Clint Cooper’s career began at Great American Group and came full circle as he moved into software roles at Experian, Validis and now ABLSoft, where he supports alternative lending.

With 18 years of experience, Cooper has held roles including operations director, customer success manager, sales manager and small business owner. His broad skill set helps drive results across companies of all sizes.

One of Cooper’s proudest moments was relocating from Experian USA in Boston to Experian UK in London to turnaround a struggling operations team and grow their mid-market account management division. “Although they speak the same language, I can assure you it is not the same!” Cooper says.

He leads with inclusion and guidance, believing people are the foundation of any business. “People want to live in a world they create. My job is to help them build it, not do it for them.” Through mentorship and open dialogue, he supports growth within his teams.

Cooper believes specialty finance is at a pivotal point, gaining mainstream acceptance as younger generations take leadership. He foresees lending expanding into intellectual property and tech rights, with billion-dollar companies run by lean teams — bringing both challenges and opportunities.

He stays sharp through industry publications, networking and books like How to Win Friends and Influence People and The EQ Edge. His advice to future leaders: be patient, embrace learning and value failure.

“You learn and become a leader through experiences, both good and bad. Embrace the moments you fail and learn from them. Enjoy the moments you succeed and revel in them.”

He also emphasizes mentorship: “Find a mentor, learn from them and emulate that in your day-to-day personal and professional life.”

In the next five years, Cooper aims to grow ABLSoft’s customer success team and step into an executive role — while continuing to prioritize family and personal growth.