Tina Capobianco

Vice President, J D Factors

Biography:

Tina Capobianco is the vice president of J D Factors Corporation in Canada.  J D Factors provides factoring services to businesses across Canada and the US.  Tina is responsible for the Canadian operations and portfolio with its head office in Mississauga and offices in Montreal and Calgary.  Her extensive career in factoring started in 1992 as an account executive and has covered all areas of factoring including operations, credit and underwriting and business development.  Tina learned that the client is the cornerstone of commercial finance.  Learning how to work with a variety of different types of clients and industries has provided her with the experience to bring J D Factors to the forefront of commercial finance.

Tina has an Honors BA from the University of Toronto.  She is fluent in French and Italian. She was a founding member of the IFA Canadian Chapter and served on the IFA Advisory Board.  Tina lives in Toronto, Ontario with her husband and two sons.  She is currently on the Board of Directors of ISAND, a non-profit agency that provides services and therapy for children and young adults with autism.

What advice would you offer to women just starting out in the industry?

The commercial finance industry is made up of many knowledgeable and experienced people.  It can be daunting to start out in an industry where there is so much to learn.  The ratio of women to men is increasing in the industry. I would advise those women starting out not to be intimated and be yourself.  You need to learn all that you can and ask many questions.  Those of us that have been in the industry for so long want to pass along our knowledge and experiences to our successors.  We want to inspire them to come up with their own plans and ideas and bring a fresh new approach to the industry.  We encourage the newcomers to feel welcome and to share what they know.  They should not be afraid to ask about what they do not know.  This is an industry that is forever changing.  We need original thinkers who are genuine and not afraid to contribute.

What do you know now that you wish you knew in the beginning of your career?

They say hindsight is 20/20 and it would be great if we knew then what we know now.  I wish I knew that difficult days will pass and each challenge is a learning experience.  We gain our knowledge from the struggles we endure and we should strive to always take away a lesson learned from those struggles.  I wish I had taken the time to pay more attention to finding the solution to the problem and not focus on the problem itself.  It should be viewed that each problem is an opportunity to grow.

What do you enjoy most about your role? Least?

I enjoy helping my clients succeed in their businesses. From my first day as an account executive I saw the impact that the financial services I provided could mean the difference between succeeding and failing in their companies.  I thrive on the success of my clients and being a part of their achievements.  I enjoy getting to know my clients, understanding their needs, and becoming a part of the solution to their own business challenges.   

The worst part of my role is when one of my clients fails to succeed.  The most difficult scenarios is when I put so much effort into making the business work and it just does not happen. 

How do you balance work/personal time?

Finding a balance between work and personal time is and has always been a challenge for me.  Being a working mom means there is a constant struggle between being there for your family and giving 100% to your job.  I have been privileged enough to have an amazing support system both at home and at work.  I have a family who supports me in all that I do and I could not have achieved what I have without them.  It takes an incredible team of individuals to make a company succeed.  I am fortunate to have a great team at J D Factors.