SBA Today

This week on SBA Today , we are covering a massive regulatory shift for Green Card holders, a major SBLC merger, and new mandatory requirements for small loans that lenders cannot ignore. Paul and Tonya discuss: 🤝 SBLC MERGER ALERT: Harvest Small Business Finance, one of the 16 SBLCs, is merging with Crossroads Impact (a CDFI) . We'll be watching closely to see how this affects their lending foot...

This week on SBA Today, Paul and Tonya are joined by David Parrish , a 20-year SBA veteran and secondary market expert, for a deep dive into the massive regulatory and structural shifts hitting the industry in early 2026. From the strategic move to allow SOFR and Treasury base rates to the candid "insider" truth behind the agency's 53% headcount reduction, this episode is packed with the data and...

This week on SBA Today, Paul and Tonya tackle: 🛂 New Citizenship Mandate —what it means for Lawful Permanent Residents (green card holders). 🏛️ Shutdown Status —the Senate passed the stopgap bill, and it's now in the House for a final vote. ⏳ The Shutdown Squeeze —a short shutdown creates a massive backlog that hits closings first. 🏗️ Permitting is a Problem —Period. 💡 The Execution Gap —Capita...

This week on SBA Today, Paul and Tonya are breaking down: 📑 The 1919 Exit : The SBA is moving toward a fully electronic submission experience, eventually eliminating the physical Form 1919 altogether. 🔍 SOP Updates : SBA is now requiring two months of commercial bank statements for 7(a) Small loans to verify real cash flow. ✅ Agency Slim-Down : In 2025, the SBA reduced its workforce by 54%, clo...

The SBA just released the Procedural Notice on the new SBSS score guidelines, and the subtext is clear. This week, Paul and Tonya are breaking down: SBSS Sunsetting—Lenders must pivot to internal credit scoring models consistent with their non-SBA guaranteed loans. The "Hidden" Message: Paul explains that the SBA now wants a full analysis on every loan. Shutdown Déjà Vu: With appropriation talks s...

The SBA just dropped a massive update for 2026 that will completely change how small-dollar loans are underwritten. Paul and Tonya break down: SBSS Sunset: The Small Business Scoring Service (SBSS) will be discontinued on February 28, 2026, for 7(a) Small loans at or below $350,000.  Lender Freedom: Lenders can now use their own existing scoring models to streamline small-dollar lending.  New Insp...

Happy New Year! We are kicking off 2026 with a massive episode of SBA Today. From a federal fraud "freeze" impacting thousands of loans to new data on loan performance, we are diving deep into the news you need to start your year strong. We're breaking down: ❄️ The Minnesota Freeze—Administrator Kelly Loeffler announced that nearly 7,000 SBA loans in Minnesota are being blocked due to a $400 milli...

This week on SBA Today, Paul and Tonya explore the "SBA Dark Web" for a look at the Federal Register before diving into shocking new data on lender satisfaction . From shifting form requirements to a massive satisfaction crash for online lenders, we're looking at what small businesses really want—and where the industry is missing the mark . We're breaking down: 🔍 SBA Dark Web & Form Gutting: Paul...

It's turkey week, but the news never sleeps! This week on SBA Today, Paul and Tonya breaking down: ☎️ SBA Connect Call Recap: The call covered the MARC Loan and various notices. 📈 Working Capital Chart: The SBA released a "VERY helpful" chart detailing the options for 7(a) Working Capital Product Options, including MARC Revolving, SBA Express, Seasonal CAPLine, and more. 🗓️ New Connect Calls: Sav...

This week on SBA Today, the mood is lighter because the government is BACK OPEN! Paul and Tonya discuss: 🎉The government lights are back on—a Connect Call is scheduled soon, so stay tuned for updates. 💔 MARC Program Update—what's going on? 🏨 SBLC SOLD—why another non-bank entity moving up the rankings should matter to lenders, especially one focused on hotel owners. 📈 BizBuySell Q3 Report Insi...

This week on SBA Today, we dissect the sudden closure and portfolio sale of a Top 20 SBA lender, BayFirst Financial, and their aggressive small-dollar loan program (BOLT). This autopsy holds vital lessons for every lender about risk, pricing, and the current state of credit quality. Why this matters to YOU: 🚨 Industry Shockwave: The abrupt shutdown of a large institution's 7(a) department and a s...

This week on SBA Today, we are joined by special guest Stephanie Dunn for an upbeat conversation about the true heartbeat of our industry: Connection. But first, Paul gets heated about the ongoing government shutdown. We're breaking down: 😡 INSANE! Paul lets loose, calling the continuing shutdown "Cray Cray, Ridiculous, Wild, Bizarre, Unreasonable, INSANE." Tonya adds that nobody wins this stando...

