Community banks are the heartbeat of hometown economies. They fuel small businesses, support families, and help neighborhoods grow. But behind the scenes, these banks face a lot of pressure—tight regulations, evolving risks, and the constant push for growth and efficiency. I know because I’ve worked in banks and banking industry my whole life. That’s where […]
Empowering Community Banks in a Chaotic World Read More »
Good news first: 2024 appears to have been a good year for the community banking sector, but it depends on how it was benchmarked. As usual, banks had different results depending on their priorities. Many insights, emotions, and experiences were learned in 2024. Here are five common threads learned from my clients’ bank examinations. In
4 Valuable Insights Learned from My Clients’ Bank Exams in 2024 Read More »
Congratulations! You made it to the year end. But before we go headfirst into 2025, let’stake a pause and evaluate where we’ve been so we can plan for where we’re going.Grab a journal and let’s get started. Compare the 2024 Budget versus the Actual through November 30 ☐What worked and what didn’t? On what didn’t work, why
Your 2024 End of Year Financial Checklist Read More »
It’s for our own good, so listen up now or pay up later. The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) is now in full effect, and it’s crucial for businessowners and financial institutions to understand the upcoming deadline to avoid big finesand even jail time. By the end of 2024, all businesses—LLCs, corporations, and other entities—must file
Over the past four years, we have lived in a time not seen in quite some time. We all had ourown experiences with the COVID-19 shutdown and reopening. We experienced massive fear and then funding through the P.P.P., EIDL, and Main StreetProgram funding and pure exhaustion. At the forefront of this scenario, we had historically
Navigating the Upcoming Interest Rate Volatility Read More »
No doubt, owning a small business is part of the “American Dream.” But why do so many fail,and what responsibility do banks have to make the odds of success better? Small Businesses comprise approximately 99% of all companies in the United States and havebeen responsible for approximately 63% of new job creation since 1995 (advocacy.sba.gov).
Why Most Small Businesses Fail (and What Bankers Can Do About It) Read More »
Have you ever wondered how lenders decipher a business’s financial health? Just as a doctoruses vital signs to gauge a patient’s well-being, financial analysts use key ratios to understand acompany’s economic condition. These ratios are numbers and the narrative of a borrower’s pastdecisions and future potential. Let’s dive into the top four ratios that can
Unlocking the Financial Story: The Power of Ratios in Credit Analysis Read More »
In the realm of community banking, credit underwriting is not just a process—it’s an art. It’s atestament to your expertise, requiring a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of financialmetrics to paint a true picture of a borrower’s fiscal health. Today, we spotlight six key incomestatement ratios that serve as the linchpins of
Ever wonder what makes up credit? Is it more than just a score? The good news is, there is a method to the madness and it makes sense once we pull back the red velvet curtain and look at the scene as if it were a play. SCENE: The Five C’s of credit – character,
The 5 C’s of Credit and the story behind them. Read More »
Past Due Loans A best practice is to pull past dues 5 days and over. Contact the customer regarding past dueand see if the timing is the issue or if they are having cash flow/Income pains. There is alwaysan opportunity to help with an evaluation of their business. This also acts as a radar for
Three Ways to Get a Pulse on Your Loan Portfolio Read More »
