Danika Louis

Portfolio Management, Republic Business Credit, LLC

40 Under 40 Category: Portfolio Management

Biography:

Danika Louis is the portfolio manager for Republic Business Credit, LLC.  Danika began her career in the commercial financial industry in 2000.  As Republic Business Credit’s portfolio manager, Danika is responsible for providing direction to the operations team, portfolio performance monitoring, debtor risk management, contract renegotiations, and staff development.  Danika leads a team of two relationship managers, two account executives, two collateral analysts, and three data entry administrators. Danika has been with Republic Business credit for over six years.

In her spare time, Danika enjoys fishing with her family and supporting her kids in their extracurricular activities.

A graduate of Xavier University of Louisiana, Danika lives in Gretna, LA with her husband, Gregory, and their three children, Kylah, Gavin and Shelbi.

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

Early in my career, I wish I would have considered the conviction that change should not be feared. Change should be embraced because the only thing constant in the world is change. Even when I cannot change a situation, I empower myself by changing my response to difficult situations. Looking back, I realized that I often feared what I would have to give up during the process of change rather than focusing on what I would gain once I embraced the change.  Managing and embracing change has presented me with some of my best opportunities.

How did you wind up in the industry? We know most kids don’t say “I want to be in commercial finance when I grow up

As a freshman in college, I decided to work in a local community bank as a part-time teller just to make a bit of money while in college, while still having ample time to concentrate on my education.  After completing my undergraduate work, I took a full-time position within the bank, prior to continuing my education by working on a graduate degree.  While working as a full-time teller, the community bank acquired a factoring portfolio and I decided to join the factoring and asset-based lending division of the bank. I became quite intrigued by this alternate type of commercial finance and therefore decided to immerse myself into and expand my knowledge of the industry.  With the help of great mentors who saw potential in me that I didn’t necessarily see in myself, I have been fortunate enough to serve as a data entry administrator, collateral analyst, account executive, operations manager and portfolio manager. My path in the industry came by chance, but my growth has been on purpose.

What role has mentoring played in your career?

I have been extremely fortunate to have been mentored by some of the industry’s most experienced and brightest leaders.  Early on in my career, being quite unaware of what I was getting into, I approached my quest for greater understanding very timidly.  Thankfully, my mentors pulled me out of my shell by not only encouraging me to ask questions, but they also all challenged me.  The wisdom and support provided to me by my mentors has enhanced my ability to be an effective mentor today.  Serving as a mentor, I challenge mentees to focus on what he or she wants rather than what he or she does not want.  I strive to make mentees understand that the world gives us what we focus on.  Through experience, I understand the importance of seeing hope inside of others and supporting those people to a point of them seeing that same hope within.

Is there a piece of professional advice you have been given that you would give yourself if you could go back in time?

I was once told that I am my only limit.  Initially, the false notion of being limited by factors outside of myself restricted my professional development.   Once I began to understand that I should not stand in my own way, I realized that my potential for progression was limitless.  I now know that limitations live only in my mind. If I could go back in time, I would advise myself to let go of insecurities, focus on what is wanted, and embrace change.