Vanessa Johnson

Executive Vice President, MBMJ Capital, LLC dba Continental Business Credit, Fast A/R Funding

Biography:

Vanessa Johnson is an executive vice president at MBMJ Capital, LLC dba Continental Business Credit, Fast A/R Funding.  In 2012, Vanessa joined MBMJ Capital, LLC, a start-up factoring company, as senior vice president and portfolio manager, where she was responsible for overseeing underwriting, portfolio management, and building a team of underwriters and account executives to support growth.  In 2015, Vanessa was promoted to executive vice, president where she is currently focused on designing loan management software and managing back office operations to support portfolio growth. 

Vanessa’s career started in 2004, when she joined Kerr-McGee Corporation, a Fortune 500 company in the oil and gas industry, where she was chosen to be the first candidate for a management development program in Corporate Finance. Vanessa joined First Capital in 2006 and became vice president and operations manager of their Financial Services Division, where she was responsible for the day-to-day management of asset-based lending facilities with credit lines between $2 million and $100 million. 

Vanessa attended the University of Oklahoma and graduated with distinction, earning her BBA in finance. 

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

My advice would be to educate yourself on the different opportunities that are available in the industry.  Commercial finance encompasses so many different areas that a person can specialize in. It is important to find an area that is best suited to a person’s characteristics, skill set, and work style.  Attend training seminars or webinars, consider obtaining industry specific certifications, and network with others in the industry.  Building relationships within the industry is key to becoming successful. 

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

I wish I had understood the importance of “internal networking” within a firm.  I learned over time that it is essential to develop relationships in various departments within a company.   When I worked in portfolio management, I found that having relationships with people in accounting and finance, verifications, treasury, sales, legal, and IT helped me to understand the functions of those departments, which gave me the ability to be better at my job because I understood how the departments within a company worked together.  Often, employees stay in their own department and don’t have a strong understanding of the different departments, which results in a narrow view of their job.  Having relationships outside of your primary job function gives you more resources to solve problems, be more creative in providing ideas or suggestions, and can provide unexpected pathways to success. 

What kind of role has mentoring and/or sponsorship played in your career?

Mentoring has played a tremendous role in my career and my professional growth.  Having a mentor that is willing to share experiences, assist in solving problems, and provide feedback on performance is invaluable for any employee.  I would encourage everyone to find a mentor whom they can go to for advice or help.  I also believe that being a mentor to someone is just as important as having a mentor.  Mentoring someone improves the overall work environment because it provides insights to employee issues and improves communication.

What do you think the industry could do to attract and retain the best and brightest today?

The industry needs to be involved with college job fairs and educate potential graduates on the industry and the different opportunities that are available.  Companies must challenge young employees with projects and keep them involved if they expect to retain talented employees.  People want to feel as though they contribute to the goals of the company, so it is important for companies to lay out their goals and identify ways that employees can help meet those goals.  I am also a proponent of rotational training, where entry level employees spend time working in four to five departments within a company to learn how everyone contributes to the growth and success of a firm.  Many people come into a position and learn one job function; however, if they are given the opportunity to work in other areas, they become better employees.