In an era when technology and business move faster than ever, mastering communication is key to professional success. SFNet’s webinar, “The Art of Communication,” held March 4, brought together secured finance industry professionals at various career stages to discuss the evolving communication landscape in 2025. Panelists explored best practices for balancing technology with human connection, choosing the right mode of communication for different scenarios, and improving overall efficiency and productivity.

Irwin Dayan, vice president of Business Development and Marketing, The Hedaya Capital Group, was the moderator and panelists included Nolan Reichert, vice president, head of Originations, Haversine Funding; Derek Sigler, executive vice president, portfolio manager, Rosenthal & Rosenthal; and Farrah Vargas, senior vice president, Business Development, Advantage Business Capital.

Professional Communication Etiquette and Selecting the Most Appropriate Mode of Communication

Farrah Vargas kicked off the webinar discussing the various methods of communication she has found to be most effective. She typically defaults to three methods: e-mail, phone call, and video and each are dependent on the scenario. Email, for example, should only be used for the dissemination of information.

“If it's anything that could invoke emotion, email is not where it needs to be done,” Vargas explained. “So, if you can't fund someone, that is not an email, that's a phone call.” She also explained that phone calls not only build relationships more effectively than emails, but they are also more efficient.

“Many of us think it's going to be a quick email back. We want to get the ball out of our court and put it in someone else's court, but it then turns into 10 emails back and forth. If you call someone, you can resolve it in less than two minutes. My goal has changed from getting the ball in someone else's court to closing the loop in as few interactions as possible.”

Lastly, Vargas explained that she has found video to be an effective communication tool and chooses to use it when “if you can show it, don’t say it” applies. She recommended Loom.com for these instructional videos.

For Nolan Reichert, video is preferred when he is speaking with someone for the first time, whether it's a prospect, referral source, or another contact in the industry, so that a face can be put to a name.

“With video, we get to communicate in what feels like the most direct way without being in person,” Reichert said. “I really love to do a phone call, too. I tend to be a very direct person. A lot of times when I'm sending an email, I'll read it and think, ‘Wow, that sounds a little harsh.’  Even if it's not harsh, it seems so short or direct. I end up spending more time wondering, ‘Does that sound right? Should I add a couple exclamation marks or a smiley face at the end to lighten in the mood?’ To avoid all that, I try to make it as direct as possible through a phone call or Zoom.”

Reichert will occasionally text if it's something that is a quick answer and if it is with someone that has previously texted him.

Dayan asked panelists how speed and quality can maintain a strong relationship and be  balanced in a world of instant messages and rapid response times.

For many, it can be a knee-jerk reaction to send a quick email and move on, instead of a phone call, where you may get a voicemail, then have to set up a reminder to follow up. Email offers speed, but the tone can become lost. In ABL and factoring, quality communication can help build a relationship.

“A lot of us are direct competitors, we provide similar services,” Reichert said. “It’s the relationships that set us apart, and that is where we have the value. If you already have a relationship built up, or if you know you're dealing with someone and that's their preferred method of communication, I think you have to adapt. If it's that beginning stage where you're having to navigate that and figure out what works best, I think it's so important to make sure that you are getting your message across clear. The focus should be on building that relationship.”

“I would say in 100% of the deals that I've done, it's about the relationship, it's not about price,” Dayan added.

Sigler added that speed and quality don’t work well together. Often, it’s more effective to take a step back and organize your thoughts instead of responding right away just for the sake of responding.By consolidating your ideas into a single email, you can often move to the next step more efficiently.

“It's getting a quality response that's going to get you to the next step and not waste time. It's also about delegating and working with your team,” Sigler said. “You have to collaborate with colleagues and work together. Not everyone can do everything themselves. I think people need to realize that when they are swamped, it’s ok to ask for help. Don't be shameful and put it all on your own shoulders. We all have great teams that we work with, and you have to leverage that to be an asset for you.”

Declining a Request Professionally While Still Maintaining a Positive Relationship

Sigler stressed that in the business of lending money, not every client or prospect is the same, and even if the request is same, a different approach is required based on the audience. Whether it’s an ongoing client or prospect, the hard part is being able to say no while still maintaining the relationship. There are several ways to achieve this, Sigler noted.

“A lot of times decision making goes beyond numbers on a paper but the relationship and trust in clients as operators. It's not as simple as whatever your availability is, that’s what they get," Sigler said. "You provide guidance. Sometimes you must go above your normal formula to help a client get through. In some situations, it's much easier to say yes, but the right answer might be no. You have to be transparent and straightforward, explain why you’re saying no and present an alternative of what you can do.

“Another approach of either saying no or meeting in the middle is explaining what needs to happen to make the answer to the original request a yes. That's where the perspective changes from being just a lender to a partner and a resource to that client. In this industry we see so many different businesses across different industries and product categories, we can draw on those experiences and share it with clients.”

Vargas added that vocal tonality is important when delivering news, calling it “low voice, high voice.” The low voice shows a decision is firm, but ending on the high voice with a solution shows a willingness to work towards a solution.

Remaining Present and Keeping Dialogue Open

If you are on a call, Zoom or in a meeting, if you see an email come in, panelists agreed its best to reply later. The same approach can be taken in a meeting by not placing your phone on the table.

“Everyone's extremely busy, so it’s important to slow down and focus on making the most out of the time you spend with a prospect or client, having the highest quality interaction with who’s in front of you before you rush through and move on to the next thing,” Sigler said.

Whether you are having an everyday conversation, a contentious conversation, or someone is presenting a topic or an opinion you don't agree with, remaining curious, says Vargas, is an instant way to bring down the contentious energy in the room. The idea stems from Conversational Capacity by Craig Weber. The book provides different tools and techniques to keep dialogue open and remain balanced and non-defensive.

“One way I've implemented this with prospects is when I have a prospect that's financed somewhere else, I am intentional with the wording, where I ask in a positive way, ‘What do you need more of? What do you need less of?’ to find out what the pain point is,” Vargas explained.

Reichert added that listening is a powerful tool in a conversation, but silence is heavily underrated.

“If in a conversation with a prospect, if you give it a beat, there's a bit of an awkward silence, but what you'll find is that they will start opening up even more to fill that silence, and you end up getting more out of that initial answer than you thought you would, because they want to fill the air.”

Productive Meetings and Following Up

Having a clear agenda and giving people time to review an agenda or information before a meeting is a good way to allow people to review for a more productive meeting.

“The brain likes it when you can do things in an organized manner,” Vargas said, sharing a mantra she likes to use for meetings: ‘Tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you told them.’

Every meeting or conversation should be closed with a recap of deliverables, who is responsible, the due date, and what’s next.

“I see it happen frequently, where people want to say what the action item is, and they'll assign the action to a team or a department,” Vargas said. “It needs to be granular and should be assigned to one person with a deadline. That person can then choose to collaborate with their team.”

Sending a list of items needed to issue a proposal shortly after a phone call and following up a few days later is a successful formula for Vargas. CRM tools such as HubSpot or Pipedrive can be used for following up at regular intervals. Being resourceful and leaving a prospect better off than before they came to you, regardless of if they move forward, is ideal.

From selecting the right mode of communication to handling difficult conversations with transparency and professionalism, panelists provided actionable strategies to enhance efficiency and foster stronger connections. As technology continues to reshape how people interact, the ability to communicate thoughtfully and effectively remains a crucial differentiator in the secured finance industry. By staying present, adaptable, and intentional in every conversation, professionals can not only navigate challenges but also build lasting relationships that drive long-term success.