Our March Luncheon Speaker
Nicole Hopkins
Tuesday, March 21st, 11:30 AM -1 PM
Tulsa Country Club
IMA Members - $30
Non-Members - $35
1 Hour CPE
Program Title: From Business Owner to Banker: The basics of underwriting, lending and how to build a banking relationship.
Program Summary:
When I started Blasem 3 years ago, I had $5,000 to my name and that was it. So, a couple months in, when I got my first $20k order, I didn’t have the $12k I needed for the order’s inventory. I knew I shouldn’t use my personal credit cards, because I didn’t want to get in tax trouble. So I asked my bank for an $8-10k line of credit to get the inventory ordered before the company’s payment went through (the order was for a company with long accounting processes). My bank told me, “we can’t do that. But maybe you can do a kiva fundraiser. You raise it like go fund me online for 30 days.” And not a day goes by that I don’t think about that moment. About how small I felt.
The bank didn’t care the accounts receivable was from a Fortune 500 company. They didn’t care it was the largest order I’d ever had as a young entrepreneur. They cared about the fact I hadn’t been in business for 3 years and how small my deposits were. Because of this, I’m on a mission to educate women like me about what I’ve learned as a private bank officer. This presentation will dive into the basics of underwriting, lending, and how to build a banking relationship before you actually need one, as well as how to leverage your cash flow and debt in a way that “makes sense.”
Objectives:
- Discuss the basics of underwriting – how it works and why it matters.
- Discuss personal lending – primary mortgages, investment properties, auto/tractor/aircraft loans, unsecured lines of credit, etc.
- Discuss business lending – business loans, revolving lines and secured lines of credit, depository solutions.
- Learn how to build a relationship with a bank BEFORE you need a loan from the bank.
Speaker Bio:
Nicole is a Private Bank Officer at MidFirst, the largest privately owned bank in the United States. She specializes in providing depository and financing solutions including, but not limited to, jumbo, construction to perm and other residential mortgages, unsecured and secured lines of credit, business loans, investment property portfolio financing, aircraft and commercial lending. Her team is known for their flexible deposit solutions including checking, money market, CDs and sweep accounts.
Nicole is a former Director of Business Development across various industries and owner of Blasem Box, a corporate gifting company focused on internal employee incentive sales programs and external client gifting strategy. She enjoys being a part of the community, spending time with family, and anything related to the arts.
• Oklahoma Magazine "40 Under 40" Award Recipient, 2021
• Accounting & Finance Women’s Alliance “National Emerging Leader," 2019
• Oklahoma Business Ethics Consortium Carmichael Leadership Award Recipient, 2021
• Oklahoma Center for Community & Justice Inclusive Leadership Institute Graduate, 2020
• Oklahoma Hall of Fame Second Century Board of Directors, Vice Chair of Outreach 2021-present
• Tulsa Ballet Board of Directors, Board Governance, 2019-Present
• American Heart Association "Circle of Red" Chair - Tulsa, 2020
• Oral Roberts University Bachelor's Degree in International Community Development