On a farm in Massachusetts, a long white barn sits on a grassy hill. For 45 years, this barn has sheltered tender little shoots of sprouts, carefully being tended to by hand. The business is known as Jonathan Sprouts — and this small but mighty business has a lot to show for itself. Over the years, the business has made valuable contributions to the farming community, like founding a New England Sprout Growers Association and helping the FDA develop safe growing protocols.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Jonathan Sprouts found that orders were increasingly difficult to fill: supply chain hiccups were causing big problems for the small business. The sprout farm needed some help, so the owners applied for financing through Biz2Credit, which allowed the business to get approved quickly, find the funding they needed and keep the lights on for the longstanding family farm.
Jonathan Sprouts is one of many small businesses Biz2Credit has helped. The fintech company specializes in keeping businesses afloat when financial help is needed most, and has helped small businesses with more than $7 billion in financing and loans to date. Through the company’s risk analysis and cutting-edge fintech software, Biz2Credit leaders are able to guide customers like Jonathan Sprouts to success.
Built In sat down with Chief Credit Risk Officer Meghamsh Jayanthi Narasimham to discuss his approach in leading Biz2Credit’s mission-driven team as they impact small businesses nationwide. .
What’s your vision for leading your team?
I hope to guide them through the next phase of growth. We hope to create a state-of-the-art analytic vertical that is focused on driving business toward profitable growth. The way we do that is by using sophisticated modeling and machine learning techniques.
How do you build team culture? Why is that important for the work that you do?
Collaboration and transparency are the two foundational pillars of any successful team. I strive to help foster these qualities in all my team members. Collaboration and transparency work hand in hand to create a great working environment. They also bring in measurable quality and productive results to the firm.
How do you help your team grow their careers?
I have had the opportunity to work in large banks and established businesses. I’ve also had the privilege to launch new products into the market at the grassroots level. The opportunity to work and learn in an environment such as this does not come by too often and is a great learning opportunity.
“The opportunity to work and learn in an environment such as this does not come by too often and is a great learning opportunity.”
Regular communications with team leaders are a core part of Biz2Credit. When the team has a clear line of sight to the goals of the firm as a whole, the team and individuals can drive our growth forward. This consistent communication helps us maintain a great working environment. It also helps us deliver very ambitious goals and targets with varying complexities in the short term.
Additionally, we get exposed to multiple parts of the business which is the most exciting part of the job.
What impact does working at your company have on someone’s career?
The learning opportunity this platform provides is priceless. Team members get to observe and be part of developing and growing business and partnerships on a daily basis. This is a breeding ground for talent to be sharpened and achieve tremendous individual development.
