Smarter Business Lending Operations Start Here: Why credit unions choose NewtekOne

By Kenneth Lowy, Director, Sales & Strategic Alliances, NewtekOne

In today’s rapidly evolving financial landscape, credit unions are expected to offer fast, flexible, and fully digital business lending solutions to their members, all while maintaining the personalized service and trust on which their members rely. With an estimated 11 million of America’s 32 million small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) holding credit-union memberships, the opportunity for growth and member engagement has never been greater. However, delivering business loans, especially SBA and commercial loans, requires a sophisticated infrastructure that many credit unions simply do not possess in-house.

Attempting to develop complex lending operations internally often leads to challenges including increased operational costs, regulatory complexities, difficulty recruiting skilled staff, and the constant need to keep pace with fintech-driven innovation. The question for many credit unions is no longer if they need to modernize their business lending process and offerings, but how to do so without draining financial and operational resources or compromising member service. As noted in the Credit Union Times, “Digital transformation is not a luxury – it’s a survival strategy for credit unions looking to stay relevant and grow."¹ That said, the solution that has emerged is the decision of many credit unions to outsource their business lending operations.

This is where NewtekOne, Inc. can help!

Plug In NewtekOne and Power Up Your Business Lending Potential

NewtekOne can provide any credit union with a fully managed, comprehensive business lending operations infrastructure from start to finish. With more than $10 billion in funded loans and over 25 years as a publicly traded company (NASDAQ: NEWT), NewtekOne has the industry experience and infrastructure to become an extension of any credit union’s business lending team. It offers a turnkey, comprehensive loan origination and servicing platform covering the entire lending lifecycle, customized to meet the credit union’s specific needs.

The result? Credit unions can offer a full suite of business loan products, including SBA 7(a) and 504 loans, commercial real estate loans, working capital and term loans, equipment financing, and business lines of credit without having to build or manage a complex lending department. These are exactly the types of lending solutions that members demand but credit unions often struggle to offer due to the high cost of infrastructure, specialized compliance requirements, and training complexities.

Choosing NewtekOne to handle all your business lending operations provides deep value to credit unions, enabling them to elevate their service while managing risk and costs. And because NewtekOne’s team operates seamlessly behind the scenes, either white-labeled or co-branded, the credit union’s identity and member relationships remain intact. From origination to servicing, NewtekOne manages the entire lending process, including marketing, underwriting, compliance, and loan packaging while the credit union stays focused on delivering an exceptional member experience.

Advantages of Partnering With NewtekOne for Successful Business Lending Program

• Access to Best-in-Class Underwriting and Processing: Business lending requires precision, speed, and regulatory knowledge. NewtekOne provides a full team of experienced underwriters and processors supported by real-time decision engines and automated scoring. That means credit unions can originate and close business loans faster, more consistently, and without increasing headcount.
• Cost-Effective Business Lending Solution: Credit unions can plug into NewtekOne’s business lending engine with little to no upfront investment. There is no need to hire underwriters, deploy internal loan officers, or build new compliance systems, making lending growth attainable even for small or mid-sized credit unions.
• Full Regulatory and Compliance Coverage: As a federally regulated financial holding company and SBA Preferred Lender, NewtekOne helps credit unions navigate the complex regulatory landscape of lending, reducing risk and saving compliance costs.
• Brand Integrity and Member Trust: Whether white-labeled or co-branded, NewtekOne works invisibly to support your lending efforts while preserving your credit union’s member-facing identity.
• Real-Time Transparency and Performance Monitoring: With a fully customizable dashboard, credit unions can track every aspect of their lending pipeline, from application to closing, in real time.
• Off-Balance Sheet Lending Model: Since NewtekOne funds and holds the loans, most lending activity remains off the credit union’s balance sheet. That frees up capital and allows for greater flexibility, especially beneficial for credit unions just entering the business lending market. Optional participation still allows revenue generation through shared interest income.

A Call to All Credit Unions: Make Business Lending Smarter

Outsourcing business lending to NewtekOne offers a clear strategic advantage. It is not about giving something up, but rather gaining the power to grow, gain more capacity, more member satisfaction, and more strategic focus. Whether you are launching your first business lending program or looking to scale an existing one, NewtekOne offers the tools, talent, and technology to make that happen.

Let NewtekOne be the business lending engine behind your next phase of growth.

Connect with NewtekOne to discover how your credit union can deliver better business loans, deepen member relationships, and unlock smarter growth.

¹Credit Union Times, “Digital Disruption: Credit Unions Must Adapt or Fall Behind” (March 2023)