Meet Your Lords | LoL #7
Shane Pierson, Stephanie Dunn & Brian Congelliere
Meet Your Lords — Who Are the SBA Lending Experts Behind Lords of Lending?
Every podcast has hosts. Few let you see the actual humans behind the microphones. In Episode 7 of Lords of Lending, Shane Pierson, Stephanie Dunn, and Brian Congelliere put the deal breakdowns aside and answer the question their listeners have been asking: who are you people, and why should we trust you with our business lending questions?
In this episode: The Lords of Lending team shares their origin stories, career pivots, and the failures that shaped them into the SBA lending professionals they are today. Steph traces her path from waitressing in Canada to cold-calling in a Chicago boiler room to competing on The Apprentice. Brian explains why he walked away from a prestigious real estate law firm in LA to become an SBA loan originator. And Shane describes the financial crash that forced him to move his family into his brother's attic — and why that reset changed everything. Along the way, the trio reveals how they met, why sports shaped their work ethic, and what each of them believes makes them good at a job that burns most people out.
Key Takeaways
1. Every Lord Earned Their Seat Through Hard Left Turns
None of the three hosts followed a straight path into SBA lending. Each one hit a wall — sometimes more than one — that forced a career reset. That pattern is not a coincidence. It is part of what makes them effective at spotting risk, reading borrowers, and structuring deals that actually close.
Steph started in Canadian hospitality — waitressing, hotel front desks, customer service roles that taught her how to read people and eat crow when needed. After graduating from McGill, she drove a Chevy Cavalier to Chicago in a snowstorm to chase the American dream. Her first finance job was a literal boiler room: headset on, cold-calling seven days a week to sell stock to retirees, no do-not-call list, quotas every day.
"I was a boiler room with the headpiece. Selling stock every day to old ladies in their retirement accounts. We had daily quotas. There was no do not call list. It was seven days a week... for two years, seven days a week. Cold call, cold call, cold call. That's what got me in this business." — Stephanie Dunn, Lords of Lending Episode #7
Brian graduated in finance in 2008 — possibly the worst year in modern history to enter real estate. He pivoted to law school, spent time doing door-to-door sales between semesters, and eventually landed at one of the top real estate law firms in California. But sitting in the office at 8 PM, watching partners stare at the 405 freeway, he realized the partner track was not the life he wanted. He left to join Shane and Steph in SBA lending.
"I remember being in the office at like seven, eight o'clock at night looking down the hallway, and the partners were still there... I'm like, that's gonna be me in 20 to 30 years. I'm gonna be sitting right there staring out at the 405 freeway. I don't know if that's what I want to be doing for the rest of my life." — Brian Congelliere, Lords of Lending Episode #7
Shane's path was the most turbulent. After jumping into SBA sales at Excel National Bank, he rode the highs and lows of the lending cycle — making good money, watching it evaporate, switching banks, rebuilding, and watching it evaporate again. The worst stretch ended with him unable to afford his California condo during the housing crisis, moving his wife and three kids into his brother's attic, and questioning whether to leave the industry entirely.
"Even in the years that I've made the most money that I've ever made in this industry, it was that moment of not having anything that I think prepped me to realize what the hell really matters out of all of this." — Shane Pierson, Lords of Lending Episode #7
2. The Team Chemistry Came from Unexpected Places
Shane and Brian have known each other since middle school. They played volleyball together in high school — Shane as a hitter, Brian as the setter who would eventually play for BYU. That athletic foundation is not just trivia. Steph makes the argument that competitive sports experience should be a hiring criterion, because it teaches you how to take criticism from coaches, push your teammates, and perform when the pressure is real.
The trio's professional partnership started at different points. Shane and Steph first crossed paths at Excel National Bank early in Shane's career. They reconnected years later at a hotel industry conference, where Shane followed the sound of Steph's cackling voice through a crowd and found her holding court in the center of a massive circle of contacts. She recruited him to First Bank, and the partnership stuck.
Brian came aboard after his law firm exit, and the three formed what they call "the pod" — a daily FaceTime and text thread where they vent, strategize, and push each other to perform better.
"When you're talking to other people that are playing well, it makes you wanna play better... I don't think I would have the same banter or camaraderie or wanna do a podcast like this if I didn't feel like it was a group of people that made me better." — Stephanie Dunn, Lords of Lending Episode #7
The podcast itself started from a casual conversation between Shane and a colleague named Ray Drew, who told him point-blank: "You need to start a podcast." Shane charged at it like his self-described spirit animal — a rhino — and Steph jumped in immediately. The concept was simple: be different, be fun, and talk about the things that the rest of the SBA world is either too polished or too cautious to say out loud.
