Industry News
Arrangements for Nick Gregory of CDG: Rest in Peace
August 29, 2022Nick Gregory, a co-founder and partner of both Central Diligence Group and Capital Dude, passed away suddenly last Thursday. Gregory was a well-known and beloved 16-year veteran of the small business finance industry. If you’d like to pay your respects, please take note of the following arrangements:
Wake Location:
Roslyn Heights Funeral Home
75 Mineola Ave
Roslyn Heights, NY 11577
Tues August 30th: 3-5PM, 7-9PM
Wed August 31st: 3-5PM, 7-9PM
Mass:
Thurs September 1st, 10AM:
St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church
110 Bryant Ave, Roslyn, NY 11576
-Funeral Procession to Cemetery-
Burial:
11:30-11:45AM:
Cemetery of the Holy Rood
111 Old Country Rd, Westbury, NY 11590
LoanMe Has Stopped Originating Business Loans
June 15, 2022
At least two public-facing employees of LoanMe have stated that the company has stopped originating business loans. Both believe that this is permanent.
The news may seem rather abrupt given that NextPoint Financial, a new publicly traded SPAC, just completed its acquisition of LoanMe less than a year ago. NextPoint apparently had second thoughts because in March it announced that it may have overpaid for LoanMe after reviewing its financial calculations. It stated that it would commence a review of the matter and report back. No determination to that end, if one were made, was subsequently announced.
NextPoint has since delayed filings of its year-end 2021 and Q1 2022 statements on the basis that it had not yet been able to finalize the books for LoanMe and another newly acquired subsidiary named Community Tax LLC. In doing so, it did not suggest that anything was awry.
Separately, however, LoanMe sued a loan servicing company in Delaware Superior Court on May 9th under seal for allegedly breaching a contract. The case was unsealed on June 10th. Three days later, two LoanMe employees say that they received notice that the company was shuttering.
The Senior National Accounts Manager wrote on social media, “yes, LoanMe is permanently closing. The powers that be at our parent holding company, NextPoint Financial, decided it was time to pull the plug.”
Credibly is Making Moves
June 14, 2022
Michigan-headquartered Credibly has confirmed it acquired ProApprove, a specialty finance company offering home improvement financing solutions. The deal, which it said actually took place in 2021, is now front-and-center because of an agreement Credibly has secured with Castlelake, a global alternative investment firm, for the purchase of up to $350M in home installment contract receivables originated by ProApprove.
“Through conversations with contractors who obtain financing from Credibly, we identified a significant market opportunity in the home improvement space,” said Ryan Rosett, co-founder and co-CEO of Credibly.
“We are pleased to support the expansion of ProApprove’s home improvement financing program at a time when there is increased demand for financing solutions from homeowners across the U.S.,” said, Matt Little, Partner, Global Specialty Finance and Business Development & Capital Markets at Castlelake. “We believe that ProApprove’s parent Credibly has established itself as an experienced commercial lending platform with a keen focus on risk. We believe this transaction provides an opportunity to support a new product for Credibly in a historically underserved consumer market.”
The news follows the announcement that Credibly had secured a $50M credit facility for its core small business lending business. At the time, Credibly CFO Michael Seneski said of it, “The cost savings resulting from the refinance, coupled with the new financing facility, further solidifies our position as a leader in providing capital to SMBs and will be used to accelerate our aggressive growth trajectory.”
Credibly was founded in 2010.
The Company That Acquired Alchemy Technologies is a Small Business Lender
June 9, 2022
The sale of Alchemy Technologies to Business Warrior was announced on Thursday. The sale price of $8.75M ($2.25M in cash), is more than 3x Alchemy’s 2021 revenue of $2.8M.
While Business Warrior describes itself as “the source for small businesses in America to get more customers,” its homepage leads with a pitch for a working capital loan. “Our goal is to give you access to funding before you need it so you can grow without the restraints set on you by your bank,” the website says.
Business Warrior provides loans from $5,000 to $100,000 with interest rates as low as 7.97% and with terms between 12-36 months. It also offers marketing, software, and scaling solutions.
“After working with Alchemy, we quickly realized the massive potential of adding this international group of industry leaders to the Business Warrior team,” said Jonathan Brooks, Business Warrior President, in a press release. “With our Business Warrior platform, premium marketing, and now a global lending technology presence, we are building solutions that propel the success of small businesses.”
“We are so excited about joining the Business Warrior family!” said Timothy Li, CEO of Alchemy. “This move provides Alchemy with the additional resources, tools and capital necessary to enhance our service to customers. Both companies believe small business owners are the lifeline of local communities. By bringing Alchemy and Business Warrior together, the positive impact on these communities is going to be worldwide.”
Business Warrior is publicly traded under the ticker (OTC: BZWR).
