Ben Colley

Vice President Originations, Citizens Bank

40 Under 40 Category: Business Development

Ben Colley is a vice president at Citizens Bank in charge of new business development of asset-based loans in the Southwest and Western US, with a focus on lead left relationships ranging from $20MM-$150MM.  He has been with Citizens for four years. Prior to Citizens, he was a VP at AloStar Capital Finance, underwriting new ABL and Lender Finance transactions.  A CPA by trade, he began his career in public accounting at Moore Colson, a regional CPA firm.  It was at Moore Colson that he was introduced to ABL, performing collateral field exams for regional banks.  Ben is a native Atlantan and proud graduate of the University of Georgia (Go Dawgs!).

Ben outkicked his coverage in marrying his wife of 11 years, Melanie.  They reside in Roswell, GA where they are raising their three young (very energetic) children: Nick, Sarah Kate, and Annie, as well as the family dog, Herschel. Outside of work, Ben enjoys coaching his kids’ youth sports teams, live music and sporting events, and staying involved volunteering at his church and children’s school.

What is the best professional advice you have been given and how have you implemented it? 

Early in my career in public accounting, I was taught to always overcommunicate, be transparent, and timely with clients. A partner used to say, “Bad news doesn’t get better with age.” This mantra has stayed with me throughout my career and is especially applicable in banking. Whether it’s negotiating structure/pricing in a term sheet, the ability or inability to meet prospect/client requests, or working through issues that come up in diligence, maintaining a consistent and transparent dialogue with prospects and clients has been extremely beneficial.   

My parents raised me to understand the value of hard work, honesty in all endeavors, and in treating people kindly. My dad always reinforced “you only have one chance to make a good impression” and “your attitude is the only thing you can always control.” I’m grateful for my parents’ wisdom as it has had a significant impact on how I carry myself in my profession. 

Did you change the way you approach work while working remotely during the pandemic?  Have these habits stayed with you as we emerge from the crisis?  

The pandemic and working remotely brought on both challenges and certain benefits as we adapted to the circumstances. The biggest challenge for me was the feeling that work was always “on” and it was easy to be available throughout all hours of the day, with the office being one room away from the kitchen. Citizens leadership team did an incredible job reinforcing the importance of work-life balance and the necessity to step away from work as needed.  Aside from not having to fight rush hour Atlanta traffic daily, I became much more efficient with my time, and I did enjoy being able to see my kids intermittently throughout the day, though I did invest in a better door lock and AirPods!  A habit I started during this time was to spend the first five minutes of my day in prayer/reflection; I pause at noon to say a brief traditional prayer called the Angelus; and then I stop mid-afternoon for a specific prayer intention.  These 15 minutes may seem trivial but have been incredibly helpful to stay mindful and calm throughout the challenging 2020 year.  I aspire to keep this discipline going post-pandemic.

What advice do you normally give to the junior talent you mentor? 

Listen, question, and understand. The cliché answer I always hear is “ask as many questions as you can.” But intent listening is a lost art. In everything you do, especially in a junior role, understand the reason for the task. What is the rationale, how does what you’re doing add value to your institution, and how does the team get closer to accomplishing its goals through this? Listening to understand the big picture in what you do will help you work more efficiently, with greater focus and purpose, and will increase both your technical and interpersonal skillset quickly.

The other advice is to network early and often.  I regret I didn’t do this my first few years in banking.  You are never too young or in a role too junior to put yourself out there and begin connecting with industry peers on a personal level.  ABL is a small, close-knit community, and in a commoditized industry of “selling money,” establishing your personal brand is paramount to success. Building a solid network is something that will stay with you throughout your career. These connections provide resources for professional development, future career advancement, and in some cases, lifelong mentoring and friendships.