AmiSights

When people talk about artificial intelligence in business, they often imagine robots replacing humans. At MultiFunding, our experience has been very different. Over the past year, AI has quietly become one of our most valuable teammates—not because it does our work for us, but because it helps us do our jobs better.  It’s tough to put a number on the savings, but the impact is noticeable. Our campaigns move faster, presentations come together with less hassle, and we’re prod

Procrastination. It’s something most people deal with at some point – or all of the time. But what causes it and how can we fix it? Amelia Tait, a freelance writer for The Guardian , challenged herself to not procrastinate at all for one working week. No TV, no Nintendo, no YouTube videos. Just sticking to the tasks on her to-do list. And it worked.  To help understand why she was able to stop procrastinating so easily, she reached out to Fuschia Sirois, a psychology professo

This past summer, MultiFunding hit an incredible milestone — $1 billion in total loans funded. The final deal that pushed us over the top came from a business we’re especially proud to support. In this special edition of the AmiSights Podcast , Lynn and I sit down with Senior Director of Business Financing, Fran Miller, who led the deal at MultiFunding, along with his client — Jennifer Scarbrough, owner of Misty Mountain Soap Company . Jennifer shares her journey from the co

Weight-loss drugs certainly are popular – but they may be driving up insurance costs for employers, potentially cutting into employment and wage growth.  The Wall Street Journal reports  that the cost of health insurance rose steeply for a third year in a row in 2025, reaching just under $27,000 for a family plan, according to an annual survey from the nonprofit KFF. Chronic diseases, the rising rate of cancer and hospital bills continue to drive up the price, but employers a

"Every storm has two purposes. To destroy what isn’t solid, and to reveal what is." When life feels chaotic and the things you counted on begin to fall apart, it’s easy to focus on what’s being lost. But storms don’t just take; they clarify. They strip away what was never meant to last and show you what’s truly strong enough to stand. When the wind settles, what remains is real — the people who stay, the purpose that endures, the strength you didn’t know you had. The storm do

Sure, free snacks, unlimited PTO and a huge raise make employees happy in corporate America. But many employees still long for good old-fashioned loyalty. Aki Ito writes for Business Insider  that when employers make the first move toward loyalty by treating their staff with care, respect, and honesty, employees naturally reciprocate. A Business Insider survey found that loyalty isn’t dead – in fact many responders say they value loyalty over money. While people may have answ

A big part of having grit is innovation — being open to new ideas and willing to try something new even when it’s not perfect. This week, our Referral Advantage ™ Program , which we launched at NAGGL (our trade association), came to life. The idea was born just 90 days ago — at a lunch, of all places. From that spark, we got it live and ready for market. Is it perfect? No. Does it have every bell and whistle? Not yet. But that’s okay. The important thing is that we took an id

Vision, empathy, and intelligence are signs of a good manager, but what may be the top trait is the ability to figure out people’s strengths – and steer them to the jobs that suit them best. The Wall Street Journal reports  of a 10-year study of a large multinational firm covering 200,000 workers and 30,000 managers in 100 countries found that the best bosses steer their employees into just the right roles. The job shifting was a win-win, as employees became more productive a

This week, the MultiFunding team is in Colorado Springs to sponsor the NAGGL 2025 Annual Conference  at The Broadmoor. We’re also excited to introduce our new Referral Advantage™ program — designed to make life easier for lenders and business owners alike. For our network of lenders, it’s a simple, secure way to place deals they can’t close while maintaining their client relationships. For business owners, it means your loan application gets a second look — from a lender who

Fiscal Year 2025 was a big one for MultiFunding. I am grateful for the entrepreneurs who trust us with their dreams, for our lender partners who help make those dreams possible, and for the incredible team that shows up every day to make it all happen. Loan Volume Growth Our total approved loan volume grew 51.7% , from $108,864,558 in FY24  to $165,127,700 in FY25 . That’s a significant number — but behind it are hundreds of stories, long days, and countless calls, emails, an

When the federal government shuts down, most people think about the visible stuff—national parks closing, federal workers missing paychecks, travel complicated by delays. But for small business owners trying to get financing, the impact is quieter but more painful. The entire SBA lending system—the one that helps entrepreneurs buy real estate, purchase equipment, and expand their businesses—comes to a standstill. Both types of SBA lenders get stuck. General Process Lenders mu

Although inflation is far lower than the pandemic-fueled price spikes of just a few years ago, grocery prices are once again on the rise. According to The Wall Street Journal , in the 12 months ending in August, the price of coffee rose 20.9%, ground beef increased 12.8%, and bananas climbed 6.6%, based on Labor Department data. Dairy, fruits and vegetables, and cereals have all seen price increases as well — driven by factors such as rising commodity costs and tariffs. In re

In this week's edition of the AmiSights Podcast , I interview  ⁠LaVonna Roth⁠ , the founder of Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E.® , who shares her journey from education to empowering leaders through her unique methodology. LaVonna discusses the importance of self-awareness, confidence, and emotional intelligence in leadership, as well as her experiences as a keynote speaker. “I have been given different gifts. I shine in a different way, just like they do. But when we come together, we

“If it scares you and excites you at the same time, it’s probably your next move.” Have you ever had that feeling when something both terrifies and thrills you? It’s that mix of “I can’t do this” and “I have to.” Most of the time, it happens right before you make an important decision. It's the kind that pushes you beyond your comfort zone. The things that scare and excite us the most are often the ones that change us. They push us to grow, to bet on ourselves, and to move cl

There’s something powerful about this quote: “If you don’t design the next five years, you’ll repeat the last five.” Do you ever find yourself moving through life on autopilot—busy, reactive, checking off tasks, but rarely stopping to ask yourself, “Where is all this taking me?” Without intention, our routines quietly become ruts. The days blur, the goals fade, and before we know it, another five years have passed looking a lot like the last. Designing your next five years do

The U.S. Small Business Administration  (SBA) announced that it will close Fiscal Year 2025 with the most capital ever delivered to small businesses. According to the agency, the SBA guaranteed 84,400 small business loans totaling $44.8 billion, marking the highest lending volume in its history. That figure includes 77,600 loans through the 7(a) program  worth $37 billion and 6,750 loans through the 504 program totaling $7.8 billion. The SBA said it now guarantees an average

Three weeks into the U.S. government shutdown, small businesses are feeling the pain. Federal contracts are frozen, loans are stalled, and cash flow is drying up. A Florida marketing firm had to lay off five employees after a stop-work order. A California medical-device company postponed a major spinoff because the SEC couldn’t process paperwork. An electrical subcontractor in Minnesota is overstaffing jobs just to keep workers employed. The Wall Street Journal   reports tha

After retiring, not all workers are putting their feet up and sipping m argaritas . In fact, many are launching new ventures—turning decades of experience, savings, and ideas into entrepreneurship. The Wall Street Journal reports  that nearly 30% of employed individuals in their 70s are self-employed, almost double the percentage of those in their 60s, translating into about 1.3 million septuagenarian entrepreneurs. While older entrepreneurs might have lost a bit of pep in th

Companies are trying just about everything to lure employees back to the office. After getting used to working from the comforts of home...

“Silence Isn’t Empty. It’s Full of Answers.” We live in a noisy world. There’s always something playing, buzzing, or demanding our...

Every so often, a conversation with a business owner lingers with me long after it’s over. I recently had one of those experiences with...