THE ALCHEMIST
Shane Pierson
Built 4 SBA departments from zero. $500M+ deployed across five institutions.
§ PODCASTA CX LENDING PUBLICATION
The Lords of Lending
Podcast.
Real deals. Real mistakes. Real strategies. Shane, Stephanie, and Brian break down SBA and specialty-capital lending the way institutional originators actually talk about it — no jargon theater, no script.
Listen on Spotify ↗
18 EPISODES · BIWEEKLY
WHERE TO LISTEN
§ FROM EPISODE 03
“The deal you don't move on this week becomes someone else's deal next week. Speed isn't a posture. It's the entire advantage.”
EP. 03 · YOU ARE NOT URGENT ENOUGH
THE HOSTS
Three lenders. One desk.
Each host has built a full SBA department from zero. Between them, 55+ years in institutional lending and $1.8B+ in SBA financing funded.
THE ORACLE
Stephanie Castagnier Dunn
25+ yrs SBA. Nation's #1 funeral-home SBA lender at Live Oak.
THE MAGISTRATE
Brian Congelliere
Attorney-turned-SBA officer. Deep book across hotels, gas stations, auto shops, funeral homes.
RECENT EPISODES
The latest eight.
The full archive — 18 published episodes plus what's in production — sits on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube. Below: the eight most recent.
- 20Mar 4, 2026GUEST · Lance Sexton, former SBA deputy directorFORTHCOMING
Why Equity (Not Cash Flow) Makes or Breaks SBA Deals
Why equity injection — not cash flow — is the #1 deal killer, and what actually happens when thin deals end up in liquidation.
FOLLOW - 19Feb 18, 2026FORTHCOMING
The Year of Discipline
2026 is the year of discipline. Thin deals are dying, equity injection matters more than ever, and ownership has to be earned again.
FOLLOW - 18Feb 4, 2026
2026 Look Ahead and Predictions
Economic forecast for small business in 2026: increased borrowing, reduced equity, parallels to 2008, AI as market disruptor, and why sustainable cash flow plus equity growth matter.
LISTEN - 17Jan 28, 2026
2025 Lessons and Reflections
A return-from-break recap of 2025: a record $100B in SBA-guaranteed loans, the new administration's transparency, rising rates, tighter credit boxes, and AI's transformation of the lending floor.
LISTEN - 16Oct 8, 2025
When a Business Owner Asks You to Dance
What happens when a business owner hints at selling — the real-world signals, the emotional undercurrents, and the strategic moves a buyer should make next.
LISTEN - 15Oct 3, 2025GUEST · Abby Shemesh, Seller Edge Capital
Seller Financing for Business Acquisition
Seller notes, note sales, and how liquidity is reshaping the psychology of buyers and sellers in middle-market M&A.
LISTEN - 14Sep 10, 2025
Building a Successful Restaurant
Real-world challenges, hidden costs, and strategic thinking behind launching and scaling a food and beverage concept — startup costs, SBA funding, ops, and brand.
LISTEN - 13Sep 3, 2025
Do Interest Rates Really Matter?
Debunking the wait-for-cheaper-money myth. What a 25 bps cut actually means, and why entrepreneurs shouldn't let headlines dictate the next move.
LISTEN
§ FULL ARCHIVEHOSTED ON BUZZSPROUT
Every episode. One shelf.
18 episodes of deal breakdowns, lender interviews, and post-mortems — distributed everywhere podcasts live. Pick your platform.
