Key Takeaways
“We’re all on the same page with RBAC. When I have a question of what is eligible or what is not eligible for SBA even before I start the deal they’re very helpful to answer.”
Key takeaways
- RBAC’s collaborative approach transforms dreams into success stories.
- Long-term partnerships built on trust create expanded opportunities for clients.
- Shared values and work ethic make all the difference in challenging SBA lending scenarios.
Here’s a question: What happens when you bring a client’s ambitious vision to a dedicated partner?
The answer? Success stories and a long-term partnership.
Yankie Markowitz knows this. With 13 years in the small business lending industry, Yankie can spot the signs of a great deal and can identify when to bring in a partner.
Yankie is the CEO of the SBA Loan Group and an Executive Board Member for RBAC. As one of the largest SBA loan packagers in the country, he’s seen it all over more than a decade in the industry. When he met our CEO William Pazmino in 2014, Yankie shared that he was having trouble with a deal, and in true William fashion, he said that RBAC would take a look.
Yankie remembers that William was upfront about the fact that he couldn’t promise to get the deal done, but he was willing to work on it. Yankie had worked with other CDCs and SBA lenders over his time in the industry, but this experience was different.
The “we’ll make it work” attitude
“I have a big problem with giving up on things,” Yankie says. When faced with a challenge, Yankie doesn’t walk away, he finds a way to make it work—just like us.
That first deal was complicated. The client had credit issues that made SBA financing difficult. After getting to know the client, Yankie realized that there were extenuating circumstances and was firmly in the client’s corner. Luckily, he wasn’t there alone.
“William and I wrote the memo together that we wanted to send to SBA,” Yankie recalls. They explained all of the issues and why they believed the client was still eligible. “We were successful,” Yankie says, clearly still proud that they were able to come through for the client.
Going the extra mile for a promising client
In another deal that Yankie took to RBAC, a client had an outstanding credit card balance. When the business owner realized their oversight and that the bill hadn’t been paid, he contacted the company and immediately paid it in full. While many lenders may have seen this as a settlement that would disqualify the borrower for a loan, we saw a responsible business owner making good on his debt, and when Yankie called, we stepped in.
We make it a point to get to know our partners and our clients. In this situation, we knew that the client was a solid investment. Due to our relationships with our partners and our long-standing reputation with the SBA, we’re able to take these deals and turn them into incredible successes for our partners and our clients.
A relationship that led to expanded opportunities
Prior to working with RBAC, Yankie’s firm primarily focused on SBA 7(a) loans. “Because of the perceived limitations and difficulties of getting 504 loans done,” Yankie says, “we tried to stay away from them. Every deal was a nightmare until I met William at RBAC.” After Yankie started working with us, he saw how we helped with the 504 process. This opened up a whole new avenue for financing his clients’ projects.
“The process was so smooth,” he says, “they’re so helpful and so encouraging. They go above and beyond more than anybody I’ve ever met before, both in the lending department and the servicing department.”
A partnership that works
After that first deal more than a decade ago, Yankie knew that if he did a deal in our region, he would reach out to us. Emphasizing our dedication to getting deals done, he shares, “They take their work seriously. They understand the needs of the client, which they treat like they’re a family member.”
The synergy between Yankie and our team at RBAC is clear. He’s happy to get on the phone with someone and answer their questions, even if they’re not working with him yet, and we do the same. We want you to have as much information as possible as you enter the choppy waters of SBA lending. When you have a difficult deal or just want to ask us some questions about our process, pick up the phone and give us a call. It might be the start of a long-lasting partnership.
