Sean Murray, deBanked · October 13, 2026
deBanked President and Chief Editor Sean Murray talks with Lendesca CEO Chris Hurn about where SBA 7(a) lending goes after a year of tighter rules. Chris explains why 7(a) loan counts dropped even as average loan sizes grew, and how the SBA’s new SOP reopens a path to SBA financing for businesses carrying merchant cash advances.
The bigger opportunity, Chris argues, is reaching small businesses before they turn to high-cost funding at all. That takes a faster front end that still meets every program requirement. The article walks through how Lendesca’s technology captures the first borrower conversation, lets borrowers and referral partners drag and drop their documents, and builds an SBA-compliant credit memo, so borrowers move directly into underwriting in a fraction of the usual time. Chris also lays out Lendesca’s model as an originating LSP working alongside its bank partners, who remain the lender of record.
“That balance sheet has the final say, and they’re the lender of record.” — Chris Hurn, Lendesca CEO
As reported by deBanked, Oct 13, 2026.
