1 00:00:00.585 --> 00:00:01.125 Hey everyone. 2 00:00:01.125 --> 00:00:03.685 Alison Berger here at Broker Fair 2024. 3 00:00:03.925 --> 00:00:06.525 I am now joined with Bob Coleman of Coleman Reports. 4 00:00:06.995 --> 00:00:08.885 What are we reporting on these days? First 5 00:00:08.885 --> 00:00:10.605 Of all, thank you so much for having me here 6 00:00:11.205 --> 00:00:14.965 I am here at the invitation of Sean to discuss SBA lending. 7 00:00:15.995 --> 00:00:17.605 Tell me what you've been seeing going on. 8 00:00:18.745 --> 00:00:21.285 What's interesting about this crowd is 9 00:00:21.955 --> 00:00:25.005 that these are entrepreneurs who deal with 10 00:00:25.065 --> 00:00:26.365 so other small businesses, 11 00:00:26.825 --> 00:00:31.385 and this is another revenue stream that they can access to 12 00:00:32.695 --> 00:00:36.705 enhance their brand and, and take care of their clients. 13 00:00:37.605 --> 00:00:40.065 And what type of clients are coming to you these days? 14 00:00:41.145 --> 00:00:43.145 SBA lending can do any business 15 00:00:43.735 --> 00:00:46.065 with less than a couple hundred employees. 16 00:00:46.885 --> 00:00:49.585 So, uh, what I do is I write a newsletter 17 00:00:49.645 --> 00:00:53.225 for the industry dealing, telling bankers what's going on. 18 00:00:53.885 --> 00:00:56.905 And for these brokers, this is an excellent opportunity 19 00:00:57.165 --> 00:01:00.625 for them to learn about the SBA lending programs, which are 20 00:01:01.415 --> 00:01:05.625 over the years, have become very, very beneficial for, 21 00:01:06.205 --> 00:01:09.505 um, growth in main, what I call mainstream. 22 00:01:10.105 --> 00:01:12.545 I saw that you have your learning program 23 00:01:12.965 --> 00:01:15.145 and your very pro education. 24 00:01:15.565 --> 00:01:16.785 How did that all come to be 25 00:01:16.785 --> 00:01:19.225 and how did you realize it was so important to continue 26 00:01:19.225 --> 00:01:20.305 to educate ourselves? 27 00:01:21.085 --> 00:01:25.305 Out of the great recession, banks cut back on everything. 28 00:01:25.305 --> 00:01:27.665 They cut back on marketing and they cut back on their sales 29 00:01:27.685 --> 00:01:28.825 and they cut back on training. 30 00:01:29.525 --> 00:01:32.505 And we decided to go into that space 31 00:01:33.205 --> 00:01:36.945 and say, Hey, this is an excellent, uh, opportunity, 32 00:01:37.365 --> 00:01:39.585 but you have to learn it as anything else. 33 00:01:40.215 --> 00:01:43.185 It's difficult. And that's once you master it 34 00:01:43.485 --> 00:01:46.105 and you've become an expert in that, I hate 35 00:01:46.105 --> 00:01:48.425 to use the word space, but expert in that niche, 36 00:01:49.365 --> 00:01:51.295 you can be very profitable 37 00:01:51.515 --> 00:01:53.055 and take care of your client needs. 38 00:01:53.635 --> 00:01:55.535 Are we considering you an expert these days? 39 00:01:56.355 --> 00:01:58.255 Um, sure. 40 00:02:00.295 --> 00:02:02.095 I tell you what, I will let you determine that. 41 00:02:02.805 --> 00:02:05.055 Well, what are you hoping people get from your 42 00:02:05.105 --> 00:02:06.295 discussion this afternoon? 43 00:02:06.695 --> 00:02:07.975 I just want them to learn about the program. 44 00:02:08.615 --> 00:02:10.095 I want them to understand 45 00:02:10.485 --> 00:02:13.055 that while they're out there doing their normal course 46 00:02:13.075 --> 00:02:14.415 of business and the products 47 00:02:14.415 --> 00:02:15.935 that they have, this is something else. 48 00:02:16.315 --> 00:02:19.855 As my speech is in their toolbox, in their toolkit, 49 00:02:20.325 --> 00:02:21.895 it's a product that they can discuss 50 00:02:22.355 --> 00:02:24.295 and they can then refer it to a lender 51 00:02:24.515 --> 00:02:25.775 to take care of their customers. 52 00:02:26.195 --> 00:02:27.375 So how do people find out about 53 00:02:27.375 --> 00:02:28.495 the courses that you offer? 54 00:02:29.235 --> 00:02:33.175 Uh, coleman report.com An important site to go to. 55 00:02:33.345 --> 00:02:35.655 There you go. So what do you look forward 56 00:02:35.715 --> 00:02:38.575 to most when you come to a de banked event like this? 57 00:02:39.135 --> 00:02:41.775 I always interested in how other people do business. 58 00:02:42.455 --> 00:02:46.775 I, I'm fascinated on how, what I call Main Street works, 59 00:02:47.075 --> 00:02:49.695 and these are main street entrepreneurs in this 60 00:02:49.695 --> 00:02:51.735 room, and that's what they do. 61 00:02:51.755 --> 00:02:52.935 And they have their own business 62 00:02:52.935 --> 00:02:54.255 and they're helping other businesses. 63 00:02:54.555 --> 00:02:56.415 So I'd like to watch the interaction. 64 00:02:56.875 --> 00:02:59.405 I'd like to watch, learn how they're doing business 65 00:02:59.425 --> 00:03:00.885 and the world is constantly changing 66 00:03:01.515 --> 00:03:02.515 That It sure is. 67 00:03:02.545 --> 00:03:05.085 What's one thing that you learned today so far that 68 00:03:05.315 --> 00:03:06.485 that stuck out to you? 69 00:03:08.045 --> 00:03:10.165 I think the one thing I've learned is 70 00:03:11.055 --> 00:03:13.475 you can get bogged down in headlines, 71 00:03:13.935 --> 00:03:17.315 but when you get down to where the rubber meets the road 72 00:03:17.935 --> 00:03:21.595 on individual basis, that's where it works. 73 00:03:22.135 --> 00:03:24.795 And at the end of the day, it's someone knocking on a door 74 00:03:25.255 --> 00:03:28.035 and saying, I have a solution to solve your problem. 75 00:03:28.875 --> 00:03:31.475 I like that. That's great. We love learning and evolving. 76 00:03:31.895 --> 00:03:33.995 How do you see the rest of the year going for the industry? 77 00:03:35.335 --> 00:03:36.435 I'm optimistic. 78 00:03:37.095 --> 00:03:39.435 Uh, there's a lot of good economic signs 79 00:03:40.295 --> 00:03:42.515 and there will always be pitfalls, 80 00:03:42.855 --> 00:03:44.075 but bottom line, the, 81 00:03:44.415 --> 00:03:47.995 the underlying metrics are positive for, for mainstream. 82 00:03:48.655 --> 00:03:49.755 We love that. Thank you so 83 00:03:49.755 --> 00:03:50.835 much for spending some time with me. 84 00:03:50.835 --> 00:03:53.715 Good luck with their discussion later. And we'll, 85 00:03:54.165 --> 00:03:55.195 Thank you very much, Allison. 86 00:03:55.515 --> 00:03:57.235 You're welcome. And we'll be right back.