rule changes that slipped out right before the lights went off .

We're breaking down:

• 🛑 How Long Will It Last? We break down the poll results (spoiler: most people are wrong!) and why Paul thinks we're looking at 30 days plus of shutdown.
• ⚠️ Servicing Nightmare: Borrowers still owe payments, but good luck getting a deferment or modification. We discuss the growing backlog and the "stupid decisions" lenders start making during a shutdown.
• 🗺️ Definition Change: The SBA removed the "in the same geographic area" requirement from the New Business/Expansion definition, a change Paul is "scared" about and Tonya thinks is a recipe for trouble.
• 🛠️ MARC, Fees, and ESOPs: Get up to speed on the Procedure Notice changes, including:
  • The 90-day fee rule DOESN'T APPLY to Working Capital Pilot programs .
  • MARC loans CANNOT refinance same institution debt and must be GP.
  • Construction Contingency for 504 loans increased from 10% to 15%.
• 📊 End-of-Year Stats: Who Won? We break down $37 billion in 7(a) loans and $7.8 billion in 504 loans :
  • Live Oak (No. 1) hit $2.8 BILLION with a large average loan size .
  • Newtek Bank (No. 2) did almost twice the volume of loans at a smaller average size.
• 📉 Lender Fallout: We discuss the news of a Top 20 SBA lender selling off their portfolio and why low-profile is sometimes the best strategy.

This episode is sponsored by: Res/Title

Res/Title, your "One Stop Shop for SBA closings". We're your commercial title and closing company that provides you with the tools and technology to give you an instant quote and Al property reports on any deal in the nation. Whether it's for $35,000 or $35 Mil, we handle closings anywhere in the nation with one point of contact. Get started today! www.res-title.com

Disclaimer: The views expressed on this show are our own and not necessarily the views of our employer.

This week on SBA Today, we tackle the high-stakes political drama that could affect your deals and celebrate the unsung heroes who keep the process moving during National SBA Closer Appreciation Week!

We're breaking down:

• Will They or Won't They? Congress failed to reach an agreement on the Continuing Resolution, leaving us at the end of the fiscal year tonight and facing a possible government shutdown. Get those authorizations in now!
• The SOP BOMBSHELL: The SBA just released a 203-page Servicing and Liquidation SOP. Paul nerds out to tell you the two key takeaways, including the new "SBA Uncollectible" status in E-Tran.
• A Closer's True Value: We welcome Regina Braga (President/CEO) and Rachel Lesperance (Closing Supervisor) of Res/Title to discuss the indispensable traits of a great SBA closer: customer service and problem-solving (firefighting!).
• The Wildest Closing Story: Find out what it takes to close 100 properties in one portfolio across three states—it will make you "want to vomit," according to Paul!
• Borrowers' Biggest Mistakes: We reveal the two critical things closers wish borrowers knew, including the need for a borrowing entity bank account for cash-out transactions.

This episode is sponsored by: Res/Title

Res/Title, your "One Stop Shop for SBA closings". We're your commercial title and closing company that provides you with the tools and technology to give you an instant quote and Al property reports on any deal in the nation. Whether it's for $35,000 or $35 Mil, we handle closings anywhere in the nation with one point of contact. Get started today! www.res-title.com

⚠️Disclaimer: The views expressed on this show are our own and not necessarily the views of our employer.⚠️

This week on SBA Today, we're breaking down the latest headlines, from falling interest rates to a brand-new loan program, and why some lawmakers are comparing the SBA to Oprah Winfrey.

In this episode, we've got:

• Rates are Falling! Prime is now at 7.25%, with talk of dropping to 6.75% by the end of the year.
• Meet "MARC" The new Manufacturers' Access to Revolving Credit (MARC) program offers loan amounts up to $5 million, and everyone with PLP status can do the program.
• Lawmakers on the Hill We're breaking down a two-hour congressional hearing, including the discussion to remove the extra 5% fee for special-use properties on 504 loans.
• Student Loans Struck Down Find out why the courts have ruled that the SBA will not be able to take over student loans.

This episode is sponsored by: Res/Title

Res/Title, your "One Stop Shop for SBA closings". We're your commercial title and closing company that provides you with the tools and technology to give you an instant quote and Al property reports on any deal in the nation. Whether it's for $35,000 or $35 Mil, we handle closings anywhere in the nation with one point of contact. Get started today! www.res-title.com

Disclaimer: The views expressed on this show are our own and not necessarily the views of our employer.