You trust your general counsel.
They've helped you through regulations, loan problems, and legal challenges for years.
When it's time to sell your bank, your first thought is probably to use them.
That could be a costly mistake.
Why Banking Lawyers Aren't Bank Sale Lawyers
Your general co...
You walked into that first buyer meeting feeling confident.
You knew your bank inside and out.
You had good chemistry with the potential buyer.
But something went wrong.
They seemed interested at first, then cooled off.
The follow-up meeting never happened.
The deal died before it sta...
The phone call comes from your investment banker:
"We have three serious buyers who want to meet with you."
Your heart pounds.
This is it…
The moment everything you've built gets judged by strangers who could become your bank's new owners.
Everybody is counting on you to deliver.
Y...
You've made the decision to explore selling your bank.
You've hired an investment banker.
The board is ready to test the market.
Now comes the question that keeps you awake at night: "Who's actually interested in buying us?"
Here's how smart money finds out—without letting the whole indust...
Picture this:
Your board meeting is running late.
You've covered loan committee reports, regulatory updates, and budget reviews.
Then you drop the bomb:
"I think we should explore selling the bank."
The room goes silent.
Board members exchange worried glances.
Someone asks, "Is the bank...
Here's a fact that will shock you:
Many community bank CEOs choose their investment banker the same way they choose lunch – by convenience.
The result?
Deals that fall apart, values that disappoint, and CEOs who realize too late they picked the wrong partner for the biggest transaction o...
Sometimes the best strategy is the one you never saw coming.
In 2017, we were hunting for banks to buy.
By 2022, we were the ones getting bought—and it was the best decision we ever made.
Here's the story of how we built a bank so strong that when plans changed, we had options.
And why ...
Picture this:
You're juggling a dozen spinning plates.
Interest rates,
cybersecurity,
regulations,
talent wars,
loan quality
—each one demanding your attention every single day.
Now imagine someone asking, "Are you ready to sell your bank?"
Your first thought?
"I'm not selling!...
Every bank director knows they have a duty to shareholders.
But when it comes time to sell your bank, that duty gets put to the ultimate test.
Here's the uncomfortable truth:
Many directors think they're doing right by shareholders when they're actually falling short of their legal responsi...
You've spent years building the perfect team.
Late nights, tough decisions, and yes—probably hiring a few people who didn't work out.
But now you have them: the stars who make your bank run like clockwork.
Here's the question that keeps successful bank CEOs awake at night:
What happens ...
Your most important job as a bank CEO might surprise you:
Make yourself replaceable.
Sounds backward, right?
But this surprising truth is key to making your bank worth more.
Why Your Bank Needs to Work Without You
Let me be straight with you:
If your bank can't run smoothly without yo...
Remember this fundamental truth:
Banks are bought, not sold.
Buyers acquire your bank because they believe their institution will become more valuable with yours added to it.
They care less about your past performance and more about the future potential you bring.
When two banks togethe...
