One thing that has always come naturally to me is connecting people and opportunities together. Even before I got into commercial lending, I was the person introducing one friend to another friend, and those relationships would often turn into business partnerships, collaborations, or lifelong friendships.

What I realized over time is that the same skill applies directly to what I do professionally today.

A lot of people think lending is just about rates and paperwork, but in reality, it’s about fit. Every bank and lender has what’s called an “appetite.” Just like investment companies diversify their portfolios, banks diversify the industries they lend to. They don’t want all of their capital concentrated in one space.

For example, one bank may already have hundreds of millions invested in hospitality and hotels, so they may not want another hotel deal right now. But that same bank may actively want to lend to medical practices, contractors, or owner-occupied businesses.

That’s where I’m effective.

I naturally look at a business owner, understand their story, their industry, and their goals, and then connect them with the lender that is most likely to say yes. I’m not just trying to “find money.” I’m matching the right opportunity with the right funding partner.

That ability to connect the right people together is something I’ve done my entire life, now I just do it in business and commercial finance.