Grand Opening of Latin Financial’s New Office Joined by Public Officials, Family, and Friends
June 4, 2022
Just a few miles outside of Hartford, cars exited the highway and advanced towards a quieter part of Connecticut. The aptly named “Beaver Road” is home to Wethersfield’s US Postal Service building on one side and the Connecticut Farm Bureau building on the other. Drivers veered towards the latter and pulled into a parking lot situated behind a literal babbling brook. There are other tenants besides the Farm Bureau in the expansive brown-bricked commercial-use building as indicated by a sign outside, but the business that people had come to celebrate hadn’t even been added to it yet.
Nevertheless, the blue and white balloons waving in the wind outside the back entrance were a clue that this was the right place. Inside, on the first floor, a line of people found the large plated logo of Latin Financial, a small business that helps other small businesses obtain working capital.
Already personally acquainted with the firm led by Sonia Alvelo, she led myself and others on a tour of the company’s new space. Latin Financial employees were easily identifiable by their blue company shirts, but others wore green to signal that they were part of a sister company named Sharpe Capital. Sharpe is spearheaded by Brendan P. Lynch.
Both brands previously operated in nearby Newington but outgrew what they had. When the ceremony officially kicked off with some impromptu speeches, the prominence of those assembled became evident. It included, among others, the Better Business Bureau, the local Chamber of Commerce, and the Connecticut Children’s Hospital.
Wethersfield’s mayor, Michael Rell, was also there. Rell welcomed Latin Financial to the neighborhood, echoing the note sang by other government officials.
Connecticut State Senator Matthew Lesser shared his appreciation for Alvelo and her company’s mission to provide capital to underserved small businesses both in the state and across the nation. Lesser explained that the state legislature had recently decided to delay a proposed commercial financing bill (Senate Bill 272) so that it could further assess the input from companies like Latin Financial and the potential impact it would have before moving forward. A version of the bill will be reintroduced next year.
Meanwhile, Joseph Rodriguez, Deputy State Director for US Senator Richard Blumenthal’s office, said that he was impressed by the company’s accomplishiments and contributions to the community. He presented Alvelo with a Certificate of Special Recognition signed by Blumenthal in honor of her new office and for her service to Connecticut Small Businesses.
Werner Oyanadel, Latino and Puerto Rican Policy Director at the Connecticut General Assembly’s Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity & Opportunity, said that Alvelo had “been a good partner of [their] work at the Capitol” and that “Latin Financial is filling a big void assisting new businesses and Latino entrepreneurs’ access to needed reources.”
Employees of both Latin Financial and Sharpe appeared excited by all the fanfare while friends and family members were proud to share in the moment. Alvelo ceremoniously cut a blue ribbon for the cameras and in conversations that followed it became known that they were hiring.
Alvelo has previously spoken at Broker Fair in New York and deBanked CONNECT Miami. She has been a primary source of information for deBanked since 2016 on matters regarding small business financing in Puerto Rico.
IOU Financial Originated $161.5M in Loans in 2021
March 22, 2022
IOU Financial is coming off of its biggest year ever. The company has revealed total loan originations of $161.5M for 2021, up nearly 100% year-over-year. The figure puts it ahead of rival Funding Circle USA in 2021, according to origination data compiled by deBanked.
In a public statement, IOU President and CEO Robert Gloer said, “The success of IOU’s marketplace strategy announced in 2021 is allowing us to scale up faster than previously possible. We’re proud of the team for breaking new origination records and giving us the extra latitude to further reduce corporate debt.” The latter comment was in reference to the company’s intention to repurchase approximately $1.2 million of its convertible debentures at par.
IOU’s full year 2021 financials are expected to be released next month.
deBanked CONNECT MIAMI is SOLD OUT
March 15, 2022
Update: The deBanked events team is now en route to the location.
Tickets to deBanked Connect Miami have officially sold out.
The incredible demand led to more registrations than any previous deBanked CONNECT event in history.
“People want to network in person, they want to learn about what’s going on in the business around them,” said deBanked president Sean Murray. “But this one has surpassed all of our expectations.”
The March 24th event at the JW Marriott Marquis will be deBanked’s 4th time in Miami since 2018. Attendees of the small-business finance-focused event can expect to connect with brokers, lenders, funders, venders, lead generators, collectors, lawyers, investors, software providers, and more.
Tickets and sponsorships are no longer available. If you are already registered and have questions, email events@debanked.com.
Meet The Aspiring Brokers Who Competed on Camera
March 10, 2022
The full cast of Equipping The Dream, the first b2b sales reality show, will reunite at deBanked CONNECT Miami on March 24th.
RJ Rochelle, Juan Carlos Marcano, Thomas Long, and Angela Thompson (above in order), all participated in a week long sales training last November that was captured on camera. They competed for a grand prize that was won in the season finale that aired just recently on March 3rd. Equipping The Dream is the defining b2b sales reality show. Now you can meet the brokers and the trainers that helped them in person!
Only a limited number of tickets to deBanked CONNECT Miami are left and sponsorships have already sold out. This will be deBanked’s 4th event in Miami since 2018.
All six episodes of Equipping the Dream are available on deBanked TV FREE.
