Would This Loan Get Approved? Inside an SBA Lender’s Decision

Join us for a discussion-based webinar where we move beyond theory and walk through a realistic loan scenario — through the eyes of an SBA lender.

In this live, podcast-style session, we’re joined by Michele Vervlied, EVP & Director of Government Guaranteed Lending at Customers Bank, to break down a loan scenario and walk through exactly how a lender evaluates the request. You’ll hear what catches a lender’s eye first, which financial details carry the most weight, and the red flags that borrowers routinely underestimate.

As we work through the loan scenario, Michele will explain how credit, cash flow, owner investment, collateral, and management experience all fit together — what makes a lender comfortable, what raises questions, and where borrowers most often run into trouble when trying to secure capital.

Rather than a formal presentation or sales pitch, this is built as an open, candid conversation: walking through the request, breaking down what stands out, and showing how a lender thinks long before an application ever reaches underwriting.

Every attendee also receives a free Loan Readiness Checklist — a one-page guide covering what to gather and prepare before you approach a lender.

In this session, you’ll learn to:

• See a loan request the way an SBA lender does
• Spot the weaknesses that stall or sink an application
• Understand which problems are fixable — and which ones aren’t
• Recognize how cash flow, credit, and owner investment work together
• Know when to bring in the PA SBDC SSBCI Team to help you prepare

It’s ideal for entrepreneurs starting, buying, or expanding a business — and for owners who want a practical, real-world look at their financing options before approaching a lender.

This project is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number SSBCI-21031-0044 awarded to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.