State of Small Biz Banking 2023

Executives at Capital One, U.S. Bank, BMO and Atlantic Union Bank are striving for seamless onboarding and more efficient branch bankers, among other projects on their technology drawing boards.

A key gauge of activity that tracks startups most likely to create jobs declined in October, potentially signaling the start of a slowdown after the rapid increase in interest rates. It presents a red flag for community banks and credit unions that are major lenders to small businesses.

Don't underestimate how lonely and messy entrepreneurship is, Walter said at American Banker's Small Biz Banking conference.

Bankers should stop thinking of small companies as difficult to serve, Comerica's Brian Haney says; "How does succeeding in small business make the retail bank stronger?"

Since the end of the Small Business Administration's 2022 fiscal year, the average loan size in its flagship program has dropped more than six figures. The addition of three new nondepository lenders could further drive down this figure.

Small Business Administration lending is an arena where community banks and nonbanks compete favorably with some of the largest U.S. financial institutions. Here are the biggest SBA 7(a) lenders based on the value of approved loans.

But high costs and any downturn in the economy could weigh on lenders and their commercial borrowers in coming months, economists caution.