Lessons Learned from Deals that Died
Mon Dec 08 2025
Welcome back to The BDO Show—where the ups and downs of SBA lending drives BDOs to overconsumption of coffee (even at 7 PM) and sweet little threats to their borrowers.
SBA lending isn't just about spreadsheets; it's an emotional roller coaster. This week, the panel gets real about the crushing deals that died, the shock of fraud, and the unexpected "therapy session" that happens when a loan finally funds.
Join Emily Detor, Andrew Chong, John Chung, Daniel Park, and Zach Bennett as they share their most painful (and triumphant) deal stories:
Tune in as they break down:
💀 Time Kills Deals: Andrew is living this out right now with a deal that – if they listened – would have gotten done.
💔 The Year-Long Loss: Zach recounts his most crushing career deal: a purchase that took a full year to underwrite, only to be killed at the finish line by a new Chief Credit Officer who just had a "different set of eyes."
🚨 The Fraud Flag: Zach and John detail the terrifying reality of encountering tax fraud and the common issue of sellers being leery of providing real tax returns.
🥊 Fighting Credit: The panel agrees that the key to dealing with the credit team is credibility. You must anticipate weaknesses, hit them head-on, and mitigate issues upfront—otherwise, they can sink your deal later.
⏱️ Borrower Deadlines: John explains why you must give the borrower deadlines and make them responsible for the timeline: "We can close as fast or slow as you get us everything we need."
This episode is packed with war stories, mental strategies for surviving sales, and a reminder that you're an essential part of the American Dream.
👉 What was your most heartbreaking deal loss? Share your story in the comments or email us at TheBDOShow@ArtofSBA.com.
🎙This episode is sponsored by:
Rapid Business Plans
Rapid Business Plan is a trusted partner that can help your borrower get their story on paper. Whether they're acquiring, starting, or expanding, Rapid Business Plans delivers powerful, fast SBA and USDA-ready business plans with projections and assumptions. For more information go to https://rapidbusinessplans.com/the-bdo-show
Peak Business Valuation
Our partner, Peak Business Valuation, has a free resource for BDO listeners, listing rule-of-thumb formulas for common SBA industries. Don't make the rookie mistake of missing the valuation at the prescreen phase. Go to peakbizval.com/bdoshow to get yours today.
More
Welcome back to The BDO Show—where the ups and downs of SBA lending drives BDOs to overconsumption of coffee (even at 7 PM) and sweet little threats to their borrowers. SBA lending isn't just about spreadsheets; it's an emotional roller coaster. This week, the panel gets real about the crushing deals that died, the shock of fraud, and the unexpected "therapy session" that happens when a loan finally funds. Join Emily Detor, Andrew Chong, John Chung, Daniel Park, and Zach Bennett as they share their most painful (and triumphant) deal stories: Tune in as they break down: 💀 Time Kills Deals: Andrew is living this out right now with a deal that – if they listened – would have gotten done. 💔 The Year-Long Loss: Zach recounts his most crushing career deal: a purchase that took a full year to underwrite, only to be killed at the finish line by a new Chief Credit Officer who just had a "different set of eyes." 🚨 The Fraud Flag: Zach and John detail the terrifying reality of encountering tax fraud and the common issue of sellers being leery of providing real tax returns. 🥊 Fighting Credit: The panel agrees that the key to dealing with the credit team is credibility. You must anticipate weaknesses, hit them head-on, and mitigate issues upfront—otherwise, they can sink your deal later. ⏱️ Borrower Deadlines: John explains why you must give the borrower deadlines and make them responsible for the timeline: "We can close as fast or slow as you get us everything we need." This episode is packed with war stories, mental strategies for surviving sales, and a reminder that you're an essential part of the American Dream. 👉 What was your most heartbreaking deal loss? Share your story in the comments or email us at TheBDOShow@ArtofSBA.com. 🎙This episode is sponsored by: Rapid Business Plans Rapid Business Plan is a trusted partner that can help your borrower get their story on paper. Whether they're acquiring, starting, or expanding, Rapid Business Plans delivers powerful, fast SBA and USDA-ready business plans with projections and assumptions. For more information go to https://rapidbusinessplans.com/the-bdo-show Peak Business Valuation Our partner, Peak Business Valuation, has a free resource for BDO listeners, listing rule-of-thumb formulas for common SBA industries. Don't make the rookie mistake of missing the valuation at the prescreen phase. Go to peakbizval.com/bdoshow to get yours today.