3. Failure Is the Curriculum — Confidence Comes from Scars
The final segment of the episode is the most revealing. Steph asks each host: "Do you think you're good at this? And what makes you think you're good at this?"
Brian points to client feedback. Brokers tell him they only send deals to his bank because he is there. His competitive advantage is caring about the experience — not just whether the loan gets approved, but how the borrower and the broker feel throughout the process. When he cannot control that experience, when other people in the organization are permitted to deliver bad service, it is the most demoralizing part of the job.
"My goal is to make it as good of an experience as possible... when you can't control every aspect of that experience and make it what you believe that ideal scenario should be, that is disheartening." — Brian Congelliere, Lords of Lending Episode #7
Shane ties his confidence directly to his failures. He has screwed up every aspect of his job at some point in his career — bad emails sent too fast, deals declined because he missed something, credit officers telling him to shut up and learn. That track record of failure is exactly what gives him the pattern recognition to steer clients away from the same traps.
"The only reason I would say I'm good is that I failed at every aspect of my job at some point in my career. I can't even begin to tell you how many failures somebody needs in order to become a master." — Shane Pierson, Lords of Lending Episode #7
Steph does not hedge. She says she is the best — and backs it with work ethic. Texting the group at midnight with ideas for stuck deals. Working until she has exhausted every option before telling a borrower no. Her philosophy is simple: if she cannot get it done, nobody can.
"I'm the best at this job. And I'll tell you why — because I worked my ass off. I'll do everything I can to help you. And if I can't do it, no one can. I will outwork everyone." — Stephanie Dunn, Lords of Lending Episode #7
What This Means for Borrowers and Business Owners
If you are shopping for an SBA lender, this episode is a lens into what separates a good one from a forgettable one. The best SBA loan originators are not the ones with the cleanest resumes. They are the ones who have seen enough deals go sideways to know the warning signs before you do. They are the ones who care about your experience, not just your approval. And they are the ones who will tell you the truth — even when it is not what you want to hear.
The Lords of Lending philosophy comes through clearly in this episode: take different paths, collect the scars, and show up every day willing to outwork and out-care the competition. That is not a marketing pitch. It is a pattern that repeats in every successful SBA professional they have encountered across 25 years and thousands of deals.
Related Resources
- How to Become an SBA Loan Broker — The career path and skills needed to enter SBA lending
- The Complete Guide to SBA 7(a) Loans — Everything borrowers need to know about the most popular SBA product
- SBA Loan Originator Training — Professional development for new and experienced originators
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the hosts of the Lords of Lending podcast?
The podcast is hosted by Shane Pierson, Stephanie Dunn, and Brian Congelliere — three SBA lending professionals with a combined 50+ years of experience in small business finance. Shane is a senior loan originator known for deal structuring and direct communication. Stephanie is a veteran BDO with 25 years of experience who has financed thousands of businesses across dozens of industries. Brian is a former real estate attorney turned SBA specialist who brings legal precision and a deep interest in AI and technology to the team.
How did the Lords of Lending meet?
Shane and Brian have been friends since middle school and played volleyball together in high school. Shane and Steph first worked together at Excel National Bank early in their careers, reconnected years later at a hotel industry conference, and have been professional partners since. Brian joined the team after leaving his law career, and the trio formed their working partnership — which they call "the pod."
Was Stephanie Dunn really on The Apprentice?
Yes. After a bank she worked for stopped lending outside California, Steph found herself at a career crossroads. While watching The Apprentice from her couch, she saw the audition call, flew to New York City the next Monday, and made it onto the show. She appeared in every episode but one, told Kim Kardashian to wait in the car during a task, and eventually returned to SBA lending with renewed energy.
What makes a good SBA loan originator?
According to the Lords, the best originators share three traits: resilience from having failed and learned from it, genuine care about the borrower's experience beyond just the approval, and the willingness to tell clients the truth early — even when it means losing the deal. All three hosts emphasize that mastery comes from pattern recognition built over years of mistakes, not from textbook knowledge.
Ready to Learn from Professionals Who Have Been in the Trenches?
The Lords of Lending Training Platform is built on the same philosophy you heard in this episode — real experience, honest feedback, and practical frameworks for getting deals done.
Explore training options at learn.lordsoflending.com/pricing
This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice. Consult with a qualified attorney, CPA, and financial advisor before making business or financing decisions. Loan terms, rates, and programs are subject to change and vary by lender.
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