Lacey Aulbach

Vice President, Operations, Triumph Business Capital

40 Under 40 Category: Operations

Lacey is a vice president in the operations department at Triumph Business Capital. Her career started for a local bank and continued throughout a decade of various roles in commercial banking. In 2012, Lacey decided to change course to expand her knowledge and began her journey into factoring at Triumph. Her previous roles, in banking and at Triumph, have provided Lacey with a strong understanding of transportation factoring, risk assessment, and portfolio management to help lead her teams towards success.

Lacey graduated from the University of Phoenix with a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice. She is a native of Dallas, TX where she lives with her husband and their three young sons. Outside of work, Lacey can usually be found in the stands at the baseball field or soccer field cheering for her boys.

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?

I remained in the office during the pandemic, but my teams were all remote as of March 2020. I think everyone’s work approach changed in some way during these unprecedented times, especially with virtual meetings and paper usage; as a company, we print less documents. Since I am accustomed to having my team members in person, it was a bit of an adjustment to not be able to walk over to someone’s desk to get an update on a situation or to call a quick meeting and gather everyone over to the side. I made sure to check in on team members often since the pandemic affected everyone differently and I was unable to “see” if someone was not personally doing well. We relied heavily upon Microsoft Teams chat to keep everyone connected and engaged as well as utilizing Zoom to screen-share for our monthly and quarterly meetings. Currently, we are not back to full reoccupation yet so virtual meetings and Teams chats are still present. I look forward to holding meetings in person and getting away from the Zoom screen-share, but once we are all back, I will keep the Teams chat as a platform to continue team member connection.

How do you define a good leader? 

While I do not think there is a cookie-cutter mold for a good leader, there are some commonalities. I have been fortunate enough to work alongside many individuals who fit the label of a good leader throughout my career, and they have come in all different types. A good leader is driven, passionate, and has focus for the overall company goal, while fostering an inclusive work environment to guide and coach others along the way. Growing up playing sports, a statement that has always stuck with me from a young age is “there is no I in team” and I think it is applicable at the office as well. I believe key characteristics of a good leader include someone who models integrity, shows consistency within their words and actions to lead by example, and invests time in others’ professional development. Sharing knowledge as a leader only strengthens your team and helps guide everyone down the path for success.

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

Ask questions! I am a firm believer in the phrase “There is no such thing as a dumb question.” The more questions you ask, the more knowledge you gain. Also, put the work in. If you want to grow in your current role and in the industry, it does not happen by doing the bare minimum. Any time an opportunity arises for a new challenge, raise your hand. The more you know, the more you grow!