Sarah Henry values networking, innovation and keeping an open mind when approaching underwriting. Helping create processes that improve efficiency within Mitsubishi HC Capital America, Henry believes harnessing emerging technology is asset-based lending’s future.

Sarah Henry was first introduced to asset- based lending in 2008 when she was handed a business card from an employee at what was then known as Crestmark Bank (now Pathward) while enjoying a night out with friends. The card exchange led to a discussion of what ABL was and left Henry encouraged to apply for a job with the bank. Henry went on to work with the very person who introduced her to ABL that fateful night, and she hasn’t looked back since.

Originally serving as a field examiner for about five years, Henry made the jump to underwriting in 2017. Eventually, she started looking for a new challenge and one that would allow her to work more intimately with business owners, so, in 2019, she joined Hitachi Business Finance, which has gone on to become part of Mitsubishi HC Capital America. Henry has been an integral part of the team since joining, serving as assistant vice president and senior underwriter.

“I started as your traditional underwriter. A deal would come in during the due diligence phase and I’d work it through funding or not funding,” Henry recalls of her starting at Mitsubishi HC Capital America. “I’ve really pivoted more into working with sales on the front end and pre-screening. I still underwrite deals in full capacity, but I’m definitely working alongside our team and the borrower to review deals. I’ve also been able to work a lot with other employees at Mitsubishi HC Capital America to further refine policies and procedures to maximize our team’s efficiencies.”

Finding Joy in Success

Henry says having an up-to-date LinkedIn profile and a business card were the keys to getting her foot in the ABL door. Without either, Henry says she wouldn’t have been able to take advantage of being in the right place at the right time for fate to turn her toward success.

Now a seasoned professional in the ABL arena, Henry says her favorite aspect of the industry is working with borrowers in different industries and helping them achieve their business goals. Working closely with small business owners and experiencing their drive and energy has provided Henry with a source of inspiration to help structure unique and tailored solutions. Henry also sees each deal as a learning opportunity and approaches underwriting accordingly.

“You just have to start every deal as if you know nothing about the company and just piece everything together and see how you can underwrite and structure the deal to fit their needs,” Henry says. “I like to take it as a puzzle and fit it all together. No deal is alike these days, so it’s important to have a clean slate every time you start underwriting.”

A Roadmap to Innovation

Among her accomplishments, Henry has played an integral part in further developing and maintaining Mitsubishi HC Capital America’s senior secured lending product. Henry also has created a roadmap for the company to have better visibility of everyone’s role in the dealmaking process from start to finish. She says having such a tool is a necessity because it allows for better insight into what’s being done, removing any guesswork from the equation. Creating this efficiency has allowed the team to focus its efforts on bringing in and closing more deals instead of fussing over paperwork. The methodology behind the roadmap is being used to create similar tools within the company, including for teams that are 100% remote, where details may be more prone to fall through the cracks. Embracing more streamlined processes through the adaptation of technology doesn’t stop there for Henry.

“One thing that I would like to see in ABL and commercial banking in general is leveraging technology more,” Henry says. “And with ABL becoming more of a mainstream financing solution, I think that leveraging that technology will be helpful to capture the borrowers of the next generation. When I talk to them and get feedback on things that they’d like to see, I take that feedback and bring it to the table when working on internal projects.”

Henry also has her own individual roadmap for success, and she recognizes that she has a long road ahead of her, but it’s one she’s eager to navigate.

“I definitely want to get more leadership experience under my belt and lead a larger team of underwriters, whether it’s in the ABL space or just general commercial finance,” Henry says. “I’d also like to move into a role that is more strategic and future thinking. The overall approach and planning of the company is something that’s really interesting to me. And I think that I bring a lot to the table.”