Jentri Smith: How to Secure Funding and Position Your Business for Long-Term Growth

Jentri Smith is the Senior Vice President and SBA Lending Manager at Amegy Bank of Texas, where she leads the strategy and execution of the bank's Small Business Administration (SBA) lending initiatives. In this role, she partners with lending teams across the organization to expand access to capital for small businesses while strengthening the bank's presence as a top SBA lender in Texas. With more than 17 years of experience in SBA, commercial, and business lending, Jentri brings deep industry knowledge and a proven ability to help businesses grow. She has held leadership and relationship management roles at institutions including Wells Fargo, Community Certified Development Corporation, and Comerica Incorporated. Jentri earned her MBA from Prairie View A&M University and a BBA in Finance from Texas A&M University. She is also passionate about giving back, volunteering with Junior Achievement to support financial literacy and youth development. During the show we discuss: What banks actually look for when approving SBA loans Why strong deals still get declined—and how to fix those gaps How to position yourself as a low-risk, high-confidence borrower The key components of a deal that gets fast-tracked vs. stalled How SBA lenders evaluate cash flow, projections, and business health Insider strategies to increase approval odds before you apply The biggest mistakes borrowers make that kill deals early How to align your application with what decision-makers really want Resources: https://www.amegybank.com/