“Three years ago, the bank was acquired by a much larger institution. On the surface, not much changed. Same branch. Same people.”

“One offer was for $100,000, repaid weekly, with an APR just under 36 percent, resulting in nearly $20,000 in interest over one year.”

“Instead of asking, Can we afford this person? I started asking, Can we afford not to bring in the talent a high-growth company needs.”

“Staying calm isn’t just about managing my own emotions — it’s about showing strength to my team. They’re watching how I respond. If I panic, they’ll panic.”

“We handle sensitive financial data every day. That means privacy, compliance, and security have to come first. There aren’t many ready-made solutions for what we want to do.”

“I am seeing ads of predatory online lenders offering themselves up as alternatives to the SBA because of the shutdown. Do everything you can to bypass this option.”

“It’s easy to sympathize with the owner’s hesitation. Risking a home for a struggling business feels reckless, but here’s the uncomfortable truth: the risk is already there.”