This week on SBA Today, Paul and Tonya are live from the NAGGL Fall Conference! We're talking conference takeaways, the ongoing shutdown, and the jaw-dropping new state-by-state analysis of lost lending dollars. 🛑 We're in a holding pattern. We explain why funds won't be available immediately upon re-opening, even for authorized loans. ✅ Good News from the IRS: The IRS is still processing 4506C...

It's Day 14 of the shutdown, and we're tackling borrower anxiety while celebrating an SBA content legend! This week, special guest Ray Drew joins us to discuss the chaos and drop some major news about the future of his shows. We're breaking down: ⚠️ Borrowers on Edge: We discuss the fear and anger from borrowers facing a continuing shutdown and the looming problem of expired documents and backlogs...

This week on SBA Today, we're broadcasting from the dark, dealing with the government shutdown , and dissecting the end-of-year lending stats and the last-minute rule changes that slipped out right before the lights went off . We're breaking down: 🛑 How Long Will It Last? We break down the poll results (spoiler: most people are wrong!) and why Paul thinks we're looking at 30 days plus of shutdown...

This week on SBA Today, we tackle the high-stakes political drama that could affect your deals and celebrate the unsung heroes who keep the process moving during National SBA Closer Appreciation Week ! We're breaking down: Will They or Won't They? Congress failed to reach an agreement on the Continuing Resolution, leaving us at the end of the fiscal year tonight and facing a possible government sh...

This week on SBA Today, we're breaking down the latest headlines, from falling interest rates to a brand-new loan program, and why some lawmakers are comparing the SBA to Oprah Winfrey. In this episode, we've got: Rates are Falling! Prime is now at 7.25%, with talk of dropping to 6.75% by the end of the year . Meet "MARC" The new Manufacturers' Access to Revolving Credit (MARC) program offers loan...

In this episode, Paul and Tonya tackle a critical question that's causing confusion in the SBA lending world: Is a seller note allowed to have a shorter maturity than the SBA loan? While old rules considered this preferential treatment, the current SOP is silent, leaving many to wonder about the "spirit of the program" . We dive into why this can be a painful mistake and how to avoid it . We also...

In this episode, Paul and Tonya dive into the major news from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA): the launch of the new MARC Loan Program. This is the first-ever dedicated loan program for small manufacturers and is designed to provide flexible working capital with "minimal red tape". Loan funds can be used for inventory, new projects, and other short-term needs. 💰The MARC Loan Program:...

Welcome to SBA Today, presented by Res Title, your SBA Title Experts for the week of September 1st. Paul Long and Tonya Mazurek are back together to discuss the latest news and trends affecting the SBA world. In this episode, you'll hear about: New Fees and Fee Waivers for Manufacturers: New fee waivers for manufacturers in NAICS Sectors 31-33. For 7(a) loans of $950,000 or less, the upfront fee w...

Welcome to SBA Today, presented by Res Title, your SBA Title Experts for the week of September 1st. Paul Long and Tonya Mazurek are back together to discuss the latest news and trends affecting the SBA world. In this episode, you'll hear about: New Fees and Fee Waivers for Manufacturers: New fee waivers for manufacturers in NAICS Sectors 31-33. For 7(a) loans of $950,000 or less, the upfront fee w...

Welcome to SBA Today, presented by Res Title, your SBA Title Experts for the week of August 25th! Paul Long is back from his vacation and is joined by the "SBA Godfather" himself, Lance Sexton. In this packed episode, Paul and Lance discuss major news and trends affecting SBA lenders, brokers, and borrowers. Key Headlines & Industry Insights: Major SBA Personnel Change: Ginger Allen is no longer w...

Tonya Mazurek is back and joined by a very special guest, Stephanie Dunn, Executive Vice President and Chief SBA Revenue Officer at Community Bank & Trust. They'll dive into Tonya's recent career move and discuss the critical, and often overlooked, reasons why SBA loan deals get rejected. In this episode, you'll learn about: Debanking Debate: President Trump's new Executive Order, "Guaranteeing Fa...

Welcome to a special solo episode of SBA Today, presented by Res Title, your SBA Title Experts! Join Tonya Mazurek as she takes the reins while Paul Long is on vacation. In this packed episode, Tonya dives into: Meet William Briggs: Newly sworn-in Deputy Administrator, bringing "stricter underwriting, cleaner processes, and fewer curveballs." Expect "the return of receipts"! SBA Connect Call Takes...

This week on SBA Today, we're diving deep into a topic often misunderstood in the world of SBA lending: holdbacks. While conventional wisdom might lead you astray, understanding what's truly allowed—and what's not—can be the key to a smoother transaction. Hosts Paul Long and Tanya Mazurek are joined by special guest Gregory Kovsky, President and CEO of IBA, the Pacific Northwest's oldest and large...