Vendors in SBA deals are often introduced as “third parties.”

That phrasing is technically true.

But strategically, it’s misleading.

A good vendor—valuation, CPA, attorney, insurance—functions as part of the trust infrastructure that allows a lender to say yes.

Because SBA lending isn’t just about credit.
It’s about credibility.

A lender needs confidence that the information is real, normalized, and responsibly interpreted.
A borrower needs confidence that the standards are fair and consistent.
A vendor needs confidence that their work won’t be weaponized or misunderstood.

When that mutual confidence exists, the vendor becomes an accelerator.
When it doesn’t, the vendor becomes a friction point—not because the vendor is wrong, but because the relationship environment is broken.

This is why “vendor management” is not just operational.
It’s leadership.

If you’re a lender, your best SBA outcomes will come from building a stable bench of vendors who:

• communicate clearly
• understand your underwriting mindset
• produce defensible work
• don’t chase outcomes

If you’re a vendor, your best outcomes come from lenders who:

• set expectations early
• don’t treat you as disposable
• understand independence
• communicate like partners

SBA is a team sport.

And every team has infrastructure.

Integrity compounds. Always.