When Robyn Barrett left The Dial Corporation in the late 1990s to enter the world of corporate finance at FINOVA Capital, she quickly realized that there was a distinct lack of women in leadership and ownership roles within asset-based lending. However, that didn’t dissuade her from founding her own commercial finance company, FSW Funding, in 2001. The company’s success over the next 20 years led to its eventual sale to Oxford Bank in 2022, with Barrett joining the bank to manage the working capital group of Oxford Commercial Finance.

By achieving success as a business owner and leader in the ABL space, Barrett believes her impact on the industry has come from her ability to serve as a role model for younger women entering the sector. Her goal has been to show women that they can control their destinies and experience success in any role, whether professionally or personally.

Barrett says the biggest challenge in her latest role at Oxford Commercial Finance has been building the right team. When she was an independent lender, her options were limited to her geographical area. Thanks to Oxford’s resources and reach, however, she no longer has to contend with that obstacle.

“This has helped overcome the challenge of finding the right people for the job, which has allowed the portfolio to grow dramatically,” Barrett says. “It has also allowed me to focus on working on the business versus in the business.”

As Barrett, who currently serves as president of the American Factoring Association, looks to the future, her drive to continue building the perfect team, a strong portfolio and a better industry aligns with her aim of crafting a legacy that leaves a lasting impression.

“If building a working capital group was easy, everyone would do it,” Barrett says. “It is not all about yield; it is more about asset quality.”