Ami Kassar

Ami Kassar is the founder and CEO of MultiFunding, and the author of The Growth Dilemma.[1][third-party source needed] He is a small business advocate and a nationally renowned expert on access to capital for entrepreneurs.[2][3][4][5] In addition, Kassar writes a regular column for Inc.com and is a speaker at universities and business events across the country on topics such as entrepreneurship and access to capital.[6][7][8]

Kassar is also known for his research on the small business lending market, in which he confronts and challenges some of the largest banks in America for their lending records to small businesses.[9] Kassar concluded that smaller community-oriented banks hold a disproportionately large share of small business loan balances.[10][third-party source needed]

Banking Grades

In May 2012, Kassar and his company MultiFunding launched Banking Grades, a site that allowed small business owners to search for banks that have a proven commitment to small business lending. With this tool, Kassar confronted and challenged some of the largest banks in America for their lending records to small businesses.[11] He concluded that smaller community-oriented banks hold a disproportionately large share of small business loan balances.[12]

Kassar's criticisms of the big banks have been contested by representatives from the Financial Services Roundtable, as well as SBA Administrator Karen Mills. Mills referenced a commitment by the nation's 13 largest banks to increase small business lending by $20 billion, of which $11 billion in gains have already been made.[13] Some small business bankers believed Kassar's characterization of the big banks is unfair. They pointed out the importance of exercising caution in making loans, to avoid repeating some of the risky lending practices that contributed to the recession.[14]

Bibliography

In January 2018, Kassar debuted his first book entitled, The Growth Dilemma: Determining Your Entrepreneurial Type to Find Your Financing Comfort Zone. In his book, Kassar helps entrepreneurs decide how big they want to grow their businesses, how quickly, with how much risk and leverage. The book contains 15 profiles of different business owners, their revenue numbers, growth targets, and investment strategies.[15]

References

  1. ^ "The Growth Dilemma by Ami Kassar". Growthdilemma.com.
  2. ^ "Small businesses turn to alternative lenders". USA Today. Paul Davidson. 13 November 2012.
  3. ^ "Hard Lessons in Modern Lending". Inc. Burt Helm. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  4. ^ "Has Obama really helped small businesses?". The Washington Post. Suzy Khimm. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
  5. ^ "Will Big Banks Really Lend $20 Billion To Small Businesses?". HuffPost. Janean Chun. 9 June 2012.
  6. ^ "Ami Kassar's articles". Inc.
  7. ^ "Ami Kassar at Amazon Conference". Prosper Show. Archived from the original on 2018-09-24. Retrieved 2018-06-16.
  8. ^ "TED independently organized event speakers". TEDx BrandeIs University. Archived from the original on 2018-06-16. Retrieved 2018-06-16.
  9. ^ Cook, Jon. "SBA says small business lending up, but some feeling left out". Reuters. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  10. ^ Kassar, Ami (27 June 2012). "Grading Banks on Their Small-Business Lending". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
  11. ^ "SBA says small business lending up, but some feeling left out". Reuters. Jon Cook. 28 September 2012. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012.
  12. ^ "Grading Banks on Their Small-Business Lending". The New York Times. 27 June 2012.
  13. ^ "SBA and americas banks are increasing small business lending". Small Business Administration. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  14. ^ "Debate: Do Big Banks Lend Enough to Small Business?". The Wall Street Journal. 13 December 2011.
  15. ^ "Book review: Growth Dilemma by Ami Kassar". Gosmallbiz. Retrieved 16 June 2018.